DO NOT COME HERE I came here on October 12th 2025 for a belly button piercing. Not only did they tell me I did not have the anatomy for it but they also told me I would be better off with a bottom naval piercing (piercing the bottom of the belly button). It was confirmed by AT LEAST 4 piercing places later that that would completely false news. I DID have the anatomy for the initial piercing I wanted AND did not for the one they suggested and I got. Even at this, they did not do it properly, piercing my surface of my stomach and not my belly button. They continued to put off my questions about proper healing and where to find jewelry later on, especially because they pierced me with a 14mm bar which is not even possibly to buy being that belly button bars are typically 10mm. I am incredibly upset with my time here I now have wasted $100, 3 months of my time, and have a permanent scar for the rest of my life. Staff was nice but means nothing when they're not doing their piercings right. Please learn from my mistake. read more

Everyone here was so cool! They got me right in and did amazing work! I travel the country for my job and I am try to get a tattoo in every state. I also let the tattoo artist pick the tattoo. They did not disappoint! Got me right in and they were all about helping achieve my goal! Highly recommend stopping in! read more

See all

I've wanted to get tattoos as long as I can remember. What held me back? Probably the approval of my mom. Yes, I'm 51 and I still felt the need for her approval. But what the heck, I decided to go for it last year. Although I got my first 4 elsewhere, due to them not being able to fit me in, I decided to come here, Anchor Tattoo for my next three tattoos. Walk-ins are available for a quick consultation. I lucked out and they were able to fit me in right away. The space is clean and bright. Whether your job is big or small, they will take their time to discuss with you exactly what you want. The tattoo artists here are super friendly and they take their work seriously. During my session, Adam, made me feel comfortable by chatting with me throughout and making me laugh. My advice for those that want to get tattoos but have not, pick something that you love, make it personal and I guarantee that you won't regret it. Nothing makes me more happy than a stranger commenting how cool my tats are. A fellow Yelper whom I adore, likes to share with me one of my biggest passion in life, music. There is not a minute in the day where I don't have something playing in the background. I now have two tattoos that are music related. Music is life, and so are tattoos! On a last note: Yes, my mom has seen my new tats...no comment! read more

See all

Jake did an amazing job on my walk-in tattoo :) everyone in the shop is super friendly and helpful. Lots of awesome flash on the walls too. Will be back for sure! read more

Great energy and vibe in the shop. Andrew Stone worked with my requests, but also put his personal touch on it. It came out just the way I had hoped-- even better. He was quick and respectful of my need for a break here and there. His portfolio is impressive and I like that he does American traditional on top of other styles. Highly recommend! read more

Anchor Tattoo Co - traditional sun and moon - Tattoo Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Incredible work, I've been tattooed by almost everyone here and they have such a friendly and professional atmosphere. If you're looking for a great tattoo from a clean, friendly and talented artist, come to Anchor. read more

Anchor Tattoo Co - Tattoo Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

See all

1st tattoo at Anchor (#6 overall). Anchor will be my shop now unless I get some travel ink. Super friendly, clean, professional and talented artists. Couldn't be happier. Highly recommended. Erik did an amazing job. read more

Anchor Tattoo Co - Awesome work by Erik. - Tattoo Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Has a good poop room, good poop door, 10/10 comfort level in the bathroom and work area. They slang super kickass tattoos too

Okay so this was my third tattoo but I was still kinda nervous because it was more intricate and involved more ink than my other ones. Anyways, Tim made me feel so much better with his silly jokes and welcoming aura. He took his time discussing my expectations and drawing up an even better version of the image I had picked out. Everyone was so kind, including Erik and and even the other patrons at the shop. It was just such a great environment. A generally wonderful experience and I'm so happy I decided to go here! read more

If you don't want to read my long review, this is my overview: If you're new to tattoos, I wouldn't recommend. I feel like I overpaid and wasn't given good advice on my tattoo. I came here a little over a year ago. The staff that greeted me when I walked in was very friendly. I asked them about the possibility of getting a tattoo on the bottom of my foot. The man I talked to told me that he was unsure of whether or not it would heal correctly, but that he had done them in the past and would happily do mine. I came back the next week for my appointment and went through the process. The shop minimum was $60, but my 4 inch tattoo came out to $80 instead. Along with tip, $100 was paid, and I walked out excited about my tattoo. Today, the tattoo is faded in every way, but I understand now that it was probably not very smart to get one on the bottom of my foot. I talked to another tattoo artist who said, "I can't believe a tattoo artist would do this for you. He had to have known it would fade." I feel like they took advantage of me being a college student who picked the first shop she saw, and they probably do it to many college students around here. In the future I would definitely compare prices with other shops, but I would possibly go back there considering the tattoo artists know their stuff. read more

