Now that my tattoo is finished, I can write my review. Jocelyn is amazingly talented. I came to her with a mere skeleton of an idea and let her artistic talent do the rest and I couldn't be happier with the result. Their shop is run by women, so the environment is comfortable, welcoming, and fantastic. Not to say men aren't capable of that, but you know what I mean. The shop is beautifully clean and in a Victorian house, which is rad. I plan to return many times to have more work done as time goes on. read more

Side Show Studios - This bathroom monkey is the man. - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

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this is a long overdue yelp review for me... Char is ammmmazing. I brought her a bunch of fabric, pictures, some art objects and a little box, and she and I consulted on my tattoo ideas for about an hour. She took some pitcures of the work I already had, and she came up with a beautiful outline for my tatoo. Her work is spot on what I wanted, with out me being able to say what I was looking for! I haven't been able to go in for subsequent sittings because I am pregnant, but as soon as I deliever, I will be back! Can't wait!! (I will update with photos, too!) The studio is clean and bright, the folks that work there are artists of all types and really down to earth people. I have been there several times while my boyfriend gets his work done and the other artists and Cy, the office manager are super nice and friendly. Sideshow has Second Saturday art showings and always has dispalys of local artists work up on the walls, with a quick turn over, be sure to buy whatever you want when you seen it, as the prices are reasonable and the art is great... I show off my work all the time, and often people stop me to ask who did my work. Char is the best! Sideshow rocks!! read more

I came in on 2/16/14 for an appointment with Jenn. I was very excited. She took a long time drawing it, which she told me she would've had done before I got there. She was very slow, and didn't seem to listen to the design I wanted. 3.5 hours later, I had a half done tattoo, that I was NOT happy with. Will attach pics. The feather designs were not at all what I told her I wanted.. They just look horrible and blotchy.. I just today went to my normal guy, Jaye @ Soulution Ink, in Elk Grove..& he fixed her mess. Will never go here again. My husband also has Keith fix his tribal...& it still looks jacked. Mine costed 200, with another 100 to finish..& my husbands mess costed 250. His tattoo looks the same.. Waste of money. Go to Royal Peacock or Soulution Ink! read more

Side Show Studios - What I wanted - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

Char Hall did a half sleeve of mine years ago and I'm paying thousands to have it removed. It is the ugliest tattoo you could ever see, people would look at it then look away. She did not know how to execute the vision AT ALL and, instead of saying so, she went ahead and tattooed something I have hated ever since. When I went to another shop and showed them the tattoo, they said "oh the best tattoo artist in sac per the Sac News and Review" and laughed. I was like YEP that's how I found her, so Thanks A lot Sac News and Review!! At the 2nd session (which I only needed one really) she got up, walked into another room, came back and started cleaning up. I was like um?? She wouldn't even look at me and was like I need to wrap this up today. I knew that she knew it was atrocious and couldn't fix what she started. I only went to the 2nd session hoping it was going to look normal once it was complete. I would never recommend her. read more

Side Show Studios - After a couple removal sessions - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

I emailed Andre after seeing the work he did on a friend and he was very quick to respond. I went in for a consultation and he helped me come up with an idea that would weave in a piece I had gotten done a couple years ago with a new piece. I never would have thought to do this on my own, so I appreciated his expertise! We made an appointment for about a month later (he was able to fit me into his busy schedule because I wanted to get it done before the school year started -- I'm a high school teacher). When I came in for an appointment, Andre and two options for the tattoo and he totally took what I had said in our original appointment and ran with it. I loved his design! During the entire tattoo, he was so easy to talk to and so friendly. Honestly, it was the best tattoo experiences I have ever had! I felt so comfortable throughout the entire process. I can't wait to go back for my second appointment to finish the piece. I am excited to see what my math students think about the tattoo, too! read more

Side Show Studios - Nautilus with a Fibonacci spiral overlaid. Tattoo by Andre Garcia. - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

