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    Humble Beginnings

    5.0 (33 reviews)
    ModerateTattoo
    Closed Closed

    By appointment only

    Updated 2 months ago

    Services - Humble Beginnings

    Tattooing

    Humble Beginnings Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Humble Beginnings

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    this place is fire!!!! i had the tattoo artist lavinia who is so sweet and caring and knows her stuff! she is very clear and thorough with made sure i really liked my first tattoo! if you have a tattoo with similar style highly recommend her!!! thank you humble beginnings and i will definitely be back!!! vibe is chill and feels like home!

    Jo Ann D.

    Chris started tattooing me years ago and I'm always so happy with his work. Def a master of his craft and makes the ideas I have in my head into beautiful pieces. Shop is clean and easy to get to in Walnut Creek.

    canary in flight by Jake
    Michelle V.

    This review is for Jake! Big thanks to him for making the experience so enjoyable. We talked almost the entire time and I felt very comfortable despite how nervous I felt getting tatted in a painful area. I couldn't send him exact reference photos for my idea since canaries aren't popular tattoos and it was hard to find them in flight in photos, but Jake definitely studied the bird and the ideas I sent him! I loved how it turned out. I book a consultation in May, spoke in July, and got tatted in December. Definitely don't be scared to double text when planning. Came in at 10am on a Saturday. The setup took pretty long and the breaks in between were super long. I left around 2:30. The rate was $180/hour. I was charged a bit over 2 hours. The time went by fast! I was super impressed by the difference in styles from the artists around the shop. They are crazy talented!

    By CJ
    Yee W.

    This review is for CJ who did my shoulder tattoo. He was very professional and made sure I was comfortable the entire time. He drew exactly what I wanted (a snake wrapped around bamboos). It's probably my favorite piece on me and I have a lot of tattoos. I wish I knew about this shop and CJ earlier because I would of just stuck with him for all my tattoos. Anyways, the shop is nice and clean. I love the energy and vibe I get when I walked in. It's a chill, cool place. CJ is seriously the best! He's been tattooing for more than 10 years so his skills/talent is unbelievable. Thank you!

    Arlene P.

    I want to thank the staff of Humble Beginnings for accommodating my family. My nephew died recently and we asked Chris if they could accommodate a lot of us. We wanted a simple tattoo to honor our departed loved one. They took us in the following day and treated us really well. Nine of us got our tattoos and we were happy with the results. We can't thank them enough.

    This is my fourth tattoo shop, and it is by far the best! Now that I know this place exists, I can't imagine going anywhere else. Chris is the best! He is thorough, has great attention to detail, works very hard, his technique is gentle and precise, and he is a high-character guy. I can't speak any higher of Chris, he exceeded all expectations. I really enjoyed my time with Chris, and everyone at the shop. They really make you feel like family. It is very clean and very comfortable. The vibe in the shop is the best that I've been to. I highly recommend this place. Thank you, Chris, and the entire crew!

    Wendell E.

    Tip for parking. When you see HBTat2 on your right make the next available right turn into a small parking lot behind the buildings. Location is beautiful , easy to get to, safe, clean, warm & welcoming. CJ is the man. Always on time, professional, personable, and a SICK artist. He's gone to San Jose HBtat2 for me because I wouldn't be able to leave work in time and this time he came straight from the airport to the shop for our appt today. Can't wait to start our next journey Cuhja! You the MAN!!

    Love the vintage decor at this shop!
    Shannan L.

    Highly recommend this place. Artists are very talented and easy to work with. Location is convenient right off of the freeway and the shop is very clean. Came in for a consultation for our son and booked an appointment for the following week. The knowledge of tribal tattoos and the meaning behind them impressed me the most. Our son got his first tattoo here and we will be back to get a few more done for sure.

    Glenn C.

    My tattoo Artist is Chris Gonzales. Let me just say his work is amazing!!! He free handed the samurai on my leg, and it came out spectacular.

    Angela G.

    Great tattoo experience. Matching Tats for mom and I. We LOVE them! CJ was amazing, patient and completely open to talk ideas. Can't wait to go back for my back piece! Thx CJ for making moms first tattoo experience a pleasant one!

    Ashley N.

    CJ is definitely the man you want to go to! He did a amazing job on my cover up ... you can't see the old tattoo at all and his chilled personality makes you feel at ease! Thanks CJ! I'm already getting so many compliments!

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    Great clean shop artist Owen was recommended to me and in return highly recommend him

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    Ask the Community - Humble Beginnings

    Does anyone on your staff have experience with male genital piercing?

    Nope. All tattoo practitioners here. No piercings.

    View All 5 Questions

    Review Highlights - Humble Beginnings

    Chris did beautiful work on the memorial tattoo on my back/shoulder for my sister-in-law and father-in-law.

