My bestie was in the mood to get tattooed but I know her attention span is... flaky at best. I took her here so she could look at tattoos I knew she wouldn't get, and jewelry I knew she would. Everyone was super friendly, very welcoming despite her asking about getting a sleeve as a walk in, and in the end we ended up with way more jeweler than I expected her to buy. She got some jewelry changed out, and I came away with a new piercing. Overall, we definitely had fun and got some really cute jewelry read more

If you're looking to get pierced, definitely make an appointment with Nycole! The whole experience with her was outstanding, from consultation about the best piercing for my anatomy, jewelry selection, and then the piercings themselves. She recommended a double nostril when I was torn between a nostril and a septum...I didn't even know it was an option and it was the perfect solution for me--I'm so happy with it! We did three piercings at once, and all went so smoothly...truly did not feel them at all. She put me at ease during, and her aftercare instructions were great and they all healed beautifully. Can't recommend her enough (and have more planned soon so will also be scheduling with her!!). Thanks so much, Nycole! read more

Tattoo shop seemed clean. Decor was cool. Seating was average - not comfortable for waiting long periods of time. Street parking available. A friend recommended this place so we went here. They put my name on a list. They called me up to confirm what I wanted and what I was getting then they told me to take a seat and wait and proceeded to ignore me. Other people who came after me got their piercings or tattoos done. Ended up probably waiting 4 hours of back and forth and ended up getting the tattoo done at another shop. Save your time and go somewhere else. read more

Most of my piercings have been done here. The guys are very nice. They take their time with your piercings and they are compassionate. Seems to be a lot nicer than the women that are there. I recommend them 100% . They have a nice selection of jewelry. read more

I decided to get a septum piercing last week--have not been to RCT before but I thought I'd give it a try! Angel did my piercing and was awesome! Explained everything to me and made sure everything was right before starting. This was by far the least painful piercing I've gotten. The shop was clean and had a cool interior. I made an appointment and still had to wait a little bit --no problem for me but just a heads up. Highly recommend Angel if you're thinking about a piercing! Great experience here. Moderately pricey but I have no problem paying more for an excellent experience. read more

If you're looking to get a piercing, river city is the place to go! The staff is top-notch. I have been here several times and am always so impressed by the professionalism, efficiency, and friendliness of the piercers! They've always been great about explaining the process, answering any questions, and going over the aftercare instructions. I love that they take the time to check, and then double-check, that the location/sizing of the piercing is correct. The rooms are all very clean-- and private! I definitely recommend RCT for your next piercing. read more

I had an okay experience at River City Tattoo. I got a second set of lobe piercings done with gold earrings placed. I was a walk-in, and didn't have too long to wait. They did have a handful of people come in who had appointments, so I feel like my wait time was reasonable. My piercing was done by Constance. It wasn't too bad. It seemed that they use single use needles to pierce with and seemed conscious about changing gloves and everything like that. The only thing I did prefer was to see the piercer open the needles packaging after we discussed and marked where the piercing would be placed and everything like that rather than before. I'm paranoid about mistakes when it comes to potentially previously used needles, and while they had sharps containers and every other sign indicating they use single use needles, I'd have still preferred to witness them open a new package. Overall, I had a solid experience. read more

We got our 4 year old daughter's ears pierced here and I cannot express how incredible the experience was. Not only did they take the time to explain everything to our daughter, but they were so kind and gentle as well. 10/10 experience! We had a private room, everything was incredibly clean, and the piercing turned out great! read more

So bad the lady was in such a bad mood. She did no talk to me at all and for my ear piercing it was 200 dollars. Do not recommend! I will never be going back. read more

We had the best experience at RCT today. My 8 year old daughter got her ears pierced. I made an appointment online, which was so convenient. We arrived a few minutes early and filled out their paperwork. We were taken back to a private room and we had three people helping us. We did the tandem piercing so two people pierced her ears at the same time. The place is so clean, and they took their time. They explained everything they were doing before they did it, which my daughter loved. She was nervous but excited. The piercer said she needed threadless earrings due to her thick earlobes. I have never used these but i trusted their opinion and they look great. They took a lot of time to measure and make sure everything was even. I will recommend them to everyone for their child's first piercing experience! It is pricey but totally worth it - she can go back for a check up anytime and they will help me change her earrings for the first time in 10-12 weeks. read more

