I am so glad I found Virginia! I originally told her I wanted a poppy, and she came up with a beautiful drawing of 3 different poppies at different stages of blooming. She didn't know at first but this was for my daughter, and it was the perfect art work to honor her that fit me perfectly. She also did a tribute tattoo on my other arm for my mom that was in perfect fine line that looks like it was hand written in one strike. She was easy to work with, really fun to talk to, and somehow made 4 hours fly by. I didn't think I'd want another tattoo for awhile but I'll definitely be back to Scapegoat to see Virginia soon. Thanks again! read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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So glad that I discovered Sarah Carr! She's an all-around exceptional artist to work with, and that's made me a return customer. Sarah listens closely to what you want and then finds a cute, stylish way to make it work. Her placement is precise, she has a firm yet gentle touch, and her use of color is fantastic (both color theory and saturation). I've never been hip and now I'm getting old, so I'm quite used to feeling anxiously out-of-place in tattoo shops, but Scapegoat is more approachable and welcoming than your average shop. They go out of their way to offer water, space heaters, heating pads, masks, or whatever else might make you feel most comfortable. The artists seem to support and treat each other kindly. The bathroom is a work of art. Everything is clean. It's easy to find unmetered parking a couple blocks away. And this is a vegan business to boot! I couldn't ask for more. read more

John was awesome, friendly and professional! He was able to take a silly idea my friends and I had and squeeze three of us in the next morning before our train left. It's since healed and looks awesome. Highly recommend this shop, they take in walk-ins, friendly artists, clean and efficient. $100 minimum. Will be back next time I'm in PDX! read more

I've been tattooed here twice by Virginia and would absolutely recommend her. The first time was after going through some testing for leukemia and I'm negative. I wanted to celebrate and so I came to Scapegoat. The person at the counter helped me pick out a beautiful flash and Virginia was willing to do it that day. Both of them were so nice it was a very good feeling. The second time I decided to just ask Virginia if she would design my leg. Whatever she wanted to do I put my trust in her. And she came up with a beautiful peony design for my shin. It's quite large. I get compliments on it all of the time. It is really important to have a counter person that makes me feel comfortable and women artists who are so nice and highly skilled. read more

Brian took excellent care of me, he was prompt and showed me his designs which were exactly what I wanted based on our communication via email. I was able to get two since they were small & he gave me advice on size & placement. The whole process was quick & easy, & I couldn't be happier with the results. I would definitely go back & recommend. read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Family was in town a couple of weeks ago so we decided to head down to Portland on a whim for some tattoos and delicious food. Our favorite tattoo shop was going to be closed that day but they recommended we try out Scapegoat Tattoo. Glad they did, we had an awesome experience! My SIL wanted to get her first tattoo so they talked her through the process but also assured her it was no big deal if she decided she wasn't ready. I was also interested in getting a lil scorp so I chatted with Vincent Daniels and he had a design drawn up for me and ready to go within an hour. He was super friendly, worked quickly and I was super happy with the result. Thank you Vincent and thank you Scapegoat tattoo! read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Scorpion by Vincent Daniels - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I didn't think I'd be getting a tattoo in quarantine but here I am! Scapegoat Tattoo had really clear and straightforward procedures on their website in regards to safety measures and what to expect coming in. The overall atmosphere in the studio is lighthearted and everyone is super nice and welcoming. I appreciated the person at the reception who waited outside for me when I called to check in for my appointment with Jesse. I stumbled upon Jesse's work when I was researching artists in Portland, and his style was just what I was looking for. I only had an idea, and Jesse executed it beyond my imagination. Before we got started, he did his own research based off of the information I gave him to draft up this piece. I greatly appreciate his attention to detail how much he cares about his work. Jesse is overall just a fun person to be around. He's candid and doesn't sugar coat things, so you can strike up some pretty fun conversations while you're on the table! This piece took about five hours in one session and he always made sure to check on me throughout the process and that I was comfortable (well as much as you can be while a needle is poking into you). It got a little harder towards the last hour but his encouragement pulled me through. I love the work that Jesse has done and I highly recommend him for your next tattoo. I'll definitely be back for more in the future. Please give him a nice warm Portland welcome! read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Tattoo by Jesse Iris - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

