Patrick is a great guy, runs a nice and clean shop and he's a fantastic tattoo artist. Super pleased with his work and the overall experience. Only critique is when I was taking a break to use the restroom, I could hear him talking about my knees when I walked away. Now I'm not sure of what he was saying or if it was good or bad but I've got great knees and didn't need to feel any additional insecurities about my knees. (Just kidding. He didn't say shit about my knees. But he should have. A knee tattoo is no joke and a compliment would have been appreciated) read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - I'm not done Patrick - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I had an appointment with Gyungwook Kim/Zen about a month ago and the experience was fantastic. After spending some deciding on the colors, sizing and placing he got to work. It was a long session (over 7 hours...ouch) and he was very polite and friendly the entire time. The shop has a really nice atmosphere and all the artists seemed to be enjoying themselves, Zen included. The tattoo turned out amazing and it healed great as well! Can't recommend him and the rest of the shop enough read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - About a month later - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amber is an absolute talent and a pleasure to work with! I was a difficult customer I'll admit, I changed some of the concept of my tattoo and assumed I'd communicated it before my appointment (I hadn't, it slipped my mind.) She quickly re-drew the tattoo to my liking and it was absolutely stunning and exactly what I wanted. Somehow it was even more beautiful when she was done tattooing! Not only is it gorgeous, she was lovely to spend the afternoon with! Thanks so much Amber! Speakeasy - you got a good one!! read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Came here for my first tattoo and had the pleasure of working with David Sugihara. When I got there, the design he made was exactly what I had in mind and I'm 100% satisfied with how it turned out. I felt extremely comfortable and enjoyed the conversation throughout the appointment. The shop provided water/candy for customers and the entire staff was super friendly and welcoming. Shop was 10/10 in regard to sanitation and cleanliness. Highly recommend David S. and Speakeasy. Exceeded my expectations for sure. Great atmosphere and definitely hope to come back soon. read more

I had one of the worst interactions I have ever had with the artist Amber Strange. She was SO unprofessional and honestly felt like she was trying to make me feel bad for my personal style. I never once argued with her, but she snapped at me so many times, I ended up crying after our conversation. I'm so glad I didn't get a tattoo with her, because I ended up feeling so uncomfortable & attacked, having her hold a needle to my skin seems abhorrent. I know everyone has their own ways of working with their clients, but I feel like making me feel like sh*t and never taking in a single thing I have to say is not the way to go. Terrible representation of your business, because everyone else seemed super lovely. I hope to never run into her again. I do not want to deal with another hurricane like that. Edit: if you're going to defend an artist, maybe ask her about recent consultations and conversations, because I assure you, she was not as nice as you think she was. Thanks for listening though :) I'll be sure to not recommend her to anyone read more

This was my third appointment at the Speakeasy. My artist was Colin and I've only ever had a great time there. His art is very crisp and he has a good grasp of colors. He has the cleanest lines I've ever experienced and a very deft, steady hand. It's a pleasure to work with him and if you like his portfolio, I would definitely recommend him. The parlor itself is very clean and they're both very friendly and very professional. If you're worried about hygiene this is a wonderful place to go! read more

Whatever you do don't go to David Mendieta. He scarred my skin and destroyed my arm. I tried to request a refund and he blocked me. Here's the before and after. read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Before - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Back at it again with wanting to add more to we here Patrick left off. Tattoo has a lot of meaning for me. Original tattoo was heart tattooed left chest symbolizing my roots where I came from. Also where I was lost and finding my self again with city skyline. Wrapped toward my shoulder with my first born son. Years later I wanted to add my second son and continue where I left off. I lived in Chicago when I started. Now I live in Texas and I flew to him once a month for almost a year for him to finish off not only adding second son but completing it with a full sleeve. I just finished about a Month ago and I am so happy with the results. Many compliments and I can't thank Patrick enough for the incredible work. Now both my sons are on my arm and both of them holding hand tattooed on my inner bicep area finished off with Polynesian art work. Thank you Patrick and as always will highly recommend you to all. The rest of the artist is really good too. Very professional and always welcoming when ever I arrived. read more