I've had nothing but great experiences with Side Show. I've gotten two piercings done by Keith (a cartilage and an earlobe), as well as a tattoo from Jocelyn. The shop itself is absolutely beautiful, and is extremely clean and well kept. I got both piercings done over a year ago now, and they've both finally fully healed very well. I've never ever seen a more thorough piercer than Keith. I've gotten lots of ear piercings over the years in various locations and at different shops, and the way he sanitizes everything and keeps everything clean is above anywhere else I've gone. He was also very helpful when I had questions or when my cartilage had some problems healing and answered all my emails. He even changed out the earring for me as well. I also got my tattoo from Jocelyn about a year and a half ago, and I had the best experience. She did a wrist tattoo for me with a word in Italian and an arrow underneath. She was great with helping me figure out exactly what I wanted. It was my first tattoo so I was a little unsure of what to expect and was worried about going into a shop and feeling like I was being patronized or blown off for being a newbie. But Jocelyn was super nice, and her station was also impeccably clean. I ended up with something better than I had hoped and it healed beautifully. I'm happy to say I've already booked another tattoo with her for later this year, and once again she was very accommodating by fitting me into her already packed schedule. I would absolutely recommend this place to anyone looking nice to get pierced or tattooed, they have a lot of really nice and talented people! They also sell some amazing artwork in the shop as well! read more

Side Show Studios - Keith did the cartilage and 3rd earlobe piercing. The other 2 earlobe piercings and tragus were done in different shops. - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

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My friend and I came in today because he wanted to get a tattoo. He wanted Jocelyn or Charr, but they were all booked out for 8 months-2 years. The only available artist was Keith, so my friend decided to speak to him. Keith was very patient and made many great comments and ideas about the tattoo that my friend wanted. After 30 minutes of chatting, Keith told my friend that he can email him and he will draw the piece for him to see if that's what he would like. Hopefully everything works out for my friend and Keith! Overall, this is a great little studio and it looks just like a house. Everyone is very patient, very nice, and very helpful. They also play soothing music in the background! ***They rarely do walk-ins, but if you're lucky, they might be able to fit you right in! :) read more

Well... wow. After reading the negative review below I'm compelled to offer my own take since I recently had pretty much EXACTLY the opposite experience of the person who reviewed before me. Of course, I'm not an elitist who thinks a business HAS to be in the downtown area to be worth something, either. But perhaps I'm a little biased when it comes to "... out there". I know its hard to believe but there is (*gasp*) life outside of the grid. Anyway... A close friend of mine gets her tattoo work here (from the owner/artist Char) and she has come away with some absolutely stunning pieces. For my birthday last year, she was kind enough to give me a gift certificate for Sideshow Studios. Once I finally decided on a design, I stopped in to check them out and see if they could make my strange little idea a permanent piece of me. Right off the bat, the shop is spacious and very clean with lots of fun stuff to look at (no flash on the walls - LOVE that!). All I had was a gift certificate and an idea. I had no idea which artist (if any) would be right for what I wanted, but everyone there was very nice and quite helpful. The receptionist took me around and showed me portfolios, and showed my design to a couple of artists to see if they had suggestions. One artist suggested that SeeSee would be the perfect artist for what I was after. He was SO very right! She completely understood what I was after... which is no small feat since I'm not very good at specifically describing what I want to an artist. After discussing the design for a little while, I was totally comfortable with her and we made an appointment for the next evening. I showed up a little nervous about the process (not my first tattoo but it had been a while since I had any substantial work done) but SeeSee was very sweet about the whole thing and put me right at ease. After almost 3 hours I had exactly what I was after! As far as price, it was not at all unreasonable. I paid pretty much what I'd expected, which was $250 (plus tip) for a little over 2 1/2 hours worth of solid color work. I definitely did not get any of that previously mentioned unfriendliness, unprofessional or "elite artist" attitude from anyone in the place. It was actually quite pleasant experience and I'm very happy with the final results. I walked out with a gorgeous, colorful, fun tattoo and I am so very happy with it. read more

