Daniel at Idle Hand is the best!!! Talented, kind, and just an all around wonderful artist! If you are looking for a great piece and are in the Haight...hit up Idle Hand Tattoo read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I had an appointment with Ben McQueen. On the day of the appointment, Ben was super professional, friendly, and made me feel totally at ease since it was my first tattoo. The shop was spotless, and the vibe was chill. read more

These people suck. Artists are entitled and stuck up. They recommend to not get red ink. Staff Act so entitled so I can't even pay for a service. Stuck up and shitty. How bout you tell me what we can do and try to work with me instead of listing everything you don't recommend. I already had in mind what I wanted found. Found another place same day and got it done no hassle. read more

Ben did my tattoo and purposely brushed against my chest multiple times. I was so uncomfortable the entire time and I will never come back. My tattoo turned out fine. read more

I LOVE Idle Hand. I can't believe it has taken me so long to write a review for them as I've been going to Idle Hand for over 3 years. I have tattoos from Holly Ellis, Austin Maples, and Derick Montez. They are all talented artists, nice people, and light-handed; everything you want in a tattoo artist! The shop is very clean and fun to just hang out while waiting for them to finalize the drawings. If you love traditional tattoos, definitely check out Idle Hand. read more

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Beau Adams is the man! I got a panther tattooed by him which I love. Whole crew is friendly and they skilled.

I came in here this past weekend for the artist I was tattoo'd by here during my first review - JTG! He has long since left the area but comes back and calls Idle Hand home base during some visits. I was lucky enough to sneak in for a Saturday appointment. I arrived before my appt with time to cruise for street parking. Most meters are 2 hours so bringing someone with you to move the care during longer tattoo appointments is helpful if you drive. The shop is easy to find with a hanging sign protruding from the entrance. Once you enter in you are greeted by decorated walls with frames of flash, artwork, sculptures, and an animal head. I was greeted by my artist and not the shop receptionist, but as I bounced in and out a few times before my session began she was attentive and kind. I love that the shop is clean and have it's own restroom. In the area it's nice to have a clean restroom before sitting down for a several hour tattoo. During my session everything my artist requested they went and grabbed for him without hesitation - including his dinner request. I can't speak to the other artists work, but the shop cleanliness, sterilization practices and area dedicated to sketching is incredible. Stop in. Look through the portfolios. Book an appointment. Bring cash - always cash! Make a memory. Leave a generous tip. 10 out of 5 stars for a permanent and well done memory for me. read more

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I moved here a year ago and I've been waiting for the day I could book a spot with Holly Ellis! If you follow her on IG you know how seriously talented she is. I was able to book an appointment around the holidays and it did not disappoint. She was so kind during the appointment, let me scroll through social/work from my phone but we also made conversation and I got to hear about her dope life. This was from her flash collection, I really love the girl heads so I was excited to see this available. The details up close are so beautiful, the fresh tattoo picture doesn't do it justice. If I remember to come back to this review I'll add a healed picture too. If you can book Holly, do it! The talent is insane. read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

Ross Jones is the man. This whole shop was great, everyone was super friendly. I put a deposit down on PayPal, I'm glad they have that option so I don't have to BART over to secure my appointment. Ross tattooed my girlfriend before me, he was great with her because she is shy and nervous. He made sure everything was perfectly how we wanted it, went over every detail and was crazy nice. He listened to everything I wanted and drew something up that was better than I could have dreamed, and incorporated every element I wanted. The entire shop was pumping out high quality, really cool tattoos. There's also a cheap bar conveniently placed right across the street read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Ross Jones - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I got my first tattoo here, done by Ross Jones. He made the process so easy and was extremely comforting throughout the entire process. My tattoo turned out great, and I'm looking forward to coming back for more work! read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

This shop is home to a super talented group of artists. Before moving to the neighborhood, I surprisingly hadn't heard too much about them. But walking by their shop and appreciating the aesthetic of the store front, I started researching online. I highly recommend checking out the shop's Instagram (as well as the individual artists, once you get a feel for their specific styles), where you'll get to see one amazing piece after another. Holly's stuff is of course incredible, but for the piece I had in mind for myself, I knew Austin Maples had to do it. Setting up the appointment via e-mail with Austin was easy and when I got to Idle Hands the day of the appointment, he quickly drew up my idea and transformed it into something even better than I imagined. I was impressed not just by how it came out but also that it only took a couple hours. I highly recommend anyone interested in getting a new piece stop by or check them out online. You won't be disappointed. read more