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I had my first Chicago tattoo experience with Gady yesterday, and I have to say I am super impressed. The shop as a whole is really well designed and comfortable. Gady's eye and design and attention to detail made the experience all the better. The communication with my artist was streamlined and I swear all my questions were answered preemptively before I even walked in the door. Gady is very in tune with his designs and his clients, and exceptionally skilled as an artist. The color, lines, shading... all surpassed what I had envisioned for my largest piece. He was able to take a random reference image and my hinky sketch and turned it into a gorgeous image that I am so happy to wear. I spent half the sitting deciding what I want to have him work on next. Strongly recommend checking out Gady's portfolio and getting on that list. It's well worth the wait! read more

I came here for a cover up tattoo that I'd been meaning to get for years. I was a little hesitant to get the cover up, since it was on my ribs and I wasn't sure if I'd be able to handle the pain. But I impulsively booked an appointment with Patrick and he went above and beyond my expectations!! We had a session to brainstorm the design I was looking for and I brought in a few photos of designs that I liked. I was a bit uneasy since the final design isn't shown until the day of the actual appointment, but I ended up loving what Patrick created!!! Patrick was extremely attentive throughout the entire process from the design to the completion of the tattoo. We took a couple breaks towards the end of the session, because it was getting a bit unbearable for me, and he was completely understanding. I would definitely recommend him to anyone looking to get a tattoo. The service provided is definitely worth the price! read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Original tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Buddy was very nice and did a wonderful job, especially considering I was so wiggly during the whole thing. It hurt due to location, but I feel like it could've hurt much more. They were excellent to communicate with and I felt like I was in good hands from the beginning. I absolutely love my new tattoo and will definitely come back to buddy for any future ones. The studio itself was very clean and felt like a very welcoming environment. read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Shel Silverstein Poem. - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Buddy is AMAZING. Their energy was so calm and comforting for me, as this was my first tattoo. I was so happy with the process from design to execution. The studio was clean, sanitation expectations for clients and artists was taken very seriously. I felt safe and confident in the space at all times. I highly recommend Buddy, as well as the whole studio team. read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I got my first bigger piece done by Gady and I was so pleased with the entire experience even though the pain was quite unpleasant. Gady was super thorough in the design and incredibly detail-oriented. He took a ROUGH sketch and turned it into the most beautiful work of art. I couldn't be happier with how he brought my vision to life. My pain tolerance is very low. It took channeling all my brain power to force myself to sit still for the 6 hour session yet I still twitched involuntarily. Gady was very understanding and accommodating and is clearly a skilled artist when it comes to beginners. We combated the twitching by giving me plenty of breaks, holding my leg down, changing positions, and eventually, numbing cream. Seeing the final piece and how Gady worked with me despite how much I struggled to make it easy for him made a huge difference in the experience. I appreciated his patience and kindness IMMENSELY knowing how frustrating I couldn't help being. I couldn't recommend Gady as an artist or Speakeasy as a shop in general enough! THANK YOU!!! read more

Great line work, I'll be back soon. Thanks for being clean and dependable with your shop

Both my daughter and I have recently had the pleasure of working with Sean Adams. He is professional, detailed and very thoughtful. He walks you through the whole process and you do not feel rushed. He ensured that we were both very comfortable with the design, the placement and the process. He was great to work with and I would highly recommend getting a tattoo with Sean. Many thanks Sean for helping me share this experience with my daughter. read more

