Booked appt for Halloween face paint. A little pricey and long wait but awesome work! read more

Mario INK - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I found this place via Groupon and thought I had stumbled upon a great deal. When you go to the website, they look super professional and you get the feeling that you're going to have a great experience. WRONG!! I went in for my 15 minute consultation with Mario and it was more like 5 minutes of rushed one-sided chit chat. He was not very friendly but I didn't want to assume anything about the guy based on a dry 5 minute conversation. I showed him the tattoo I wanted and where I wanted it to go. He immediately suggested a different placement and considering he is a professional, I went with it. He asked me to send him the artwork and I did it from my cell phone before even leaving the shop. This appointment was on Oct 21 but my actual tattoo appointment wasn't until Dec 4. That is a pretty long time but I rolled with it. On the day of my appoint, I left home early and half way there, decided to pull the email back up to make sure I was headed in the right direction. To my surprise, I had received an email from Ashley (had no idea who she was) saying that they wouldn't be able to start my tattoo at 12noon and to come back 2 hours later. It is extremely unprofessional to postpone an appointment made almost 2 months prior, 30 minutes before it starts via EMAIL. It would have at least been understandable if they have attempted to call as I am sure they figured out they were behind more than 30 minutes before the shop opens. I get there and to my EXTREME disappoint, find that the person doing my tattoo was Ashley. I am not saying that I doubt she can do a great tattoo but why wasn't I told that it was her who would be doing it and not Mario? Why would you have a consultation with an artist who will not even be responsible for the work. X-( Furthermore, guess what? The artwork that I sent the shop on Oct 21? It was not even printed out and tattoo ready. She proceeded to draw on my arm with a blue highlighter and then went back over it with a blue pen. Before I realized it, 20 minutes had already gone by. The Groupon I paid for (which he redeemed on my consultation) was for 1 hour. After already drawing on me for 15 mins, that is when I was finally informed that her free hand drawing was part of the hour I paid for. I asked just to make sure and she confirmed that in reality, I only had about 30-45 minutes for the tattoo depending on how long it took her to free hand draw it. Mario was in the shop tattooing another gentlemen and I POLITELY inquired why I hadn't been informed of all these things prior. I wanted to know why I didn't know it was her who was doing my tattoo. I also wanted to know why I was asked to provide artwork a month and a half in advance if they were going to use drawing it as an excuse to charge me more money since once the paid hour is over, you start getting charged again by the hour. He told me that Friday's are her days to tattoo. How was I supposed to know what someone's schedule is especially considering I had never met the girl? Why would that even apply to me if my appointment was postponed 2 hours the DAY OF? Furthermore, instead of providing good customer service, Mario got super heated with me. He said "YOU THINK I JUST DECIDED TO TREAT YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET A TATTOO, YOU CAN LEAVE!!!" I even have it recorded on my phone!! I wish I could post it here so you could hear the way he talked to me. All of this occured while he was tattooing the guy already in the chair. Can you imagine getting a tattoo while the artist is screaming at another client? While she was drawing on my arm, I decided to look up the reviews on the guy which I should have done in the first place. He does great work, which I have seen, but the bad reviews all aligned with the experience I was currently having. Ashley offered to reschedule my appointment for today at 1pm but after thinking about that horrible experience, I am going to forfeit the $59 I spent because I feel like that customer experience will translate into the artwork permanently tattooed on my arm. NO THANKS. read more

If I could give this place negative stars I would. Not only did I have a horrible experience once, but twice. Both times the artist made mistakes and refused to fix them. This isn't a toaster I'm buying this is a permanent piece on one's body forever. DON'T.GO.HERE. read more

I want to start by saying I am not one to complain, but this experience was interesting. I arrived at 12:10 for my 12:15 consultation. All I wanted was a very simple piece on my arm. Something that would take no longer then an hour. After saying it was simple Mario was clearly offended.. Telling me nothing is simple.. Tattooing is difficult no matter what (agreed) but get off your high horse. After telling me that he had no availability until late August for a 30 minute piece he lost me. I could have called and had him tell me that rather then the 6 mile drive.. But he is far to busy to accept incoming calls, hence everything is automated. Long story short. If you want bad service and a self important pompous tattoo artist here is your guy. read more

