had an appointment with marcus, not my first tattoo but i don't have very many. easily the best artist ive met to work with in terms of scheduling and flexibility, and when i arrived he had stencils ready in different sizes, clearly designed by him. he was very welcoming and professional, helped with deciding location, and the work is very high quality, much better than i've gotten from other shops. he was very mindful of my comfort and asked periodically about the pain and if i needed breaks, even going as far as running around the corner to grab some food. if you're looking for something high detail, or it's your first tattoo, this place is great and i couldn't recommend it more read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - finished tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

What a great clean local tattoo shop with amazing artists. My cousin, sister and I came in last minute to get sword tattoos for the new year. Bianca is such a great receptionist! We had the pleasure of working with Antonio and Wanessa. Each of us brought an idea of a tattoo we wanted and both artists were able to accommodate and help us design and customize our tattoos. We were all pleased! The level of care and hospitality made us all relaxed while we got our ink done. Thank you to the staff at Bay Ink! Thanks for making it memorable. read more

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We called to see if they would accept walk-in's and they did, we were cutting it close since they closed at 6pm but we were very grateful! There were 3 of us with an idea walking in ...the theme: swords! Anyway, Antonio Dalana helped mock up a design from our inspiration photos ... I honestly went in with blind trust bc I usually do some background on artists but there are times I just go with the flow. This experience didn't disappoint! I'm very happy with the tattoo I got inked and the price was reasonable. The parlor was clean, well-lit and loooooved these decor ... 10/10 would come again! Wish I took more photos! read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

Piercings are overpriced, and prices are misleading. It seems they purposely twisted their words to make it seem like the basic silver ball is included for a piercing, yet somehow a $60 piercing turns into over $100. The girl at the piercing desk also stares at you with a blank face and no words coming out of her mouth or responding to a friendly smile. You might want to check on her maybe she sat on a needle.. The overall shop vibe is decent, ladies at the front desk are very nice but I remember they had a more gothic vibe. Now it's incredibly bland and modern. read more

The environment is clean modern professional and the staff is very nice. My ONLY complaint was the pricing seemed unfair. For context, I booked for a half sleeve tattoo drawn out the way I wanted it. The artist was very talented but I wasn't in love with his creative decisions. I completely understood and respectfully asked for a smaller script tattoo instead which was 7 inches in length and 2 inches in width. He referred me to another artist in the studio because he deemed his pricing to be too high for this smaller scale tattoo which was completely fair. After completing the tattoo I was pleased with how it turned out. A piece like this would cost $300 at most. However I was still charged an additional $150 on top of the $500 in total paying double for what would be the regular price. read more

I got tattooed by Fabio at the Del Mar Fairgrounds this week, and I'm honestly blown away by how incredible his work turned out. He's quick, professional, and extremely talented. Everything came out even better than I imagined. I'd recommend him without hesitation to anyone looking to get high-quality work done. Already looking forward to my next session! read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

Great shop and excellent atmosphere! I recommend Bethany. She does excellent work, is professional, courteous and was a joy to speak with while getting my tattoos done. She has great artistic vision. I am very happy with the finished product. I Couldn't ask for more! I will definitely be seeing her for another in the near future! read more

This review is for piercing. My six year old has expressed a desire to pierce their ears. We knew we did not want to go some where that uses a piercing gun so I had done some cursory research and this place came with good reviews. We were eating near by and stopped in on a Saturday. Proof of child is needed (birth cert and something with their name on like insurance card) so we made an appt to come back later in the fay. My husband found a pic of the birth certificate in his phone so they sent us next door to the piercing studio. Staff gave us an Ipad to complete details for the kidlet. Explained which earrings they would get (my kid wanted pink and I said it was fine we would pay the up charge). It really takes a village to pierce a child. The front desk staff got them a stuffy to hold, another staff taught them how to breathe and the piercer set up and explained what was happening. Hole one went off with tears (to be expected) staff had told us to be really excited about the fact they did it to psych them up for the second piercing. In addition to us hyping them up, the staff did too. Despite all that kidlet was on board for second hole. Got it done with tears. It was $200 for the piercing, upgraded earrings and a spray for ear care ($10). The earrings from here are not the traditional earring that snugs on your ear with a post and back. They are more like a barbell with a flat piece on the back and the stud on the front. They told us if their hair got caught in it, it would come apart and not rip out their ear. Unfortunately a few days after piercing kidlet was at school and earring came out (caught in hair). They could not put it back in. We went by the piercing studio after school but they are closed on Tuesday. By the time we stopped by on Wednesday after school the hole had closed. It was $15 to have it re-pierced. The kidlet did not do so good this time, screamed afterwards and told the piercer not to do it (while he was piercing her). Overall great experience here. Clean studio, bright-lots of light and super nice, supportive staff. read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Upgraded earring - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