Wanted to give a shout out to Ross for a great tattoo experience a few weeks ago. Idle Hand had been on my radar for a while, and after a previous artist of mine recommended the shop I was sold. After a few emails with Ross I put down a deposit via PayPal (which is super convenient and seems to be a rarity in the tattoo world.) A day before the appointment I dropped in to check out the shop and he took some time out of a packed schedule to discuss some last minute concerns. He invited me to show up early to the appointment the next day so we could iron out any last minute details. He re-drew the image I had supplied for reference to make it more suitable for skin, and it was exactly what I was looking for. When it came time to discuss money he was also very reasonable and respected my budget without cutting corners in quality. He placed the stencil 3 different times on my leg to make sure it was as a good flow anatomically (damn chicken legs) got opinions from the other guys in the shop to make sure everything was 100% perfect, and then we hit the go button. When I started to feel light headed he grabbed me some water, a cool towel, and some Reese's Pieces, and told me to chill out until I felt better. The rest of the appointment went swell, and now that everything is healed it looks even better than the day I walked out! Props to you Ross! read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Staff was attentive and quick to respond to a last minute request. Artist (Derick) took my idea and made it perfect. It wasn't overly pricey - especially given the customization in art - I would recommend this shop to anyone. read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Waiting area - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I booked an appointment with Derek Montez, when i showed up, he was not there... i contacted him and he was rude and i didn't even get back my deposit. I traveled all the way from LA and he didn't even care. There was another whyte guy there who told me that he can tattoo me but he was charging me an exaggerated amount of money (maybe cuz he knew i really wanted my tattoo nad i traveled from afar). In conclusion; I don't recommend this shop, specially not Montez... he is a fraud read more

I rarely write reviews but honestly, I had such a good experience I feel compelled to. I've been looking for an artist that I trust to start on my process of getting sleeves and Ben was incredible. He made me feel extremely at ease, was kind and amicable and his professionalism was admirable. The environment was extremely comfortable and so unlike shops I had been to before for other body modification which by comparison were so much more crowded, loud and made me feel like an outsider. It was a really nice change of pace. read more

I'm almost reluctant to review my favorite tattoo place on account of the fact that people are gonna find out how great it is and start filling up these guys' calendars. But they really do deserve some love so here goes. First of all, Terry is a peach! She's sweet and chatty and she got me several glasses of water while I was desperately trying to find my 'happy place' for about 4 hours under the gun last Saturday. Zach Johnson just moved his ass to Monterey, but I'm told he gets back up here occasionally. He tattooed some vintage style roses onto my shoulders that are really really lovely. Well balanced, beautifully shaded with nice bright colors. The guy has a good eye. I've heard he is comfortable with both traditional American and Japanese style tattooing. At some point I might hit Andy Lowlife up for a pin up girl, he's a really nice guy and his girls are super cute and saucy. Check out Holly Ellis' book as well, her work has the sensitivity of a painter. Iggy did a beautiful day of the dead skull (sugar skull they call it) on a friend of mine. I thought the outline was incredible by itself, but he did a great job shading it as well. And then there is Jason Tyler Grace. This guy is incredibly talented. And enthusiastic. And NICE! He literally designed me one of the most beautiful tattoos I've ever seen. It really compliments my figure and I just don't know if I can fully express how excited I am about it. So there. Go there. Talk to the artists and let them design you something. Just leave me some time on Jason's book, will ya? read more

The artist did the wrong design. I cannot explain how disappointed I am with this shop and I am pretty certain that the artist was on some sort of medication read more

A friend of mine mentioned Idle Hand amongst a long list of shops in Oakland and SF the he recommended. After doing the research and checking a number of artist's portfolios from a number of different shops, I was thoroughly impressed by Holly Ellis' body of work. A few weeks later during First Friday/Art Murmur, I just happened to see that a two hour session with Holly was amongst the items up for silent auction at the Hatch gallery in Oakland, and I happened to put in the winning bid. I met with Holly for a consultation with two pictures of brown rabbits. She heard me out on what I wanted, and seamlessly combined the elements of the two images that I wished to have included in the piece. I went into the session not knowing exactly where I wanted the piece or the orientation that I wanted it to my body. Holly created two stencils so that I could figure out exactly how I felt it would look best. The session lasted one and a half hours, which was surprisingly short. Holly had a gentle hand, and kept mentioning how much fun she was having with the piece. I can not be more thrilled with her work. I am super honored to have had her create this piece for me, and would recommend her without hesitation. The shop was super clean, the environment was laid back, and everyone was very friendly. Just be prepared to wait a at least a few weeks from the time that you schedule your consultation, as Holly is a very sought after artist (and rightfully so). read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Done by Holly Ellis. The photo does not do it justice. - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