This place sucks. You have to go on line to set up an appointment, rather than a pleasant person talking to you and encouraging you that you have made a good and safe choice. This appointment is for 15 consultation of what you tattoo will be and where it will be. Then you get to make the actual appointment at the consultation which is done standing up just inside the door. The front of the place only has a sign MarioInk the rest of the window is black and looks like it is closed. there is a steel barred buzz in only gate that you have to ring a door bell to be let in. then he comes and opens the door to let you in. You are never allowed or asked to sit down at any time and do the consultation in a friendly and encouraging way. You show him your tattoo you want done and show him where. Then you make he appointment, for me it was three weeks later. He cashes in your Groupon also at this time. Now you go home and he says he will send you an email showing how HE has drawn your tattoo. I did not ask for a custom tattoo this is not LA INK or any of those tv shows. He never does anything at all about your tattoo even though in my case he took a picture of mine. Nothing was done at all in those three weeks. Then he says in an email response to me that he will free hand draw the tattoo on me and then tattoo it. This will take 30 minutes of my 3 hours I purchased. He never tells you how big he can make it and how much time it will take to do this tattoo. The is the first of the many warnings I was feeling from him. 1) that he wanted to design my tattoo 2) that he took my Groupon and cashed it out on the 15 minute consultation 3) that he did not respond to my calls and emails 4) that when he finally did respond he was more interested in what he can do with my tattoo than what I wanted 5) that the place from the outside looked like and a closed business 6) that the inside was nice but they were not inviting and making you feel comfortable- the dog Rocco as others have said was the only good point, loveable 7) argued with me on the phone how HE was going to design my tattoo even though I showed him just what and how and where I wanted it. Most places I have gotten tattoos it is walk in pick out what you want tell them where you want it, then they price it according to the size, you pay and then get your tattoo and go home. No problems ever and lots of pleasant welcoming feeling you made the right choice NOT HERE. Do not go here as you will be disappointed unless you want to have to redo or touch up what mistake he has done. I cancelled my Groupon and my appointment and told him why in an email. Hope he shapes up and gets better and more people don't get screwed by his poor business manners and maybe even his tattooing. Putting this on Facebook too to warm people. Sue Z, Oakwood Hills, Illinois drove a long way to go there 1 1/2 hours Would like to give no stars at all if that was possible or negative stars would be better read more

Do yourself a favor and make sure you check out the other Mario Ink Yelp page so that you aren't fooled by this one, especially considering Dan B. is an employee of the studio, or something along those lines, and really shouldn't be allowed to review his own company. (Here's what I left behind over there, just in case anyone is curious: Perhaps I should have known better - considering the major discount offered on YouSwoop (itself a hyper local, second-rate deal of the day-type setup) - that this wouldn't end the way I had envisioned it would. Perhaps the lack of reviews and the bargain basement pricing and the absolutely artless website all should have warned me to stay away, that since I was considering a permanent piece of art on my body, that I shouldn't take any risks. Well, I went ahead despite my better judgment, and if ever a hard lesson was learned in trusting one's judgment, this was a case. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to stop the process before it was complete. Unfortunately, I ended up with some vaguely sunset-resembling colored smears (or something) on my forearm, and some really sad, really unimaginative veins. Did I want to get a tattoo of veins running through a sunset? No, not at all. I wanted trees set against a painterly portrait of the sky, with some vivid pinks and blues and purples. I even came in with more than a handful of examples to share, like, "look at how the shading is on this one, I like that", and "see the horizon effect with the trees, the diminishing size and details, I like that". And what did Mario say in return? "We can do that". He even sketched a bit (albeit very quickly) and shared some thoughts. Sounded okay by me. His sketches looked pretty okay, he seemed to be able to make sense of my idea and communicate back to me some integrated vision of it. You know what happened next. I walked out after almost four hours with what I would, without exaggerating, describe as one of the most awful tattoos I've ever seen. And not bad as in unimaginative - that kind of thing is just what it is and usually also is just what happens when you ask for something unimaginative; bad as in poorly executed, evidence of little to no patience, nuance and talent. And now, almost 9 months and over $1000 later (spent at a different shop, which I have also reviewed), the cover up job is almost as complete as it can be. And while I'm happy with the cover up job, I'm still bitter and irate about how poor of a job Mario did and I'm still kicking myself for making such a dumb decision as to let a coupon-hawking tattoo "artist" put something permanent on my body. Practice giving shitty tattoos to your friends, Mario. Do the public a favor and spare us the deception and regret. AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, Mario Ink now has a different Yelp page with two spotless five-star reviews. Mind you, one of them is from Dan B., who happens to be the same guy who responded to a negative review on this MarioInk page and who also does all of Mario's booking and will respond to you if you email the shop via the website. Don't worry guys, I'll leave my remarks there as well.) read more