If you want a wonderful person with a great personality to do your tattoo.. go to Brian! He's sweet and lovely, and gave me exactly what I want! This is the best place in town for ink, you gotta come here! I'll update my review in a few weeks after my tattoo has healed. read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Ear spiderweb tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Cesar was fantastic! Very open and communicative, did an amazing job on my cover up tattoo. I highly recommend Cesar for your tattoo! read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I saw Virginia aka @niemo_tattoo and I cannot express how happy I am I found her. She has such a sweet and calming personality. She does INCREDIBLE fine line too. I got a thin delicate small rose on my arm, as well as a butterfly and they turned out perfect!! I honestly wish I had found her sooner!! I recommend her to ALL of my friends now. Can't wait to see her again for the rest of my tatts! 12/10 recommend. She's the best!! read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Went to Portland to go to another tattoo shop down the road to do a walk-in but it was closed. My friend and I ended up finding Scapegoat Tattoo on Yelp and called to see if they took walk-ins. They told us to come in about 30 mins later. Ended up doing a walk-in and waited about an hour or two for the artist to draw out my tattoo. I showed him a picture of what I wanted, and he came back with a drawing that looked even better than what I originally wanted. Tattoo only took about 45 mins! I'm so in love with my tattoo that I got at Scapegoat! read more

Came here again for another tattoo because the quality of work was great the first time around. This time I worked with Shawn Hebrank. He was very professional and communicative from the initial inquiry to the final product. I sent him a photo of my idea with some general design ideas and he came back with a fully fleshed out drawing which gave me full confidence of what I was getting. A+! read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Walked in to get a tattoo by John he drew up my tattoo and soon I was done. Very pleased read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Infinity symbol with my name and my twin sisters name she's getting same tat - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Olivia Britz-Wheat inked a custom wolf with stars on my forearm and it came out EXACTLY how I drew it. I'm SO impressed and happy. She told me about the process and how she learned the trade and more while doing the tattoo. It was so professional and comfortable and just a wonderful experience. When, not if, I get another tattoo, there's nowhere else I'm going. read more

Support your local Tattoo Parlor! This is the place to get inked up if you are a vegan. Great environment and friendly staff. Vegan inks and the in house books showcase the talents of the artists. They specialize in animal themes, but am sure they could come up w/ anything if you bring an idea in. After getting your Scapegoat on...check out nearby Herbivore, Food Fight, and Sweet Pea baking company to get your groove on at this unique vegan mini mall...a must to any visit to Portland. read more

Met with Manee today to get some binary done on my forearm. Amazing guy, very professional and knowledgeable, easy to talk to, made the entire experience excellent. I have several pieces I am looking to get done down the road, and Manee is the man. read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Ryan Mason is THE man! I gave him the subject matter and free reign to do his work, and he knocked it out of the park. This was my first tattoo. This man knows what he is doing. I highly recommend submitting your ideas to him. As for the people of Scapegoat Tattoo and the shop itself, 5 stars as well. Clean shop, and awesome people. I could not have asked for a better experience. read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - ryan mason special - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This is by far the best experience I've ever had getting a tattoo. I'm from San Diego, CA and flew up to Portland to get tatted by John Wilson. All the artists there are worth the trip for. I was inspired to come to scapegoat bc 1, it is VEGAN and 2, a friend of mine from NY that also flew to Portland from NY had an amazing piece done too by scapegoat that I fell in love with! If you're looking for legitimate, top quality tattoos done by knowledgeable, experienced artists, this is the place to go. The cost is worth it considering that you're paying for great quality art and professionalism of artwork that will stay with you for the rest of your life. John Wilson did an amazing job on my tattoo. I came in to do a crane bird on my bicep and he understood everything I was looking for. Very detailed oriented person and is the super sweetest and non-intimidating tattoo artist I've ever met. Everyone at scapegoat is mad friendly and so talented. I agree with the rest of the comments of people who rated this place a 5. I definitely recommend John Wilson and know for a fact that I will be going back for more work done by him. Double thumbs up for the shop and John. Scapegoat is a great staple of what makes Portland, Portlandia. read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I went to Portland for the Vegfest and was excited to see that Scapegoat was doing a vegan flash special! Queue me being double stoked and dragging all my friends and husband to all get tattooed to mark the occasion. My artist was John. He was really kind and did a great job with my small but mighty tattoo. He took lots of care to ensure the placement looked good, and was all-around a pleasure to work with, if even just for a few minutes. My tattoo came out great and I am always reminded of my first visit to Portland when I got tattooed at a completely vegan shop. It's super special to me, so thanks to Scapegoat! read more

