Stopped in on a random Friday to get a small wrist tatt that I had been thinking about. The staff were super nice, informative and welcoming. They found an artist for me in minutes. Nico quickly drew what I wanted, took my feedback and drew another then we were off to the chair. He kept me laughing the entire time that I didn't even notice the pain. Super happy with the outcome. This is my second tattoo from Temple...I guess you can call this my go-to spot. read more

Temple Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

Amazing service. Amazing vibes. High quality artists and establishment. Highly recommend for cover ups.

These guys are pros. Gustavo took my idea and did an amazing job. The new spot at 43rd and Telegraph is a chill location and has a great vibe. Def recommend. read more

Thank you Ronnie. God bless you for making happy everyone is getting a beautiful art from you. read more

Temple Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

My first tattoo was something I been planning for years before I even decided on a placement. While it seemed simple, it was something that meant great significance to me. I booked a consultation appointment with Temple tattoo and Austin said if I didn't want to make any changes to what I showed him, he could tattoo me right away. I asked for easy adjustments from what I showed him like length and size and he was able to change and create a stencil from it. It being my first tattoo, of course I was nervous. I asked all sorts of questions and Austin was patient and answered all of them. I'm a talker and I appreciate someone who banters with me, especially to keep my mind off of pain. Not only did Austin assure me that none of my questions were stupid (because I felt like they were), he asked me questions and kept the conversation going to pass the time. The whole process took about 15 minutes and suddenly, my drawing became the tattoo I've always wanted. I was so happy with the customer service and ease of the whole process that I came back to find Austin to do my next tattoo. It was the same easy process. I also had my sights set on a bigger piece as my third, with a very specific style that I would like an artist input on. They were very kind to point me in the direction of an artist who specialized in the style I was looking for, and when that artist and I couldn't really agree on my vision, he was very kind to assure me that it was my piece and body I was putting the tattoo on, so it's important to find the right artist, unfortunately, he wasn't it this time. I really appreciated the honesty and integrity of being an artist first, and a businessman second. The customer service is excellent and efficient. Every artist's quote is different, so I can't really give you a price range, and they do cash only. There is an ATM machine upstairs that you can use once you get your piece done. The street parking situation is not it around here. You either have to get lucky or plan to walk a couple of blocks. I saw someone's car get broken into as I was walking in this area so please take extra care to not out anything valuable out in the open since you'll be gone from your car for a while. read more

Temple Tattoo - Semi colon tattoo on my ankle - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

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This review is for the artist, not the shop (the shop is just where she was working for our last session, but this artist moves around shops a lot). This is for Laura Taylor (LAET). Her work is absolutely gorgeous and super unique - I was so excited when I started working with her! However, the communication/professionalism/accountability is severely lacking. I've made peace with my situation with her, but hope that future folks have an idea of what they are getting into, since this was quite disappointing and now requires extra work on my side to look for a high quality artist willing to finish someone else's piece. I came to Laura in 2018, to create a peacock feather and peony flowers and petals piece in her style, above a tattoo I already have of a garter and a feather in it. Most of the piece was her work, but I did ask her to, at the end when we we are done with her work, to possibly modify the existing feather to look like the ones that she has created. She agreed to this back in 2018 when she was at Industrial, and we started the work. We have had 3 sessions on this piece, one at industrial, one at sri yantra, and one here at Temple earlier in March '23 (took a long break in between bc I was pregnant and then pandemic kicked off). I did tap on this last session with her about halfway through bc of the location of the tattoo and my body just not cooperating that day - my skin was super jumpy and I couldn't do it anymore (this was the first time I have ever tapped and felt a bit embarassed about it but Laura was pretty good about not judging, I thought). I did still pay for the full 3hr session after tapping about halfway through. Some of the coloring during this session was outside of the lines which I don't think I can ever fix now, but I am not even upset at the artist about this - I know my body was moving a ton bc of my pain tolerance that day and I'm sure it was hard for her to work on it, hence big reason for tapping. After this session I scheduled my next one for Sept - was supposed to be next week. A week or two ago I got an email from her new assistant that Laura has decided not to continue with me as a client "because this is a large coverup and she doesn't think she is the right person to do it". All of the work she has done so far has been on blank canvas, and IF she ever did adjustment on the existing feather it would have been at most 1/5 of the tattoo. However, at the last 2 sessions we didn't even discuss the cover part, and I would have been absolutely fine to not do it if it was something she was not comfortable to do. We have so far been working on the piece on blank skin that was entirely Laura's creation. Additionally, during our initial consultation when I brought up my interest in covering up that one feather, Laura said this is something she can easily do, she was interested in doing it, and we would talk about it after the rest of the piece is done. When I received the email about her not wanting to continue, I was super confused and thought at first that maybe her assistant had confused me with someone else that was actually doing a large coverup, so I sent a pic of my piece in progress, the one that she is coloring and is entirely not a coverup with absolutely nothing underneath. I received a response in the form of her sending my deposit back so I guess it was meant for me. So, she did send my deposit back, which I appreciate (I read some of her reviews from the past where people were not so lucky). However, this is still a pretty shitty situation since I now have to find someone willing to color in another artist's work. I just wish I had known she was not interested in doing my piece BEFORE the 3 3-4hr sessions we have already had -- seems odd to make that decision so late in the game. Or if she was upset about me tapping or anything else that may have happened - I wish I had known about it when it happened or an honest reason for cancelling (my last session was in march, and the sept appt was set right after, but cancelled right before it happened, with only communication happening between then and now being with her assistant about logistical stuff of scheduling). I have multiple tattoos, with a couple of artists that have done multiple pieces for me and have never had any issues like this with any other artists. pic of my piece below, very clear to see that it is not covering up anything. Any way, I don't have a choice in this and obviously done with this situation, but hope this doesn't happen to folks in the future. Maybe don't plan to work with this artist if you have any other tattoos in the vicinity or a potential for a coverup. Her work is absolutely beautiful though, and I do wish i could have finished with her. read more

