This was my first time visiting Family Tattoo and let me say I'm looking forward to visit here again. Bob did an awesome job on my neck tattoo, he was very professional and conversational, would definitely get another tattoo done by him. read more

While eating our breakfast at Gemini, I called to see if me and two other girlfriends could pop in for a walk in. The dude on the line, Brian, was super friendly and said "yeah come in!" He ended up being all of our tattoo artist bc of his experience and expertise in fine lines. My two gfs got cursive writing and I got a willow tree. We love all of them! He made sure we got what we were looking for. Really took his time and when it came to the actual tattoo, no pain at all (fine line isn't really too painful apparently, either) and it was quick. Zelle is accepted as cash. Clean place, cool saloon doors, quiet but nice staff. Just an overall good experience with really reasonable prices. Wanna have a great experience, leave with a great tattoo to your exactly liking, and feel like "family"? Come here - you won't be disappointed. read more

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I was there yesterday, got my tattoo done by Brian. He is a great tattoo artist, answer any questions I had is extremely patient Made sure that I was comfortable the entire time. I LOVE MY TATTOO read more

Family Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Juliana was an amazing artist. She made me totally comfortable. She explained everything that was happening and how to care for the art. will be back! read more

My very first tattoo was a BIG deal to me. I am grateful that my son, who gave me the tattoo as a Christmas present, chose Jake Norris (Jorts) at Family Tattoo as the artist to do my tattoo. Two weeks later I remain awed looking at my tattoo - it is exactly how I hoped it would look! I was quite nervous beforehand, both about possible pain AND about how closely the tattoo would resemble the image I chose. Jorts was so reassuring, explaining the entire process before he started, and answering all my questions. The atmosphere at Family Tattoo is upbeat and positive. I am already planning tattoo #2, and look forward to working again with Jorts at Family Tattoo. read more

I called ahead of time an asked if there was someone there who could do an armband tattoo. I was told yes and that I should come in, so I did. This was my first time going to a tattoo shop. All of my other tattoos were done by individual artists at their private studios. This is such a traumatizing experience. I decided to come here alone and I feel like they took advantage of me. Once I got here I felt very uncomfortable and got the vibe that artist didn't even want to do this. When I asked on his thoughts before the tattoo, he would blankly say "up to you" and look away. He literally seemed mad at me for wanting to get a tattoo! Now clearly THIS is not that tattoo I wanted. I showed him what I wanted, which was simple linework. 2 lines and I decided to add little triangles at the bottom like the picture. First of all, he seemed annoyed right from the beginning. He created the stencil twice (according to him, the artists create the stencils alone so I had no input in the process of even seeing what he was creating for my arm. This is the first time I had an artist not include me in the process of creating my tattoo!) The stencil eventually did seem to match what I showed him I wanted. But it didn't even go all the way around my arm, and he drew it on and said it would even. Does any of this look even??? And it's all black, which is not what I showed him. I have no idea what this guy did. He completely did not care and rushed the whole thing. This took about 30 minutes. $200. I've decided I'm getting this removed (Which will be hard considering how much Black he used). I've been told I should get it removed because the artist went too deep and scarred the tissue, so now a coverup is unlikely. I've definitely had to come to terms with this because it's on my body and it's very visible. I'm honestly traumatized. I wish tattoo artists would think about the implications of rushing someone's tattoo and doing work on them that they wouldn't do for themselves. You can't get lazy with someone's tattoo, it's something that's visible on their body and it affects their life and mental health. If you're not able to do the tattoo just say so! I've been advised by people on the internet and social media to never ever go back here again. Update: I struggle with disabilities so I had my mother help me to communicate over the phone and was berated by Bob for having my mother help me out. It doesn't seem like Family Tattoo has any sensitivity training. I feel like I was discriminated against by this artist. He made personal attacks on my abilities and spoke very condescendingly towards me. He was very unprofessional and showed no concern for what he did to my arm. I'm now going through the removal process (which is very expensive and painful). The artist did not accept any responsibility at all for what he did, and only continued to blame me and make personal attacks on my abilities (I got it on video because I was so shocked by the artist's behavior). Even if I wasn't disabled that's no way of talking to a client who's calling because you made a mistake on something that's on their body. Nothing has been done to fix the situation and so far I've been ignored by the owner of the place. It seems like these people really don't care about the wellbeing of their clients at all. read more