I recently had some work done by Silje and was blown away by creativity and quality of her work. She's an incredibly talented artist! All the artist that I met were friendly, professional, strove for excellence, and took great pride in each and every tattoo. I highly recommend coming here if you're looking for the best quality tattoo. read more

I recently traveled 10 hours round trip (within a 24 hour period!) to get a piece by Allyson Bennett, and it was so worth it. This shop is clean and open with a lot of natural light- a very comfortable and calm space with a welcoming team of employees. Allyson knew exactly what I wanted from the tattoo with minimal explanation needed on my part. Her artistic instincts are remarkable, particularly when it comes to placement and size. I've always been a huge fan of her work, but I was especially impressed by this piece. She executed the delicate style & color palette I was looking for so well. I would recommend her to anyone looking for botanical work. It's really clear that the Scapegoat team is a family, and they treat you like one of their own when you're getting tattooed there. In addition to the beautiful art I get to keep with me forever, I had a great time just hanging out in the shop that afternoon. I will definitely be coming back. read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Some lovely botanical work by Allyson Bennett. - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Very welcoming place!!!! Greeted from the moment I entered, very nice receptionist! I was a walk-in they accepted me (didn't see that they were appt only) I told them want I wanted and Brian design my little tat! Very great vibe! I always expect tattoo artist to be very serious and so but even looking around all the artist were very focused but smiling and talking with their guest. Everyone there is amazing! Their artwork is beautiful. It's a very clean shop with great atmosphere! Definitely recommend! read more

If I could, I would leave no stars. So, this place is very conveniently located near me, and I had been wanting these very cliche, but at the same time, meaningful, little tattoos for a while so I thought, "why not"? My good friend had gone here and had a pretty good experience, and it made me a little more sure of going here for something quick. I called up because I got off of work pretty late, and wanted to check to see if they had time to put a little black anchor on each of my thighs. Sure, this may seem like a stupid, cliche tattoo... I get it. I know I don't have to explain or go in depth about what it means to me, but I feel like it's important for this story. I am a trans man, and an anchor, for me, symbolizes finally feeling grounded as a person. As some people may not know, trans men sometimes take IM injections in their leg. Since I started T, I have always wanted these tattoos on my thighs, to mark this extremely serene moment in my young life. Again, I shouldn't HAVE TO explain my tattoos to anyone, unless I feel so inclined to do so... and who is anyone to judge what goes on anyone else's body???? Anyway, back to the REAL reason why I will never fucking support this shop ever again... The person I spoke to on the phone said she would put me on hold to find out who's available. Well, wouldn't you know it... seems like she didn't know how to put someone on hold. Instead, I could hear everything she was saying in the background, especially her laughing about how "some guy wants anchors on his body HAHAHAHAHA" and hearing other, presumably artists at the shop's, laughter as well. Then... a CLICK. Not only did I get laughed at--I got hung up on. SO. FUCKING. RUDE. I don't care if I wanted "No Ragrets" tattooed on my fucking chest... NO ONE has the right to judge another person for a tattoo that they want on THEIR BODY. It was the most disrespectful interaction I have ever had with a tattoo shop. So you know what? I went to another tattoo shop... A BETTER tattoo shop, called Black Hole (also close by... so go there instead)! I had an amazing experience there, it was super cheap, and my artist laughed about how fucked up Scapegoat was in regards to being so fucking judgmental. /End rant. read more