Temple Tattoo - The piece, with the old feather showing at the bottom. Everything above it was done on blank skin with no coverup of any kind. - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

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I love this tattoo shop and I highly recommend it! --OK OK, I am biased, I have known the owner of the shop for over 30 years. That being said, I've also been tattooed by some of the great tattooers of the world, and I've got special, picky needs. My tattoos were done by Freddy Corbin and I am extremely happy with them. The results are great, the process was an amazing experience as always because Freddy is a genuinely fun guy to hang around with, and the prices were reasonable. As an experienced working tattoo artist for over three decades, Freddy draws an incredible group of artists to work with him. So all the artists at Temple tattoo represent his skill and spirit. As far as my special picky needs, I am in a wheelchair most of the time. Temple Tattoo shop made me feel right at home. It's completely accessible including the bathroom! Most importantly, however, nobody makes you feel any less valued because you are differently-abled. And that is just how Freddy Corbin rolls--every pun intended--getting tattooed can be scary. If you are different, going out of the house can be scary ... but at temple you will be taken care of, you'll have fun, and you'll leave with a great tattoo you'll be proud to wear. read more

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I walked in after work today and asked to put down a deposit for a tattoo, the guy inside asked me about what I wanted and suggested an artist, Chris (or perk) and I got sat down for a consult within 10 minutes. Got my tattoo within 30 and walked out with an awesome piece of art an hour later. Really recommend it. They're friendly and helpful. read more

Temple Tattoo - Tattoo by Chris (perk) - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

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This is a dope shop! I get tatted by Chris and have gotten tatted by Ronnie from here. Both amazing artist, super down to earth and talented. Chris has my style memorized, I tell him what I want to do and he works his magic. I am always impressed of what he does. This shop is cool too the setup and all the decorations so artsy and love the religious altar of all different types of religions. Good vibes here and talented artist! read more

Good experience for my first tat. Guys were super friendly and welcoming for a walk in for me and my friend. Vibe was chill inside. Got a small simple tattoo that Ronnie did. Very pleased. Would definitely come back. read more

Temple Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

This rating is for Seth Wood who works at Temple Tattoo but did my tattoo in Los Angeles at Memoir Tattoo. Seth had a cancellation while down in LA as was able to squeeze me in. He did an outstanding job and helped convince me to finish my leg journey. We did this Screaming Meth Owl Pilot piece on my calf. Seth was clean and very efficient and he uses some of the best equipment around. We had some great talks so his "bed side manner" is cool too. Calf ink near the shin bone can be "spicy" so make sure you're committed if you're going there, but Seth has a real light hand so it wasn't too bad at all. Overall, outstanding experience. read more

