My excellent experience with Dovetail started with Wendi, who was super responsive to my inquiry as well as lovely to connect with for a smoothly scheduled consult. After learning that her and I's schedule for the tattoo itself didn't align, Wendi assisted in getting me scheduled with another artist in the shop. Within only a few hours, I was set to get the work done by Erika. Erika was also a phenomenal communicator as well as super pleasant. Upon arrival for my appointment, she showed me a lovely design she came up with based on what I had submitted to Wendi previously. After a quick chat, Erika heard me and worked super well with me on the final design. My session lasted 2.5 hours and Erika didn't skip a beat in any respect. I've had artists not very engaged or take way too many breaks and this was not the case at all with Erika. She also is a super lovely human and we had a great convo that made the time go by super quick. Lastly, the outcome of the tattoo! So detailed as well as showing the meaning behind it. Erika noted she was intentional with the Raven's expression given that it's based on my Grandmother. I couldn't be more happy with everything and look forward to my next tattoo with Erika! read more

Dovetail Tattoo East - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Overall recommend the business. Tom and Kira were amazingly professional. But DO NOT BOOK AN APPOINTMENT WITH AN NYUGEN. She took a deposit for an appointment and then stopped responding.. The appointment time arrived, she just didn't show up. Completely rude and unprofessional. I don't car how good your designs are. If you take a clients money and blow off ten appointment you are not a professional, you are an embarrassment to the other professionals you work with. If it weren't for Tom and Kira stepping up and doing an amazing job to work us in to their schedule after she flaked this review would be for the business. Recommend Tom or Kira at this location. Unless you want to get screwed over, avoid working with An Nyugen. She is not yet a professional tattoo artist if this is how she handles business read more

I recently got a tattoo here by Catherine, one of their apprentices. It's only my second tattoo in Austin and I'll definitely be back! My husband is pretty heavily tattooed and I'm catching up, so we consider ourselves pretty knowledgeable in the art. My husband and I got matching bluebonnets to commemorate our fifth year in Austin and our first wedding anniversary. Catherine was able to take our base design and give it some unique qualities that reflected our individual styles. My husband's tattoo was a bit more traditional, with thicker lines and bolder colors, while mine was more illustrative and light. Catherine's art is incredible--I definitely suggest checking out her instagram if you're looking for a gorgeous illustration style tattoo. She seems to specialize in animals. I will say that the only time we could tell she was a bit less seasoned was the pain level--I recently got a tattoo in the same place on my other arm that wasn't nearly as painful since the artist didn't need to go over lines as much. But overall, it was worth it to have such a gorgeous piece of art. The shop itself is awesome, full of taxidermy and old books. Everyone on the staff is super friendly and welcoming. It just has a great energy. The rest of the artists look pretty great, too. Price is reasonable for Austin. Definitely worth looking into for your next tattoo! read more

Dovetail Tattoo East - Tattoo in progress - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

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After losing my dad, I wrote to owner, Wendi, requesting a tattoo in his remembrance. She responded that Thom Rain had an opening and I made the reservation. This was, hands down, the best tattoo experience I've ever had. Not only was Thom so patient in working with, advising and talking with me, he was just a really great guy with an amazing vibe. He listened to everything I said, carefully working with the designs I had in mind and advised me on what would look and be best, and he was ON POINT! Thom knows exactly what he's doing and his lines are excellent. Thom is a wonderful guy with a heart of gold and is just a really brilliant artist and fella. My tattoo, 4 months later, still looks fantastic and I am complimented on it almost daily. Thank you, Thom, for creating exactly what I wanted and needed to remember my daddy in a wonderful way and for the really excellent conversation; you're a swell guy! read more

Hands down, the best tattoo experience I've ever had! I remember seeing my friend's tattoo that she had done (at Dovetail) and I was blown away. I said to myself, "I need something like that!" So, I scrolled through their Instagram page and fell in love with Catherine's artwork! I knew Catherine would be able to create something that I would love for life! I wanted a memorial portrait of my dog with some flowers. I then wanted a coverup of another tattoo that was done at another shop. Without any hesitation, Catherine was able to draw up some ideas for me. Needless to say, I was blown away. She was able to create an image of my dog, named Ringo, that was incredibly realistic! Dare I say, she made him even look more handsome than he really was! The experience of the tattoo was the best I've ever had - she was so kind and was always making sure that I felt comfortable. She made sure to give me instructions to take care of my tattoo at home. Catherine even checked up on my via email. With all that said, I urge you to check out Catherine's artwork. She is so kind, sweet, accommodating, and talented. You will not be disappointed! read more