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Amanda did my tattoo & I love it! She was professional, reasonable in price & wonderful customer service! The shop is spotless & the paperwork was user friendly . She made sure any health concerns were discussed and showed an interest in what I wanted as a customer . I'll definitely be back! read more

Family Tattoo - My new tattoo!! I love it!! RIP mom - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've only ever worked with Amanda but this shop is always chill vibes when I go. Def my most comfortable experiences getting tattooed have been here and Amanda is incredibly versatile and professional. Would highly recommend. read more

Got a couple tattoos here years ago, like 2007ish I think? Lee, Frank who I think has since moved and some other artists there always did an awesome job. Spot on, clean lines, great listeners as to what you'd like done and all these years later the work they did stands perfectly! read more

I had not had a tattoo in 10 years so I wasn't sure what to expect. My sister did all of the research for me last time too. This time I was on my own. After searching many Chicago locations, I was getting discouraged until I passed the Family Tattoo shop on a trip from my daughter's high school. I googled them when I got home and saw they were a family owned business with flexible hours, had many artists with rave reviews, and many reviews mentioned the owner, Lee, personally. I requested an appointment with Lee. He responded to my emails timely and worked with me to schedule my appointment around my upcoming beach vacations. My first of two tattoos came out beautifully! This one was a redo and he even added more accent coloring. I love it! Lee's experience and work confirmed all of the reviews. Thank you Lee! See you soon for second one:) read more

Family Tattoo is the only place to go to get tattooed. I've been working with Bob Haase who is not only an awesome guy, but an amazing tattoo artist. He nailed my vision for my half sleeve tattoo and I can't be more happier. A true artist and professional. His work is unmatched. Family Tattoo is a great atmosphere full of professionals who make the experience great! Can't wait for Bob to work on my other arm. read more

Been wanting small delicate writing on my wrist for a while and after getting ripped at a prior place and also being told what I wanted is impossible, I did a lot of research and landed on Lee Leahy at Family Tattoo. He was awesome, first super patient with me changing my mind about sizing, then super professional and friendly during the whole process, and also so crazy fast! I was so impressed because anything else I've done with small lettering took longer. Will definitely be coming back for my next one! read more

Family Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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'Dread Irene' did an impressive job with our finger tattoos! Still looks amazing months later... :) So many other locations made such a 'big deal' about getting our fingers tattooed... At Family Tattoo, the artist was professional and efficient... Great experience overall. read more

Bob did any awesome and speedy job on a couple of matching tats for me and my hetero life mate. He was super chill to hang and talk to and let us create a personal design that was exactly what we wanted. 10/10 recommend and we'll definitely be back for more. read more

Family Tattoo - Matching mushie tats with my mooshie hetero life partner - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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New year, new experiences. In this case, my 2019 started off with an extremely spontaneous trip to Family Tattoo, where I would get my very first piece of body art. I won't lie, I was pretty nervous, but Bob reassured me that, when we got started, everything will be fine and there's nothing to be worried about. I truly believed that, and once I felt that first touch of needle pierce my skin, I truly knew I could take this process on no problem. The shop welcomes walk-in sessions as well as appointments. Please be aware that this is a Cash-Only biz, but they do have an ATM available indoors. Loads of art samples are posted all throughout the shops from each of the artists of Family Tattoo, so no matter what style you're looking for, someone there can help you out get the best tattoo you could ever ask for. read more

I recently had my first tattoo ever done by Caroline at Family Tattoo. I'm pleased to say that I am blown away by the design she did for me and I've had dozens of compliments on her work in just the one week since I had my tattoo done. When I first met with Caroline I had just an idea, and then when I came in for my appointment and she showed me the drawing she came up with I was blown away. She was very easy going about making any changes or adjusting the placement for me and was very conscientious of any hesitations I had. She helped me through some of the pain, making me feel a little less obnoxious than I thought I was being and the end result was more than I had imagined. Loved it. The only challenge I had was that I had initially hoped to see the drawing before the day of and had reached out via email a few times, but I later learned there was an issue with the email so I don't hold her responsible! I would recommend her any day and if I ever have the courage to get another one done she'd be the one I go to. read more