How did I not leave a review after visiting here?! I must fix this..... I walked in hoping to speak with Ryan about a tattoo I wanted that would be the start of an entire sleeve. I was told I would have to submit my design for his consideration and he would decide if it was something he wanted to do. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Whose tattoo is this? Why should something I want and I am paying for have to pass his approval? That's out. Next I asked about Brian and was told he was busy. I could see him upstairs eating and I was the only one in the place. I now see a trend of overly self-important "artists" going on here. Suddenly the young man speaking to me says "I have you booked for tomorrow". I told him I thought that was impossible- no one was willing to see me. He said "I booked you with myself". I asked who he was and why would he do that. He said "My book is over there- I am Henry". I went and looked through his book- UGH! He wasn't going to touch me, even if it was washable ink. I told him no thank you and left. A friend of mine ignored my warnings and went there to get a very important tattoo piece done. Henry worked on her and it didn't turn out well. She had to go back to get if fixed, and it still isn't right. I don't get the hype. They are not the only vegans in town- this is Portland folks. I got what I wanted, and cheaper, elsewhere. Stop playing to into this type of hyped up crap. Your money is better spent elsewhere. read more

I'm going to be completely honest: most tattoo shops are pretty inhospitable and run by total douche-lords. I've been in a lot of them, and the vast majority are insufferably uncomfortable -- and this is before any needles even come near you. The usual crap that you have to brace for is trashy flash art on the walls, a lot of bad/corny rockabilly bullshit all over the place, and the horrible, ever-permeating reek of "cool-guy" syndrome. So you basically have to let a lot of really intolerable things slide just in order to get that sick tribal tat or lower back stamp or whatever other stupid thing you want to imprint on yourself forever. To be fair, tattoo artists also have to deal with plenty of idiots (see 'Debe B.' or whatever below) and in a lot of ways I sympathize with them for having to spend so much time around people who are completely clueless. Let me explain something before I get on with the actual review: 'Bad tattoos' can be the result of many different factors. Sometimes the tattoo itself is poorly rendered, and the artist rushed through it without actually caring about the end result. This is usually the case with tattoos applied at carnivals, motorcycle festivals, and cell-block 4. Some people have adverse reactions to certain ink pigments (similar to allergies) and result in poor healing or scar tissue around the tattoo. The pigment can look washed-out or 'bled' because your body simply doesn't know what to do with the red color that was needled into your epidermis. Similarly, certain parts of the body simply don't hold ink very well, regardless of technique or individual reactions. And finally, some people are just total morons and don't follow the after care advice that their artists give them. So, moving forward. Scapegoat Tattoo is none of the above things. The shop itself is incredibly clean, comfortable, & unique, and inhabited by a group of very dedicated and talented artists. While the whole vegan, Earth friendly, cruelty-free ink thing is certainly something to feel good about, it's really the cheerful and relaxed atmosphere coupled with amazingly creative artists that makes Scapegoat one of the best shops Portland has to offer. And it doesn't hurt that you can go buy a vegan cupcake and a cup of joe at Sweetpea Bakery while you are waiting. My suggestions would be to hunt down Ryan Mason (the youngest & scruffiest, yet arguably the most talented artist at the shop) or owner Brian Wilson (you can't miss him). All the guys are great, though, so you will be in good hands no matter who you end up with. post script: If you are the type of person that actually complains about the price of tattoos, do the world a favor and just don't get any, ok? Otherwise just go to prison and get them for free like everyone else. read more

When I saw Scapegoat's online portfolio I was impressed and thought I would give them a try, even though I'm very picky about my tattoo work. I called the shop and was told I couldn't make an appointment over the phone... okay, that's a little weird; so far I'm not thrilled. I rode my bike over on a weekday when I figured they'd be less busy. There were two tattoo artists working and nobody at the front desk. One guy looked up from his work and went back to tattooing. Not a big deal, I kept waiting. Nearly 15 minutes go by so I eventually said "Hey guys, is there somebody I can talk to?" and one artist rudely snapped "I'm busy." OKAY. I was about to leave when a girl finally came out from the back of the shop, looking extremely stoned. Whatever. I asked about making an appointment and she told me they needed a $60 deposit JUST for a consultation. And they would only accept cash for it - which I understood to be non-refundable??? Please! The best part was when I was told that the artist I had been considering was booked out for the following SIX MONTHS. Apparently that includes consult time? No thanks!!! read more