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Sugar City Tattoo Company - Tattoo by artist sorin

    Sugar City Tattoo Company

    4.9(118 reviews)
    13.1 mi
    $$
    Certified professionals
    Locally owned & operated

    My second time seeing Monica at Sugar City, and she just does amazing work. Her line work is crisp…read moreand gentle, and her coloring and shading is intricate and eye-catching. This time she adapted a piece of my best friend's art for tattooing, and it's definitely my new favorite ink. Monica, you have a client for life in me. And as for the shop itself, it's comfy, clean, and has the absolute best playlist. Everyone makes you feel like a regular, even if it's only your first or second time, and the whole vibe feels so authentic to the people who work there. A true 11/10 joint that I recommend to anyone I can.

    The Best In The Bay!…read more The Artist: I actually discovered Sugar City tattoo through Yelp! I was looking for a tattoo artist that have experience in outdoor nature scenery! After a few months of searching I finally decided on Sorin and ready to get my own paradise! Sorin is one of the coolest artists that I have ever met. I felt very comfortable with him during consultation. He was very patient, very helpful. Customer discussing ideas can be frustrating for an artist specially when the customer have a difficult time describing designs. I was that customer lol. But Sorin was calm while sharing some ideas! He was easy to talk to and the vibe was real!!I knew it then that the process of getting my tattoo is going to be a pleasant experience! And I wasn't wrong! Sorin completed the project and I was very pleased of the quality and the results. My friends, family and colleagues love it!! So, I went back for a second one! It won't be the last! Tha facility: I like the facility a lot. It's situated in one of the main streets in Crockett in one of the historic buildings. I'm not really sure but it looks historic. The interior looks cool and cozy and not scary! lol. It's a place anyone will be comfortable getting tats done! Finally, if you are thinking of getting ink for New Year or something personal, Sorin is the man for the job at Sugar City Tattoo Company! As I mentioned, I'll be back for more! FYI: Photos from Sorin

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    Sugar City Tattoo Company - Tattoo by artist Kristina

    Tattoo by artist Kristina

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    Pocket watch Tattoo By Sorin

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    Watercolor starfish by Kristina

    Zebra Tattoo & Body Piercing

    Zebra Tattoo & Body Piercing

    4.3(1.3k reviews)
    11.0 miTelegraph Ave
    $$$
    Family-owned & operated
    Established in 1984

    Teen daughter wanted thirds k. Both ears and a double helix. Came here because was hoping she could…read moreuse her old piercing studs to save some $. Turns out we couldn't but it's ok. Amar was so gentle and patient and informative. I think her calm and nurturing demeanor helped prepare my daughter mentally, which is huge given the upper ear is a whole different experience from the lines. Don't ever go get your piercings at the mall again! Come to zebra! We will back for several more upper ear in a few months.

    Drove all the way up to get mt baby's ears pierced. The front door is gated off and theres an…read moreattendant to direct you through the process. Once at the counter, there was a friendly staff to walk us through the selection process and check my baby's ears for suitability. She let us choose a jewelery and backing, and there were so many options. Shebalso answered all our questions before we were directed ti the register to pay. From there, we waited to be called up for the piercing. The wait is a bit long but is ubder 30 minutes. While waiting, I looked around and notice the shop is very clean and well organized. They have a price list on the wall and their piercings are decently priced. The piercing went well and thwy were so attentive and will definitely come back for future piercings ans def would recommend them.

    Photos
    Zebra Tattoo & Body Piercing
    Zebra Tattoo & Body Piercing
    Zebra Tattoo & Body Piercing

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    O Tattoo Studio - Siri's awesome tattoo!

    O Tattoo Studio

    5.0(124 reviews)
    11.4 miRockridge, North Oakland
    $$

    Arie was amazing to work with!…read more I reached out to her via email for a custom design and everything went really smoothly. I sent her lots of reference images and the tattoo she created was exactly what I wanted. Her communication was consistent and she got back to me quickly whenever I had questions. I wanted a fine line design with some ornamental touches and I'm so happy with my result. The studio is very welcoming, clean and comfortable. My tattoo was pretty large for my first one, but I felt fine the entire time and Arie checked on me consistently. Applying the stencil took time, but I'm grateful for that because the placement was exactly what I wanted. We ended up going bigger day of and seeing the piece on my body with a stencil was super helpful in getting it right. I really appreciated Arie's calm demeanor & attention to detail! I get so many compliments on my tattoo, and I'm already planning to come back for more. The healing process was a breeze and my skin was never irritated, even immediately after my tattoo was completed. Highly recommend working with Arie and visiting O Tattoo if you're looking for a beautiful piece, that's done by a qualified, artistic professional.

    I got a tattoo here May 2024 with KG. She was great throughout the whole process! I sent her my…read moreidea of what I wanted my tattoo to look like and what exactly I liked if each reference and she nailed it. She was so sweet and the vibe of the studio was also so calm. I would totally refer her to other people looking to get tats done in and outside of Oakland!

    Photos
    O Tattoo Studio
    O Tattoo Studio - Fresh photo of first tattoo. Thanks Siri!

    Fresh photo of first tattoo. Thanks Siri!

    O Tattoo Studio - Line work by Siri

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    Line work by Siri

    Humble Beginnings - tattoo - Updated May 2026

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