Family Tattoo - Summer, fall, winter, spring. Done by the one and only Caroline Moody. - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Dear Frank. You are my hero. Love, Martha. I scavengered the city over the past two weeks trying to find someone to "fix" a tattoo I got at Jade Dragon about a year ago. I found plenty of people willing to re-do the tattoo but not until I got to Family Tattoo did I find someone who actually seemed to understand how important it was to me to have it fixed. Frank was my guy. The tattoo I had was supposed to be a pretty orange flower half on my ankle and half on the top and side of my foot. Instead it looked like Meatwad from Aqua Teen Hunger Force. Frank turned Meatwad into a beautiful hyacinth that I love to look at and show off. Not only is the flower beautiful, the whole process was relatively painless! The first round of the tattoo at Jade Dragon was the most painful experience of my life. Not exagerating. Apparently the guy who did it actually made HOLES in my foot. I was in serious pain for over a week and it took about six months to heal. I still have scar tissue from the experience. Frank however, magician that he is, managed to get through the thing with very little pain (relatively) and NO PAIN since! It is healing beautifully, doesn't hurt and isn't all gross and scabby. Not to mention the price was stellar as well. And he touched up two other tattoos for no charge. Never will I go anywhere again for a tattoo. Never ever ever. So thanks. read more

Family Tattoo - Thanks for turning Meatwad into such a pretty flower, Frank! - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Awesome shop overall. It's very welcoming and so are the artists. They don't try to intimidate you or act like elitist douche lords like some other shops. I've receive two tattoos from the shop. My boyfriend has his whole sleeve done here. It's gorgeous. They have the best colors. They are so bright and do not fade! Dan Tipton did my second one. I love it! He's really honest. If something will look cool he will tell you. If something will look stupid or won't work he will let you know as well. They find out what you want and give you their creative feedback. On a comfort level; the shop is clean. There are rooms and stations. The stations all have half walls and curtains if you request for privacy. I will definitely get more work done here. Just wanted to praise their good work! read more

Family Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I always knew I'd get a tattoo once I decided what I wanted . After a lot of research I liked the reviews here . I decided on what I wanted and walked in . Jon Ingram was there and after I described what I wanted he was able to give me exactly that . It's very special to me. The place is clean and he was patient and talked me through the whole process. There was no pain and no scabbing . I love my tattoo and so glad I finally did it . I recommend Jon and Family Tattoo . read more

Family Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If I could give more stars, I would !!! Like many other people, Family Tattoo was recommended to me from a couple of my friends. Everyone in the shop is really friendly, but I chose to have Bill Smiles do my tattoos because of his use of vibrant, well blended color. He has a really great way of of understanding and drawing out YOUR ideas, without diluting them with something he likes or envisions instead. He also takes the time to show you the different ways your tattoo will look depending on the placement, instead of just wanting to get it started and finished right away. So far, I have had three tattoos done by him, and I really can't pick a favorite because I love them all. It's a shame all businesses aren't run like this. read more

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Bob Haase has done almost all of my tattoos and he is literally the bees knees. Highly recommend this place !!!

I am so thankful I found Carolina Mansur. What a kind, creative, honest and professional soul she is. Ever had a tattoo artist that didn't listen to your thoughts/idea/design or who you felt dismissed by? Not Carolina! Go see her and work up some art to be proud of. read more

Great service and great work. In and out with no BS. Fair pricing. VERY friendly. Yeah, I got a video game tattoo. Shut up. I'm awesome. You are too. What day is it? He said I could have a shot afterward. I love war. read more

Jordin is the sweetest, has a wonderfully light hand and still produces the most kickass tattoos. Since the first time I was tattooed by her I haven't gone elsewhere. I love the shop in general - every artist I've come across has been friendly and cool. I'm super lucky to have met Jordin! read more