GREAT EXPERIENCE!!! I called in several times asking about quotes and how prepared I should be before coming into the shop to get a tattoo. The receptionist was very polite, respectful, and knowledgeable about who I should get my tattoo with. He recommended me to Josh Green, who by the way, is very comforting when it comes to your first time!!! I spoke with Josh a few times on the phone, told him what I wanted after going back and forth multiple times about what I wanted and where I wanted it to be. He was very patient and professional and I can tell that he cared a lot about the artistry of tattooing because he wanted to make sure I was positive with my choice. I come in a week later and give Josh my designs. He fixes it up for about half an hour while asking me about myself. I can't explain how in-depth he went about the precautions before and after getting a tattoo. He really reassured me about my worries since it was my first tattoo and from the beginning until the end, he was patient with all of my questions and changes to the design. As he was placing the tattoo, he allowed me to stop him if the needle felt painful. I was worried so much that the pain would be excruciating that we actually carried a normal conversation as he was doing work on my shoulder. (I barely paid attention to the pain after a while) After he was done, informed me on how to take care of it while cracking some jokes about it. Josh is the best person!!! Very patient, reassuring, caring, and doesn't rush his work at all. He knows what he's doing!!! read more

I've been debating on writing this review for quite some time because although my tattoo artist was extremely professional, kind, and easy going, my tattoo wasn't as amazing as the experience there. The lines are inconsistently shaky, different sizes, and shading was even out of the lined area and either too dark or in random areas of my tattoo (splotchy). There are areas where I am scarred. It was just all over an inconsistent tattoo ESPECIALLY for being done in a shop. I know it can be fixed but I am just really sad that I paid so much for someone to do a tattoo that looks like it was done by 3 different people all at 3 different skill levels. read more

The best place to get yourself tatted up! I had been wanting a watercolor tattoo for about a year and was so happy to find Joclyn's work on the wide wide world of the interwebs! During our consultation she asked me a lot of questions about the design I had in mind and when I went in for the tattoo, I was amazed with what she came up with. It's so beautiful and exceeded my expectations! The tattoo is still healing -- I'll post the pictures once it's all healed. The studio is just that -- a studio with REAL artists doing REAL artwork. The staff are all friendly and made me feel welcome and very comfortable. My only complaint -- they didn't offer me a pumpkin spice latte. #pumpkinspicewhatever read more

I FUV Side Show (aka: I f*****g love this place) I first came to Side Show because my best friend was working there at the time, and I'll never go anywhere else for my ink. I love the comfortable vibe you get here- not that standoff-y feeling you get at other places like you're not inked enough, you're not cool enough, you're not hardcore enough. I love the shows they have, the occasional bands, the Second Saturday events, the cool DIY art and items you can buy there. And I love love FUV the artists. Char was my first artist at S.S. and she is flat-out amazeballs. She is a ridiculously good tattoo artist and artist-artist. Now that Char is SO popular and thus quite busy, I've started getting work done from Josh, a dapper gentleman with mad ink skills and enough mustache to pay the bills! I haven't worked with Jessica but my friends have beautiful tattoos from her. Plus she has some gorgeous original artwork. When a business does me right, I sing it from the moutaintop. I've pimped Side Show to anyone who's even the slightest bit ink-inclined, and everyone I've directed there has come back happy. ...what are YOU still doing reading this? Go get a tattoo right now! :D read more

Side Show Studios - Blacklight constellation tattoo on forearm - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

I had not gotten a tattoo in over ten year's. My wife advised me to give this place a try and she took me in to meet my tattoo artist. First the building is wonderful on the inside. Art pieces hang on all walls setting friendly and warm tone. All the staff seemed to be smiling and happy. Music placed in the back ground but not the normal loud aggressive stuff you would expect to see had you walked in to a hollywood rendition of what a tattoo parlor would have. Every aspect of this place made you feel comfortable and safe. The price was fair and up front. My artist was quick skilled and had a wealth of humor to share with me during the process that also served to relive the tension I had coming in. I enjoyed this place so much so I have had 3 of my 5 tattoo's done here. I can see this place being a great starting point for someone who wants a first tattoo but wants to ease in to it. Old school tattoos fans will appreciate skill and art of the tattooist. A must for tattoo fans new and old. read more