Speakeasy has a hidden doorway like the rabbit hole into Wonderland. but here you just fall into a sweet shop full of amazing artists. everyone here is super nice and helpful and the space itself is really cool. it's lofty and open and even when all the artist are in full work mode, it's still really peaceful inside. having said that, this review is really for Tine. she is the best artist, hands down and I refuse to get tattooed by anyone else. she always knows exactly what I'm picturing when I give her a bunch of random obscure ideas of what I want and she rolls them up into a beautiful work of art. I added a photo of my most recent piece from her, tigerlily, and I am in love with it. I get compliments on it non stop. I'm even scared to let everyone know how amazing she is cause she is gonna get all booked up and then have no time to tattoo me! speakeasy is great, tine is great, and that's the bottom line! also if you're lost, look for the door next to the flower shop!! read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - amazing new tigerlily piece from Tine!! - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So let me start by saying I thought I was an outline sort of person when it comes to tattoos. I have three tattoos and they were all super simple. I had an outline done on my forearm in Columbus and since it was the least painful of all of my tattoos I wanted to do more to it! I started following different artists on Instagram and came across Linnea's work! I love social media as it helps one do sufficient research before committing. Since my tattoo is of a horse, I wanted someone who I thought could capture an animal in an animated and soulful way. I felt that Linnea could be the one for the job. On to the actual review! Linnea is patient, pleasant, a good listener and worked quickly! Her beautiful shading and detail made my tattoo look like a whole completely new piece of art. She is a true talent. I still cannot believe it's on my body...mind=blown! And because she worked so quickly the price was way under what I had budgeted. Speakeasy is clean, friendly and affordable. You really can't ask for anything more. I know if I get another tattoo I have complete trust in Linnea to help me visualize what I want. read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Incredible! I got an outline in March at another studio and Linnea did this incredible shading and color today - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I cannot say enough about the professionalism, level of quality, and all-around awesomeness I received from Jen Trok for my sternum piece. To be fair, I did wait a very long time to get this done, as I first emailed her in November and got a pretty speedy reply back that said she'd contact me once she was scheduling again. Got an email back in March to set up a consult in April for a tattoo whose first session wouldn't be until early July (ended up getting pushed up to late June due to a cancellation). I had never been to an artist of this caliber before, so I figured it would be worth the wait -- in fact another artist at a different shop who I also emailed in November did two huge yellow roses, one on each of my hips, over many sessions that were completely healed by the time I had my consult with Jen, just to give you an idea of how long the wait was. That being said, once you meet Jen and see the quality of her work, you understand why she's in such high demand. She was sweet, funny, interesting -- we had great chats during the sessions -- and checked in every step of the way to make sure we were on the same page, she would ask questions like: "Is this how you pictured this? Are these the colors you were expecting?" and "I am going to do xyz, is that what you had expected?" Definitely the most professional artist I've ever been to of my nine tattoos thus far. Her station was already set up each time I came in so we could get to work right away. I'd brought in reference images for my idea which I'd emailed her ahead of the consult, and when we first met she took super detailed notes of what I wanted, themes, placement, composition, and overall "vibe" of the piece. When I came in for my first session and saw her sketch and all the other images she'd researched herself as she worked through the design, I could tell she'd put a lot of work and effort into the drawing and the end result speaks for itself. Despite the tricky placement on the sternum/upper stomach area she completed it pretty quickly and the pain was not bad at all -- also I have never had a tattoo heal this cleanly, this well, this quickly. Jen is just magic, pure and simple. read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - bluebird by Jen Trok (sorry the yellow bit is still angry) - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Love, Love, Love this place. They have some seriously awesome artists who are down to earth, friendly, and not mean or snobby to newcomers. I've had some negative experiences at the "big name" tattoo joints in the city being very unwelcoming and cold. The environment at Speakeasy is friendly and very inviting. The artists are fun, love what they do, and take it seriously. I've gotten two tattoos from Heath and two from Jennifer. They are absolutely lovely and would highly recommend them. I've also seen a lot of work done by the other artists there and there is someone for every type of tattoo you'd want. Portraits, girly, black and white, badass, you name, they have an artist for you. Prices are comparable to most of the high quality tattoo places in the city. Anywhere from $125-$175 an hour, depending on the detail and work required. It's well worth the price. read more

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Very professional and clean location. I was extremely happy with the service provided by Colin. It was a first for me and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this shop and the artists here. read more

Don't know why it's taken me so long to write a review lol! Ok so I've been coming to this shop for about 4 years now. I've gathered about 3 go-to artists because of their specialties & even followed one of them to his own shop. I absolutely love the fact that the atmosphere in this shop is like many of my favorite upscale oddities shops! It's well kept & stylishly decorated. Everything here is done with a clean & professional hand. I honestly don't think there's a bad portfolio at all here! Speakeasy is the kind of shop that you can book an appointment for a traditional tattoo & your boyfriend can grab an appointment for something illustrative, while your cousin goes for realistic peonies and you'd all walk out having worked with an artist that absolutely killed your piece. Just be prepared for perfect strangers stopping you on the street & asking you in awe where you got your tattoos! *Appointment Only High Quality Shop Do your research, be kind & respectful of the artists & their clients, check out portfolios online, & email in advance for consultations. read more