NOT QUEER OR WOMEN FRIENDLY. I went with my girlfriend to get a tattoo by Tim Fodor and I have never felt more invalidated in my relationship or received such unprofessional behavior from a tattoo shop in my life. To top it off, the owner, Erik Nygaard (the artists cousin) tried to excuse this behavior and ignored me when I pressed harder. He is a man that tried to invalidate and intimidate two women half his age. Embarrassing. And I'm sure this is not the first time, considering how comfortable he felt doing so. If you are a woman or apart of the LGBTQ+ community you will not be treated with an ounce of genuine respect at this shop and they don't deserve your money or time. read more

I got my first tattoo here and I absolutely am so glad I did. I got my tattoo by Tim and he is super awesome!!! I went in really scared, but it didn't even hurt as much as I expected. He is conversational which is great because it calmed me down!! The atmosphere here is great and the place is so clean. Tim was also great because of his transparency. He would let you know everything he was doing ! Definitely recommend this place and Tim! read more

Anchor Tattoo Co - Tattoo Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Absolutely agree with the other review on here--I have never had such worse service anywhere. For my girlfriend's 21st birthday, we agreed she was going to get her a tattoo. Just a few lines of text, nothing too "art-y" but meaningful. As a Rutgers student, she heard people generally go to this place. She walked in a week in advance to get a quote. They gave one to her and set up a 2 hour appointment the upcoming Friday. When my girlfriend called again to check two days before, the tattoo artist told her that she had to cancel (though apparently was not going to call or tell her this) because she had a date with her boyfriend. Whatever, no big deal, they moved it to Saturday. Early in the morning so as to make sure there were no problems. Saturday rolled around and, after searching 30 minutes for parking, they told us the artist never showed up! She apparently missed the train, or got stuck in traffic, and couldn't make the noon appointment. Awesome. We are accommodating though, we asked if they could do it later that evening. On the phone, the artist said come anytime before 8 and I'll take care of you. Following the Blackout game, we returned and spent another 30 minutes finding parking. On our walk over there, I had some forethought and called to make sure everyone was available. When we eventually got passed to the tattoo artist (after being on hold for 10 minutes) we were told she took another appointment that was going to take three hours. However, if we wanted to come in Monday first thing in the morning... I interrupted "No thank you, we are going to take our business somewhere more professional. And we will make sure to tell everyone we can" Attempting to live up to my promise I made to her, I literally have told most people I meet (whether they are getting a tattoo or not) about how horrible the service and professionalism of this place truly is. Whats worse? We went to Revolver Tattoo down the road (trying to find ANYONE to take us at this point). Not only did they take us in right away, they gave us a quote half the amount of Anchor, and took 20-30 minutes (and a quarter of the time). Please do your research in tattoo places--there are many good ones in the area. Anchor is not one of them. read more

I got my first tattoo here and I was very glad I did. I was recommended to come here via a friend/classmate who had shown me her tattoo, so I decided to pay a visit. I was a bit clueless because while I did have minor ideas of what I wanted, I didn't know if it'd be "accepted" or "too common". Tom helped me through the entire process of looking at potential designs before he helped make a design. It didn't take as long as I expected for the quality of work that he produced. I got a tattoo on my calf and I love it. I already recommended this place to my roommate (who is looking to get a tattoo) and I will definitely be coming back for my future tattoos. read more