Family Tattoo - tattoo by jordin / dead irene - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I got a tattoo yesterday and it's really nice Jason was friendly and professional ! The place is cosy although a bit far from where we were but no regret it was clean and well done Thanks again ! Selia read more

I had John as my artist. He's great. Will walk you through design and makes great suggestions. Also a very clean professional safe shop to get your tattoo. I'm really pleased with the work John did and highly recommend him and this place. read more

I've gotten all my tattoos here. In terms of the basic esstials of a tattoo place they are on point. They are clean, well priced, and nice people. However, they ended up giving me larger tattoos that i would have like because they INSISTED it would look terrible if i didn't. I'm a little bit regretful since then. 1. Know EXACTLY what you want and do not allow them to convince you of anything style wise 2. They are typical tattoo/hardcore music elitists so they aren't going to chat you up in the friendliest of ways while you're getting your work done. read more

12 years ago I got my first tattoo- a fairy on my lower back. (How cliche, I know). For the last 12 years I have regretted it. In hindsight, the tattoo artist was just a drunk, half-arse idiot. Over this last decade I have went into many a tattoo shop interested in a cover up. Every single shop refused. The tattoo had too thick of a black outline. Anything on top of it would look like a black blob. Well, all y'all were wrong. Last week I walked into Family Tattoo which is conveniently a block away and was immediately greeted by James Aguila. I showed him the tattoo, told him what I wanted, and he said, "no problem." I set my appointment for a week later. Yesterday I came in and James showed me exactly what i had envisioned. I sat there for 3 hours and the end result was nothing short of AMAZING. James is super skilled, kind, and talented. I cannot see any trace of that darn fairy. The pricing was way less than i had expected. I was once told by one cover-up artist that whatever he covered it with would take several sessions and cost around $500. What a joke. Family tattoo was more than fair, and I feel as though I should go back and give James more of a tip. (They are cash only.) I am referring all my friends and all you yelpers to Family Tattoo. I will go there for ALL my future tattoos. This is the best tattoo I have! read more

Look, I know these guys already have 66 reviews and they're all five-star reviews. So I'm being redundant. Big deal. They totally deserve it! I went in tonight and got my first tattoo ever, ever, ever. I've been wanting this tattoo for 14 years (no joke) but never worked up the courage until now. In fact, I'd probably have found an excuse not to go this time, too, except that three of my best girlfriends decided that today was "it's Kelz' birthday and we're going to spoil her rotten" day. One of the gifts I received was............a trip to Family Tattoo for my first inking. Enter Matt W. I wishy-washily explained my long-standing idea to Matt. Our conversation went like this: Me: "uh... you know.. I kinda thought this one thing but... I don't know... maybe kind of like that...oh I don't know... uhm :::holds up thumb::: about this size? ish?" Matt: *skritchskritchskritchonpaper* "how about something like this?" Me: "Oh! Oh! omg, that's perfect!" Less than an hour later, I walked out with the most gorgeously drawn, perfectly shaded dragonfly and shamrocks on my hip. I feel totally bad-ass...........cause yeah, I'm inked, baby, and damn, it looks good! If you've never had a tattoo done before but want one, if you're new to the area and looking for a place to get yours done, you have GOT to go see these guys. Take my word for it - take the words of the other 66 five-star reviews... just go see these guys. They're quick, creative, helpful and their prices are *incredibly* reasonable. If you choose Family Tattoo for your work, you will NOT regret it. read more

