1. Chapter One Tattoo

    1. Chapter One Tattoo

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    San Diego, CA

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    Chapter One Tattoo

    4.9 (733 reviews)
    InexpensiveTattoo
    Closed 10:00 am - 7:00 pm

    Chapter One Tattoo Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Chapter One Tattoo

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    Eric G.

    Colton is the real deal. I came to him with a vision for a traditional Japanese-style sleeve, and he took everything I brought and elevated it to a whole new level. From the start, he was collaborative, thoughtful, and fully dialed in on making sure the design flowed perfectly and told a story. His input throughout the process was on point. He respected my ideas but also added his own expert eye to guide the overall look and feel. The end result? Way beyond what I expected. The line work, shading, and composition are all insane. It's everything I hoped for and more. The shop itself was spotless--super clean and professional. Everyone there was cool and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. Good energy all around. If you're looking to get a Japanese-style piece, especially something big like a sleeve, Colton is 100% the guy to go to. Can't recommend him enough.

    Chucky by Jasmin
    Kaylee B.

    Jasmin is so talented and so sweet! She's great with communication and makes sure everything she does is with passion! I couldn't recommend a better person for a tattoo!

    Before .
    Jennifer R.

    Yvonne was very patient and easy to work with. She took my scattered ideas and turned them into exactly what I was looking. Yvonne is very talented and makes the experience fun and enjoyable.

    I could cry, I love it so much!
    Karyn T.

    I had such an incredible experience with Chapter One Tattoo and I will definitely be coming back. My friend Danielle referred me to artist Drake and he truly made my tattoo dreams come true. I had been wanting a dainty sword and I had reached out to Chapter One Tattoo and got a response so quickly, I sent a couple photos for inspiration and was told Drake would be able to do the work for me. I made my appointment and even though we needed to adjust the timing to an early hour I was given plenty of time and it actually worked in my favor as well. During the date of my appointment I found parking closer to the residential side of OB and walked a couple of blocks. The shop is super clean and beautifully decorated and played my favorite songs growing up. Signed my questionnaire and waited to meet Drake, I came early and had plenty of time to settle my nerves. When I met Drake he had such a relaxed aura about him which in term made me feel so comfortable, he let me know that he was cleaning up and resetting his station. Truly his station is impeccable and organized, he showed me the stencil he created and I was in awe, I was a little nervous because this was my first tattoo but he was really reassuring. After we got the perfect size, we went over the coloring of the stone in the middle of the sword, I really appreciate that he was super detail oriented. We chatted in the beginning of him tattooing me which I think was more for me to ease my nerves but within the first 5 minutes I was so calm and relaxed, Drake is super gentle and I barely felt anything, seriously such a great experience. When he finished he looked over his work to make sure there wasn't any detail he missed, after a couple look overs and final touches we were set and I am in absolute awe. My little sword is so dainty and magical and beautiful and also so powerful and strong, I love it. I look at it everyday and think it looks like something out of my favorite fantasy book. If you need a super detail oriented artist who is gentle and precise please reach out to Drake you won't regret it. Thank you!

    Karen A.

    I was hesitant to go to such a popular shop, worried it was overrated and lame--they blew it out of the water! Yvonne helped customize a piece for me with care and precision and I will definitely be back. The shop itself was clean, reception was respectful and welcoming, overall vibes were immaculate.

    Jessie A.

    I can't recommend Chapter One Tattoo enough. Clean environment and friendly staff with plenty of different artists based off of your vibes. I went with Drake who specializes in fine line. He was so patient, listened to all my requests and drew everything up perfectly! He communicated throughout the process just asking if I needed a break, a snack or drinks. He has a very zen like demeanor which is perfect while getting a tattoo. Will be booking with Drake again in the future. Im in love with my tattoos thank you!

    Angelica B.

    De is an incredibly talented, skillful and caring artist. She came highly recommended by a dear friend of mine and WOW she is definitely my go-to gal now! The front desk folks were kind and responsive, both in their e-mails and in person. The overall vibe of the space and community there was welcoming and friendly. Thank you De for adorning me so beautifully with my spirit animal! Thank you Chapter One for hiring such an experienced, excellent and badass artist!

    Super thankful to have been recommended this shop by a friend. Darigo was amazing both incredibly talented and genuinely welcoming. This was my first tattoo, so I was a little nervous and ended up doing two consults before my appointment. Darigo listened to all of my concerns and never made me feel bad for asking the same questions over and over lol. He made the entire experience feel comfortable and reassuring from start to finish. I love my tattoos, and the shop itself is super cool, it has great atmosphere inside and out. So grateful and would highly recommend!

    Joelle F.

    Yvonne is amazing! She took a completed mediocre tattoo and made it beautiful! She is truly an artist!

