10/10 would recommend. Big Fish Tattoo Studio is incredible. From start to finish, the experience was top tier. The studio is super clean, welcoming, and has great vibes. Communication was easy and clear, and every staff member I interacted with was friendly, attentive, and professional. It truly feels like a safe and comfortable place to get tattooed! I had an amazing experience with Aja! She is so professional, incredibly talented, fast, and light handed. She checks in throughout the process and really makes sure her clients feel comfortable and taken care of. I've come to her for two custom tattoos. I'm beyond happy with the pieces and couldn't be more impressed with the quality of work, communication, and overall value. Highly recommend Big Fish Tattoo Studio and especially Aja! read more

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New tattoo went just as great as the first one. Shane was great at the details and getting everything lined up right. Thanks again Big Fish team. Also, I got a sticker this time which rocks, thanks. read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Tattoo 10 minutes after sealed - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Dave, from every fiber of my soul, thank you. This tattoo was never just about art for me. It was about my son Anthony . It was about love, loss, memory, and carrying him with me in a real and visible way. That takes trust, and Dave earned that trust completely. He is an incredible artist, but beyond that, he brought presence, compassion, and respect to the entire experience. He understood the gravity of what I was asking for and treated it with reverence and the care it deserved. What he created means more to me than I can fully put into words. I'll be grateful for it for the rest of my days and beyond. Artist: Dave Hartman read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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5 Stars - Great Experience at Big Fish Tattoo! My wife and I were visiting San Diego from Sacramento for a short getaway--just beaches, good food, and some spontaneity. On a whim, we decided to get tattoos. After trying several shops, we were lucky to find Big Fish Tattoo, which was open and accepting walk-ins. From the moment we walked in, the staff was super friendly and welcoming. They gave us plenty of time to choose our designs and even offered great recommendations. I got a palm tree with waves by Sasha, and my wife got a rose by Hannah--both artists were incredibly professional and talented. The whole process was smooth, and they made sure we understood the aftercare instructions before we left. If you're looking for a solid tattoo shop in San Diego with skilled artists and a great atmosphere, I highly recommend Big Fish Tattoo! We'll definitely be stopping by again the next time we're in town. read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Palm tree with wave - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Big Fish is a fantastic place to get inked -- clean, well organized interior with great art, and knowledgable artists who are experts at their craft. I had the immense privilege of being tattooed by Mariana. She drew out exactly what I wanted from a few inspo photos and even experimented with different sizes and placements before making sure I was 100% sure of everything. Mariana is a true artist and I get so many compliments on my tattoo. read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Hannah at Big Fish Tattoo was absolutely amazing to work with. She was professional, patient, and brought her creativity to design the most epic piece honoring someone I recently lost. Thanks to her talent, I can now carry that love and memory with me through ink. Hannah is responsive, personable, and honest. I already have my next tattoo ready to schedule with her. Everyone at Big Fish Tattoo is incredibly talented and has created a warm, clean, and professional environment. Highly recommend! read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Jake is an amazing fine line tattoo artist. His touch is the lightest I've ever experienced. The attention to detail is unmatched. He made me feel at ease, the art work consultation was really collaborative and chill. Can't wait to fill out my sleeve with him. read more

We were in SD for the day, decided to get a couple bangers (at least we thought) we were expected to pay about 450 for two of us. Sticker shock for sure but nonetheless a great experience. read more

Damiani is a rad human and incredible artist. I was a walk in and connected with Damiani for a fine line tattoo of a punk rock little cow with a few baby chicks around it. He nailed it and was super personable throughout the whole experience. I've been back since and my latest was a fine line tattoo of a photograph -- my sister and I standing on my GMA's porch when we were little. Again, amazing job. He also did a fix on a screwed up tattoo from a different shop. I can't recommend him enough and I'm stoked to have great tattoos on my skin -- honestly for the first time ever. His vibe is rad, super kind, super talented - all good things. Call the man for sure. read more

LOVED my time today with all of the lovely piercing team. me and my friends came in and instantly felt comfortable and in good company! also loved the opportunity to bring in my own jewelry that fit the standard of what they needed for a new piercing. everyone was so fun and nice and i highly recommend taking a trip! read more