Matt Wes! Matt Wes! Matt Wes! Did you happen to get my memo? I have heard A LOT about Family Tattoo for a while. Because of this, a few weeks ago, I had the brilliant idea of getting a tattoo done on a "whim". T and I decided we would both get tattoos after a shopping extravaganza and delicious food at Portillo's. We called the shop to ask if they were available for the both of us and they said come right in. Parking was easy to find and walking into the shop was a surprise all of its own. They were SUPER clean and very nice to us. I told Matt that I wanted: a phrase in pretty cursive and that wasn't too big or too small. He went ahead and sketched out the phrase and let me hold it up to different areas and gave me his thoughts as to what he thought about how it flowed with my other tattoos. He suggested areas as to which where I might think about placing my tattoo since I like to keep mine well hidden. After an area was picked he took all the usual steps into getting a tattoo. Took my info, reminded me this was going to be permanent, and asked if I was serious about getting it and if I had any questions. During the process of getting my tattoo, Matt took the time to talk to me and ask what my other tattoos were for and what they meant to me. He talked to me a little about himself and when my tattoo felt a little uncomfortable he reminded me to breathe. He was so gentle and creative with the swirls around my tattoo there were times where I asked him if he was still tattooing! After the last touches in cleaning up my tattoo and going through how to properly take care of my tattoo, I expected Matt to immediately collect my payment and call it a day. Instead, he told me to hang out and we'd take care of it later when T was done. How nice! Both tattoo artists were very nice to us and told us that they hoped we'd have a great rest of the night. My tattoo has healed nicely and I am VOLUMES excited about how great it looks! THANK YOU MATT! read more

I have had tattoos done by a couple different artists throughout the city... Lee at Family Tattoo is without any question one of the best I have ever stumbled upon. Here is the real deal... Not only are Lee, Frank, and Bill all cool guys who are willing to talk with you (even if they are knee deep in intense video game time). They also discuss ideas with each other to make it the best possible artwork they can. My tattoo situation was different because I was in the market for not just any old tattoo, but a tattoo that covered up an old piece of work that I no longer felt comfortable having. This is a strange situation to be in, as covering up old artwork can get a little overwhelming, as well as crazy expensive. Lee is fantastic. He was straight up with me about what would work, yet was totally honest if something would not. Trying to cover up a decent sized heavy black tattoo is nothing to scoff at. This is by no means an easy job, and Lee went above and beyond. My cover-up tattoo is without any question my most complimented and asked about piece of artwork. My arm looks rad, and I didn't go broke getting it done. Lee was willing to take his time and scheduled a number of appointments with me to make sure my arm was healing nicely between sessions. Don't be scared! These boys are willing to put in the time and care to do it right. They aren't warm and fuzzy, but they know how to make your skin look cooler than you ever thought possible. read more

Caroline is top-notch. I went to her based on a recommendation from a friend and it was a really incredible decision. I had an idea and some reference material for a tattoo I wanted on my left forearm and, upon our initial consultation, she thoroughly explained the ins and outs of what this tattoo would entail. I was incredibly excited to see what she would come up with. When I went to the shop to have the actual piece done, I was blown away by what Caroline had recreated. She listened to every word I said and incorporated it seamlessly into her artwork. I didn't have to change a thing, as her drawing was 10 times more incredible than I had hoped it'd be. During the actual tattoo process, which was extremely time intensive, Caroline was the absolute picture of professionalism and fun. She consistently let me know what she was doing next and was extremely accommodating... Making sure I was feeling ok and asking if I needed a break. Getting a tattoo can be an uncomfortable experience... Sitting for 3 - 4 hours right next to someone you don't know well, not knowing if you should talk or not talk, not knowing if the artist is even interested in the work he/she is doing on you. I didn't have any of these weird experiences with Caroline. The entire thing was very comfortable... We talked when we wanted to, I let her concentrate when she needed to. And, above all, I feel like she had a genuine desire and need to do the absolute best job she could do on my piece. She took her time, paid an insane amount of attention to detail and I really felt like she was doing this piece as much for herself, her creativity and her reputation as she was doing it for me. All of which is very, very much appreciated. Caroline's experience and talent in the fine arts makes her not only an incredibly interesting person, but also an absolutely unbelievable tattoo artist with her own voice, point of view and high, high standards for herself. I will be seeing much, much more of her in the future and you all should too! read more

Got a lovely small tattoo here the other day. Was able to just walk in! The bad ass lady that took care of me was quick with get sketch and I was outta there in 30. Heads up about the studio minimum, $80! Didn't know that ahead of time but still really happy with my tattoo read more