Yes, they take walk ins!! Just call ahead of time and double check!!! Friends and I all wanted to get tattoos and this was one of the top rated places nearby. I called and the receptionist greeted me so kindly! She asked what we wanted to get and how many people and checked with the artists and told us if we could come down within the next 20 minutes they could squeeze us in. We got there and texted the designs to Steven and he quickly worked up the different sizes and checked with us which ones we all wanted. Then one by one we all went. I got a small two worded script and this hibiscus flower and in total it took about an hour and total was 250 + my 30 dollar tip = 280$ My friends didn't take long as they also got script and they were charged 150 +20-30 tip = 170-180 Steven was super nice and at some points stopped because he wanted to double check the reference design - I appreciate him being honest rather than continuing and hoping he'd get it right/remember the design. The place itself is all black themed - decor and furniture. Nice space where the artists are set up and nicely spread out. They had a nice bathroom and a big mirror you can go to to see your tattoo. Super pleasant time and def will consider coming here again for more tattoos! read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo outline - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

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Amazing work Marcus did on me. I really loved it and could not have asked for something better. Everyone was down to earth and friendly. The only reason I did not give five stars was due to the fact that I had to wait almost three hours after my appointment time to get tatted. Overall I would highly recommend it. read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

Alexa Barricelli is quite literally a Miracle Worker and that is not an exaggeration. She was patient and really tried to understand what it was that I wanted and she got it fairly quickly. I will be eternally grateful for the amount of time, effort, consideration, and care she put in preparation for the tattoo and for the quality of work she skillfully crafted at the end of it all. This was especially impressive due to having 4 existing tattoos (and they were big) from 2 previous artists. Alexa made them all flow and compliment each other so well that it's as if they're all 1 big piece. Also, I wasn't too thrilled with one of the pieces from a previous tattoo artist and the way Alexa polished it to blend it well with the rest of my tattoos was a work of art. She brought my tattoo to life and so, from the bottom of my heart, Alexa, thank you. read more

I had a great experience at Bay Ink Tattoo! Wannessa is fantastic. She did a full coverup for me and it looks absolutely amazing. Will definitely be coming back for more read more

I've received 2 beautiful tattoos and had a great experience at Bay Ink with Alexa Barricelli. All of the staff are friendly and welcoming, and the space is clean and comfortable. Alexa is an excellent collaborator and artist - I haven't left disappointed! I will definitely go back for my next tattoo. read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

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This place is so great for piercings! The girls that work there are so sweet and make you feel really comfortable which is perfect for when there's needles involved I'm in love with my daith piercing and will definitely be coming back! read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - daith piercing - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

Flew down to SD for the first time to see my guy Marcus @invisible_hut here to get the upper part of my arm done. It was also my first time inside a tattoo parlor since my previous piece was done in his private studio. Every team member from the front desk people to the tattooers were super welcoming and friendly. I felt comfortable from the second I stepped through the door to the second I stepped out. Marcus was great as always. I trusted him fully and didn't ask for any revisions. After almost 5 hours later, I was wrapped up and feeling great. Would recommend this shop to anyone looking to get inked. read more

Just about a year ago I came here for a tattoo of the Island i grew up on. I was recommended to artist Angelo for this specific design and he did it perfectly! It took about 3.5 hours and I have a super low pain tolerance so Angelo handled it very well. I recently went back for another tattoo even though i no longer live in San Diego, this time referred to artist Mirtha. She did such an amazing job on the design and dainty-ness of the tattoo, just how i imagined! Once again, i have a super low pain tolerance so she put numbing spray on me for some of the tattoo and i'm so thankful for that!! it took about 2.5 hours and came out even better than i could've imagined. i had let her know that i wanted a certain idea but wanted her to take some creative liberties with some of it as well as i love her style. Super thankful for the awesome team here!! read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - right after the appointment was done :) - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

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I had a great first experience here. It's very clean and spacious and the people at the front desk were super friendly. The two piercers who I worked with were so kind, helpful, and understanding. They did not rush and really made sure I was making the best decisions for myself. They even offered to stay in contact with me in case they find jewelry that I would like. read more

I stumbled upon this tattoo shop and I'm happy I did. Chris did an amazing job and exceeded my expectations. I definitely recommend this shop if you're looking to get high quality work done. read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

