I've been coming to Slave to the Needle since around 2017 early 2018 and have had a lot of work…read moredone through the shop over the years -- enough to know the difference between a good experience and an exceptional one. During that time I've never actually written a review before, but my recent sessions with Tim Bradley (aka Mean Ole Tim) at the Wallingford location deserve one. Tim has been an absolute standout. He's not just a skilled tattooer -- he's an artist and professional in the truest sense. His ability to translate an idea into something that feels both deeply personal and beautifully cohesive is unreal. He recently completed a full torso panel of my German shepherd, Stryder, in an Irezumi-inspired style, as well as two custom hand pieces -- and every step of the process was collaborative, thoughtful, and executed with precision. What I appreciate most is Tim's mix of humility, humor, and quiet confidence. He listens, gives honest feedback, and works with a level of care that shows in every line and aspect of the piece. The end result isn't just cool ink -- it's art that carries weight, intention, and soul. After nearly a decade with STTN, I can say this has been one of my best experiences yet. If you're looking for someone who genuinely gives a damn about both the craft and the client, Tim's your guy.

Camy did a superb job on my water dragon. I would like to be more confident in competitive swimming…read moreand felt the desire to be like a water dragon and asked the tattoo place to come up with a tattoo on my arm. Camy volunteered and she did it vibrantly with her works of blues and fine lines. This is my first tattoo and I couldn't be more pleased with it. Thank you Camy. I love it!

I saw LJ for a nose piercing and some jewelry. He's a pro and did a great job. Fern helped me find…read morea perfect ring. They were both very nice, helpful and kind.

Miss Bella was fabulous from our first email. Responsive, cool, and super talented, she was quite…read moreserious about getting my feedback and talking through our plan before we ever got started. I love the atmosphere in the studio, very open, clean, and again, private rooms that give you the opportunity to spread out and be comfy. Did I mention the reception desk? The young dude up front was so good, thoughtful, helpful. I will definitely come back to Bella in the future.

My boyfriend and I were in Seattle and decided to get matching tats. Mr Hubba did our tats and he…read morewas very thorough, friendly, and informative. Everyone in the shop was kind and polite. I highly recommend checking them ouy.

I went in for an impulse walk in, and Nick got me exactly what I needed in less than an hour! Such…read morea light hand and so kind!

I had a really smooth experience with getting my lobes pierced by Jason. I also loved the…read moredecor/vibes of the shop. The 3-star is because of the cold front desk service (around 5 on 7/10). The person behind the desk wasn't too interested in helping me when I was trying to select my earrings, and he even made snarky comments when I was expressing my opinion to a friend while trying to pick which color. I was excited to finally get my ears pierced, and I was quite disappointed to be met with indifference. In fact, I felt a bit rushed in picking the jewelry so that our interaction would end. It didn't ruin my entire experience since the other employees were professional and friendly, but it was mildly infuriating. I would still recommend coming here, since the piercing itself was efficient.

I am beyond furious with the way Pierced Hearts handled my sister's navel piercing. From the start,…read morethis experience has been a disaster due to sheer negligence and a complete lack of accountability. My sister clearly explained to the piercer, Jaime, that she has a very flat belly button and specifically asked if the standard navel jewelry would be appropriate. He confidently said yes -- and we trusted his professional judgment. That trust was completely misplaced. As time passed, the jewelry began to embed itself into her skin, which should never have happened with the right jewelry in the first place. We returned to the shop, and Adam helped change it to a floating navel piercing -- the type she should have received from day one. He apologized and even took a photo of the damage because it was obvious something had gone terribly wrong. But the damage had already been done. Within a week, she developed a severe infection -- one that urgent care later confirmed was likely due to the original jewelry creating a gaping wound that never healed properly. Despite following aftercare instructions to the letter, she ended up on two antibiotics and hydrocodone just to manage the pain. Yet when we returned to the shop a third time to request a refund and share what she was going through, the staff were incredibly dismissive and refused to take any responsibility. They immediately shifted blame, accusing her of neglecting aftercare, even though we were meticulous. No effort was made to offer a solution, express genuine concern, or show even the slightest empathy. Just said "well, do you want to get it pierced again?!" ... no! Her belly button area now is completely bruised and mangled because of this place. We will never be coming back here again. To make matters worse, the owner was outright disrespectful and condescending over the phone. When we told him that medical professionals advised removing the piercing and draining the infection, her arrogant response was, "Why would they do that?!" as if she knew better than actual doctors. That tone alone spoke volumes about how little they care once they have your money. We asked for a refund because of all the trouble we've been through after the negligence of the first piercer, now having to pay for urgent care visits and medication. I chose this shop based on their glowing reviews, but let me be clear: if you're considering any body piercing here, don't. They might be decent with ear piercings or tattoos -- but when it comes to body piercings, especially anything more complex, they are careless, unprofessional, and utterly unwilling to take accountability when something goes wrong. My sister went in for a simple piercing and walked away in physical pain and emotional distress, and not once did they offer real help, only excuses. This shop failed her. Completely.

I have been here two times now. I have always loved my experience with samichhh. She have tattooed…read moreme 3 times now and every time she has made my idea reality. I will become back

Riley did a tattoo for me honoring my wife who passed away in 2025.My friend Mike K. designed the…read moreart work and Riley put it to canvas on my left forearm. What a beautiful job he did, the care he took to honor my late wife was beautiful it was as if he knew her.He is a wonderful young artist that takes pride in his work.I would recommend this artist to anyone whether your are veteran of getting ink or a newbie he's the man. Thank you Riley for caring. Joe H

I had an amazing experience at Finer Things Tattoo getting my fine line phoenix on my shoulder. I…read moregave 2 reference photos, and Zezi truly brought the vision to life in a way that exceeded my expectations. The piece is bold, beautiful, and incredibly detailed. Zezi is professional, creative, and made the entire experience comfortable from start to finish. You can tell she really listens to her clients and takes pride in her work. I highly recommend Finer Things Tattoo if you're looking for custom work that is both artistic and personal.