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Chris was AMAZING!! We vibed from the beginning and he was super enthusiastic about doing my tattoo. I will definitely be back!! read more

Dovetail Tattoo East - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

Catherine was such a pleasure to work with! While we started out with one of her Meowlentine tattoo designs, instead we pivoted to something more in tune to my cat's personality. That's right, a demon cat. And I love it!! Thanks for such a gorgeous piece, and thanks for being such a pleasure to work with!! read more

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Thank you thank you Nika for my beautiful artwork!! She was fun and easy to talk to. I haven't even had the tattoo for 24 hours and I've already received a bunch of compliments (: you are amazing and so glad I found you to do this piece for me!! read more

Dovetail Tattoo East - Gemini tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

Niki Urban was fabulous! She was super kind, had a great eye, was very patient, and she made the process go by very easy. She did a fantastic job. She really wanted to make sure that I walked away from the tattoo shop with a perfect tattoo that had no fault. I'm very grateful for her vision, sharing her gifts, and working on my tattoo! There is parking in the back. A little limited, but you should be fine. No front desk, but be sure to "check in". I really recommend them. Check out their work! read more

Dovetail Tattoo East - Tattoo by Nikki Urban - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

Niki Urban is the sweetest! Her work is so beautiful and I love love love my new tattoo. The atmosphere was really welcoming and relaxing. Thank you so much Niki!! Will most definitely be recommending her and this shop, and be looking to get another done. :) :) read more

Dovetail Tattoo East - Peonies Thigh Tattoo by Niki Urban - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

Jarrod (idk the correct spelling) is one of the best artists I've ever had the opportunity to work with. He did some dope new school work for me and recommend him to anyone in the Austin area. Thanks dude! read more

Dovetail is a fantastic tattoo shop. A friend recommended this place to me along with a specific artist, Carlos. I'm so happy that I listened. The shop is clean and professional with some awesome decor. I really felt comfortable there and all the artists were really nice and enjoyable to talk with. I can't say enough good things about Carlos, though. We had 3 epic sessions to work on a tattoo for me and each time was really great. From our consultation onward, Carlos listened to my ideas and thoughts on a design and added so much artistic value to it beyond what I could have imagined. He made it into a piece worth having on me forever. We also just had a fun time chatting during the process; he's a genuinely awesome person. If you are interested in getting an amazing tattoo, you must check out Dovetail, and I highly recommend Carlos! read more

I got my first tattoo ever at Dovetail East. I couldn't be more happy with the outcome!! First off, the place has very cool vibes, music, and furnishings. Very relaxing atmosphere. Nika was incredibly patient with my questions and took the time to make me feel comfortable and relaxed about the process from start to finish. She brought my design to life with incredible expertise. She has a very light touch and such a steady hand! She is a master of her craft. I left very impressed and will return again if I get another tattoo read more

I was searching for a tattoo artist who specializes in realistic flowers and came across Sando's portfolio. I scheduled an appointment for a consultation and discussed my ideas with him. We went ahead and scheduled a session for a few weeks after our initial consultation ( side note: I was counting down the days!). My session was on 10/10, and he was able to finish my tattoo in just about 3 hours. I was so impressed with his work and I was very satisfied with how the rose came out. Sando is very talented and has incredible expertise on how to create realistic flowers. I am so glad I chose him for this tattoo! read more

Dovetail Tattoo East - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

I've gotten tattoo'd twice by Catherine and not only are they two of my favorite tattoos, they were the most pleasant to sit through. I couldn't believe how gentle she is, I feel like I barely even felt any pain at all! Cat is so, so sweet and easy to talk to, she checked in with me throughout my appointment, offering water and snacks and lots of fun conversation. I will definitely be getting more tats from her, hands down, she's the best! read more

Good people, great work. They make you feel right at home. None of that "too cool for you" judgemental crap some shops put out there.