Highly recommend! Came in for my second tattoo. I emailed in advance, received a prompt reply, and after I explained what I wanted the shop set me up with Mike. Mike texted me the day before to discuss ideas and he had options all ready when I arrived. I got my inspiration from the cover of a book I love, and Mike was careful to take the exact outline using an iPad design program and keep it consistent because he knew the book was important to me. The shop is exceptionally friendly, clean, and efficient. Mike is incredibly talented and great to chat with. My tattoo barely bled at all and already looks fantastic just a few days later. I'll be back to Mike at Bay Ink for my next one! read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

I've been wanting to get a black and gray realistic compass tattoo for a while now and came across Bay Ink Tattoo in an IG story. After looking at the artists, I decided to go with Carey, who did an amazing job putting my ideas together and turning it into an art piece. I was a little worried about not being able to see the design until the day of getting the tattoo, but Carey exceeded my expectations and I could not be more stoked about the design and how the tattoo turned out. It took about 6.5 hrs to do the whole tattoo in a back to back two day sessions. The shop was clean and the staff/other artists were all friendly and made me feel comfortable the whole time I was there. I highly recommend this tattoo shop and shout out to Carey for killing this travel tattoo! Definitely coming back to finish my whole arm! read more

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Bay Ink Tattoo was recommended to me by a family friend, and after my own experience here I would absolutely recommend this tattoo shop to others as well. I was tattooed by Hannah May who was responsive during the consultation process and incredibly patient during the appointment. Hannah offered helpful suggestions in regard to both placement and sizing for the piece I wanted, and she created a beautiful design based on the request I gave her. The process itself was relatively painless given that it's a tattoo; Hannah provided a calm yet efficient experience. It's been a little over 5 weeks since the appointment and Hannah's work is healing BEAUTIFULLY! Again, she was incredibly communicative about the healing process and assured me to reach out to her with any questions. I will definitely book again with Hannah in the future, and I cannot recommend her enough to those looking to try this tattoo shop! read more

Lee in Hillcrest shop was so attentive to what I was looking for. I am an older woman who wanted a very detailed dragon tattoo in a relatively sensitive area and he was so respectful. He made sure to let me know what he was doing the whole time, and told me he would take a break anytime I needed it. I LOVE my new ink!!! The shop was well lit and so comfortable, with consummate professionals going about their business. The last tattoo I got was probably 20 years ago, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but Lee and Bay Ink made my experience...let's see...ah yes, repeatable! read more

This is the most LIT tattoo shop I've ever been to and i don't know how else to describe it. Every single person here is cool and easy talk to. I have several pieces and two I got here. It was my first time with Shanti and let me say, this woman is magical and amazing and I love her. I got my biggest piece yet, a thigh piece and it was the most painless tattoo out of my eight. I was so comfortable and we talked and laughed while she made something so beautiful. Again, everyone's so friendly and people came by to have small talk, they had good jams on and it's just a great place overall. Checking in was super organized and I felt right at home. Get inked here folks. read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - By shanti ! - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

I came here for a conch piercing and had an amazing experience. The way this shop handles piercings opened my eyes to how much care and consideration should be put into a piercing. Upon arrival, I was prompted to fill out my information using an iPad. They ask all the usual questions (name, DOB, etc.) but also have an extensive list concerning general health, sensitivities, and allergies. The information is sent to the piercer who makes appropriate sterilization and jewelry material decisions based on your answers. I am a person who has multiple skin sensitivities and allergies. Alethea was my piercer and she was awesome! She took all my sensitivities into consideration and made sure that I started my healing process with jewelry that wouldn't irritate my skin. It turned out super cute! I trust her completely, I highly recommend her services, and I will be going back to her myself for any future piercings. read more

Leo with my tattoo artist. We immediately hit it off and I was comfortable. He's actually adorable and super sweet. He was open to adding color and my wrist hand tattoo turned out beautiful. I have people asking me about it everywhere I go and it's not even healed yet. I'm already requesting another one which will be a cover up I have an old tattoo on my back. I also had a nose piercing and I forget the girls name but she is amazing and very fast. My last nose piercing did not heal very well. She recommended a different stud and I have had zero problems. She also let me know if I had any problems to just stop bye which I thought was really nice. I watched several other artists working on tattoos while I was having mine done. The shop and the talent I very dialed in and professional. read more

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I got a cover up done here with Cameron a couple days ago. The experience was great!! Was super anxious about getting the cover up since I was worried it'll look bad. But Cameron helped with reassuring me that everything will be fine. The tattoo ended up looking great at the end! He's also super friendly and nice. The place was really clean, and have good vibes. Would definitely come back again! read more