DO NOT GO HERE!! My friend and I went to Mario Ink with a Groupon for 2 tattoos as part of a graduation present. This is our unfortunate, excruciating experience... From beginning to end, this is why we are lucky we did not get our tattoos at Mario Ink: 1. Super shady consultation that was rushed, and the artwork that was presented to him was barely looked at and there were no questions asked in regards to placement or theme. 2. While trying to contact Mario for an appointment through his main business #, we could only communicate with his "business partner", Dan, who then gave us Mario's personal #. This # was called/text several times and was only responded to once. 3. After a prolonged period of time, we were eventually confirmed with an appointment for 6pm, with his assistant/colleague Dan, which for no reason at all was later changed to 8pm. We both work day jobs and made it clear we would prefer an early evening time. 4. After our consultation, it took 16 days for Mario to give us available dates to get our tattoos. Which brings us to our tattoo day.... 5. After walking through the door there was a brief greeting followed by Mario interrogating us about Ashley (the apprentice??) cancelling our appointment, which she never mentioned via text or phone call. We did indeed receive a text from Ashley the day before asking what we would be getting done, but considering the fact that she was not the artist creating our tattoos, nor was she present for the consultation, we did not respond. Her only message was to confirm the appointment and about what work we were getting done. This voice mail message was given to us on the day of the appointment. There was never any mention of a cancellation or of a rescheduling. 6. Considering the lack of professionalism up to this point, we became fed up, and decided it was best not to pursue the tattoo at Mario Ink. Not To Mentions... -He thought we were idiot girls who know nothing (we have 15 large tattoos between us) -He refused to acknowledge or care that I am allergic to dogs -Dan was cool, Mario was a condescending individual -Mario also made it clear that any sketch or artwork that was to be drawn for our tattoos (even though they were images of well known print work) would be included in our time/hourly rate...this is not a conventional practice among professional artists Based on the reviews we have read on Yelp, we believe we made a wise decision and avoided an almost tragic experience that would have marked us for life. read more

disappoint still. yes. i have to agree with Alina S.... I also had not only one horrible experience, but two (when they tried to 'fix' it). i have 12 tattoos, im not a newbie to this. i wholeheartedly wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. one star- because mario was nice. and his team seems to be amazing at body painting. read more

I have 3 tattoos. I went to Mario Ink for my fourth. I brought a sample picture but verbally described how I wanted to personalize it for me by changing some of the lines. Ashley understood exactly what I wanted. It healed perfectly and looks amazing. After that positive experience, I went back to get 2 of my previous Miami tattoos touched up. One of them is a word, so I asked for just a few of the faded letters to be fixed. We were finished, but Mario took a look and suggested that Ashley go over the entire word to keep it even. That was a great suggestion, and I agreed. It looks even better than the day I got it done in Miami a few years ago. The second tattoo I asked them to fix was from 9 yrs ago from someone random in Miami. It is the only color tattoo that I have. It didn't heal right from the beginning, and it was also damaged from a laser 4 yrs ago during a laser hair removal process. It looked a mess. I've been waiting ever since to touch up this one. Ashley followed the existing smeared lines as best she could and improvised as needed. The color is now vibrant again and the lines are smooth. The only issue I have is that she changed the stem on the flower. It has a very artistic look to it, and I wanted it to be more natural looking. All in all, they are very friendly and attentive. They cater towards your needs, but they like to add their artistic touch. They are true artists at heart, and this is not the type of shop you go to and pick an image off the wall or from a book. They very much want to be part of the creative drawing process. If you have ideas but not a final drawing yet, Mario Ink is the place to go. read more