    One of a kind latte stone tattoo!
    Lona P.

    I'm so in love with my tattoo by Albert! My thoughts were so scattered and he listened to everything I had to say and took it and made me a one-of-a-kind work of art! I'm so proud of my latte stone and all my friends and family from Guam think it's amazing, too! Thank you so much, Abert! I

    Total area for the tattoo.

    On each trip I take across the country, I like to get a tattoo that's just a bit bigger than a quarter--something small and memorable. For my appointment with Tiff Saxey, I have the artist create a design that they feel best captures the spirit of the area, and I'm excited to show what she came up with.

    Our Tattoos!

    Went in to get matching tattoos with my 2 besties. The tattoo artist Tiff was great to work with!! The place was super clean and they took the time thoroughly clean between our sessions. Super impressed and Great experience. I'll be back for my next one!

    Artist Dante Brooke

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    1 month ago

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    7 months ago

    Super kind and inviting staff. Max did my daughter's 1st tattoo and we LOvE it! 10/10 experience! Highly recommend!

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    8 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Amazing place. Very clean, professional and friendly. As well as killer work thank you so much for accommodating my son and I.

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    Page 1 of 19

    Chapter One Tattoo Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Chapter One Tattoo

    How much does Cash charge per hour, what's his minimum hours per session and how long til I can schedule with him including cancellations?…

    Hey Dean, All of those answers really depend on the project and what you would be looking to get. He… 

    Have some rose tattoos that are faded out , who can bring them back to life?

    Any of our artists would love to help with this, but it would really boil down to what style the roses are in. Each of our artists love to work on floral pieces, but they all have their unique style so it would depend on what you are looking for.

    What is the typical price per hour that Slava charges? Thank you!

    Hey Heather, Slava no longer works at Chapter One Tattoo.

    Are you guys having any Halloween specials?

    Dan will be doing Halloween based flash

    How much does Colton charge an hour?

    Hello! It depends on the project if Colton will charge hourly or a flat rate. Feel free to schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your ideas with him!

    Do you guys do cover ups?

    Yes, we do! Best way to reach us is to email info@chapteronetattoo.com with a picture of your current tattoo and any references of things you were hoping to cover it up with!

    How much for a consultation with Albert?

    All consults are free! :)

    How much will it be to get a small tattoo?

    Hey Eunice, We have a $120 shop minimum, however small tattoo does not always mean it will be the… 

    Do they do small script tattoos, say may be on a wrist? How much will that cost on an average?

    Yes, it is best to schedule a consultation with a tattoo artist that you like. Some of them will only do large pieces and are booked for months/years in advanced. But they do accept walk ins too. The price is by the hour. What you described should… 

    Is there any way I'd be able to get a quote on a tattoo without coming in? :)

    You can try! Send an email to info@chapteronetattoo.com

    Are you doing any Friday the 13th specials?

    We usually always do- best way to see our flash days is to follow us on Instagram @chapteronetattoo

    Do they do piercings?

    Hey Daniella, Sorry, but we do not do piercings, just tattoos.

    How much does Albert charge?

    Albert is 250 an hour! :)

    How much an hour does Cash charge?

    $350+ an hour and he's usually booked over a year in advance

    What is the price? Is it 100 per hour?

    It depends who your artist is. Mine was $250 an hour and I booked my appointment 6 months in advance.

    I love this shops work do you pay by the tattoo or hourly?

    By the hour

    What is their shop minimum?

    $100 as of 08/04/17

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    Review Highlights - Chapter One Tattoo

    Albert was awesome and made my experience enjoyable considering I had never been tattooed before.

    Mentioned in 86 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Lions Den Tattoo Studio - Work from Brenda! And a Diet Coke :)

    Lions Den Tattoo Studio

    4.8(275 reviews)
    3.2 miOld Town
    $$
    Locally owned & operated
    Free estimates

    The best experience I've had. Took a concept and brought it to life. Steve is an extraordinary…read morevisionary and artist and the whole studio of artists treated me like family. I couldn't recommend them more. If you're thinking of getting your first tattoo or looking for your next, visit Lionsden. You will not be disappointed. Epic attention to detail, amazing atmosphere, kind professionals and talented artists.