River City Tattoo - Pierced ear - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

My group of 4 best friends came here around 9 months ago and asked for small tattoos. I requested a gemini symbol on my wrist, my friend a sun on her forearm, another friend a moon on her forearm, and then a heart on my other friend's bicep. I don't remember who our artist was, I think her name was danielle? We initially thought she did a great job considering it was my first tattoo but after about 2 months it was obvious that she pretty much effed them up. If these were tiny fine line tattoos, I'd understand the possibility of them fading but these were no where close to fine line and I would know considering I got two AMAZING tattoos done by artists in NY and LA. These are so ugly and so poorly done. There is truly no excuse to doing such a bad job ESPECIALLY at a place that considers themselves so esteemed. I do NOT recommend coming here for any type of work if they can't even do basic line work read more

River City Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

The atmosphere here is clean, with decor standard of most tattoo and piercing shops; The walls are covered in flash (The term for "pre-designed tattoos" that you might also see in books.) The staff is knowledgeable, helpful, and calm. This is KEY, because odds are if you're looking for a piercing or tattoo, your life is going through a major change, or, at the very least, you're nervous, regardless if it's your first tattoo and/or piercing or 90th. Customers come in stressed, on the emotional brink, and don't worry; Your artist and/or piercer has seen plenty of people cry, heard hundreds of stories behind why you're getting that tattoo, that piercing. They are NOT people who ENJOY INFLICTING HARM, they are HEALERS who turn emotional pain into something beautiful, fears and tears into joy and release. RiverCity uses TITANIUM jewelry (But always be sure to ask, as they do carry some other options that you can buy, but they always pierce with titanium and have mill papers to provide; This is why they're higher priced, but there's a huge upside--your body LOVES titanium, and it does NOT interfere with things like an MRI. Whenever you get an MRI--odds are you'll need one, some day, or surgery, or both--your doctor will ask if you have any metal in your body and to remove it; Not all piercings CAN be removed (Hello, dermals), removed alone (Hello, below the belt), removed easily (Hello, mouth piercings), and the medical establishment is biased to piercings and tattoos. If you say it's titanium, you may be told such a thing doesn't exist. THIS is when and where you want those mill papers, PROVING your gear is 100% titanium metal solid. As a warning, they also pierce children's' ears--which is WHERE YOU WANT TO BE GETTING THEM DONE--but on weekends, especially, this means a long wait. My advice is to MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. Again--MAKE. AN. APPOINTMENT. Be prepared still to wait--they have to sanitize everything in between clients--be prepared to pay for the jewelry itself, for a handling fee, and news flash; Tattooing and piercing is a TIP BASED INDUSTRY. TIP THEM. TIP THEM WELL. They also have several locations, so verify where your appointment is at, who it is with. Don't purchase jewelry online. DO NOT CHANGE IT ON YOUR OWN. Follow the steps given to you to care for your new whatever, and if it looks dubious, come in and see someone--most of the time, people mistake the NORMAL HEALING PROCESS for infection, are causing the problem, etc. Jessica has moved onto the board of tattooing, who opened RiverCity. My personal favorite piercer is Mikey (Assigned female at birth), but she books up fast--the best ones always do! To make appointments, call or drop in, in person, just to book. They are so busy they may not be able to answer the phone OR take you as a walk in--no matter the time or day. read more

Horrible! They did a tattoo for me that was three names. Instead of it being applied in a straight line, it was offset. After some back and forth, and some terrible, rude customer service from the team at Chesterfield Towne Center, the co-owner agreed to a refund, and to pay for removal of the botched tattoo. Unfortunately, the co-owner stopped communicating with me after a few sessions, so I haven't been able to complete the removal process. After contacting BBB, he finally responded, but then went missing in action again. TERRIBLE establishment. They have consistently put me off, lied to me, and now refuses to respond and uphold what he said he would do in order to make it right! DO NOT GO HERE! They clearly lack integrity as a company! read more