Terrible customer service!! I got the youswoop deal for 1 hour of tattooing. All I wanted was a signature tattooed on my arm. I made my appointment for my "consultation" and that was all of 5 minutes. I then made my appointment for the actual session a few weeks later. When I show up to the shop, nobody was there. I finally called after waiting for 5-10 minutes. A guy (not Mario) answered and told me that Mario went to France for a gig. That's cool and all, but nobody called me to let me know. Keep in mind that I received a confirmation email from Mario Ink that same day! From there, I was told to call Ashley but she was nowhere to be found. I tried to reschedule several times by calling, emailing the general email address, and emailing Mario directly. No response at all! After a while I just gave up.... If you are in a service business, you have to respect your customers and respect their time. The lack of response is just plain rude! read more

First of all...I just want to say that I freaking LOVE my new tattoo!!! Like a few other yelpers, I purchased a you swoop deal for a three hour session. I did my research before I bought the you swoop, after checking our Mario Ink, I knew that Mario would able to deliver the custom tattoo I wanted. I emailed a sketch of what I wanted, Mario elaborated on the design and created a a beautiful back piece. I love the studio's badass decor and the fact that it is a private studio. I got a back piece done, between the shoulder blades which could have been uncomfortable if people were coming and going. The studio is clean, warm, and and there is plenty of street parking. Rocco is the studio mascot, he's a cool dog. Just chills and hangs out. I absolutely LOVE my new tattoo! It's beautiful! Better than I imagined, and I expected it to be kick ass - It's super kick ass. I am going back to fill in the piece with wording. Mario made it a point to mention that I did not have to use all the time at once. Which I thought was really cool to break it down. This is my third tattoo all of which are custom - and I highly recommend Mario and Mario Ink and I am a picky biatch! Trust me when I tell you that! I am sketching another idea and considering adding to the piece I just got... 5 Stars! AAA+++!!! read more

I found a deal on youswoop.com that led me to Mario Ink and it was absolutely the best decision I could've made. Not only were they super patient with my millions of questions, but they were also incredibly down to earth. Mario did a fantastic/amazing/wonderful/crazy good job on my tattoo and I've been trying to show it off every chance I get. Mario's assistant was super sweet and helpful and they both really just made my experience perfect. I've been to multiple tattoo shops, and I've never had a bad encounter as of yet, but this shop definitely takes the cake as AMAZING. The decor is super bad ass and comfortable. Since you pay by the hour it feels incredibly private and calm and I felt like I was their only focus. After using this deal I would definitely go back and pay full price...it's just that good. I couldn't stop raving after I left. And it didn't hurt that I got a sucker on the way out. Rocco the dog is super sweet and awesome and my friend loved him. They had a movie playing which distracted me from the pain of my tattoo and kept my friend entertained. I'm seriously in love with the place, the work, and the people. Little tip for anybody who uses the youswoop deal: tip off of the normal price, not the deal price you got. It's super amazing that we're able to get 67% off of the normal price, so don't be an ass; show your appreciation properly. If I could give them six stars I would. I will most definitely be going back. read more

Mario ink has a very relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Mario, the tattoo artist is also very down to earth and is not afraid to tell you what would work best on your skin in the long run. when I went in for my tattoo I already had a picture in mind. However, after my consultation with Mario, I decided to take his expert opinion and allow him to create his own interpretation. To be honest, I thought my tattoo couldn't get any better, but it I was wrong! Mario was able to change the simplest details to make my tattoo look amazing! I was so proud of his work that I walked out of Mario ink with not one, but two tattoos! read more

Mario did a great job on my tattoo. Talented artist. Small, clean shop. He is easy to work with and helped elaborate on my initial idea.

Excellent art work! Very Clean and comfortable studio! I got introduced to the Mario ink studio through livingsocial for the $99 for 3 hours worth of tattooing it was a great deal! Even tho my tattoo didn't take but a hour half Mario said he will discount the allotted time to my next visit. The only issue I have with this place is that he is booked solid. But I'm assuming that is a good thing. I will be getting all my tattoo art work done here. read more

This place is awesome. I got my second tattoo done from this place yesterday by Mario and its looking better than what I imagined. He is very quick in understanding the design and suggestions that he extends is nice. Very private place with very nicely arranged. Total process was very quick and effective. I will highly recommend all my friend to this place. Thank you very much Mario. read more