    Terrible attitude + subpar tattoos. If I could leave 0 stars I would. They're welcoming at all…read more There's an ongoing joke that tattoo spots these days make it feel like they're inconvenienced by walk-in and I never experienced it until I visited this spot, except I was attending a Friday the 13 flash event. The tattoos were not great quality either. My artist which I believe is the owner or one of the main guys gave me attitude when I asked if he could make my tattoo half and inch small. Then I asked if he could rotate it as in physically turn it before placing it and he got annoyed again, said I'd have to pay extra if I'm going to be asking for all that. I explained it wanted it at 90 degree angle vs how how was going to place it. He wouldn't need to make any further changes. Obviously it was a misunderstanding but the way he spoke to me was not friendly at all. But the real issue was how bad the tattle was, didn't look like what was on the flash sheet at all. On the sheet it looked like fine line and well. Just look at my picture to see the issue. You can hardly read the inner part which was supposed to say Veneno. Overall it just came out sloppy and I'm genuinely embarrassed by it. I lie to folks and say that it's supposed to look like that to give spooky vibes but in reality that's not how the tattoo was portrayed on the flash sheet, I think they tatted a little too deep too.

    Photos
    Lions Den Tattoo Studio - What a honor! We just won San Diego's best tattoo shop voted on by its readers - Incredible! #besttattooshop #besttattooartist #walkintattoo

    What a honor! We just won San Diego's best tattoo shop voted on by its readers - Incredible! #besttattooshop #besttattooartist #walkintattoo

    Lions Den Tattoo Studio - Black and grey work from Nancy

    Black and grey work from Nancy

    Lions Den Tattoo Studio - Traditional Tiger piece by Henry

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    Traditional Tiger piece by Henry

    Bearcat Tattoo Gallery - Artist Nate Anderson

    Bearcat Tattoo Gallery

    4.9(111 reviews)
    4.6 miLittle Italy
    $$
    Certified professionals
    Boutique

    Bruce Becerra is as absolutely amazing. I explained what I wanted and gave him free rein to design…read moreit based on what I've told him. It's an amazing tattoo, it's even better than what I imagined. Little details I never would have thought of. Also, the vibe in the shop was so chilled and comfortable. I've been to some shops that feel somewhat intimidating. Cynthia at the front was so friendly, even introduced me to the neighbourhood cat, Turbo, who is an absolute chonk. I highly recommend the place, the people are top notch, and the work is even better.

    I'm disappointed more and more every day with my tattoo by Mike from bearcat tattoo. I showed up to…read morethis shop with an exact idea in mind and my artist was difficult to work with. He shot down my design and placement idea and kept suggesting different things that were not aligned with my vision. I was unfortunately persuaded by Mike and I'm so disappointed with the end result. Should have stuck to my gut. Now I'm stuck with this piece forever because this guy essentially pushed me into a direction I didn't want want to go. 0/10 would not recommend to anyone. Also, this guy charges you from the second you walk in the shop - I provided the entire tattoo inspo and design and he went with what he thought was cool and pushed me. Unfortunately I trusted him. Last time walk into this shop

    Photos
    Bearcat Tattoo Gallery - Nate Anderson is the shit!!!!

    Nate Anderson is the shit!!!!

    Bearcat Tattoo Gallery - Flower tattoo by Nate Anderson

    Flower tattoo by Nate Anderson

    Bearcat Tattoo Gallery - Artist Nate Anderson

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    Artist Nate Anderson

    Nothing Sacred Tattoo - Original design

    Nothing Sacred Tattoo

    4.4(138 reviews)
    5.6 miGaslamp
    $$

    Great shop and Toni is top-notch with fantastic listening and artistic skills making possible what…read moreothers said isn't. Highly recommend - you won't go wrong here!!

    0/10. Do NOT come here…read more I found this artist through Instagram for anime tattoos. His work looked good, so I reached out. He was quick to respond and asked for a $200 deposit, which I sent via Apple Pay on March 5 to the shop owner. We booked for March 16. Leading up to the appointment, he would send random updates on the design, but nothing was finalized. I gave feedback and stayed patient, even knowing they had a Friday the 13th event going on. I didn't hit him up again until March 15 (the day before my appointment) because we STILL didn't have a finished design, which is wild. He tells me he'll have it done that day. Cool. Then a few hours later, I get a generic email saying my appointment is canceled. No explanation. Nothing. So I reach out to the number I sent my $200 to asking for a refund, and instead of handling it like professionals, they get confrontational and start acting like I'm the problem for asking for MY money back. They try to hide behind a "no refund" policy... even though THEY canceled on me. Make that make sense. I added my conversation with the artist, since the owner wants to claim harassment. Judge for yourself. No policy was ever clearly shown to me, and communication was trash the entire time. Instead of owning their mistake, they blamed me and got disrespectful. I only got my money back after I told them I'd file a chargeback with my bank and take them to small claims court. Go read their bad reviews--you'll see a pattern, especially with how the owner talks to customers. Super unprofessional. Save your time, save your money, and go somewhere else.

    Photos
    Nothing Sacred Tattoo
    Nothing Sacred Tattoo
    Nothing Sacred Tattoo

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    Chapter One Tattoo - tattoo - Updated September 2026

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