There are really only two Tattoo shops that I would recommend in Sacramento and Side Show Studios is one of the them and Side Show is the only shop that I go to for my work. The head artist Char has completed a full back piece for me and is now working on full garters around my legs. I have also had one of their apprentices, Shawn, do a day of the dead style skull and cross bones on my hip. Besides Char there are also many other talented artists in the shop with a diversity of styles to work with. Char is an amazingly talented artist, her realistic flowers and animals are the best in the city if not beyond. It should be noted that for the past two years Side Show has received Best of awards in the Sacramento News and Review (six awards just this year) and this year in Sacramento Magazine. Besides the amazing tattoos artists Side Show Studios is also a gallery that has shown many up and coming artists within the local area and beyond. Just recently I went to a show that had Internationale representation. They also occasionally have bands and DJs at their second Saturday events. For being off "the grid" they get a good stream of people in every month. read more

Char Hall is the best artist. I gave her my idea and she ran with it! Cannot say enough good things about this place! Clean, friendly and very professional! Worth the wait and worth the $$! read more

The decision of getting a tattoo is not one that should be taken lightly, neither should selecting your tattoo artist. I must say I researched for a few months before finding Jocelyn and she is a straight bad ass artist. She was able to bring my idea and vision to life and I am so grateful. I was also very impressed with her knowledge of art, tattooing and specialty drinks ;p Looking forward to revisiting her again. read more

Side Show Studios - Here is my #Anchor #Compass #Rastawatercolor Tattoo 1 month later and fully healed. Artist: Jocelyn - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

The Cheers of Tattoo Parlors, you feel at home right away. Great artists, professional and amazing art shows! read more

Side Show Studios - Flyer - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

i love the environment of this tattoo shop!!! See See did my backpiece and it turned out BEAUTIFUL!! i decided to write this review cuz im actually gettin my 2nd tat done by her 2morow. Im so excited and i trust her work 100%, very creative..and i can see how passionate she is bout her artwork.. I LOVE SEE SEE!!! i will post pix soon after she do me 2morow.. hehe sounds kinky eh? read more

I couldn't agree more with the 'positive' reviewers about Side Show Studios. Top notch work, many different artists and styles, great space, great customer service and phenomenal couches. I write this review for two people, myself and my boyfriend. We have both gotten work done by Char and love the pieces she has done for us. We are always recommending them to co-workers, friends and neighbors. I have gone to a lot of shops in Sacramento with friends and by myself looking for a good artists and I have never been more welcomed and gotten more attention then I have at Side Show. Their Second Saturday's are a lot of fun and seem to have gotten a lot of attention and press. I highly recommend them. read more

Yet again, Jessica did an amazing job! At first I was a little disappointed, since I had to call the shop three times to get in touch with Jessica, but once we talked and met for my consultation, I was glad I went back. She seemed genuinely excited about my tattoo, and she drew it up perfectly, exactly how I wanted. I expected the price to be slightly above the shop minimum ($60) since she took the time to draw it and it's not super small, but she only charged the minimum! FYI, for anyone trying to get in contact with Jessica, you might have better luck messaging her tattoo profile on facebook. read more

How have I not reviewed Side Show yet?! I went to the SF tattoo expo several years ago and came across Side Show studios...I was blown away by Char Hall's tattoos. Beautiful oil paintings on skin. She ended up doing a cover of a horrible tattoo I got at 18. I went from having a terrible , sloppy tattoo to a beautiful piece of artwork I proudly display as often as possible. Come to this shop for top notch tattoos by incredibly skilled artists at an ultra clean, beautiful shop. I cannot say enough good things about Char Hall, Side Show Studios and it's artists!!!! read more