Last night I had the greatest experience at Anchor! My boyfriend previously came here to get his most important tattoo done and plans on getting the rest of his sleeve done here which is exactly why he brought me. He knows I hate shops that are unprofessional and lack cleanliness and this shop is the exact opposite of that! We didn't schedule an appointment or anything. We simply drove over, got there around 7:30 and they took us immediately. When I walked in initially I was terrified since I was a tattoo virgin. The further up the stairs I got the more I panicked. When I finally stepped in the shop I was greeted by Erik and he immediately got to work with drawing up my tattoo. At that point my nerves were calmer since the overall environment of the shop just brought peace to your mind. I sat down with my boyfriend for a only a few minutes before Erik came back with my drawn out tattoo. I finished signing my waiver and then the fun began. I got a tattoo on my thigh which meant I had to drop my pants but Erik made me feel extremely comfortable about everything. He made sure I approved of the sketch and double checked to make sure the phrase on the bottom was exactly what I wanted it to say. As soon as I sat down I got nervous again. Erik mentioned it wouldn't hurt too much and he proved it when he got to work. After some time the tattoo pain was very unnoticeable which could be due to the conversations we were having in the shop. When everything was finally finished I payed and he wrapped up my tattoo for me. He gave me some awesome instructions for how to take the best care of my tattoo from that point on and then I got dressed. I was beyond satisfied with the way my first tattoo came out! We talked a little more about tattoos in the future and on our way out they gave us some free buttons which was the EXTRA frosting on the cake. I live in West Orange and we traveled all the way over here just for this tattoo. It's about a 30-45 minute drive depending on traffic and it takes about 10 minutes to find parking since it is on the Rutgers campus. I honestly don't care about the travel or the parking. I will GLADLY go through that every time I want a tattoo from now on since this place is perfection. My boyfriend wants a sleeve on his arm and I want one on my leg and you can bet that Anchor Tattoo Company will be doing each and every one of those tattoos for us! These guys made getting my tattoo cherry popped the greatest experience ever. Everyone should come here if you're looking for a professional, clean and comfortable place to go! I'm sure you'll have as great of a time as I did! I'm telling every single one of my friends to come here! read more

Anchor Tattoo Co - Simple Deathly Hallows tattoo. "It's real for us" is a phrase from the book "It's real to us" is a phrase from my friends and I. - Tattoo Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

Went to Anchor Tattoo yesterday and had a great experience!! The studio is spotlessly clean and everyone was very friendly! I got a large Mandala flower on my shoulder Dave did an amazing job!!! I have over 20 tattoos and have gotten them from several different artists in several different states and I have to say I have a new favorite Tattoo artist. Dave makes you feel very comfortable and he is very nice and his work is amazing!! read more

Anchor Tattoo Co - Mandala - Tattoo Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

I wasn't too scared to get my first two tattoos, and I definitely had no reason to be. I got two tattoos, pretty small ones, for only $100 altogether. It only took about 25 minutes, and was literally painless. My tattoo artist was so nice and so helpful. The tattoos are nicely healed and it has only been a week! I'll definitely be back :) read more

Anchor Tattoo Co - tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

See all

Got my first tattoo here and absolutely in love with how it came out! The place was super nice and clean and they had me in and out within 30 minutes and I was a walk in. The tattoo artists are all super friendly and make you feel comfortable which is a plus because I was super nervous. I found myself laughing the whole time I was here. They work with you and make sure the placement and stencil is exactly how you want it. It was a painless experience and I would definitely come back here for another tattoo :) Rob did an awesome job with my tattoo read more

Anchor Tattoo Co - Tattoo Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

See all

I had some work done by Erik and he was great. Walked in, explained to him what I wanted to get done and even though it was on a bony area, it was painless. I was in and out quickly despite having quite a few people being worked on when I arrived. The guys working there were great and very welcoming. The hardest thing was keeping still and not laughing at the jokes they kept cracking to one another. Tattoo healed up quickly, without any complications and was exactly what I wanted. This place is little pricey, but it's a bright space and I felt comfortable there. I got good vibes and a perfect tattoo! Would recommend. read more

I came to Anchor to get a family tattoo- meaning my sister, mom and dad all got tatted together! Tim did my rib/back tattoo and it was seriously painless. This was second tattoo so I wasn't as nervous, but the rest of my family was, and they were so nice and accommodating in making sure the mock ups were exactly what we wanted before getting started. They were extremely sanitary and talked to us about everything from music to jobs to our love of Rutgers through the entire thing. I wish we could have hung out with them for longer! We even all did a whiskey shot afterwards with them. I would definitely recommend Anchor Tattoo to anyone looking to get some new ink! read more