Definitely got over charged.. I don't know if this is supposed to be a high end tattoo place or he just thought let me scam this girl that's here by herself? Idk but $400 for a the little tattoo that I got was definitely a scam read more

I first stopped by in early September for an in-person consultation with Shanti. Right away I could tell we were on the same page as I showed her examples of what I did & didn't want. She was booking for late Nov but she was able to squeeze me in during October like I had hoped! Very grateful. I didn't see the art until the day-of, but it was exactly what I wanted! Shanti's super sweet and an overall dope person. Glad she was able to bear with me & my back pain lol. I love it so much, 10/10 would recommend Shanti :) read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - I live it so much!! Exactly what I wanted & so beautifully done - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is a 10/10 all the way. Great customer service, really easy check in and amazing artists. I've gotten two tattoos here. I did my research because the first tattoo I got was a pet portrait. That's when I found Alexa Barricelli :) @alexabarricelli on Instagram. She takes her time, line work is detailed and really makes sure you're happy with the design. Highly recommend. read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Athena Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

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Highly recommend this shop. Steven Biondo (Insta: @edgeoftheworldtattoos) made me an amazing piece that I couldn't be happier with. He is truly a master of his craft and I couldn't recommend him more. The shop is clean, has a good atmosphere, and all of the employees were friendly. read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

Shout out to Natalie over at the piercing shop! I went in knowing I wanted my conch done and some new jewelry but wasn't sure what to get and how to style it. Luckily Natalie was able to help curate my perfect ear situation!! She did my conch painlessly and made sure to give me good aftercare instructions. 10/10 , 5 stars (more if I could), and will be going back again! read more

A tattoo is such a personal experience, you should take as much time and do as much research on where you get your tattoo and by whom as you would thinking about the tattoo itself. After all, this work of art will be your constant companion for the rest of your life. How many other lifelong decisions take you five minutes and a handshake? Fortunately, my research brought me to the magical land of Bay Ink and landed me and my daughter in the gifted hands of Shanti. She is my new spirit animal. The shop itself is clean, comfortable, and professional. All of the artists we interacted with were nice and the receptionist is a doll. I went in for a consultation and met with Shanti in a nice lounge area off the main waiting room for a private chat about what I wanted and price. She was knowledgeable and confident and understood immediately what I was going for. I made an appointment for a future date and put down the requisite $100 deposit. I later realized that my date for my tattoo was my youngest daughter's 18th birthday. My two daughter's and I were all going to get themed tattoos based on our close relationships with each other. My eldest daughter had already gotten hers at Bay Ink with the amazing Stephanie and the work was so beautiful, I couldn't stop staring at it! I wanted something that had bright vivid color and a lot of small detail, so Shanti was recommended. Go look at this lady's portfolio. Her body of work is so beautiful and precise. And on top of it all she is like a bright, sparkly unicorn with a wonderful sense of humor and a talent for tattooing. When I asked her if she could also tattoo my youngest daughter on her birthday, she didn't hesitate to include her on the appointment. When we showed up, she met with us to go over what my daughter wanted and then made sure we had both eaten. There is an awesome Sports Bar and grill next door with outstanding food. Shanti never rushed the process, always making us feel comfortable and allowing time for corrections to her design and placement. The actual tattooing went very smooth with her frequently checking on pain level, if we needed a rest or break, and how we were feeling. By the end of our time at Bay Ink, my daughter and I left with excellent aftercare instructions, gorgeous body art, a forever tattoo artist, and a lifelong friend. This is a quality, professional shop with an excellent work ethic which follows all health and safety guidelines. And a HUUUUUGE shout out to my girl Shanti who made us feel like queens for a day. We couldn't stop laughing, we had so much fun...but none of that would matter if the work we paid for was average. It wasn't. Her talent is visible and she is very serious about her art. I will cherish the work she designed and put on me and my daughter forever. Thank you so much Shanti! Thank you, Bay Ink! read more

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Gleb did an amazing job! This was my first tattoo and he knocked it out of the park. Clean straight lines and I've gotten so many compliments. Bay Ink was helpful and accommodating to fit me in! Called in the day before for an appointment and they fit me in the next day! All the artists profile look really good! So thankful to the front desk friendly staff. I would recommend calling in to check for an appointment, you will do a $100 non refundable deposit then once the tattoo session is over you can pay credit, debit or cash. Convenient for sure! Just a heads up they are a bit pricy but you are paying for the quality. read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