Temple Tattoo - Screaming Meth Owl Pilot - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

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Nice people, solid tattoo, made sure it was to my preference. Nothing negative to say honestly

I would 100% recommend this place to everyone I know! I had the best experience ever and this was my FIRST tattoo. Jason was so amazing and helped me feel confident and calm about getting it done. I let him know it was my first one and he was so kind about it. He did both mine and my friends and we are soooo happy with his work. Thank you Temple Tattoo for giving us such an amazing experience. And even more thanks to Jason for being the best EVER! I'll definitely be back Oh and PS everyone in the shop was super nice! read more

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My daughter decided to do a walk in to get her first tattoo here and lucked out and had Freddy! She just wanted a very simple star for her first and he did a great job just talking to her and making sure it was exactly what she wanted and where she wanted it. A very professional artist who wanted to make sure that her experience was a positive one! Would totally come back to have more work done with Freddy! read more

This is my third tattoo, and this is the best tattoo shop I have been to thus far with the best experience overall!! The tattoo artists here are amazing. They are kind, patient, helpful, respectful, walk you through the process, ask you if you like the design they create based on what you want, and then begin the process. The tools they use are all wrapped, sterile, and taken out of packaging just for you. The shop is clean, and the artists are welcoming and SO NICE. Of course they are also super talented and have been in the industry for years. I was lucky enough to get Dustin, as my tattoo artist. He is super kind, sweet, and really takes care of you. I will definitely be back, and this time, I won't wait over six years in between. Thank you Dustin (and Austin) for being so kind and helpful from when I called to see if you had any appointments to when I left the shop. I haven't had that experience before with other tattoo shops, and it's rare to see the kind of customer service that was provided to me at this shop. I definitely recommend coming here if you want people who will take care of you, do a great job, are super talented, and work in a super clean environment! read more

Temple Tattoo - Beautiful tattoo by Dustin I'm obsessed - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

I was visiting Oakland from the East Coast and on a whim I felt like getting a tattoo. So I called around to different shops in order to see if anyone had time for a walk-in and Temple said they did. I did live in Oakland for 10 years and though I never got tattooed there, Temple's reputation definitely preceded itself. Anyway, I arrived at 3:00 p.m. and Heath took me, even though he had a 5 o'clock appointment. I'm not very particular with my tats, I mainly want the artist to express him/herself on my skin. I was looking through the flash but I was trying to fill a tight spot so that really wasn't going to work. So Heath drew something up in about 20 mins and we were good to go. And we finished right around 5 p.m. So I came in at 3 and was out by 5:15. Now look at the tat. Just Incredible. Go there. read more

Temple Tattoo - I got a snake, man... - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

Absolutely recommend if you are in the Oakland area. My aunt and I had searched for tattoo places in the area and found this place and did a walk-in and they were able to squeeze us in later that day! We both got tattooed by Austin who was able to see our visions and bring them to life. Will definitely have to stop by again :) read more

Jason McAfee was referred to me by a friend. He did an EXCELLENT job covering up an exisiting tattoo with a beautiful one on my back. It's everything I wanted and more...colorful & vibrant, detailed and you can't even see the old tattoo he covered up. I finally booked another appointment with Jason and going back tomorrow to add on to another existing tattoo. Can't wait! Overall: CLEAN, professional, great customer service, parking, solid tattoo artists and the work speaks for itself. I HIGHLY recommend this tattoo shop to everyone. A+++++++++++++++++++++ read more

Temple Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

This place is legit. There is a reason when a business receives a 5 star rating by the majority of it's customers, and it has nothing to do with luck. Right when you walk in, you are greeted by people who give a shit and want your business. Every person in this place is a true professional at the highest level. I came in with a pretty good ideal of what I wanted, and two hours later, I was walking out with much more than I had asked for. Austin and one of the other artist in the studio went to work turning my concept into a work of art, and then Austin delivered the goods by knocking it out of the park. read more

THE BEST experience at Temple today with Austin. I came in unsure of how I wanted the piece to turn out, and without an artist in mind. A few friendly folks at the front and the one I got lucky enough to have do this Austin-got started. HE sketched it for me perfectly to my. After I made it thru my session I was in complete shock at how PERFECT it turned out. Completely exceeded all of my expectations and more. Above and beyond friendly place I will def return to next time I want some ink done. Thank You Austin!!!! I can't say enough how much Inlove this piece and am forever grateful I chose temple!!!! read more