I have been a huge fan this tattoo parlor on Instagram for quite some time now. I had someone refer me to buddy and they were able to squeeze me in for a decently last minute due to a cancelation! I was elated! buddy's wait list was booked through August and for good reason - they're the BEST! A quick preface: My appointment was for June 11, so right after the shop reopened for patrons. When I first arrived for my appointment, I called from my car to let them know I was there. They made sure I had a mask on and made sure I washed my hands right when I arrived. Every station was so spread out throughout the shop, as well! I believe they staggered appointments so not too many bodies were in the shop. I couldn't even bring someone in with me, that's how seriously Speakeasy takes the health of their employees and patrons, really respectable. There was also hand sanitizer, disposable wipes, basically anything you could possibly need to feel comfortable while being out and about during COVID. buddy's station had a disposable table cloth, and everything was disinfected. So COVID wise, Speakeasy was someplace I felt safe being at. My roommate is a cancer-survivor so I'm always very cognizant of this! Now to buddy's AMAZING work. My aunt and second-mom passed away in early March from pancreatic cancer, gone way too soon. She left me a note that I wanted to be tattooed. When COVID hit, I couldn't really go do that. This tattoo is incredibly meaningful and buddy took that into consideration. They triple checked that I was happy with the sketch, the location, the size, etc. They gave me advice on a good place on my arm to put it and explained every single detail about after-care to ensure it heals properly. I've gotten four tattoos so far and this one felt the quickest, but definitely had the most complexity. Copying someone's handwriting onto skin is something that I imagine would be very difficult to perfect. My brother has gotten a handwriting tattoo and it turned out pretty bad so I was a bit nervous about the same thing happening here. I'm pretty squeamish so when I laid down onto the table, buddy chatted with me about Netflix, podcasts, and basically anything to keep my mind focused on something other than the tattoo. When it was over and she showed me the final product it took a lot to not cry. It was PERFECT! It was as if my aunt herself had written on my arm. I'm so grateful to buddy for being such an amazing artist and making me feel at ease getting my most important, difficult, and emotional tattoo without a friend or loved one there. I've found the only tattoo parlor and artist I'll be going to from now on! I've already told basically everyone I know about how awesome buddy is and how much Speakeasy clearly cares about their customers' and employees' health and safety! I also rarely leave Yelp reviews but buddy was just that great. buddy, if you're reading this, thank you so much. This is a tattoo and reminder that my aunt will always be with me. read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Was searching instagram for the best black and grey artists in Chicago and Mike Dubois work caught my eye ended up scheduling a consultation and moving forward! Mike was super easy to work with giving me lots of breaks being my first tattoo. I was not 100% sure on placement or size and Mike helped position it in the perfect spot to really flow with my body. Overall the shop.... very clean everyone seemed down to earth and are pros in their own niches. Cool loft space in Wicker Park. Will definitely be back again! read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Scorpion with Skulls by Mike Dubois - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Sometimes it's better to be patient with your tattoos, and that is the case with Speakeasy Custom Tattoo! If you can get on Brigitta's books, DO IT! She is one of the best artists I have come across in Chicago and working with her was absolutely fantastic. I've never had a color piece done before and after a wait of a few months (Again, it's worth it), her ideas just seemed to totally fit what I was looking for. She was so personable and a joy to talk to during our session. My healing process was super slow probably because of how sensitive my body tends to be but she's very communicative on what looks normal and even recommended a medicated ointment to me in case of slight infection. One look at her instagram and you'll see exactly how talented she is and you'll want 234827487 tattoos with her! read more

I am so PLEASED with this shop. It was my very first tattoo and I had done plenty of research on many places and looked at so many portfolios before even deciding on a tattoo artist. Then I came across Crystal Martinez. http://www.paintedgypsytattoo.com/index.html She absolutely met and surpassed all my expectations and I cannot brag enough on how amazing my entire experience was. I wasn't nervous at all walking into the shop. It was more adrenaline than anything because it was something I wanted for such a long time. The minute I met with Crystal, she was so sweet and kind! We had been emailing back and forth about what I wanted and she was prompt in responding and when she showed me the final result, she gave me two options of which were very hard to pick from, but they were EXACTLY what I wanted! Prior to beginning the entire process, she explained everything she was going to do in depth and reassured me that if it was too much for me to handle in one sitting or if I needed breaks, to freely let her know. The entire tattoo took about 3 hours and maybe 20 minutes. The pain was tolerable and a "good" kind of pain. It was totally worth it. I will definitely be going back to her! Wonderful experience! read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - By Crystal Martinez. - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I got a tattoo here today by Crystal Martinez. After emailing for a couple weeks, I finally got to see what she sketched up. Both options were amazing! The shop is super clean and just a cool lofty space. Feels very comfortable in there. Crystal is AWESOME! She is so nice and easy to talk to, super willing to work with you and make sure you're happy, and super quick and thorough with her tattooing. I had an amazing experience and can't wait to show off my new forever art! Thank you Crystal and Speakeasy! read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I worked with Xenia and had a great experience! The shop is very clean and the different stations are spaced out enough that even though it was busy it didn't feel at all crowded. The person who checked me in was really nice and they had drinks available and also provided some candy to snack on during the appointment. Xenia was absolutely amazing and did a great job of using my reference images to come up with an original piece and I couldn't be happier with the end result (I'll try to remember to update once it's healed). I would 100% go back to work with her or have work done in that space again! read more