I had an old tatto from another tattoo place that had faded pretty badly. I went to Mario Ink to a get it filled in. The tattoo was not very special and i didn't have a lot of hope for it. I was absoultely surprised what a great job my tatto artist did on it!! The colors were so bright, so vibrant and the lines were sharp. The woman who did the tattoo explained that tattoos will fade and lose color if you don't care for them properly. I was careful to follow the instructions my tattoo artist laid out for me when i left the studio. The tattoo looks as good as the day I first got it! read more

Just had a piece done by Ashley and am impressed by the quality of the work, the coloring, and shading. She made the drawing I gave her a piece of art. read more

Ashley is UHHH-MAAAYZING!! I had only a vague idea of a floral tattoo that I wanted on my arm, and that made Mario Ink the perfect option for me. Instead if just picking a pre-designed tattoo off boards (they don't even have these), I talked to the artists about my idea and had a beautiful one of a kind design created. Ashley drew a rose and butterfly motif that exceeded my expectations! I mean, you can't believe the detail, it's ridiculous. I can't wait until short-sleeve weather; I wish I could rip the right sleeve off my clothes and show off this gorgeous art all the time. I had a Groupon, and Mario explained that the cost would likely exceed my Groupon amount because of the extra time needed for the design to be drawn. I see that some people were upset by that, but I bet they expect to be paid for their work, so why expect that an artist should not? Ashley gave me an estimate for the additional cost, and for the time it would take. We went over time--and her cost estimate--so make sure you bring plenty of cash. I don't know what the freak-out is about the shop. OK, so you have to be buzzed in. Big deal. You also are the only person in the shop the whole time you are getting your work done. And it's decorated in a cool retro-steampunk kind of design, with countless cool tchotchkies to look at. I would only shave the very tip off the point of the fifth star because of the long wait between my consultation with Mario and the date of my actual appointment--two months! But only because I am impatient and hate waiting for anything, especially my gorgeous new tat. read more

Mario and the Mario Ink team is simply the best bodypainting team in Chicago!!

I bought a YouSwoop, like most people, for Mario Ink. I was nervous because sometimes you think using a deal like this might result in "so so" work. I have two other friends who also bought the deal too. They went before me so I was able to see Mario's great work before my appointment. I was super impressed and now I was excited to see what he was going to do for me. I designed my own tattoo and brought him my design. He took it and made it into something absolutely amazing! My tattoo is the best tattoo I've ever gotten. I have 7, most are a decent size. So I'm not a stranger to tattoos by any means. Not only is the art amazing but his work was perfect. I don't know if there's any truth behind tattoo artists have a "gentle hand" but it barely hurt and it's almost completely healed already. I got it less than a week ago and it was a decent size. Around the size of my full hand (palm and fingers). I can't wait to go back to get it colored in. I also know that I found my tattoo artist now who I will use for any other future work. This particular tattoo had a lot of meaning to me and it was getting put on my arm which was very scary for me. I needed it to be as close to perfect as I could get. Thanks to Mario, I have a beautiful piece of art on my arm! Mario takes his work serious. His studio is super clean and very comfortable. I went alone to get my tattoo done and was completely comfortable there with him and his assistant. His schedule does fill up quickly so if you plan to get something done, I wouldn't expect to "walk in". Definitely have a plan, call or make an appointment online and be excited because you will end up with something amazing! read more

I came in tonight for a script tattoo on my forearm using the YouSwoop deal. Ashley was my artist and she was AMAZING! As soon as I walking in the shop, I was greeted with the coolest dog ever and a warm welcome. Overall, a really fantastic place to get work done. Can't wait to get my next one!!! read more

I loved my tattoo! Mario did my tattoo which was my first one ever. The overall experience was okay. It was a private studio which is amazing but the lack of communication is what made this review only 4 stars. For starters, Ashley and Mario did not communicate my groupon deal and my tattoo idea so Mario said he was close to not showing up. read more

Came here for a tattoo because of a Groupon deal that includes a 15 minute consultation and an hour appointment for a tattoo. The experience was awesome and Mario gives really great suggestions for your tattoo. My tattoo was done by Ashley. She's really patient and friendly. She's also very meticulous and creative because she took my idea and made it 10x better. The overall experience was great and the atmosphere in the shop is also great. They even give you a lollipop! read more