Temple Tattoo - Toby the tortoise - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

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Austin was great! He did my friend and I's first tattoos. I paid the shop minimum which was $80. Thank so much! read more

Temple Tattoo - Clover Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

Freddy helped me design my tat and did an excellent job creating something i loved. Timeless and flawless. Love the vibe , the people, and the ambiance at Temple. Very satisfied customer!!!! read more

I got this tattoo today and I absolutely love it. My tattoo was done by Heath and he did a really great job. It was a walk in on a Monday and it was a really smooth process. I was pretty nervous since the rest of my tattoos are very small. He was very good at checking up on me while he was working on me. He was quick and very attentive to detail throughout. I didn't know what I wanted exactly but he drew this up really quick and I loved it. The other guys in the shop were also super chill and nice. They gave me multiple options since I needed to be partially exposed for this tattoo and made me feel very comfortable. Overall, a really great experience and I will definitely be back! read more

Temple Tattoo - Cherry blossom and "blessed" in fine lettering on my right side. - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

I came to see Laura LAET for a piece I've been wanting to get for a long time. She was very professional, friendly and it came out better than I could imagined. Will definitely recommend her and the shop to my friends and family. read more

I got my first tattoo here and they did an amazing job. I got a small bunch of poppies on my left rib. In and out and less than an hour and paid $180 including tip. read more

Temple Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

Came in as a walk in with my mom for a matching tattoo and Dustin was great. It was her first, and Dustin made her feel so comfortable. He squeezed us in quickly and we love the design. Will definitely recommend the shop to others. read more

I flew down from Seattle to get tattooed at Temple by Jason. Beautiful tattoo shop and great artists. One of the BEST in the Bay Area. Clean and professional. read more

These folks are top tier.. anyone in the shop can give you a world class tattoo. I have several large tattoos from Derrick / Jason and others. Cool vibe and non pretentious, welcoming and offer guidance and direction. If you find yourself here consider yourself lucky. Again world class talent. Freddy Corbin is a legend in tattooing and he is also the owner and works there. Again, all these folks are simply put top tier. read more

Temple Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

As this is experience was my first, please take this review with the up-most use of relativity. I did careful research on the right tattoo parlor for my first tattoo, because John Mayer told me that my body is a wonderland and you definitely don't want to put junk in or on your body! Besides the obvious great review Temple Tattoo has on Yelp, there were few things about this place that tells me I found the right place. 1) It's not open 24 hours. This place is all about helping you get the tattoo that you will enjoy for the rest of your life, not regret. You won't see this place opens at 3AM doing whatever tattoos they can on drunk patrons trying to make a few bucks. 2) They wanted me to come in before I made an appointment. My tat is not complex, could I have just call and made an appointment to come in? Sure, but there are some things you can't do over the phone. Getting to see a rough stencil on my skin made all of the difference. 3) They voice their opinion. Not in a rude snobby way either. With their experience when it comes to tattoo, they help me realize every outcome and help paints the picture when it comes to the actual inking and long safe keeping. This made me extremely comfortable in putting ink on my skin. 4) They were nice, all of them. Feeling intimidated? Don't be. Sidebar: I had the pleasure of Dustin doing my first tattoo. He was freaking amazing. Who knew tattoo artists can be so calm and nice? #breakingstereotypes Realizing that it was my first time, he took it real slow and careful. Checking in with me every few strokes. It is safe to safe, I took it like a champ. I'm writing this review 12 hours after the tat and so far, it is healing nicely. The way this is looking...Dustin will be doing my future tattoos till he retires. I'm addicted! So if you're a first timer or want a place where people truly cares about your tattoo experience, come to Temple. And bring cash! read more

Temple Tattoo - Post-ink TLC from Dustin. - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

Gustavo was great! Friendly, talented an reasonably priced! My daughter and I got a tree and apple tattoos.... You know... " The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" This place is clean and professional. read more

Temple Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

Well, this update is WAY overdue! My upper back piece took 4 sitings of 3-4 hours each. Sitting one: outline, sitting two: shading, sitting three: half color, sitting four: second half color. I have gotten so many complements about this back tatoo that I have been thinking ever since about getting another one from Jamie Ruth. Maybe it is time... read more

Temple Tattoo - Jamie Ruth - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