I worked with Catherine here and she was great. I'm very happy with her work, and she was very professional. I can't recommend her more.

This is one of the nicest and cleanest shops I have ever been to. I felt very welcomed. Sando was amazing. He, as well as his colleagues, are extremely talented artists. Sando has a light hand and is very attentive to his clients. I would certainly recommend. read more

From start to finish, one of the best experiences I've ever had! Thom is extremely patient, talented, friendly, compassionate and an amazing artist. He gave me *exactly* what I wanted. I'm so damn happy I can't even! Thom asked me to send photos and by the time I got there, he had them on his tablet, ready to play with. After fruitlessly searching for the "perfect font" for a short script piece, we futzed around and customized one. He listened to what I was looking for and kept working until we were on the same page. He let me pick out the colors for my bluebonnet and wine cup flowers. The way he blended the colors on the flowers is amazing for such a small piece! I got three small pieces and every single one of them is stellar. Thom is good people! Ask for him -- you won't regret it. :) read more

The best people. If the sign says Dovetail anything, you go in and slap them hard earned dollars down on the counter and holler over to the nearest ink slinger and yell "GIVE ME A TATTY!" They'll make your ugly ass look a hell of a lot cooler than when you walked in the door. Plus, the owners are excellent humans and Brian wears a cowboy hat. read more

I was sad and struggling to find my way,charging through this world with a hard focus on finally acquiring an amazing tattoo. I had a few artists at Rykers island prison do some cool jailhouse stick and poke,and upon release found myself traveling Europe and South America looking for a specific style done right. A black worker to befit my gloomy horror aura. It was only when I arrived in Austin recently that knew I had to have a beer. I posted up at the Eberly bar,and in walks this dark mystical babe wearing a crystal around her neck and a smile that could shatter a thousand mirrors. Her name was NIKI URBAN. She sat down in the next chair and showed me her insane work!! She was an absolute madwoman! I booked with her the very next day,and lemme tell ya,She started the most epic sleeve of my life. Her line work was like a cold back highway to my inner soul! Her steady focused hand could kill a fly with a pair of chopsticks. This babe's arm of talent will gonna punch every star from the night sky!! Huge future for NIKI. Mega plus read more

I have been to this place a couple of times over the years and I love going back. Catherine Fontenot is my artist there and is incredible! Her talent and attention to detail will have you leaving with a great piece of art better than you were expecting. She always checks in to make sure my tattoos are healing well and follows up for touch ups to keep them looking great. So fun to talk to and super professional! I highly recommend read more

Got some absolutely phenomenal ink from Catherine over the past few months! She's catherine_alice_ on Instagram and I highly encourage you to check out her work. I'd been working on my tattoo designs for three years by the time I stumbled across Catherine's portfolio and instantly knew her style was perfect for what I had in mind (an awesome mix of illustrative and realistic work). I was worried any artist I chose would be turned off by my super specific vision for my pieces, but she was awesome to work with every step of the way: super excited about what I wanted done, willing to tweak things if I asked but not hesitant to make suggestions that would improve the tattoos as she brought the designs to life. She was kind, accommodating, and super fun to chat with while actually getting the tattoo done as well, and eager to answer questions about aftercare once the pieces were completed. I'm over the moon with these pieces and would highly recommend her to others (especially if you want any kind of animal tattoo)! For those who might be nervous or intimidated to get a first piece, she'd also be great to work with, since she's super sweet and never makes you feel dumb for asking questions. :) As for the shop itself, Dovetail looks cool as hell inside, and it's clean and tidy, with a couple good options for pre-tattoo food right nearby. Plus it's a woman-owned business, which I was personally really stoked to support. FYI this is cross-post to Google maps as well. read more

Love it here!! Had Niki as my artist for my past two tats and she's absolutely delightful! A gentle soul with a firm but equally gentle hand, beautiful artist perfect for delicate or bold black ink tattoos :) Coming back for a third soon! read more

I literally can't say enough great things about this shop and Jerrid! My tattoo is perfect! I could not be happier with the way my fun Pixar tattoo turned out. The shop is super comfortable and clean. Jerrid is great to work with too! Very professional and nice! I'm making Dovetail tattoo my shop of choice and Jerrid my artist! Highly recommend! read more