A tattoo is just a cool picture on your body 'till you're dead. But if you want it to look good you should go to a genuine artist that knows what they're doing. You can find them here. read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Iggy Rules! - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had a poem that means a lot to me that I initially wanted in four lines, fairly small, in script, on my ribs. Aaron took it and told me it needed to be a little bigger because the loops in the letter may run together, in the long run, with script. I took his advice, got it in eight lines and a little bigger, and I could not be happier. Everyone says that the ribs are one of the most painful places to get tattooed, but I barely felt a thing and Aaron did a great job. Everyone who sees it cannot tell me how sick it looks and how classy it is. Thanks, Aaron. read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Script by Aaron - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

Wow. Is all I can say about Idle Hand. After going to a different studio 2 1/2 years ago and not feeling right and leaving when the artist had not sketched anything out with lots of communication 'tween us over 2 months time, then having another artist flake on me twice, I found Idle Hand. Halla-fuckin-lulah! I researched my first tattoo, knew pretty much what I wanted. And I was ready. (very important element to getting permanent art-not like you can toss it out like an IKEA lamp or something, right?) So I found Jason DONAHUE- I chose him because I liked his roses. I went down to Idle Hand one afternoon and walked in, was greeted by nice guy and then Jason came out. Trust was an instant reaction. We talked for a few, made the appointment, left him a deposit when I went back for brief consultation. After, we communicated a little by email about what I wanted. When I walked in for my appointment Jason came out with a fantastic rendering of what was to be. He took my nebulous vision and created a work of art. ART. We went into the back room and he really wanted me to be happy, so we adjusted, flipped and reworked the size until I was satisfied. Jason Donahue is very chill, sincere, focused, and sweet as pecan pie! He didn't rush me or make me feel pressured. I totally dug his style. No Rambo with a needle here. This guy is practically Zen. Did it hurt? Not really. Or I'm one tough woman, because I was able to sit for 3.5 hours. Jason Donahue is really efficient. I sat, he created. It took much longer then we thought, but the result is a beautiful amazing tattoo I will show off for life. I am not done with my body story and I imagine Jason will be doing more work for me in the future. If you are looking for a good place with many talented artists, I can highly recommend Idle Hand, but I think I'm sticking with Jason. Be willing to wait a month or much much more to get what you want-it's worth it. Prices are more then fair, and the shop friendly a good vibe. When people give neg reviews maybe it's their attitude that needs adjusting. Thank you Idle Hand! read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - by Jason Donahue-he's awesome! - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

I'm giving Idle Hand 5 stars because I can't think of anything about it I would change... I got my first tattoo from Alex in 2007 at the age of 19. I picked Aaron to do my second tattoo because I felt what I wanted fit better with things he usually does. Aaron is currently 1/2 way done with a sugar skull/roses piece on my back. The outline took about 2 hours and after a month the lines have already gone completely smooth. Before I got my first tattoo I went to 5-6 places in the Bay Area that were recommended by some of my heavily tattooed friends. Some places were mean to me as a newbie wanting to start small but everyone at Idle Hand was totally cool to me and it calmed my nerves right down. These guys rock! read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - By Aaron @ Idle Hand (only 1/2 finished) - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

I should have done this review a while ago but later then never is better just like the tattoo. Yes it's a long wait to get a tattoo but it's a long wait that's worth it! I had been researching a very special tattoo for myself for a LONG time trying to find the artist I really wanted. When I saw Holly's work on Idle Hand and Tattoonow.com I fell in love instantly! Her work was amazing! Then I met her at the Tattoo Expo and her personality went along with it. I tried to make an appointment with her a few months after meeting her and found out that It'd be at least 6months to a year till I would even make an appointment with Holly. I didn't mind because i REALLY wanted her to do my work. 6 months pass no call. No big deal I give them a call they say that she's still busy and that it'd be around winter when she'd finally be available. Another 6 months but I don't mind. So she calls and wants an consultation in a week I was stocked! I wanted something custom done. A Peach Blossom with an anatomically correct heart as one of the pedals, with the veins of the heart merging with the pistols of the flower. During the consultation we talked about how it'd be better if the heart was a separate entity (but still attached through the vein/pistols) and that it should be full color rather then black and gray like I originally wanted. Also it was going to be a LOT bigger but she talked with me and said it'd be for the benefit of the tattoo. She wanted me to get the bigger one that she said would be around $450 but I knew i couldn't afford more then $300 so we did the size smaller which would be 2 hours and $300. A week later I show up for my tattoo to see her new design and it was AMAZING! Much better then my design ever was! The tattoo (which is on my right shoulder blade) was nearly painless (especially for it being my first tattoo). The tattoo session was 3 hours straight (with a short break). So i was a bit worried about how much it was going to come out to be but she only charged me what she had quoted $300 which was MUCH appreciated! She's an AMAZING tattoo artist and a Great person. Well worth the year I waited to get the tattoo and WELL worth Every penny! I can't wait to get another tattoo and I know exactly who I want it from even if I have to wait another year :) read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Amazing Tattoo By Holly Ellis (quality of pic due to camera phone) - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