I had such a great experience until it was time to pay. I was told the hourly rate was $160 which is already a little steep but I did it anyway. After the tattoo was done, it took one hour and 5 minutes, the artist told me the price was $350. I asked why since she told me the hourly was $160, and she said that was only if the piece was over two hours (which the total would be $320). I was dumbfounded and told her I only brought $30@ because she told me in a rough estimate that that was the absolute max it would be, and she simply said I can put the rest on your card? I handed her the card and walked out in absolute shock. I will NEVER return to Scapegoat tattoo after being taken advantage of in such a disgusting way. Shame on you. read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - If I had know this was going to be $350, I would have passed! - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Facts: This is a vegan tattoo place in Portland, next to several other vegan shops. It's an open studio, with several benches/chairs in one common room while several artists work on customers at the same time. The waiting area is quite small with a small love seat and chair. I had to pay an $80 deposit to get on an artists schedule. Pros: -Vegan tattoo place -when you email the shop, you get pretty quick replies -Tattoo didn't hurt too bad, and was quick -John was friendly and relaxed. Cons: *Communication is lacking - A LOT* -I originally emailed Silje and waited about three months for a reply before giving up on her and just emailing the shop. I did get a template response saying she was busy and to please be patient for a response, but 3 months is a bit long when if you're that booked, perhaps should just say you're not taking new customers. -During back and forth emailing with the shop, I was asked what size of tattoo I wanted my design to be. I said about 1/2 the size of a dollar. Didn't get any response back, but when I got there I showed a print out of a slightly larger scale of the art and was told it was impossible to be that small and had to go 20% larger. -I expected to have my artist ask some more questions about the design - did I want the shadows in the clip I sent, did I want the lighter sketchings in some spots, did I want white as the photo has or just leave it as my skin, how these colors will work on my skin tone. None of these things were brought up by my artist -This was my first tattoo, and I had to pull any information on aftercare from John. He offered up to stay out of the sun on his own, but anything else I had to ask specifically for information and work to get more than 'put lotion on it'. *Customer Service Issues* - During my tattoo, my artist had a friend stop by and chat for about 10-15 minutes. During this time John, my artist, would stop working occasionally to turn and talk to his friend. I wasn't super bothered by someone stopping by to talk, but I'm paying for time and for attention and it's less than awesome to have the needle stop and start a bunch for chatting - During my tattoo potential customers wandered in to look around and the girl at the front desk would be busy texting or something else and wouldn't address them. John would stop working on me to ask if he could help or talk with them about anything, which is awesome for him to step up, but ideally the person working at the desk would do their job. - John scheduled my brother's tattoo, then mine, then someone else almost right after me. He was obviously rushing to get us both done and told another artist he'd be done in 5 minutes and he was super eager to eat before the next appointment came in 30 min after me. So when he told me to go look at my tattoo and I saw the gaps in the linework and that there was no white where I was expecting it, I didn't feel like he would have the time or desire to do good work to talk about it/fix it. Overall, I feel like the whole experience was disorganized, with little communication. A 5 minute chat before I got there about sizing and more specifics on what I wanted and what he envisioned or recommended could have adjusted my expectations and less open discussion about what a hurry you are in to get done with me so you can eat before scrambling to your next appointment would go a long way in making the customer feel attended to. read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - Not super stoked about the breaks in the lines on Hobbes' foot. The original art work has it as kind of lighter lines, but not just gaps. - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I had to take away one star because my tattoo is fading and it's been less than a year since I got inked. Maybe it's the vegan ink, but something just ain't right. read more