This is my third tattoo by Freddy Corbin. He is amazing and I am so happy with it.There are many reasons to check this place out. I highly recommend the artists here. read more

Temple Tattoo - This is my third tattoo by Freddy Corbin. He is amazing - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

I really enjoyed my experience at Temple Tattoo. When we walked in, we were amazed by the beautiful bird stenciling on the wall, and the friendly guy at the desk. We came to get matching tattoos from guest artist Ben Grillo. We ended up being there from 12:15-4:15 that day, and got to see how the shop functioned on a normal Saturday. We witnessed someone in the process of getting a body suit, people picking out flash, and artists working hard. All the artists were really professional, friendly, and funny. I was really impressed with the guy who was assisting the artists - he promptly scheduled appointments, got the artists food and beverages, and greeted customers. Super useful to have someone like that in a shop! My husband and I were really impressed and happy with our matching tattoos; the lines are crisp and sharp, the shading makes them look dimensional, and the price was much lower than we expected! Worth the drive from Gilroy to Oakland! read more

Temple Tattoo - by Guest Artist Ben Grillo 11/23/13 - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

Responding to the business: Hi Freddy, You'll notice my review says nothing of her actual tattoo work or Temple Tattoo as a business. I'm not "throwing shade" at the quality of Laura's work, what I'm calling out is her lack of integrity. She lied and said there was a mix up with the books and that's why my appointments got cancelled, instead of being honest about changing shops and being transparent about what was going on. She then proceeded to ignore follow up emails and most recently has been dishonest with the Better Business Bureau about these interactions. Anyone who looks up her old shop will see the business owner has replied about what happened there- it appears I am not the only one who has had issues with the way Laura has conducted herself. As tattoo artists, you guys take on the responsibility of decorating people's bodies and there are implied ethics with that. I won't have someone who's lied to me, and continues not to be transparent or take ownership of their mistakes, to put more ink on my body. I am glad to see that you stand up for the artists that work for you. I would suggest you consider having another conversation with Laura about how she's handled this situation, and what she might do to rectify it, to make sure your studio is being represented the way you would like it to be in the future. read more

My tattoo experience at Temple was pretty much mediocre, but not an experience I regret. Pros: 1. My tat looks pretty good (see photo of my "tendai") 2. The people there were nice 3. I got a tattoo right away Cons: 1. The tattoo is not as opaque as I would like, and I will be going in for a touch up soon (got it two months ago) 2. Cash only Neither Pro nor Con: 1. Did I smell Mary-J in the joint? I like my tattoo but will probably go back to Zebra for my next one. read more

Temple Tattoo - My "tendai" tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

We were led astray by the website that they were walk-in only, not the case! But, owner Freddy Corbin made time for us and brought our idea to life perfectly! read more

Temple Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

My second time coming here after getting my first. Dustin helped me out with my fine line/single needle tattoo. I also found out that it's a bit tricky due to the level of minute detail. With that said, Dustin was patient, friendly, and well experienced. He did an awesome job with the piece and I couldn't be more pleased. Definitely coming back and I recommend this place, they all do awesome work! read more

Absolutely the best experience I've ever had. I got a rose on my sternum for my first tattoo and as you can imagine it was a big risk. Freddie Corbin made me so comfortable during the entire process and made it fly by so quick. One of the most genuinely kind person I've had the honor of meeting. The people working made me feel so freaking welcomed. Seriously if you're thinking of getting a tattoo GO HERE AND NOWHERE ELSE. Fucking amazing work and people!!! read more

Temple Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

Came here as a walk in, first time in the shop. Everyone there was immediately friendly and helpful. I showed Chummy a photo of something I wanted and he drew me out something original, which was lovely. We went right to tattooing, he was very quick & painless! So glad I came here, I will definitely be coming back. Thank you CHUMMY & Temple Tattoo!!!! ~~~ read more

Temple Tattoo - Lovely original drawing by Chummy -- thanks again!! I love this! - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

I uploaded a photo of my cherry blossom tattoo by Jason... After my grandfather passed away in March and my brother's car accident soon after, I wanted a tattoo to commemorate those two very important people of my life. I wanted the tattoo to be in a traditional watercolor style, and Jason did a wonderful job... I walked in on a Thursday, talked to Jason for a few minutes and had an appointment Wednesday the following week. I can't wait to return to get the rest of my back done! read more

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