My 13-year-old dog, my fur baby, and my best friend Ghost passed away earlier this year. After he…read moredied, I decided my first tattoo would be a memorial to him. I spent days researching artists, and Finer Things immediately stood out. Their style was exactly what I hoped for. From the start, Zezi and the team were incredibly attentive to everything I asked for. A few months later, I came into the studio for my appointment and the custom designs captured Ghost perfectly. Zezi prepared several thoughtful options, and once I chose my favorite, she got to work. She was warm, welcoming, and made my first tattoo experience unforgettable. I cannot recommend Zezi and Finer Things Tattoo Studio enough, especially if you are looking to honor a furry loved one.

10/10, absolutely phenomenal first tattoo experience. Thank you so much to everyone in the parlor…read morefor creating such a welcoming and inviting environment. This was my first tattoo ever and despite being nervous about the pain, everyone was very comforting and supportive. Mike did an amazing job on my kissing swans and helping me size and figure out what kind of linework was best for my placement. The pricing was totally fair, I paid for a small tattoo on my ribs and it started at $120 and I made sure to tip generously because I felt bad for laughing the whole time. My tattoo took about 6 minutes and payment was easy to do. Cash is preferred but I was able to pay with Venmo as well. Overall, I highly recommend True Love Tattoo.

First time in a tattoo "gallery" :) Met George, and a few of the staff while waiting for a friend…read morewho got a tattoo (from George) It's a large, bright shop, with separate stations/chairs for each artist. There is a cute pup on staff named Kimchee (seriously). They had music, and it was a chill place to hang out on a couch and people watch. It is a crowded neighborhood, very walkable. (We got Thai before the tattoo) It was expensive, but it was a coverup and by the owner, so expected.

Had the honor of getting my first tattoo done with Heidi. She is an incredibly skilled artist, and…read morewas also so kind and calming throughout the whole time I spent in her chair. I was a little nervous getting such a large tattoo as my first piece, but it turned out exactly how I pictured it, and I couldn't be happier. On the whole, the shop is clean, bright, and welcoming. There are a handful of other artists in the shop, and judging by their work in the shop and on Instagram, you couldn't go wrong with any of them. I'll definitely be back to Dark Age for more art in the future!

My girlfriend and I had a great experience with Maddie. We got matching tattoos of a stamp and she…read moredid an amazing job. Her lettering was so clean and she worked really fast. The shop had great energy and they accommodated us as walk-in clients. We are so happy with our tattoo. Thank you!!

Ingrid Elaine did my first tattoo, which was also a matching set for my brother and I!!…read more I was recommended this place by a good friend who had lots of sick video game themed tattoos. I appreciate the timely response and abilities to take walk in! I got a response from Ingrid literally a few minutes after sending an inquiry on their site at 1 AM ( not drunk, just a night owl ). So happy that Ingrid was able to book my brother and I in on a Saturday slot. I gave her an inspo pic which my brother and I wanted to match for Spongebob & Patrick and she did so much better than I could have imagined! She had such a cute and colorful style. As a first time tattoo, Ingrid was calm, walked me through the process and checked on me just enough during the inking. She also posts the aftercare on her insta which is great for one to look back on. I highly recommend her designs I love our tattoos and the healing process has been so seamless. Great color choice by Ingrid and a wonderful experience for my first tattoo!!!

Bunky Osyter is no artist, she is a scammer…read more Long story short, I created this small geometric design myself and booked an appt with Bunky Oyster and submitted my $100 deposits on 8/16/2022. Next week, she told me this one hour long tattoo session will cost me $500, cuz she charged by pieces. *** Unless her hourly rate is $500/hr, I don't see how it is possible for such small piece of tattoo will cost $500 before tip. Especially my design doesn't even require any of her drawing and creativity. Same date , I told her I am no longer pursuing a tattoo appt with her and I would like to cancel the appt for 9/8/2022 (the appt was cancelled 2 weeks prior to the actual date), then she refused to refund my deposit. Your website says 48 hours prior to appt notice for rescheduling/ cancellation or deposit is subject to be forfeited. I cancelled my appt more than 2 week, which was because Bunky Oyster was trying to up charge me by 4 times of the market price, and she refused to refund my deposit. Today I completed the exact same design for $180 w tips, and the session was completed within an hour. Bunky oyster is no artist, she is a scammer, shame on you for hiring such employee with low work ethic and so much greed. Please be careful, don't make the mistake I made with her

Every time we travel, my husband and I get a new ghost tattoo. For Seattle, we went to Hidden Hand…read moreTattoo and had a great time. Inside, it's got a funky and cool vibe. The staff is super sweet and our tats turned out wonderfully!

On our family trip my parents decided they wanted some tattoos so my sister and I jumped at the…read morechance to get some too! We found Hidden Hand easily, it's right off the main drag in Fremont. Chad was our guy for the day and he was GREAT! He's so speedy, which is much appreciated when you're getting tattooed. The front desk guy (who's name I didn't get and now am seriously regretting) was amazing, helpful, and tolerated the 4 of us so well :) we really had the best experience, and the vibe is immaculate there. I think Chad enjoyed us and our ideas and I am so thrilled to have Babiators tattooed on my arm forever! I cannot wait to come back and get more! Thank you guys soooo much!