Family Tattoo more than deserves its amazing reputation. I cannot imagine wanting to go to another shop in the midwest; I'll put the guys at Family up against anyone. I could go for pages singing their praise, but 'best shop in the midwest' seems strong enough. I encourage anyone who is serious about wanting to get work done to make an appointment here. John is a crazy talented artist, but I would be excited to work with any of the artists here. read more

Yelp sucks but Family Tattoo doesnt, way worth taking my time out to just give a thank you to the incredible staff here for always being comforting and making great art. Thank you, Bob, for my newest addition, he creates traditional pieces with personal style, innovation, and love, consistently. Im super psyched to have an example of such on me. You might also catch someone in this shop making their first good joke in months during the whole process too, which is flattering. But in all seriousness, highly recommend, five stars in all aspects. Thanks again fellas. read more

Two words: Rich Marafioti. If you're looking to get some ink done, whether for the first time or to add to your collection, go to Rich at Family Tattoo. Having never been tattooed, I was really nervous but even more determined to get a piece done in honor of my late grandmother. A good friend of mine got an incredible Day of the Dead tattoo done by Rich, so he went highly recommended. I had been corresponding with Rich via e-mail about my idea and he went ahead and created a design for me. A cameo-inspired portrait of my grandmother, from a portrait of her taken in 1951. Rich absolutely replicated the picture and made a phenomenal design for the frame. The shading is unreal, and it looks like a beautiful work of art. People stop me everywhere I go complimenting my tattoo. I couldn't be happier with the work that Rich did, and proudly wear my ink. If you're thinking about getting a custom tattoo, go to Rich Marafioti. Don't even consider anyone else! read more

Greatest shop ever! Ive been to quite a few shops in my life and NOBODY takes care of you like Lee does. I give him the idea, he perfects it and the best part is he charges about 1/2 to 3/4 less for better work! Everyone at the shop is very friendly and always willing to talk to you and help you out. No pressure, no BS. Best, best , best!!! read more

Another "thank god for yelp" story - after a few hours (and perhaps an alcoholic beverage or three) at the Hungry Brain last year, I happened to notice this tattoo shop and found the name SO amusing that I looked it up. Reading all the five-star reviews here, I decided that I'd check out Family Tattoo for my next tattoo... Bill Smiles took fanTASTic care of me. Sketched out exactly what I wanted, was totally laidback about my needle-phobia (helpfully distracting conversation), and I'm 100% happy with my work. Price was reasonable, and no crazy waitlist like some super-famous shops around the city. read more

I like Family Tattoo a lot. I have been getting all my recent work done by Matt Wes there. He's super talented, as are all the other artists there. Super profesional, super clean, very reasonably priced, and everyone there is really friendly. I get compliments on my tattoos everyday. The colors are beautiful & the lines are super solid. Tons of my other friends have beautiful work from there as well. How many times can I say "super" in one review? Yikes. I have spoken to/gotten tattooed by a lot of totally incompetent, rude, horrible artists, and these guys are not that. Go to Family! read more

My review is a little bit for the shop in general, but mostly is for Caroline Moody. My piece is only about halfway done, but I love it and thought it was about time to leave a review. Walking in the shop for each of my appointments, I've found everyone inside the shop welcoming and friendly. I'm always a little anxious walking into places where people are way cooler than me (bike shop, coffee shop, tattoo parlor), but everyone working at Family Tattoo has a good attitude and doesn't give guff. The place is very clean, brightly lit, open, and comfortable. Caroline is exceptionally friendly, professional, and talented. After showing her some reference images during my consultation, she understood what I was looking for and got to work. The piece she showed me for my first actual sitting was perfect, and exactly what I was looking for. I am working on a pretty large piece, which has taken multiple sessions and will take a few more. Caroline is good about checking in with me if it seems like I'm zonking out, offers me stretch breaks when I forget that a stretch might be a good idea, and is a pleasure to joke around with. Caroline is easy to correspond with over email, and has accommodated a few reschedules for me, which I greatly appreciate. My half-sleeve is about 50% done. Each time Caroline works on a new section I'm excited to see what she's going to do, and I'm always happy with how the work turns out. In conclusion: Family Tattoo: welcoming, comfortable, and attitude-free. Caroline Moody: talented, professional, super-cool. read more