So. I searched for an artist who could do coverups and hit the Jackpot. Patrick Cornolo did a great job incorporating a tattoo I wasn't happy with (different shop/artist) into something I simply love! Hand drawn custom art and exactly the kind of thing we discussed during my consult. 3+ hour session was relaxed and comfortable with just the right amount of chat and chill. Price was very reasonable... not cheap but who wants a cheap tattoo anyway, right? When making the appointment I was given a date about 5 months out (he's booked because he's good). I was lucky enough though to get an email from his lovely (and oh so organized) wife Kelly about an opening earlier and so got my tattoo yesterday, three months earlier than expected. Shop was clean and attractive and parking was relatively easy considering the neighborhood. Thanks Patrick! read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went with my husband this past Friday night so he could get his piece finished up. Up to this point, I was relatively impressed with the work, although I had yet to step foot in the place. Nice clean lines, color was good...so far, so good. I was seriously considering getting my first tattoo at this place. My husband was about an hour and a half into his appointment and needed a break. So, he gets up to use the bathroom and while he's gone the artist says, "Hey Patrick (the owner), Holy Man Boobs"! To which Patrick replies "yeah, I saw that". Um, excuse me?? Have the two of you completely forgotten that I'm sitting here? That's my husband you are talking about! Who does that kind of thing in front of a customer?? Had my husband's piece been finished, I would have said something. However, I just sat there and fumed for the next hour. As we left, I told my husband what she said and the fact we will never drop another penny in that business. It's bad enough to have the artist say something so rude but, for the owner to condone the behavior is just not acceptable. As artists, they do a great job. As humans, they suck. read more

I'd been here before to get my first tattoo years ago, however, that tattoo artist no longer works there. I worked with Gady which was a big, regretful mistake. He used alcohol on a open wound which wasn't even from the tattoo but from him continuing to scrub in the same area which caused me to go to the hospital. Gady also put tape on my fresh new tattoo and told me not to remove it for two weeks!! I do not recommend Gady his tattooing license should be removed. Beware of GADY, take precaution. read more

This review is of Ashley Wollaston who gave me a tattoo in Seattle when she was working at Supergenius. She is tops, a professional and great artist! I love my tattoo and get frequent compliments on it. The color saturation and line work is impeccable. She has a light touch too! She was really willing to work with me on the design and placement and make sure I was happy even before she started. I can't wait until she visits Seattle and I can set up another appointment for a new tattoo, or maybe I will just have to go to Chicago! I am so glad I instagram stalked her and decided to finally get the job done. read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This tattoo shop is great (would easily give it 5 stars for cleanliness, decor, feel and look of the place) but I can't really speak for the other artists. This review is for Linnea who was my artist. The good : Linnea's work is beautiful and she's amazingly creative. Her style of art is the kind I've always loved and related to, which is why I chose her to be my artist. During my consultations, she was friendly, really awesome and understood exactly the kind of design I had in mind so I was really happy! Even the day of my appointment, she was great. She was helpful when asking how I felt before getting the tattoo (it's my first) and made sure I was comfortable throughout it all. I love my tattoo (done by her) more by the day so the end result was one hundred percent satisfactory! The bad : I don't know if this just me or has happened to anyone else but the truth is I wish Linnea would be prompt in responding to e-mails. You only get in touch with an artist through e-mails since it seems like their primary source of communication initially! The only e-mails of mine she ever responded to were my first ever e-mail where I was enquiring her availability etc. Shortly after this first e-mail exchange, we met for my consultation and I was encouraged to send in as many ideas for designs as possible and to be in touch. I did exactly that and I just got no response. At All. The set appointment date during my consultation had to be changed so I even mailed regarding that and I got no response. It's aggravating since I'm the one paying! I had to call the shop to talk to her and to check if she was free for another date and she bluntly said she can arrange for something only after I had given my deposit. Understandable, but this could've easily been conversed through a reply to my e-mail! Especially when I made it very clear that she is the one I wanted to get inked by. She had read my e-mails and chose not to respond. In the end, after my tattoo was done, I was again told to be in touch in case I had any other questions and I mailed her regarding a question I had for the aftercare and STILL got no reply! I mean, this is after my husband and I tipped well and paying a good amount of money and still giving her the benefit of the doubt. Also, one last thing, I was promised she would customize two designs but on the day of appointment, I had only one design shown to me. I didn't question her only because I liked what she had. But, that was still a wrong thing to do I suppose. read more