Since September of '05, Scapegoat has made a name for itself in Portland for being the first and only vegan owned and operated tattoo shop. (Did you even know that not all tattoo inks are vegan???) Ask for Ryan Mason--he's the dreamiest tattoo artist there, but if he's unavailable, any of the three resident artists will do. Prices are normal--$120 an hour. All of their work is custom and appointment only. Call ahead--they are generally booked out a few months in advance. read more

The best work I've personally seen in Portland so far. Not only the needle work but the effort that goes in to design. It's absolutely clear that you get what you pay for. Wait until you can afford it! read more

Scapegoat Tattoo - By Ryan. - Tattoo Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Brian Wilson- Owner, Artist, MANIMAL. You could go here for ethical reasons, and you would be justified. I have to imagine that the research and work that goes into keeping a tattoo shop vegan must be time-consuming, to say the least. You could also go here because Brian Wilson is a great artist. Especially when it comes to custom interpretations of weird/creative stuff. And its vegan. By a dude who legitimately believes in the cause, not in capitalizing on it. read more

When the portland vegan mini mall is up and going it will almost be enough to make me move to oregon. Don't worry, I said almost. Scapegoat is definetly in contention for the most awesome vegan business in portland. The dudes are awesome. The shop is vegan. AAANNNND... Its right next to snacks. Ryan mason, the aforementioned "dreamy" one did an amazing job with a portrait of my puppy on my thigh (see pictures). He does super good animal tributes, so get one! Brian and john were good company keepers too. All in all a solid shop and I will be taking many trips down to portland to get tattooed in the future. Damn you portland. read more

When I came here last year, I took a picture of PDX's Vegan Mall (made up of Sweetpea Bakery, Herbivore Clothing Co., Food Fight Grocery, and Scapegoat). I cut out Scapegoat from the picture, because it was irrelevant to me. I thought I would never visit. Who knew that I'd be back almost a year later for a tattoo at this very place? It's been a few days, and so far so good. I had to dock a star because I emailed them a few months in advance for an appointment and recommendations (once to Ryan, the other to their general address), and never got a response. But they got confirmation of my PayPal deposit! The space is clean and inviting. I waited a half hour for my artist, Dylan, to get set up, which I didn't have a problem with. It gave me a chance to calm my nerves a bit. Dylan was easy to work with, patient and friendly. I loved the wall art, which I had stared at in pain. I knew what I wanted, and it was fairly small, so I was in and out in no time. All in all, not bad for $70. The big thing here is their use of vegan ink. Even though I try to reduce the use of animal products in my everyday life, as a vegetarian, I'm still not anal enough to care that the ink is made up of cow dung or horse intestines. But I do appreciate their conscious effort to provide a service to those who do... Really, their vegan shop was just my excuse to get another tattoo. There, I said it. read more

Upfront: I'm more of a "white-collar" tattoo guy and less like one of those "biker" tattoo guys. By no means am I a tattoo parlor aficionado, having visited only a handful of them in my life. I have two tattoos and both are easily covered by my shirt. If that qualifies me as a pussy in your book go ahead and skip this review. That said, Scapegoat is a pleasant and clean tattoo shop. Absent is the annoying buttrock that normally blares through the speakers at other shops. There were no fat tattoo artists nicknamed "Tiny" either - just regular guys. The atmosphere worked for me, in other words. The individual artists have their portfolios on display for you to peruse while they prep, and I noticed that there weren't as many Skull & Crossbones and "My Momma didn't Love Me" type tats that are common in other parlors. Their art seems to be a bit more sophisticated. The experience was good. Dylan was quick and steady-handed. He touched-up an existing tat and added a bit on. I was in and out in about an hour and a half, for about $120 cash. read more

When I was planning my first trip to Portland in 2010, I read there was an all-vegan tattoo parlor, which really piqued my interest. I went in and got an owl on my arm that I get complimented on all the time. I was so impressed that 2 weeks ago, on my next trip to Portland, I went back for another tattoo. Cody was really accomodating and friendly, especially considering I just walked in without an appointment, and I kind of rushed him because I had dinner plans that night. The only negative was that the poor shop assistant was running around taking care of so many people that she forgot to give me back my ID, so I had to cab it back to the shop from Downtown, where my hotel was, before the shop closed. One major bonus, especially if you're veg*an, is that, while you're waiting for your appointment, there are a bunch of vegan shops in the area for you to spend your time (and money). I recommend the Red and Black Cafe. Fair warning, though: you can't just bring in your own artwork. They won't accept it. But if you can describe what you want, they can draw it out better than you would have done. read more