You can tell a lot about an artist and a shop by how they treat you when you walk in with an idea for a very small piece. A solid shop, Bay Ink, and great artist, Nacho, will put the same effort and passion into a small piece, as a big piece. The friendly feel of this shop is a great indication of why it's so popular and well-loved. There's no ego here, just regular folks working with some very talented artists and excellent customer service at the front desk. I'm excited to get more work from Nacho, and check out the work by the other artists. Having acquired a lot of ink over the years, I can say that this shop is very affordable for the high quality of art. Parking was easy, and there are a number of decent eateries nearby. Tip your artists, show up hydrated and fed, have a solid idea of your tattoo, and you'll have a great time! read more

I'm extremely disappointed I went with Fabio because I wanted a really good realism artist while it was a two session appointment. The first session was good, he did a Zues on my inner bicep. Then the second session he got really lazy was gonna finish the top half of an Atlas piece and did some shading the picture below shows the quality. And after 2 1/2 hours later he still charged me half a session of $1,500 for this work. This was the end of my full sleeve. Now 40+ hours later he ruined my sleeve with this big eye sore which I will have to get redone elsewhere. Buyer beware!! read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

This tattoo shop is great! The vibes are amazing and the staff was really friendly. I had a memorial tattoo done by Leo. I had a picture of what I wanted and Leo transformed it into a beautiful piece of art. I love my piece! The details are amazing. The only reason I am not giving 5 stars is because I have asked for the after pictures of my fresh tattoo 3 times and for some reason seems the artist does not want to send them. I was alone so I didn't have anyone to take a picture of the fresh work. I asked Leo to take one on my phone and he said he would just send me the ones he took but after three requests, they still have not been sent. After spending $800 for my , it is a little frustrating for a small request like sending me the pictures to be disregarded. Other than that, my tattoo is amazing, the shop is clean and I would definitely still recommend to friends! Edit: I don't know how to message back to the shop but the pictures still were not sent. I understand tattoo artists have their own life. Leo wrote back to one of my messages initially and could've easily sent the pictures right then and there. At this point, I'm not worried about getting the pictures but the shop response said they would be sure to send them and I still never received them. Still completely happy with my work. I'll just be sure to take a pic on my own phone if I go back. There's really nothing like that fresh ink picture! read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

My piercing overall went well. I asked about changing some existing jewelry in my ear and in order to do so- she had to take out my current earring. They didn't end up having the post I needed (but offered to order it for me) and put my earring back in- kind of. Unfortunately it wasn't put back in securely and I ended up losing the jewelry as it fell out afterward. It was a bummer bc we all know the jewelry is so expensive. Anyway- overall an ok experience but did feel like the piercers were a bit inexperienced and scattered during the visit. read more

Getting a tattoo is a spiritual process... It's smart, not to leap at any opportunity. You must vibe with every aspect of your piece. I followed an artist which led me to Bay Ink. I won't lie, I was nervous at first because I truly believe the statement above. But I was mistaken. Bay Ink provides a welcoming atmosphere from the jump. No cocky receptionist making you "earn your tat", no ego period. Everyone at the shop is friendly. They make sure you are ok during your session. Stephanie is amazing hands down. Being in her presence was humbling. I followed her via social media and knew one day, I'd have a piece by her. She's originally oversees, is a traveling artist, I pray Bay Ink becomes her home. However, that's what makes the piece that more valuable to me. Job well done Bay Ink. Much respect. Take all my money read more

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I don't know where to start. I reached out via Yelp and they got back to me very quickly and were even able to schedule me in for the next day. Mike Lopez did my tattoos and I am in LOVE with them! He does an amazing job with fine lines and delicate shading. I came in with two photos and he was able to make the design his very own which I appreciate. I could tell he was trying to really make it the best he could all while making sure I was comfortable. Everyone there was very professional but kept the environment light hearted. They do take walk ins but I would call or message them on here to make an appointment. They will also require a $100 down payment to keep it reserved for you. read more

Bay Ink Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - San Diego, California

Came in initially back in August & finished up my tattoo today with Ivan. His profile is mainly black and gray, but he is just as good with doing color as you see with mine. He did a phenomenal job, and I think he made my tat look better than the picture he was referencing for it! Other than that, Bay Ink is everything you want in a tattoo shop. It's got the good vibes that you'd want both from the environment and the other artist. I was was impressed with how nice of a shop it was when I first came in. I'd recommend this place and any of the artist to any of my friends honestly. Can't wait to come back! read more