Speakeasy Custom Tattoo - Tattoo by Linnea. - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I reallllllly wanted to like Speakeasy. Really. I wanted to get an opinion on a tattoo I already have. I called on a Saturday and set up an appointment to meet with an artist on Sunday at 11:30. My husband and I followed directions to the location listed on Yelp and Google... only to find ourselves in the middle of the Gold Coast residential area with no tattoo parlor to find. We caught a cab to the second location we found, in Wicker Park (which made sense since I had seen a review of them from a friend which referenced the neighborhood), and got there at 11:25. Yes, my husband questioned why someone would meet us at 11:30 when they opened at noon, but I said, "I dunno, maybe he's booked totally and needs us to come early." We sat in the waiting area, there was only one artist there working on another customer. At 12:05 the owner called the artist for us and I spoke to him - he didn't even really offer rescheduling, just apologizing. (Which was nice, but still...) I didn't even have a chance to review the artist himself, as I've never met him and he stood us up. I'm sure he's great and very nice and all but it was SO frustrating to sit there like an idiot. In the end, I found another place to go to get an opinion. But it really frosts my cookies that he completely forgot me. Sads. read more

While I may not be on the ball writing this review, since I got my tattoo back in July, Speakeasy has their sh*t together! I received a referral to another tattoo shop (in the same neighborhood) and even with the referral they wanted nothing to do with me. I had plans to travel to Chicago from Ohio and had the plane ticket already purchased. When I couldn't get that other company to even return a call I desperately searched for appointments at other Chicago shops. Based on all the great reviews and amazing portfolio I reached out to Speakeasy. I ended up sending emails to each of the artists whose portfolio really impressed me. Not only did Scott reply but so did Sean and Heath all on the same day I wrote the email! Talk about a great impression! They clearly want the business and want to make the client feel welcome from the get-go. I ended up booking with Sean because he sounded stoked about my design idea and the timing working out with both of our schedules. He did the most amazing job with my first tattoo. The tattoo is my heart rhythm and needed strong, bold, stick straight lines with perfect points. He nailed it! My tattoo healed amazingly and I can't wait to call up Sean in the near future to book my second one! I would recommend him to anyone and would never see another artist. This place has it going on! The studio has a great aesthetic and is spotless. Definitely recommend and can't wait to go back! read more

I got my first tattoo, actually my first 4, by Jennifer Trok. I checked Speakeasy out on line, and it looked great, so I contacted Jen for a consultation. She was so nice and put me right at ease. I had a general concept for what I wanted as well as some pictures. When I came back for my first tattoo she had a beautiful drawing for my wrist. I soon came back to her to do my other wrist and both feet! I couldn't be happier with her and her work! Now I must talk about Patrick Cornolo. I finally got in to see him for a large back piece, and my experience was great. Again, I had a general concept of what I wanted. When I came back to start the tattoo Patrick had a lovely drawing to show me. But when I saw the finished tattoo I was blown away! He is such a master with color. I feel like I have a watercolor painting on my back. And, bonus, It didn't scab or bleed at all and healed beautifully. He is really pricey and in high demand, but he is totally worth it. Plus he's super nice! The whole shop has a good vibe and is run in a professional manner. I recommend you go there! read more