I came in as a walk in and damiani did amazinggg!!! He walked through the whole process and was super informative. The detail in his work is also amazing. This was nerve racking especially because it was my biggest piece yet, but everyone who was there was so supportive and helpful! I definitely recommend this place! Can't wait for my next session! read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Where do I even begin? I've gotten a few tattoos now with Marianne and she's honestly incredible. She's talented, communicative, and extremely professional and it seems like each new tattoo I get from her I love more than the last. Not only is Marianne a precise and confident tattooer, but she is also really good at making you feel welcomed and at home at the Big Fish studio. Whether you're a seasoned pro at sitting in the hot seat or if you're nervous about getting your first tattoo, Marianne makes you feel comfortable. She's an amazing listener and pivots creatively with your own ideas and does an excellent job of designing tattoos that are exactly what you imagined (and more)! I'll certainly be back for more and recommend Marianne's work for anyone who's interested in having a beautiful piece of art on their body forever. read more

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My first tattoo. I figured, go big or go home. Dave Hartman, my artist did a great job on my shoulder and arm. I wanted an octopus. He freehanded the drawing and then got to work. The staff was so nice and everyone encouraged each other and seemed to work as a team. Very cool vibe in the shop. Great music too! read more

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They were so great! Walked in expecting just to book an appointment but Damiani was available right away to work with me. He did a great job of replicating my mother's handwriting sample and made sure I was happy with the design. Easy and painless process, very lovely treatment - a GREAT experience. Can't wait for him to do my next tattoo. read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Levi is absolutely amazing. Quick and "painless" My man got a cover up tattoo and I got this gorgeous feline! read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Levi's AMAZING - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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A few months ago I was ready to pull the trigger on my next tattoo so an in-depth Yelp search was needed. I originally sent an inquiry to one shop and heard back from several others during the process, one of which was Big Fish Tattoo, and simply based off the responses received, I knew this was the shop for me. Located right on Highway 101, both times I've visited, I was able to find street parking {with 2 free hours} immediately and without struggle. I was drawn to Big Fish as it's super clean and well maintained, which was very important to me in a tattoo shop. The customer service from each of the team members I've interacted with has been nothing short of stellar and they each made me feel welcomed right away. Enter Cassie {my tattoo artist}.. she is Ah-Mazing! From the moment I emailed her my design, she understood exactly what I was looking for and even had several size options available when I arrived for my appointment. I let her know that I was a little nervous as I hadn't gotten a new tattoo in years, but her joyful, comforting and outgoing personality put me at ease immediately and I felt as if I've known her for years. Her work is absolutely wonderful and the at-home care tips she provided were perfect for the first few weeks of care. I even booked another appointment for the next tattoo a few weeks after the original.. and already thinking about my next. Looking for a new tattoo and want a personal and welcoming experience.. Check out Big Fish Tattoo and go see Cassie! You will not be disappointed! read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Cant say enough good things about Dave and the entire shop! I came in to get a 15 year old tattoo touched up (originally from another shop). Dave brought this tattoo back to life! I was there for about 4 hours and needless to say I was in a good amount of pain (I'm admittedly a baby but this tattoo is also on my ribs so ouch). Dave and the rest of the staff were so kind and kept telling me I was a champ. They were all so sweet and made me feel so comfortable. Dave added so much color and detail, I am thrilled with how it turned out! Thank you, Dave!!! read more

Big Fish Tattoo - The aftermath - so much better!! - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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My initial interaction with this shop was great. I wanted a small thin line tattoo and had an appointment with Miss Marianne. She made me feel comfortable and everything was great. Comfortable setting and Kano who greeted us and had us fill out paperwork was great and helpful. Now I need a touch up and can't get a hold of her to save my life. I've called and left messages with Keno at the front desk twice, instagrammed messaged her 3 times and even have requested an appointment via her personal booking site twice and NOTHING. Very disappointing especially since the fine line tattoo barely took on my arm. Edited to add: several hours after the above review, I received a sincere and apologetic email from Marianne hoping she could make this all up to me. After several emails back and forth, she was able to fit me in with MY soonest availability. We added a little more to the tattoo and she would not accept any payment for it. She was kind and apologetic and very meticulous with my tattoo, and made sure it was perfect. She's definitely a perfectionist. This last interaction reminded me of her cleanliness and professionalism. And also what a great and positive vibe the shop has. read more