Nice place, big price tag. I've have a lot of tattoos, a number of which I've had done at different shops around Portland. This shop is pretty nice, but a little hard to find--there's no visible street sign. The seating area is small but they did allow my friend to come onto the floor and hang out while I got my piece. I made an appointment with Aaron via email. He responded within a day to all my emails and was super helpful in terms of scheduling the tattoo. Not super chatty in person, but that's okay by me. He quoted me at $190/hr, but said he pre priced most pieces. I wanted the tattoo much smaller than he expected, and the appointment only took an hour and a half, but he charged me over $50 extra from the 190/hr. Not a huge deal, as I'm willing to pay for good ink, but still...something to be aware of. Made tipping generously a little hard! read more

Brian did my left leg from ankle to knee, all the way around, he also decorated my left armpit and left sleeve. As the proud owner of two big pieces from this shop, I can recall only pleasant experiences from being tattooed at Scapegoat. The soft, rustic decor of the interior is strangely soothing, I spent several hours staring at the whirring fan and cracked ceiling. At the front desk you are offered vegan candy in a bowl, and since it's always good to stock up on sugars when being tattooed... It's good to be patient, as they are usually booked for months ahead, but waiting is worthwhile. It's a vegan tattoo shop, so refrain from wearing your leathers and furs, or you won't be so welcome! Duh. read more

I was tattooed by Brian Wilson, the shop owner, on June 8th, after about a 6-8 month wait, when he agreed to take on my project. (Frankly, I don't understand why there are other reviews complaining about this. Brian is so amazing, he gets to pick who and what he wants to work on. Obviously, this is the type of tattoo artist you want to work on you.) I sent Brian a series of reference photos via email and a few brainstorming ideas, put down a $160 deposit, and waited my turn. There was good communication through his assistant, Annie, and I felt good about the entire process. I showed up at noon and Brian wasn't completely satisfied with the drawings he had done. He apologized for the delay, but let me know he was going to re-work some stuff. (Again, obviously this is the type of tattoo artist you want to work on you. Someone who takes pride in their work, and every piece needs to be good.) We started tattooing after getting the station set up around 1:45, and took a break around 5:30 to eat lunch, then kept going til about 8:45. The total tattooing time was about 5.5 hours, and I now have one of the most incredible 3/4 sleeves I have ever seen. I am so, so proud to have this piece of art on my body. Brian's pricing is VERY fair, especially for an artist of his caliber, and he works quickly. He has a session timer attached to the power supply of his tattooing machines, which keeps track of the actual time spent tattooing. Unlike some artists I have been tattooed by, you aren't paying him to chat with his buddies, go get a snack, or take a piss. The artists here who were working while I was getting tattooed were also fantastic. I saw two pieces of Aron's, and a large piece by Greg (aka Greggletron). Both were amazing. Brian has put together some great artists. If you want a true piece of art on your body and are willing to wait for it to happen, go to Scapegoat. read more

As a self-proclaimed food snob, one can only guess how picky I am choosing a permanent piece of body art. I deliberated my wrist tattoo for four years before making an appointment, mainly because I couldn't decide on the perfect font. John was incredibly patient while drawing and redrawing my tattoo over the course of an hour (yeah, I'm embarrassingly picky). He was professional, clean, and patient. While sitting on a chair with my arm twisted, I asked if there was a more comfortable position, and he drug over a padded table I could lay on, even though the actual tattooing only took ~15 minutes. A couple friends crowded nearby to take photos and talk, and he wasn't distracted. I recommend John to everyone. I am so pleased with the end result and glad he didn't give up on me. Tattoos are certainly addictive, I want another already! Maybe I'll only wait 2 years this time, knowing I'm in good hands. read more