Yayyyyy! Got my tattoo cherry popped! I had my heart set on getting a cute little tattoo on the inside of my finger. I was looking for a tattoo that was small and discreet so I thought the finger was perfect.I called the studio to make an appointment. The nice girl that answered the phone informed me that the inside of the finger was not the best place to get it. I was bummed but thankful that she was honest. She let me speak to an artist so that he could further explain why the inside of the finger was not the best choice. Keith laid out all the deets and I listened to his advice. :) We decided to go with the inside of my wrist. I made an appointment for the next day. Keith is awesome! I wanted something small, simple and presumably boring but he still made it exciting for me. He made me feel very comfortable. A lot of laughing. :) My first experience was so good that I went back to Keith for a second round, today, which was exactly 3 weeks after my first tattoo. LOL! I know, I know.... ;) Everyone at the studio is so friendly. The studio is really clean. They have lots of eye-candy (beautiful art) hanging throughout the studio. read more

I met Char Hall at the SF Tattoo Expo at the Cow Palace a few years back. I was a little hesitant on the waiting period but it was worth the wait. You get what you pay for, and what I got is a fantastic tattoo artist, a wonderful backpiece, and great experience overall. Side Show Studios is great. They pride themselves in promoting custom designed tattoos. Though I've only gotten a tattoo from Char, I've thumbed through everyone's portfolios and everyone is talented and offers something a little different that makes them unique from one another. Their studio is big, well lit, and offers a welcoming environment. The artists and staff are very down to earth and friendly. There seems to be a sense of community there b/c I always see people stopping by just to say hello. Most importantly, I've noted their standards of cleanliness, all the stations are well kept. I appreciate their professionalism when it comes to scheduling. They always get back to me when I contact them with a question. Everyone there are just generally cool peeps :) Char and Cy make a great team and are very helpful in walking you through the design process to ensure that your tattoo is the best representation of you and what you want in body art. During the tattoo session, Char is great about making you feel comfortable and relaxed. I came into their studio with the intent of doing a small cover-up but I was so impressed by the artwork that I had to have a full backpiece of my own and I am already considering my next 2 tattoos. The only reason why I would deduct a star is b/c they are located all the way out in Sacramento and not in the Bay Area, but then again that's not really their problem, lol, so 5-stars all around :) read more

The new studio is amazing! Tons of beautiful artwork hang on the walls. You are greeted with an "artsy" vibe as soon as you walk into the space itself. The standards of cleanliness at Side Show are very high and the quality of work is beautiful. I have worked with two artists here, the most recent artist was Andre Garcia. I am more than pleased with the outcome of my thigh piece. It's the largest piece I have on my body...roses climbing up my thigh done in full color in the neo-traditional style. It took three sessions with reasonable pricing. Andre is professional, great work ethics, awesome personality. I always felt comfortable at his work station. The music was always great, conversation was good. His portfolio is proof of the evolution of his work. I highly recommend Andre. read more

Jen Ponci tattoos me and she is fuckin radical! I can't say enough about her. She's very patient, open minded, focused, positive, determined, talented and genuinely cares about your happiness and your experience. It doesn't hurt she shares a room with the coolest dude in town, Andre. They're a great team and work so well together. I'm laughing the whole time. Yes, the laughs are stronger than the pain of a big tattoo. That's sayin lot! I've even fallen asleep.... Everyone makes you feel welcomed like family. And takes care of you like you are too. Even if your not interested in a tattoo you gotta swing by and check out the shop. I'm in love with it. Super clean and professional but wait, there's a kitchen too! They always have a variety of treats (some home made) AND a beautiful back patio you can enjoy them on! Tons of art to look at, paintings, jewelry, nic-nacs. Your walkin out with some art. If not on your body, than in your hand. Best tattoo/piercing shop I've ever visited. Never seen one quite like it. read more

I liked this place from the moment I saw it. Outside is clean, you get a great vibe from the place. Inside there is a wave of hard-working artists, but someone will get to you right away. Everyone was very nice, sterile, and even good company. My artist, Andrew Hansen was humorous, considerate, we got along very well. I am satisfied with my tattoo and will definitely have to come back for more :) read more