Very friendly staff. Good place for someone getting a tattoo for the first time. Had my tattoo done by Erik, who was very professional and courteous. read more

Never get your tattoo done here!! I scheduled an appointment to get a simple, 4-line quote. Not only did my appointment get cancelled due to the tattoo artist showing up 3 hours late, they failed to even call me to let me know that I would have to reschedule, I found out that my appointment was cancelled when I got there. And, when I called for their next availability, they told me to come anytime before 8pm. When I show up at 7pm they told me, in a rather rude way, that they had booked a person until the end of the night. I also went there with a friend who got their tattoo at Anchor. The artist cranked up his music when we talked (not yelling), then snapped at us saying, "I didn't turn up my music for you to compete with it." They're also overpriced and take way too long. They were going to charge me $250 and take 2 hours on a tattoo I got done elsewhere for $140 and took 30 mins (and it looks fabulous!). Never go here, there are plenty of other more reputable tattoo parlors in the New Brunswick area that are more experienced and friendlier. read more

I got my cartilage pierced there and the only thing I really regret about going to anchor was how expensive it was. I dropped about $80 on that piercing, but i guess it was worthwhile just because they provided really good service, were super professional, and clean. However, I feel like I can easily find a place that provides good services at a lower price. read more

As a random walk in on a Sunday afternoon, this place was great. Staff was super friendly and my artist, Robb, was able to help me get onto paper (and then body) exactly what I was envisioning. Absolutely pleased with the final product, and happy to have found such talent so close to home. read more

I went here yesterday. Erik tattooed me. It was pleasant. I loved that he was nice and his tAttoo came out awesome

So I went to get a tattoo by an artist called Erik. He got booked then they gave me Dave then they passed me on to the tattoo artist Liz. She was a nice person and all but when she did my tattoo she didn't shave my tattoo spot like she should of. Then when it was finished I saw that she put the lines lightly to some areas and too deep to others so now my tattoo is fading or scaring. And she didn't tell me how to take care of my first tattoo either. IT WAS ONLY THE OUTLINE ALSO. I got over charged for a tattoo that I am outraged with. I WILL NOT be going back there to finish it. I will be going to an experienced professional tattoo shop where I will get my money's worth. Never been so disgusted. Wouldn't recommend this shop to my worst enemies. I could have gotten the same quality tattoo by a high school beginner tattooing in his mom's shed. Also they kept talking trash about how everyone pays with card (as if everyone should walk around with hundreds of dollars in hand) and how people should always over tip them (excuse me? For what? Something a first grader can do with a pen) read more

Anchor Tattoo Co - Faded lines. In steady hands. - Tattoo Near Me - New Brunswick, New Jersey

See all

I went there to get my rib tattoo, I was so nervous because it was a big tat on a sensitive place. I went to Dave, and I have to say this is my favorite tattoo yet and I have 5!! He was gentle so it didn't hurt too much and on top of it the tattoo came out EXACTLY how I wanted it. I know a couple friends who went to him as well all had great experiences. DEFF cannot wait to go back for my next one!! read more

This place is one of the best places to get inked. The staff was super friendly and accommodating. This is the first time I am getting a tattoo and I felt really comfortable. Absolutely happy with the final outcome. I would recommend this place to all the friends of mine :) read more

Tim was really awesome. He let me know what was going on the whole time and he showed me different options I had. The overall vibe of the place was not intimidating at all and all the guys were super nice. I was really comfortable and will recommend this shop to all my friends! read more

I have been getting tattoo'd for almost 20 years and have gone to many shops. Anchor is clean, affordable, friendly and has great artists. I have seen Eric now 3 times and have felt very comfortable and part of the crew when I was there. I will definitely go back! read more

I was searching for some talent in New Jersey to get some work done. My first stop was Revolver and second was Anchor. My friend got some work done from Revolver and I was gonna get my piece done there, the only reason I didn't was because I didn't hear back from the guy. Nothing against them it's a nice shop, good prices, and good artists. The guys at Anchor saw what I wanted and hooked me up with Dave. I took their word for it, checked his Instagram and got in touch with him and not even 24 hours later I was in the chair getting work done. He was very accommodating and professional. Not to mention his work was great and I love the piece I got. The price was a little high but the quality of work I got matched (surpassed even!) the price I paid. I would/will definitely get some more work from Dave. read more

