Want to get a tattoo in NYC? Don't settle for anything but the best
When it comes to permanent body art, you don’t want to mess around.
The best tattoo shops in NYC boast tattoo masters who can take your idea and translate it into a stunning statement piece. Using the best techniques and materials and a good dose of creativity, the tattoo artists you’ll find at each of these shops have inked everyone from neighbors to celebs. Find one who suits your style and you’ll get exactly what you want, perhaps even something better. Now that tattoos are no longer taboo, you can find artists whose work has been displayed in art galleries and art museums — a sure sign of an expert — and these NYC tattoo shops are home to many of the big names.
And hey — if you did make a regrettable choice in the past? These tattoo shops can help you fix that too.
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Best for those looking for both tattoos and piercings.
Specialty: Full and half Sleeve, new and old school, repair work, and a range of tattoo types.
Why we love them: Studio 28 prides itself on providing safe, clean and positive tattooing and piercing experiences, which is a relief, considering you’re about to get struck with a needle. . But the staff is extra careful and accommodating to make sure you receive exactly what you want.
Other than the ink, go: for a piercing!
Best for bold, artsy tats.
Specialty: ranges across its talented artists
Why we love it: This Chinatown tattoo parlour has an eight-strong roster of artists, with more invited in from around the globe. That means there’s quite a lot of expertise available, with a focus on different styles, from black and grey or color realism to fine line, neo traditional and, well, anything you want, pretty much. They’ll sort you out with a custom piece and artistically rendered pieces that leverage that expertise.
Other than the ink, go: If you want some cosmetic tattooing to enhance your lips or eyebrows? They can do that now, too. Check out their Instagram to see their work.
Best for covering up your regrettable tattoo
Specialty: Detail
Why we love it: Art and craftsmanship come together in this high-end Alphabet City street shop. Josh Lord, who’s created tattoos for characters on HBO’s True Detective, sets the vibe at East Side Ink, which he fills with talented artists without pretensions. (Unfortunately, a lot of assholes populate this industry.) You’ll see everybody from neighborhood punks to Daniel Day-Lewis and Scarlett Johansson sitting in the chairs. And while East Side Ink is a legacy shop in NYC, they’re anything but stuck in the past.
Other than the ink, go: To laser off that ink you hate (25 percent of those who get tatted have regrets). Plus, one of the shop’s new services is microblading, the permanent cosmetic that is changing the face(s) of our city.
Best for a professionally rendered tattoo in a classic studio.
Specialty: Making the process easy.
Why we love them: Don’t let the name fool you—there are more than three tattoo monarchs gracing the two floors of Three Kings in Brooklyn (there's also a New York City location). Having that kind of infrastructure allows owner Matt Marcus (one of the regal founding trio) to accept walk-ins seven days a week, though some tattooists are booked through the year. Three Kings also brings in guest artists from all over the world. If you can’t find someone who can do the design you want here, chances are that person doesn’t exist. The shop currently has a pair of iPads that break down different styles, as well asportfolios for customers to peruse.
Other than ink, go: For the consultation. Three Kings takes the consulting aspect of tattooing pretty seriously, and they can explain to you, in layman’s terms, just why getting a tattoo of your ex-girlfriend’s name on your neck might not be the best idea.
Best for the globe-trotter
Specialty: Traditional Japanese
Why we love it: Though almost 7,000 miles away from Tokyo, the New York tattoo scene is enormously influenced by classic Japanese techniques. You know the style’s imagery: koi fish, fu dogs, dragons, tigers, waves and wind. Japan can also be thanked for launching the modern ink craze: Brits in the Victorian era loved tattoos, as you had to travel to Japan to get them and were thus displays of wealth. The same designs from that century still permeate the culture, and a full-body suit can cost up to $20,000. While plenty of great NYC shops specialize in this form, artists at Senaspace are a dragon’s head above the rest.
Other than the ink, go: For artfully designed light fixtures that put your lampshades to shame.
Best for getting a tattoo from nice people.
Specialty: minimal line tats to more detailed, artistic tattoos
Why we love it: No one is pretentious at Nice Tattoo Parlor. The genuinely nice staff are skilled in all kinds of ink and they'll always deliver with clean-looking, detailed and beautiful results.
Other than the ink, go: For the calming, comfortable atmosphere and sweet company.