My 9 year old daughter recently decided she wanted to get her ears pierced. While a piercing studio would be more expensive than a mall piercing store, I knew it would also be more sanitary and result in less tissue damage than the typical gun piercing. My sister and several friends have had positive experiences at RCT, so I decided to book there. The various packages and pricing were very clear on their website, so I appreciated that I had a ballpark for pricing up front. Jaiden was our piercer and took so much time with my daughter! Jaiden explained everything in detail. They were both reassuring and understanding. After marking & measuring where the earlobe piercings would be, Jaiden had 2 other people come in to double check the placement. They took so much time & care to be sure the piercings would turn out just right! When it was time to actually do the piercings, they had my daughter lay back before they uncovered the needles, so that she wouldn't actually see the size of the needles and get nervous. Jaiden talked her through breathing to help her stay calm. My daughter was pleasantly surprised that she hardly felt a thing during the actual procedure! She was a bit sore the first night, but by the second day with them, they were no longer sore at all. Everyone we interacted with at the studio was very friendly & everything was exceptionally clean & well sanitized. I am so glad it was such a positive experience for my daughter. I would give them my highest recommendation! read more

River City Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Mikey's the best!! I got my helix pierced by them and they did such a great job! No complaints! Can't wait to go back and get my tragus soon! read more

Dylan did an amazing job! He took me in as a walk-in and did exactly what I wanted. I can't wait to go back! Highly recommend him for any tattoo ideas. read more

River City Tattoo - very clean studio(s)! - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

I would highly recommend any and all people to River City Tattoo in Richmond. I've now been twice, making the drive down from Baltimore to see Jaime E. He is one of there many talented artists, but specializes in traditional Japanese tattoos. He is an absolute beast. Fair prices, clean shop, fun environment, and beautiful artwork from ceilings to floors. About the shop, they take walk-ins and appointments. They do piercings and tattoos. They have jewelry ready to buy on site. Beautiful artwork covers the whole store. The shop girls are all very inviting and interested in helping the customers to the best of their abilities. They get people the care they need. Paperwork is ready to fill out as you get ready. Waiting area is huge. Shirts are on sale, snack machines for waiting. Also, bathrooms are very well kept and everything is displayed nicely throughout the hallways. About Jaime, he is an up and coming artist that you need to get in and meet. He knocks shit out the park every time. "Apprentice" at the moment, but he'll shock you. You want a traditional Japanese one shot in Richmond? Jaime Escanellas, that's it. 10/10 care, easy to work with, excited to tattoo, works well with everyone, beautiful artwork. read more

River City Tattoo - Lotus done July 2022 by Jaime E. - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Went to RCT at Chesterfield TC today. Went to get my nose pierced. Morgan was awesome. He gave me all the details about what was going to happen and then how to take care of it. He then cleaned up around the area, let me see where he was going to place it. Then told me to lay down and the piercing took less than a minute and was extremely easy and painless. 100% recommend this clean, exceptionally friendly location. Morgan did tell me this is not is typical location and gave me his contact info in case I had any questions or concerns. read more

River City Tattoo - Nose piercing - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I went here with the intention of special ordering a piece of jewelry ahead of time, to be pierced with when it arrived. They actually recommended I be pierced first to ensure my daith would take and heal well prior to changing/adjusting any jewelry. Incredibly friendly service and super cool lobby set up! Lots of jewelry to look at on your way to the piercing room and well versed staff! Very clean and considerate in asking if I was allergic to latex! I think I paid around 120 bucks including tip which is a little on the pricier side but I had a wonderful experience and would definitely do it all over again! read more

Constance was great. But everything else was awful. The jewelry was WAY overpriced and I honestly believe they showed me one type of earring but pierced a MUCH cheaper version. How was I to know because it went straight into my ear? I didn't figure it out until I took the earrings out. So almost $500 later, I got two holes re-pierced on each side with fake, junk jewelry. Shame on you, River City Tatto. read more