Damiani is the best! He is always excited to bring your vision to life and create amazing pieces. He's all about perfecting the process, from making sure the piece flows well in your desired spot to checking in on you throughout the process. I also really enjoy the vibe of Big Fish tattoo. It's a large studio in a great location right by the water. Can't wait to get another piece there! read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Damiani's work - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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Want to give a huge shout out and thank you to Cory James! My best friend is moving out of state pretty suddenly and we've been talking about getting matching tattoos for years, so now it's crunch time! I called the shop earlier this week and Cory answered the phone. He was kind and extremely flexible with his time in getting us in before the weekend. I asked about vegan ink on the phone and they had it on hand which was awesome. At the time of our appointment, he remembered I asked for that without having to remind him. He was funny and a great conversationalist- time flew by. The shop was immaculate and all of the other artists were really nice, too! Will definitely be back in the future! Thanks again Cory & Big Fish!! *fist bump* read more

Amazing experience! My partner and I walked in on Saturday and told the receptionist a bit about what we wanted-- two matching death moth tattoos. They were able to make an appointment for us the very next day with a custom design. I was tattooed by Levi, and my partner was tattooed by Paula. Both of us were impressed with their talent and professionalism. The shop was clean, relatively empty (which was nice), and had good music playing. Levi was so nice and did an amazing job with my moth. My partner and I are both super happy with our new tattoos! Will definitely be going back again. read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Death moth by Levi - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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I have been searching for so long to find the right artist. Someone who has clean, straight lines, saturates with color well and is a cool, nice person. Well, I found him here! Love Dave Hartman. What a sweet guy, and you can tell the staff all gets along well. I spoke to their receptionist and she told me it was the 1st time she would go to anyone , any of the artists here for work. They are all great and each have their own amazing creativity to contribute. Dave has been so kind to work with me, with ideas, give me his opinion when asked and just has an all around positive vibe as well as being great at his job. I will be back of course to see him. I'm a creature of habit and thankfully I found him and this studio!! read more

I had an awesome experience ... Gabriel is so kind and patient and did beautiful work. my first tat too!! ...all of the staff were amazing I will Go back I'm planning another already. telling all my friends. Thumb way up. Mrs Dee. read more

I have been getting tattooed by Aja Seabron (_honeyspyder_) for many years. She recently moved into Big Fish in Solana Beach. As far as the shop goes, it is spacious, clean, and inviting. The owner Dave and the other artists are extremely welcoming. You can tell that a lot of effort went into the design and layout of the space. As far as Aja goes - I highly recommend her! She is incredibly talented and above all else, she truly listens to you as her client. She has a very unique eye for style and design, which is was drew me to her in the first place. She welcomes feedback and is always happy to answer questions. On top of that she is a friendly and genuine person. Check out her work next time you are shopping around for a new artist. read more

Absolutely love this shop! Luis Damiani insta: damiani_tatoo and Marianna Camacho insta: karmariana are amazing! From fine line to creative art pieces they've got you! The vibe in the shop is inviting and friendly! Been to enough other shops to say this is your place and these are your artist! They are simply the best read more

Big Fish is the sh*t. The shop itself is beautiful, the staff is super friendly, and Jake did such a beautiful job on my tattoo. I enjoyed our conversation, and felt very at ease. I'm already planning my next session with him. read more

Absolutely blown away by my death-moth tattoo by Dave Hartman and so is everyone else who's seen it! Dave worked patiently with me to bring my vision to life and it's even better than I imagined. As someone who has a decent amount of ink I was impressed with how little my skin had a reaction, barely even red afterwards. I'm pretty impulsive so I'm extremely happy I waited it out to get an appointment with the best artist possible for my piece. Not to mention the clean, tightly run, beautifully aesthetic shop Dave operates with the help of his other super rad artists! I will 100% be a Big Fish client for life. STOP SCROLLING THROUGH REVIEWS AND BOOK THIS TATTOO PARLOR.. YOU CAN THANK ME LATER PEOPLE! read more

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Super clean, friendly, and quick! Came right back with my husband for his first, and he was really happy!