Jen Trok is AWESOME!! First let me say that I am fairly conservative and never thought I would get a tattoo (my wife's name on my ankle) and I was a little apprehensive. She did the design and we were able to get everything arranged via email. In addition I HATE NEEDLES, and had some concerns about safety...after all if you are going to catch something, there are more enjoyable ways than by getting stuck with a needle 10,000 times! Anyway, both of my fears subsided when I entered Speakeasy. The place felt as clean, or in fact cleaner, than most labs where one typically goes for blood tests! Put it this way..In the unlikely event that I would remarry, I would return to Speakeasy and have Jen do my other ankle. read more

Talk about professional! These guys (and lady) are AWESOME! I contacted Patrick via email to set up a consult; need some touch up work done and looking to sleeve out my arm. Got the auto-reply and left it at that...hoping I would hear from Patrick when he had a moment. A week or so later, I joined a friend as she continued to add to her back piece (Fricke is doing a top notch job on her Godzilla piece, very nice) at Speakeasy. After finishing his appointment, Patrick came over and chatted with me about the work I am looking to have done. Super nice guy, I think he knew straight away that the little ladies on my calves are in bad shape. He was totally down with giving them a much needed face lift; bad news was, however, he is currently booking for October. Patience is often a virtue I forget about, but this time I played it smart and took what I could get. Already paid for a big mistake, not looking to repeat that same mistake a third time (yep 3rd time). The next day I received a super lovely email from Patrick's wife/appointment booker. They had a cancellation and could fit me in in JUNE!! This was so amazing. She was also able to book me out for ten appointments starting in October in, literally, two emails. Kelly - you rule! Even though I haven't actually been tattoo'd by Patrick, yet, I'm already super impressed by the professionalism and overall niceness of the place. Stay tuned kiddies for the update in June/July when the face lift ommences! I'm sure I'm going to have more amazing things to say about Speakeasy! Here's the Update!! Had my last session with Patrick Cornolo at Speak Easy. The "transformation" is complete!! I imagine that cover up work is never easy...especially if it's well done art work. In my case, this was not the case; my work was pretty nightmarish. What Patrick had to work with was just ugly. He turned my haggard ladies (pin up on the back of my calves) into beautiful, young ladies! It's like an episode of "The Swan" happened on my calves! I will be posting the pictures up very soon for all my family to friends to see...I can finally step out in shorts, skirts and dresses with pride!! Thanks Patrick!! Can't wait to see what he comes with the for the arm work we're tackling in the fall!! read more

Awesome, awesome, awesome. This business is clean, appropriately priced and well maintained. I went here after making contact with Jen Trok via her website. An appointment was made during consultation and we were on our way. This place is similar to a loft space, i.e. everything is open, but yet the artist's stations are still private enough. Jen's station overlooked North Ave which was nice. Jen herself did a phenomenal job. She was professional and her art speaks for itself. read more

Awesome Awesome Awesome. My cousin and I have been wanting this German Blackletter tattoo for a long time that I designed and when he was coming into town, I knew I didn't have much time to find someone that was good at lettering and who had time to do it. After calling around and asking a few places, I ended up finding this place on Yelp and shot them an email. No less than 15 mins later I get an email back saying that Heath is the man for the job, and he was! He got me in and out on a Thursday OVER MY LUNCH BREAK, which was awesome. My cousin went after me and both of our tattoos looked IDENTICAL to the sketch I brought in. It was great. Not to mention, the space itself is really beautiful and really close to my house! I have nothing bad to say about this place and I definitely plan on getting back! read more

Five years ago, after loads of research, I came across Patrick Cornolo. He was sharing the old Cherry Bomb space with Kim Saigh and the few reviews I found tagged him as a custom-artwork Einstein. I went in with an idea ("control and chaos") and a few months later, came out with a flowing, organic piece on my back that represented everything I had concocted in my tiny brain. After last night's session at Speakeasy, I now have five custom pieces by Patrick and I'd have it no other way. Speakeasy is a place where art and ink come together cohesively and beautifully. The artists are all beyond friendly - always popping by to see what's being worked on, throwing out a joke or two and complimenting each others' work. They're professional, yet easy going and the whole space radiates good vibes and showcases awesome art. Patrick's work is outstanding. It's cliche and silly to say, but there aren't other words for it, really. He listens to what you want, draws immaculate lines, does things with color that I didn't know could happen on skin, and overall, treats your pieces with respect - after all, they're going to be on your body forever. In short: Top notch custom art worth every cent (and month waited for) in a clean, relaxing, fun environment with insanely talented people. read more