I knew when I wanted to get my first tattoo, I didn't want to just drop into a "Tattoo Shop" and get rushed out after an hour. At 30 years old, I've been waiting for a long time to get the right work done and done by the right people. I went to Side Show Studio, emphasize on "Studio." I was immediately greeted and helped within moments of walking in by their very helpfully staff. Shawn Mahaffey did my work and was an extremely helpful artist. Shawn helped me every step of the way and made the process really fun! He was even able to photoshop some different ideas onto a picture of my forearm to get a better idea of what my design would look like. Despite the very high level of detail and attention, I still paid an extremely affordable price for my tattoo, which made it even better! I will definitely be coming back for future work now that I've begun this great journey. Thank Shawn, and thanks Side Show Studios! read more

Side show studios is amazing ! I walked not knowing what to expect and left feeling satisfied . I got my 1st amazing tattoo done by Andre Garcia . Although I have to admit I came in nervous as a first timer he made me feel comfortable and at ease . He took his time and made sure everything was done the right way . I sat for 4 hours and I would totally do it again. His art is amazing and there is also so many other greatly talented artist also . I feel more people need to know about this amazing hidden gem . Also the tattoo artist Keith was polite , I wasn't getting anything done by him but he was great company and his advice was great . We also got to share some great laughs and they artist made for good company . Definitely look forward to coming back . read more

Side Show Studios - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

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I had my second session with Shawn Mahaffey yesterday for a large arm/chest/back piece. Shawn came up with a great design. I'm amazed at the quality of the work so far! You can't go wrong with Shawn. The studio itself is one of the cleanest I've ever seen. The entire staff is very professional and the quality of work I've seen from all the artists is first rate! Highly recommended! ******************* I had my final session with Shawn on Saturday. Powered through a few hours to finish it up. It turned out amazing! Very pleased with the quality of his work. To top it all off, I asked if he could do some last minute script on my girlfriend. Shawn agreed without complaint. Between me, my girlfriend and her friend, 5 tattoos completed. All of them were great quality. Again....highly recommended studio. You can't go wrong! Great eagle and cross! I posted a pic...check it out! read more

Side Show Studios - Finished tattoo. Maybe a little touch up after it heals, but looks awesome! - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

Keith Cromie did my leg tattoo and I absolutely LOVE it. He was very professional and easy-going! I will definitely go back for him to do my other tattoos!! Love his work!! read more

Side Show Studios - The picture on the left is the finished one. And the lighting is why my leg looks more tan in one pic. - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

The saddest part about my move to Seattle is the fact that I am leaving behind one of the greatest places in the Sacramento area to get tattooed. Andre Garcia, one of the newest members of the team at Side Show, has been my artistic genius for the last two plus years. He has a wonderful sense of humor and is very patient, even when I get the 'squirmies' toward the end of a session. He is meticulous and pays very close attention to every detail of the project, from the smallest design (in my case, a celtic knot "sister's" knot) to a more intricate and detailed half sleeve. Andre is also very professional and I have never had any issues with scheduling or 'upsets' with timing. I've never had a last minute cancellation, nor have I ever done the same to him, and he's incredibly patient if an appointment needs to be rescheduled. I can't say enough good things about Andre, or the rest of the crew at Side Show Studios. The shop itself is clean, well maintained, and the energy/vibe that greets you when you walk in is very welcoming and refreshing. --Raven read more

I really like this shop! Everyone is very friendly and professional, the place is clean, and filled with great art and cool little gifts. Keith did my tattoo and did an awesome job. I'd definitely recommend this shop, and I'll probably be back for more ink! read more

Side Show Studios - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

I have been thinking of getting a tattoo for a while now. I did a lot of research online before picking one. After reading the reviews I decided on Side Show Studios. I went in last Friday and talked to Keith about what I wanted. I sent him a picture and he got back to me with a drawing. I went in today to get the tattoo done. I could not be more happy with the results. I got a Celtic Cross done which looks great. This place is not your ordinary tattoo shop. It is clean and bright. The people there are awesome. Keith did a great job. If you are looking for a tattoo I would recommend Side Show Studios read more