Best for the celebrity treatment
Specialty: Micro
Why we love it: Chances are, you mindlessly scroll through your Instagram feed and double-tap countless photos of celebs flaunting their new tattoo. But did you check to see who they tagged? We’ll save you the research: It was Bang Bang. Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy has been the go-to tattooer for VIPs—Rihanna, Odell Beckham Jr., Cara Delevingne and the Biebs, among them. But he’s far from the only star in this massive, super-slick shop: No matter the style, these artists can bring any of your ideas to life.
Other than the ink, go: For the experience. Bang Bang feels more like a hip penthouse than those grimy tattoo shops of yesteryear.
Best for nabbing a cool outfit along with your tattoo
Specialty: Color
Why we love it: Take a quick glance from across the street, and Grit N Glory appears to be just another one of the hundreds of fashionable clothiers that dot the Lower East Side. But once you step inside and move through the rock & roll boutique, you start to hear the telltale buzz of Megan Massacre’s tattoo machine. Massacre first became a household name as a star of NY Ink, where fans fell for her style, aura and art. With her reality-TV days in the past, it’s now her playful and bright illustrative tattoos that make people marvel.
Other than the ink, go: For epic merch and a decent dose of tatted up girl power.
Best for sailors (or seafarers at the heart)
Specialty: Hand-poke
Why we love it: When he’s not too busy training pigeons or steering a Revolutionary War–era submarine down the East River, Duke Riley runs one of the most unusual tattoo shops in the city. This Greenpoint spot lovingly embraces the art’s maritime traditions, with many of the tattooers clearly influenced by scrimshaw: traditional carvings that sailors made during long voyages spent chasing Moby Dick. The vibe inside is noticeably warm and friendly. “Our intention is to make people comfortable when they walk through the door, not intimidated,” explains Riley. “If there is a cool club in the world of tattoo, we are definitely not in it. We are all just a bunch of outcasts doing our thing.”
Other than the ink, go: To listen to Sade. Yep, they play her music—often. One jerk even complained about it online, which just prompted East River to create a flash sheet dedicated to the elusive star.
Best for getting that tattoo your mother wouldn't appreciate (no judgment!)
Specialty: American traditional, Japanese, and realistic tattoos
Why we love them: Artists in residence all have at least 10 years of experience each, and walk-ins are accepted. The crew has seen its share of weird request—they've blacked out the top of someone’s head—but never judge customers on requests. Can't make up your mind? Let the "Get What You Get" gumball machine determine your next tat for $150.
Other than the ink, go: This Crown Heights shop draws inspiration from the years that owners Josh Egnew and Jeremy Sutton spent collecting books of illustrations and art—many of which are on display in the shop.
Best for history buffs
Specialty: American traditional
Why we love it: All great museums leave a lasting impression on your mind, but this may be the only one that also marks your skin for eternity. Daredevil, a shop and tattoo-history museum, has been in business since 1997. “We opened when tattooing was legalized in New York City,” says co-owner Michelle Myles. The walls are covered with artwork by tattoo innovators such as Samuel O’Reilly and Sailor Jerry, alongside antique tattoo machines and old-time sideshow banners from the early days of a taboo industry—and the museum is free to the public. Myles, co-owner Brad Fink, Diego Mannino and the other talented Daredevil artists genuflect before this rich tradition and then carry it into tomorrow.
Other than the ink, go: To see Thomas Edison’s patent on a device that is essentially identical to today’s tattoo machines.
Best for small dainty tattoos
Specialty: minimal line tattoos
Why we love it: Sometimes you just need a little something to spruce up your self-expression. With JonBoy, less is more. He can deliver simple, classic and understated tats that merge art with fashion. He's been tattooing for more than 18 years and got his start in the mid-west after leaving seminary college. Now enjoying cult status and a bevvy of celebrity clients (Justin Beiber and Kendall Jenner both boast a JonBoy special), he's in high demand. These days, you can try book him directly through his Instagram DMs, but his books often close up months in advance. Watch his Instagram stories with an eagle eye, and you might get lucky and score a spot. We've also heard that his starting rate currently sits around $1000, so you've got to really want it. For that price tag, JonBoy works with you to elevate your tattoo design so its meaning doesn't get lost. Plus, it's kind of like a collector's item – but on your skin (forever).
Other than the ink, go: He's tattooed many celebrities, from Post Malone to Kendall Jenner. You may just come upon another celeb getting inked up.
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