I had an incredible experience with River City Tattoo this weekend! It was finally time to get my daughter's ears pierced and I'd heard so many amazing things about RCT that I decided to go ahead and make her an appointment there. They take infants at 10am before the shop opens to the public, which I loved because it was a quiet, serene environment for myself, my 10 month old, and my mom. We were warmly greeted when we walked in and they explained everything to us. They went over the procedure, had us fill out forms, and then showed us the earring choices. They had about 6 infant earring options. I liked all of them, but ultimately chose little dainty gold balls for my dainty princess. After we chose, they walked us into the piercing room. It was super clean! There was one of those sterile pads on the table like they have at the doctor's office and an air purifier running in the room. The piercer talked us through every step and I felt super comfortable with the whole situation. After spending some time with us, he measured her lobes and placed dots where the earrings would go. He put numbing cream on her ears and we waited about 10 minutes for it to kick in. After our 10 minutes was up, the second piercer came in to check the measurements and make sure everything was lined up correctly. Then, they got started! I held her little arms down and they both pierced at the same time. I love how they put the earrings in the needle, so that the needle just went straight through and the earrings were in place immediately. It was a well oiled machine. You can tell they are pros and take their craft seriously. My daughter only cried while it was happening (which was less than a minute) and then after, she was good as new. Even now, a few days later, she's still doing great and doesn't mess with her ears at all. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend River City Tattoo for anyone looking for somewhere to get their baby's ears pierced! read more

Piercing with Jessica Simmons on N Blvd. I am totally happy! Total mid-life crisis move (55'ish!). I had it done it Richmond, VA. River City Tattoo Company. Jessica Simmons owns fours shops and only has one other piercer. She is excellent and takes her time. She explained everything and care afterward in detail. http://rivercitytattoocompany.com/ My daith piercing didn't hurt and the helix piercing only hurt a tiny bit. From what I have read, daith piercings are tricky to do. I accidentally ripped the helix out and I emailed Jessica, although the shop was shut down due to the COVID-19 regulations. She emailed me back and gave me great advice and reassurance. While we were there, she pierced several little girls with their birthday party entourage. So much much! Great shop, super busy, make an early appointment and go early! read more

River City Tattoo - New daith and helix.... - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I got my Daith pierced back in October by Bo and I am still in love with it! The staff was super friendly from front to back, Bo and his instructors were really well informed about the piercing and healing process and made me feel safe and comfortable throughout the experience. read more

I've been here many times over the years and recommend it without reservation. The artists are very professional and highly skilled, the work stations are always clean with sterile equipment, and it's a cool but not intimidating atmosphere. They specialize in a more traditional style of tattooing, but they also can create custom pieces to fit your ideas. I trust them to price pieces fairly and to not over-promise anything that can't be delivered. Walk ins and appointments are both welcome. Ask for Charlie Jones or Adam McKnown! read more

River City Tattoo - Small piece by Charlie Jones in his own handwriting. - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

Great service and very professional! Got a second lobe piercing and my piercer was patient in making sure it was placed correctly. Pricier than other places but it was worth for me to ensure the quality of the jewelry and piercing was safe. read more

A long overdue review... a friend and I decided to get a piercing at River City Tattoo, a place we've been before. I got my third hole on one ear. I informed our piercer that I'm allergic to nickel and any materials similar to nickel. She assured me that my ear would not react to their 14k gold stud, so I went with it. Like I said, I've gotten all my piercings here and have never had an issue/allergic reaction. Unfortunately, that was not the case this time. I did the proper ear care -- used the recommended saline mist and dermaklenz -- yet the swelling and pain continues to worsen. My ear became so swollen that I had to take out my other piercings in it to relieve pressure. The swelling got so bad that I couldn't take my new piercing out. I called the store multiple times, but I never got an answer. I messaged them on Instagram and they were no help. I had to go to the doctor to get my piercing out and take antibiotics to heal it. I finally got in touch with River City and they told me to come in to take a look. At this point, I was already out of town and my piercing was removed. I told them I was out of town and asked for a refund and never heard back. Safe to say I will not come here again. read more