Yesterday I had my first tattoo appointment with Eric who brought to life an idea I've had for some time. Eric is such a nice guy who made me feel comfortable the entire time and was really easy to talk to. Everyone there were so friendly! I was offered water, juice, and candy. I have never been into a tattoo shop like this. The atmosphere is calm and relaxing. The shop is in an old victorian that has been well maintained and is very clean. They have lots of cool art, jewelry, and fun things for sale. I will post another review once my tattoo is complete. I look forward to going back! read more

Very good work .... I will be going back to get more done , the shop is clean and there are some cool pictures on the wall to buy ...... realistic work. read more

Side Show Studios - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

I was lucky enough to snatch a cancellation spot with Jocelyn at the Seattle Tattoo Expo this weekend. She is such a cool chick with an amazing eye for tattoo design. I gave her a very vague and basic outline of what I was looking for and she took it and ran. It turned out better than I could have imagined. I can't wait to see her again for a touch up piece when I'm back home in a few months. read more

Side Show Studios - My love of California and Washington. By Jocelyn McGregor - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

Just finished my thigh piece with Andre Garcia and I'm beyond happy with the outcome. Took 3 sessions total to finish it up and it was reasonably priced. Andre was very professional and took his time to make sure the design was exactly what I wanted. For my design I gave Andre a lot of room to show his creativity and artistic ability. It was such a beautiful piece that will be with me forever! Im so happy I chose to go to Andre for this piece. read more

Side Show Studios is AMAZING. Everyone that works there is very talented, kind, and hilarious. I have received two tattoos from Char and both came out better than I could have hoped for. She worked with my changing ideas and made sure that I was completely happy with what we settled on. Also she a great taste in music. The shop itself is lovely and entertaining with a wide variety of art for sale. Thanks again guys! read more

Side Show Studios - Baby house sparrow on Shun knife by Char - Tattoo Near Me - Walnut Grove, California

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I spent a lot of time looking for a studio/artist before having my cover up done. Last spring I approached a women that had the most beautiful tattoo and as soon as I saw it I knew that I had found the studio for me, I followed Side Show Studios on Face book and some of the artists on various social media. Finally, I picked who I thought would be my artist. When I called in and spoke with someone (she was great by the way, I wish I knew her name) and told her what I was looking to do, she said that she thought Andre Garcia would be a better match for my needs. I AM SO HAPPY SHE DID!! Andre is professional, easy going and does beautiful work! I don't believe that I would have been that comfortable with any one else, which is important when spending 5 straight hours with someone. At one point I nearly fell asleep. I loved getting to know Andre andhearing about his family, there is no one else that I would let tattoo me now. I can't wait for my upcoming appointment! I can't leave Side Show Studios out of this review. Its the cleanest studio I have been in, has a great atmosphere, the artwork on the walls is amazing and everyone is very cool to talk to. Christa Elk Grove, CA read more

I have been a client of Sideshow and Char Hall for years, and my husband as well. I will never go to another shop unless my artist specifically recommends to someone else. I remember once, while she was fixing a HUGE terrible tattoo I had done by a previous artist, she was telling her apprentice: "know your strengths, know your weaknesses, and be honest. If you know your client is asking for something that is not your strong suit, steer them to someone who can give them what they want. You do not want to do a poor tattoo, that is forever seen with your name attached. Its like putting bad pin striping on a classic car." I love it. I will always know that I will get top of the line work there. I cant go anywhere with my tattoo showing and not get a compliment, or a request for the name. I try to always keep their cards in my wallet. I have even met someone in Long Beach who said they were going to drive up to Sac to get work because it is THAT GOOD. I have had a man tell me once, literally, "I have never in my entire life liked a tattoo I have seen. I really hate them. But yours is beautiful. It really is." It can be a while before you get an appointment, but it is worth the wait. This is going to be on your body forever. Its not worth the rush to get into an artist quickly. Sometimes you can walk into a shop and a good artist so happens to have time, but usually, if you can do that - there is a reason they aren't busy. The Wikel Family and all who see our work Love Sideshow. read more