Big Fish is THE only place I would trust with my tattoos. Dave Hartman is a true artist! I love the space, it's clean, comfortable and full of incredibly kind people. Dave is an expert. He does the best color work ever. Everyone there is so friendly and very helpful. Dave listens to what you want and helps you come up with the best design. If you are looking for a place to get your work done, you have found it read more

Stopped by the shop on Sunday, August 1st around 6pm and guess what, the shop is closed although on yelp it says they are open till 8pm. Tried to contact these guys multiple times afterwards. Today is August 27th and I still wasn't able to get in for a consultation. Called a few times, sent multiple yelp requests and emails to schedule a consultation and eventually a tattoo appointment but was never able to do so. I contacted other tattoo shops and got replies within a day with price estimates and appointments schedule. Do not recommend this place! read more

Absolutely LOVE. Marianne did a super cute and dainty tattoo on me and my best friend. We were walk ins, the vibe was great, she was amazing. Definitely coming back here :) I live in North Park where I am surrounded by MANY tattoo shops so going the 30+ min of travel time to Solana beach SO WORTH IT. read more

The staff was so friendly and welcomed us in! We were walk-ins and Chaine was amazing! So fun! Thanks for a great experience read more

Loved this tattoo spot! I was a walk in!Front desk super friendly and Evan was great artist and super nice guy. Highly recommend!

Marianna was amazing! She was patient with me picking a design and actually surprised me the day of the appointment by combining a couple of the ideas I had into something I didn't even know I wanted until I saw it. Her technique was flawless as far as I can tell and my new tattoo is healing very nicely. She really took the time to make sure I was happy with the outcome before I left the shop. If it's your first tattoo or you're feeding your ink addiction I highly recommend Marianna! read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Ankle/foot tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

The best experience I haVe ever had! Dave was friendly and responsive. He worked with my ideas and gave me the most fabulous two delicate tattoos. I could not be more thrilled with the entire process start to finish! I would absolutely urge anyone to come here!!! Thank you so much Dave and Big Fish!! I will absolutely be back !! read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Ankle wave tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

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So often, when you check into a place on Yelp, you get a special offer. It could be an appetizer, a free drink, or 10% off; here at Big Fish, I would so love to see a "FREE SKULL, HEART, OR KANJI BONUS TATTOO WITH CHECK-IN!!!" You know, I have no ink on me (or strings for that matter). And I've never begrudged anyone who does, either. I've seen some hits and misses, some brilliant portraits that look perfect and some truly frightening screw-ups that serve as comic fodder on pop-up websites. My lady love has two of her own, a simple design on her neck and a more intricate religious design from a Disturbed album cover with additional lining on her lower back. Yet, that isn't enough! With a few scars on her hand that she wanted to cover up, we came down to Big Fish to see what they could do. Paula, her chosen artist, quickly drew up a few suggestions and we were both extremely impressed by the skill and detail she displayed in such a short sketch time. So, we set up an appointment and came back a week later to get the job done. The tattoo covered a good area, a flower of about 2.5 inches square in size along with a small heart on her finger, and was done within a single session of just about an hour. My girlfriend was very happy with the finished product and both of us had an excellent time while it was getting done. The staff was laid back, very open to questions, and extremely nice people (considering you're paying them to inject ink into your skin and essentially scar you for life with a beautiful image of your design). Add in the fact that they play great techno (my kind of music, not her's) and offer to share a beer when you're done and I really have nothing but praise for this place! So much, in fact, that she's already planning to come back and have a few more done in the future. And while I didn't get "***PROPERTY OF JULIE***" tattooed on my scrotum as was suggested, there is always next year. read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

damiani was so great! really easy to make an appoint, so friendly and came out with a beautiful tattoo. he helped me pick the perfect spot too! would totally recommend to anyone And will be going back asap! read more

Walked in while waiting to see show at the Belly Up and Corey James took very good care of us. Very kind, talented, patient and funny. Took his time and was very professional and careful. So glad we found him. We will be back. read more

I went in with scattered ideas and screenshots and Dave pulled it all together and designed my artwork. It's exactly what I wanted. I love it. He also in the past did a cleanup on a non shop tattoo. I love that one, too, after he fixed it. read more

Big Fish Tattoo - Dave Hartman - Tattoo Near Me - Solana Beach, California

Jake made 3 of my tattoos over the past 2 years. He is incredible with fine lines and details. Very careful, taking his time, making sure you are comfortable and that the design is what you are looking for. If you don't know what you want but you want to get tattooed, he also creates his own pieces that are so creative and detail oriented! I definitely recommend his work! read more