My daughter and I had an excellent experience with our piercings at RCT. Morgan took great care of us while we were there. He explained everything from jewelry options to how to properly care for our new piercings. I would return to this shop for any future piercing or tattoos. read more

Tanya (@ntd_tattoo) at the Boulevard location has brought so much happiness and self-confidence to my life! As a woman in my late 50's, I had reservations about fulfilling my dream of large tattoo work. Tanya encouraged me to see the youth I still possess and she assured me I am not too old to express my love for beautiful artwork. Tanya is so very knowledgeable, and she explained all of the techniques, processes, and care that is necessary in working with all types of skin in all stages of life/age. Tanya's communication is FANTASTIC and she worked with me patiently, designing digital sketches to create the perfect pieces to make-up my sleeve. It had been 30 years since I had my previous tattoo work done, and I truly believe that there was a reason that I was supposed to wait that long before getting tattooed again. I was waiting for Tanya! River City Tattoo Studio has always been my favorite, as I was pierced by Jessica way back when she opened the Boulevard shop! I'm so glad that I dropped in to have my eyebrow re-pierced earlier this year (Thank you so much Morgan...who is a doll by the way!), which motivated me to speak with staff at the front desk in recommendations for a Tattoo Artist. As a professional artist and educator, I am pretty choosy about design and technique in art...with Tanya I am in full TRUST as she works CLEAN, PRECISE, CAREFUL, and she LISTENS to your requests. I'm ABSOLUTELY in LOVE with my Sleeve Tanya! THANK YOU for making me BEAUTIFUL, CONFIDENT, and EXCITED about life! River City Tattoo is such a great place, with staff that are welcoming, professional, and really efficient in their work! The front desk works like a well-oiled machine while still keeping things on a personal level in their interactions with folks. All of the artists and piercers I have met there, while I may not have worked with them personally, have been excited about my artworks from Tanya and it's really great to see artists supporting and celebrating each others accomplishments. If you want QUALITY work and a GREAT PERSONAL experience, visit River City Tattoo Boulevard location. As an artist myself I share this PSA...be prepared to get what you pay for in life...cheap artwork looks and feels like cheap artwork...if you want PROFESSIONAL QUALITY, PAY YOUR ARTISTS! ;) read more

River City Tattoo - Back of my sleeve extension by Tanya - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

See all

I was in town for the weekend and came here for a few piercings I've been thinking about getting for a while. At first I spoke with Sean and he was great; patient, friendly and knowledgeable about jewelry. Then Jessica ended up doing my piercings and she was absolutely, 100% wonderful! I was a little nervous about the pain (sometimes anticipation is worse than the actual event) and she explained everything to me in great detail and went above and beyond to make me comfortable. They are definitely very busy here and appointments are recommended (otherwise, they might have to turn you away especially with Covid precautions they're taking now). I saw several families come through with their daughters to have their ears pierced and it seems like a perfectly fine/family friendly place to bring kids. I found River City on Yelp and almost went to Lucky 13. However, I'm super happy to have gone to River City (despite higher prices) because 1) service was phenomenal, 2) they offer titanium jewelry whereas Lucky 13 offers only medical grade stainless steel which could have trace amounts of nickel which I have allergic reactions to, and 3) River City offers lidocaine anesthetic which Lucky does not and I can not imagine having these done without anesthetic!! Jessica was very careful with the measurements to make sure everything went in straight and then thoroughly explained aftercare with me. I couldn't be happier! read more

My 7 year old daughter got her ears pierced and it was the best experience! Everyone was friendly and explained the process multiple times, speaking directly to my daughter. They took time to measure where the jewelry would be and applied numbing cream. When it came time to pierce, they made sure she was ready and it was pain free and easy! I will always recommend to friends and family. Thanks! read more