I visited Mario in June of this year, i thought he was very professional I enjoyed Rocco his dog. I had a three hour session and he had completed my tattoo in 1 hour. I was very satisfied with his work. My daughter also had the same deal and since my tattoo did not take that long he did her tattoo that night. I am not sure how large of detailed a tattoo can be to take 3 hours to do. I was also told that if some areas needed touch ups that it would be done in up to a 1/2 session. I was very please and I have another swoop deal to do. I had just called and they stated August is all book, and if my expiration of Sept. 17 cannot be booked at this time they will still honor it at this time. With our two experiences I would recommend read more

Let me start by saying their customer service is terrible!!! I bought a deal off of Groupon for a 3 hour session. From all of the reviews I understood that the first hour would be used for the drawing, so ok no big deal. My initial consultation I asked sooooo many questions to address the bad reviews that I've seen online. From the consultation I was confident in what Mario and Ashley communicated to me. I booked my appointment about 1.5 months away from the consultation date as that was the first slot avaliable. I kept following up for days at a time to review the sketch of my tattoo and I didn't recieve it until the day before my appointment when I've been following up for several weeks. The day of my tattoo I was prepared to get the tattoo for 2 hours as he confirmed in my consultation that what I asked for would fall into that time frame. Ashley was the individual who did my tattoo and she did an awesome job but as I was going into the 3rd hour she mentioned it would be $175 for another hour. Mind you, I only had another 10 minutes to go before the tattoo was done. So I informed Mario that when I checked into Yelp a discount popped up for 50% off the next hour. He mentioned that he would not honor the discount because he didn't know that Yelp did that and that it's his fault.(Mind you in order to get messages like that the company had to have a contract or something with Yelp). He mentioned that the only way he would honor it would be for me to but another hour at $175 and then then the other hour would be discounted. Which made no sense because all I needed was 10 minutes. He got really snippy and said well I'm the owner and I'm not honoring that because you had a Groupon. There is no verbiage on his website nor any of his promotional material that says you can't combine offers. I have several tattoos and I've never had someone watch the clock down to the minute and not to mention that my original time was pushed back 30 minutes. I'm giving a 2 for TERRIBLE customer service but Ashley does great work. read more

I went to Mario Ink for my first tattoo and of course i was pretty nervous... From the moment i showed up at Mario's private studio i felt very comfortable and welcomed. The space itself is very unique and i really appreciated the privacy and high end feel. Not to mention Mario turned out to be a very talented tattoo artist and i was happy with my small chicago flag that i got done on my chest. what i really liked was that when i showed up i had a picture of basically what i wanted but since i was so impressed with marios artwork, i had him improvise and it turned out better than i imagined. Very clean, organized studio in Wicker Park with a cool dog Rocco adding to the friendly atmosphere. This was the best experience I could have hoped for!!! I will be back for more Ink!!!! read more

I bought a you swoop for here, can't beat $100 for 3 hours. I may only be 24 hours out from getting my tattoo, but I'm very satisfied. Looks great. And once it's healed I get a free 30 min touch up. I will be going back again. Thanks Mario! read more

The first time I went to Mario Ink was with my sister for her 7 hour session that she had purchased a coupon for (at an insanely awesome price, might I add.) Definitely got a great first impression. Ashley was the artist who drew up and started my sisters tattoo. I liked how easy she was to work with, and how she even heard me out on my suggestions. I came in with my sister on her second session and decided to have my arm tattoo touched up (it was awful. Like seriously, embarrassingly awful) This tattoo meant a lot to me and it takes up a good portion of my fore arm so I wanted it to look great. I came in and even decided to add on to the tattoo. Mario was the one who did the touch up and I almost cried it looked so wonderful after. My sister got some of her old tattoos modified and they look completely different, in the best way. What I loved most about this studio is how incredibly welcoming Mario and his staff are. I hate how almost EVERY tattoo artist I've seen is always on that high and mighty, better than you you insignificant prat, kick. With Mario Ink they listen to you and give you great suggestions but hear what you want and make sure you're getting just that. Mario talked to me the whole time just chit chatting, even answered my questions about being a tattoo artist and about his equipment with out making me feel stupid. It was the tattoo experience I've always wanted! The shop is very clean and comfortable. The decor is simple and classy. Its a private studio so you don't have a bunch of people standing over you. Rocco is a great guy to hang out with when you're waiting for some one. Also Mario's jewelry made of fantastic antique miniature items such as little guns, dice, brass knuckles, etc are on display. If I could buy every single thing I would they're so amazing and beautifully made. Creative and grungy with an excellent punk rock flare. One day, one day... Over all this place is incredible! Phenomenal! Its crazy how just having a little common decency and respect for your customer can make the experience for that person be one of the best they've had. I recommend them to everyone, and especially to those who are sick and tired of these a-hole tattoo artists that make you feel like scum is even better than yourself. Mario Ink rocks! read more