For weeks, I did research on the net, looking for a design to be my third tattoo. When I found a good design for a chest piece, I went to revolver in New Brunswick to get a consultation done. Needless to say, I didn't like how I was treated at revolver, and instead went over to anchor. As I walked into the shop on the top floor, I received a warm welcome from the staff, and my soon-to-be tattoo artist, Liz. I showed her my design, and she immediately started on drawing out the design. 2 hours later, my tattoo was complete and perfectly done. I've already started planning out my next tattoo, and will definitely make sure that I go back to Anchor. In summation: warm/kindly staff, professional atmosphere, quick turn-around, and a perfectly-designed tattoo read more

The shop is super clean and the staff is very friendly. The location is super accessible, surrounded by tons of fun shops and great restaurants. I had absolutely no trouble finding parking. I walked in and was immediately assisted (no waiting around as other Yelp reviewers suggest) and talked to Dave about getting an anchor tattoo on my forearm. He was open to discussing what I wanted and then made some great suggestions on placement. He drew up the perfect anchor right away and made the entire tattooing process a breeze. Unlike some tattoo artists he kept me laughing and smiling the entire time!!! After two amazing tattoos done by Dave I wouldn't even *think* of going anywhere else. read more

Tim was great. He explained everything and very patient with all of my questions. All the tattoo artists for that matter are fantastic! Go to anchor! read more

Couldn't have picked a better place for my first tattoo. They were so kind and accommodating. Not to mention talented! Tim did my tat and it looks perfect! Will be back definitely! read more

Absolutely love this shop. I have had three new pieces done by Dave and Liz over the past few months. I could not be more happy with the service, the artist and the work I got done. I have gotten a few of tattoos already and out of all the shops I have been too I have never had more fun or an enjoyable experience as I did here. Absolutely great people there. When I first called to get work done, I spoke with Dave on the phone who was extremely quick to give me a lot of options on when I can come in to get my work done and the rest of my appointments I have just made them in person. Dave did call me once to ask me to come in a few hours later for one appointment which wasn't a problem because he gave me more then enough notice to reschedule. Dave did amazing work. He did my whole chest and it came out better then I ever expected it to. I gave him freedom to add his own personal touch to the piece and I couldn't be happier. He had drew this extremely elegant script on my chest that he drew on by hand and wasn't printed off the computer like you usually get when you get text tattooed. Both times I have gotten work done by Dave I love the pieces. He was also awesome to hang out with. Really down to earth, funny, very nice and easy to get along with. He instantly made me feel super comfortable with him and I plan on getting more work done by him. Liz I made an appointment with in person and she was right on time. It was Halloween day and she had awesome make-up done. I ended up hanging out in the shop for awhile and had lunch with everyone before I got work done and had an awesome time. Everyone in and around the shop was awesome. When Liz and I sat down to do my work she did a great job. She was super gentle and took her time and did an amazing job. The whole time she was so happy and we were having fun. You can tell that she really loves her job and it shows in the work that she does. Everyone at the shop was amazing. I haven't gotten any work done by Eric but I have seen him do work on other people and it looks great. Their apprentice Tim is also a super nice guy. First time I went in he bought me and drink and wouldn't take money from me, a really stand up guy. Overall amazing experience. I would recommend any of my friends or anybody who asked to go to this shop. Great experience, great work and great people. When ever I go, I look forward to going there because I know I am going to have a good time. read more

Great tattoo shop. Great hospitality and wonderful work. Tim is an excellent tattoo artist. Other artists are great also. Very friendly environment and the tattoo artists genuinely care about their customers, constantly made sure my girlfriend was okay and if she needed a break while getting her tattoo. 10/10 would recommend again!! read more

Got my first tattoo here from Robb a few months back. Was really pleased with the results and he was cool. Def would recommend and go back.

5 stars all around! Best tattoo spot around! Great artists at great prices! Quality of work is superb! Ask for Liz she did my tattoo and I'm definitely going back for all my future tattoos! Professional and Clean environment! Thank you so much!! Recommending this spot to everyone! I get compliments everyday on my tattoo!! :D read more

great shop, Dave is an amazing artist and does amazing work not to mention he is professional, and friendly. I recommend this shop to anyone in the new brunswick area. read more