Holly Ellis rocks the party that rocks the party. I'm both thrilled and devastated that she's so booked up these days - lots of people clearly recognize what an effing brilliant tattoo artist she is, but it means I have to wait longer to get in to see her. But she's always worth the wait. I shopped my way through several SF tattoo artists before going to Holly, and she was the first who was not only able to take my ideas and descriptions and example pictures and hand-waving and make it into something beautiful and amazing, but also get really excited about doing it. I sent her pictures of some really amazing woodwork on a door in Paris and said, "I like this" - she managed to incorporate it into my tattoo. I brought my favorite brocade coat to our consultation and said "This is one of my favorite things in the world - is there a way to get the design into my tattoo?" - and there it was, incorporated into my tattoo. She is bloody brilliant. I've received so many complements on my work from people on the street, in bars, etc. that I've taken to having a stock of her business cards on me at all times. I also have to mention that this was my first tattoo, a multi-session, semi-complex backpiece. And she made my experience better than I ever could've imagined. She's actually fun to spend several hours with, even when she's got a needle in your skin for those several hours. The guys in the shop all respect her and her clients and I had a great time with it. read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - the fruits of Session 1 with Holly Ellis - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came out so well I got a unicorn tattoo and it was exactly what I wanted highly recommended!

Incredible tattoo shop. Sick vibe. The location is amazing - the iconic Haight Street in San Francisco. All the artists are super good. My daughter and I both got work done by Jeff Gleason. He's really good at what he does! The entire experience was great. Getting an appointment was easy. Jeff responds via email fast. The artwork was ready (and perfect) when I arrived for my appointment. No joke, I was under the gun within 15 minutes of getting there. He's fast but has amazing attention to detail. Great conversation. Very reasonably priced. Cool dude. I obviously highly recommend him. Will definitely be back! read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

Artist - Iggy Vans First Piece - Serenity Prayer I was referred here by friends (both inked on by Jason Tyler Grace) and they were everything they had explained. Place is clean, people are cool easy going and helpful. Idle hands is a great shop and highly recommended if you want ink done. read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - First tattoo done by Iggy Vans!! - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

Visit Idle Hand Tattoo in the Lower Haight!!! AsaP! First, the shop is just rad inside with dope art to look at. #BuddhaFountain -And It has all the feels of what makes San Francisco great. As a local 2nd gen SF'r I grew up hanging out after HS at Amoeba records in the upper haight if i wasn't involved in sports or music. .. Gentrification has flipped this city even in the Haight Ashbury but Idle Hand in the Lower Haight is still cool. Long story short, I found by chance of a 'tiger' instagram hashtag an incredibly talented artist Gary Royale. His art popped up and boom! I decided to go with an eagle to start and I am very happy! Thanks Idle Hand and Gary. -Laura read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Eagle by Gary Royale - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

I found this shop on Instagram and knew I wanted my next tattoo here! I had a concept sketch I emailed to Ross and he got back to me very quickly saying he'd be happy to do the piece for me. I'm so happy I did! He did such a great job and was very friendly to me and my friend who accompanied me! Everyone else in the shop was very friendly, the shop was very clean as well. (Also the bathroom was pretty neatly decorated!) The only tricky part was parking! (But let's be real it's San Francisco and there's NEVER parking!) with a quick google search I found a parking lot about .8 or .9 miles away, like a 15-20 minute walk. I'd recommend the parking lot if you plan on being there for a larger tattoo. Otherwise you'll just have to move your car every 2 hours if you drive there! There is also plenty of cafes and restaurants around the shop to keep your blood sugar and energy up!! read more

I had been thinking about a particular tattoo and I have a friend who works in the shop so I figured what the heck, give them a shot and see my old friend again. I went in and I liked the art he had done for me right away. The process was very easy and comfortable and I'm really happy with my new tattoo. This is a really friendly, clean, professional shop and Beau is an awesome artist and tattooer. read more

We were visiting from the East Coast and Derick took my husband and me as walk-ins. We were out in less than 2 hours. He looked at our rough tattoo ideas and cleaned them up perfectly. He was gentle (first time tattoos for both of us) and super friendly. The shop was pristinely clean, calm, and looked very well loved. I highly recommend Idle Hand Tattoo!!! read more

I've been to this shop a bunch of times and it continues to be one of my favorites in the city. I dropped in today and both Justin and my artist Gary were awesome and sweet as hell. I've mostly done walk ins here and am always thrilled to have Gary do my work (drop by Tuesday's, you might get lucky!). He's professional, patient and easy going and the tattoos always exceed my expectations. I'll come back to this shop a million times because I'm always greeted with a smile. The vibe is right and the work is on point- thanks Gary! Overall, this shop is chalk full of great people. I had my first large piece done by Derick a couple years ago and he totally changed my entire perception about what the experience should feel like. He's likely still the nicest dude I've ever encountered in my years getting tattooed. Very kind and listened to what I wanted. Holly and the entire Idle Hand crew are doing this work right, and I appreciate that. The art is recognized around the world and I wear my pieces with pride as I recollect happy memories. Thanks always, Idle Hand! Y'all rock! read more

Thanks for your patience and creativity Ross! Hopefully many more to come! read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - One cover up done, one to go. Thanks Ross! - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

Haven't gone anywhere else since going here. Their shop is dope - I feel like I notice something new (maybe it is new?) every time I visit. I get my ink done by Holly, who is the nicest artist ever. Her work is clean and bold. I feel like I could easily get a piece done by any of the artists there and, duh, I'd love it. The entire staff is great. The vibe I get is that as long as you're polite, that's what you'll get back. Whether you need to "go" or not, visit their sweet restroom during your visit. read more

Steffan took me as a walk-in, and was amazing. Although a fairly popular piece of flash (black cat/13), it has special meaning to me, and he really gave it the attention and care to make sure that it was perfect. Hopefully, I can look forward to having him do some more work for me in the future, and I'm happy to know he's in SF now, at such a great shop. Thanks again, and I'll be sure to recommend. read more

I'm so glad I found this place. I got my moms portrait done last week by Holly Ellis. I can't stop freakin staring at it. Holly really did nail it with a quick and steady hand. Thanks so much for an all around awesome experience read more

Idle Hand Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Francisco, California

Just wanted to thank Beau for a great job - I love my linework it looks so great and is in the perfect placement. Very beautiful.

I came here to get some new ink for my birthday. Eric did my tattoo, and I'm not going to lie, he's extremely talented. I wanted a Pisces tattoo done, and brought in a print out of what I wanted. Basically, I came out with something that I didn't really ask for. The only thing the finished product had in common with what I asked for was that it was two fish that are tied together. Long story short, Eric is a great artist and his work is absolutely stunning, but he's not a very good listener and not really willing to compromise if he already has something else in mind for you. The finished product I got was not in the place I wanted or the style I asked for. Oh well... you live and learn. I mean, I guess isn't the worse thing that could happen when one gets a tattoo. I pretty much got a cool tattoo but it's not what I wanted. I guess it's partly my fault, since I should have been more firm on what I really wanted. Also, the wait is really long. I called twice beforehand to ask if they can take two walk-ins and they said they did without asking any other questions. Eric took me and did the tattoo really quick, but my boyfriend, on the other hand, was told his can be done at 6:00. We waited until 7:00 before anyone even came to prepare the artwork for his. If you're going to go, definitely make an appointment. read more

Ross is the absolute man. Hit him up through email and he got back to me super quick, deposit went through easy, showed up and he whipped me up an amazing tattoo in almost no time at all. He was very flexible with my limited budget and gave me way more than i bargained for for the price, was super nice throughout the entire tattoo and even sent me on my way with tumeric for swelling and extra saniderm. Just overall an incredibly positive shop experience, everyone is friendly and professional, the shop is decorated with love and style, and i can't wait to come back for more! PS. Edited to mention that Ross came in on his DAY OFF to tattoo me and this was my experience, unheard of. If i could give 6 stars i would. read more

I really wanted to get some more ink done before I left for a 3-month stay in London. I had heard good things about Idle Hand, but, fearing that it would take forever to get an appointment, I wasn't sure if it was possible. Yet a quick phone call made me realize I could simply walk in on a Friday afternoon to have it done, and honestly, there was no wait at all! My tattoo was pretty straightforward (some sort of a heart on my chest) so I didn't need much of a consultation. The entire staff was friendly and cooperative. I felt completely at ease during the process. My friend was getting a slightly complicated tattoo on his ankle, but his artist worked diligently to make the tattoo work to where my friend was satisfied. Their rate is pretty standard, at $150/hour. I'm definitely going back when I return to SF! read more