I also found Mario Ink through the 'You Swoop' deal. Awesome place! I did not bring any pictures of what I wanted, but just explained to Mario. He took a marker and drew it right on my back. Loved it right off. His assistant (sorry I forgot her name) did the tattoo and did a fantastic job. Watched a movie on big screen TV which really distracted me from the pain (which really wasn't bad at all). Would definitely go back and would recommend to others. read more

Everyone's encounters with tattoo artist and the shops they work at differ every single time. I've have been to my fair share of tattoo shops to have work done and no two have ever been the same. With that said my experience at Mario Ink was vastly different but by far one of the better ones I've ever had. I originally bought the Youswoop deal for the 3hr session. I had been wanting to start a chest piece and found this to be a great way to get it going. Ill admit I was skeptical since I tend to research my tattoo artist for certain pieces. I kinda of went into this business transaction rather blindly. But I was quickly relieved of any skepticism seeing as how they conducted their business. After scheduling my appointment to come in we re-scedualed several times to accommodate my hectic school schedule and their own. I never once was given any animosity for changing the date and time. When I finally arrived I wasnt sure where it was located. The shop is a private shop which really gives a warm and welcoming feeling. The interior decoration is black furniture with gold and silver accents. The old register and whiskey decatur is a great touch. Dont let the front door fool you. Once greeted I was advised that an additional hour might need to be added to finish my piece on time, at half the price of an original hour. Mario explained how the sketch I had brought in required the additional time and effort if I wanted it done in the place and size. So I returned again the next week to receive my tattoo. Ashley, who also works in the shop was my tattoo artist for the day. She had the tedious task of tattooing a mexican sugar skull I had designed with very harsh shading and lots of little detail. Mario was there and the shops adorable dog Rocco. He advised and set up my seat. He also brought my over some water and candy to keep my sugar levels up as I proceeded with my 4hr session. Ashley did a phenomenal job on the tattoo. And she was very nice and easy to talk too. It made the hours go by quicker and a little less painless. There was never a moment where I didnt feel comfortable. When I was finally done Ashley wrapped my tattoo up and gave me the care instructions. Within two weeks of having it done my tattoo was fully healed and in great shape. I have plans on adding on to this piece and seeing as how the shop was well put together and the people where of a professional caliber Ill be retuning very soon. read more

Had an amazing cover up done by Ashley! She did exactly what I asked for and was very friendly during the service. I love that it's a private studio and everything was very neat and clean. My only complaint is that it says they accept credit cards but when I went there it was cash only. Other than that everything was perfect! Definitely would go back and refer friends! read more

Ashley did my tattoo and I really enjoyed it!! She and Mario put me at ease. Really cool people and laid-back environment. Will definitely be back soon!!!! read more

I got my latest tattoo here & I feel great about it. I brought my idea to Mario &he made it better. Real talented dude... Sort of an asshole, but lets be honest, chicks love assholes. I'll be back for sure. read more

I had groupon which expired and Mario still honored it. I had an idea taken from a print hanging on my wall and he spun it into something much more fitting for the area on my leg. The work is very solid and the process went very smoothly and comfortably. read more

this is place is a great place to get a tattoo! i found mario ink through a group discount website and i'm so glad i did. this is definitely not a run of the mill tattoo shop. first, the atmosphere is great. this place is totally private compared to a traditional tattoo shop. most places you go to have a several tattoo artists working on a bunch of people. here, it's just you, whoever you brought with, the people who work there, and their adorable mascot rocco. you can just hang out, watch tv, and get tattooed. it's like getting a tattoo in your living room. second, the people who work there are all super nice. at most tattoo places, the people who work there can be big jerks. at mario ink, they treat you like a guest and are really friendly. third, they are super talented. i LOVE the way my tattoo came out. it's very large, has a ton of detail and color, and they seamlessly incorporated an existing tattoo. i couldn't be happier that i found mario ink. i will be going back for all my tattoos. read more