River City Tattoo - Ear piercing! - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I had an industrial piercing done today by Shawn, and it was a super smooth and comfortable experience! This was my first ear cartilage piercing (I've previously had my eyebrow and septum) so I was a little bit nervous about the pain. Shawn was very professional and made me feel totally at ease with his confidence. The actual piercing was quick and admittedly hurt pretty bad, but it only hurt for as long as it needed to; by the time I was leaving, I could already barely feel it! I'll definitely be returning for future piercings. read more

River City Tattoo - fresh industrial piercing - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

So me and a friend wanted a small tattoo of just an arrow. They sent an artist out said I'll be right back and never came back to speak more to us. They kept bouncing us from person to person then finally we asked how much and they said $120 for the smallest tattoo. They were not friendly and obviously didn't want to do the small tattoo for a walk in. Such a shame. There loss. read more

I got a chest piece tattoo by Ashly at River City Tattoo. I had my consultation few weeks prior to my tattoo appointment and Ashly was super helpful in answering my questions and guiding me on what would work well and what would not, but always keeping what qualities in the design for me. My first time getting a tattoo at River City Tattoo, and I had a really positive experience. I found the shop to be open, inviting and clean. Ashly is super knowledgeable on techniques, design, and history of tattoos; she put me at ease with nice friendly conversation and let me enjoy the silence when I needed to just breathe through the process. I am grateful I found a nice friendly shop with an amazing artist for my first chest piece, which felt a little vulnerable. I would definitely come back to this shop if I get inspired again to get another tattoo on my body. read more

River City Tattoo - Outline process by an amazing artist: Ashly Hutchens. - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I have gotten multiple piercings by anji and meghan, but i can fully say i trust 100% of their piercing staff. having gotten piercings at multiple other places that have been crooked/ painful placing, the girls at river city truly know what they're doing!!!!! they take the time to talk you through the process and don't make you feel rushed. they also call to follow up on the healing process which is so appreciated. piercings here are more expensive than going to other local locations but you're paying for a service that demands experience. i love river city!!! read more

i've been pierced by both Blue and Shawn here and have had a fantastic experience both times. both were extremely informative, patient, and enjoyable to chat with. it is very expensive, but you definitely get what you pay for. lots of jewelry options and helpful information, as well as a reminder that you're always welcome back if you need help, and the jewelry has a lifetime warranty. definitely recommend if you're looking for an overall positive experience! read more

My piercer was Mikey, I had really wanted my belly button pierced for awhile but was scared. I was insecure about my body and Mikey helped me not feel that way, I felt no pain during the piercing and Mikey was quick and easy! Definitely recommend!!!! read more

My experience was exceptional and the team at River City Tattoo was knowledgeable. The staff took the time to explain everything , didn't feel rushed and pressured. Thanks for making my experience easy! read more

I had a piercing done there in fall of 2021. Was told it had to be done with smaller sized jewelry (not the gauge - literally just the stone size) than I wanted. Came back 6 months later, once my piercing healed, to upgrade the jewelry - but asked the staff to switch it for me. They did and the jewelry fell out 1.5 months later. Had to return for a replacement and despite them having a jewelry *warranty* (had my receipt), they refused to even discount the new piece I had to buy. 10 dollars off to keep a returning customer would have been appropriate. read more

Super friendly staff. Reasonably priced. I got an ant tattoo from Ashly and my husband got an Arthur tattoo from Skinny. The place is huge and every artist has their own room for privacy, etc. I absolutely loved the setup of this shop, and how different designs were all over the place, including the ceilings. It wasn't overwhelming, but an organized chaos. They do prefer cash and there's an ATM there if you need it. There's also a vending machine which is a fantastic idea. Waking in, I knew that I wanted to get a tattoo by them. It's a super clean place as well. Loved that we made the time to walk in and check it out. Will definitely be back. read more

River City Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Pretty pricy, but great piercer that I had. The person on the phone quoted my price incorrectly, which was a bit off putting, but no matter. A the piercing itself was $20, but my two pieces of jewelry I added were $50 each. Again, kindof pricy compared to Enigma and such. However, everyone kept their distance and locked the doors, so everything was contained health wise! read more

River City Tattoo - Helix piercing - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia