All in all an amazing experience. Worked directly with the artist to schedule some work and he was…read moresuper flexible given his crazy busy schedule which was very appreciated! The location is great but it does get a ton of random walk in piercing traffic which was surprising but nbd. The art was astounding and the shops vibe was chill. Lots of talented artists and definitely worth checking out.

My girlfriend and I drove to this tattoo shop in Downtown Merced to get her belly button pierced on…read morea Saturday because it's my go-to piercing shop in the Merced area. When we got there, we were informed that the piercing lady wouldn't be in until 1:30 pm. We went out for a walk and came back around that time, only to have to wait another 30 minutes to 1 hour for the piercing lady to come in. We didn't really mind too much at the time. When we finally went in, the Lady was really inviting and nice, however, it was noticeable that she was feeling rushed. She marked my girlfriend and all looked good. She also reassured my girlfriend that there would be no issues with it and it as all okay. About a month later, we went to get my eyebrow pierced and then also asked about the general redness around my girlfriend's healing belly piercing. Looking at it, suddenly the piercing lady suggested that my girlfriend didn't get it pierced with her and she strongly DENIED ever seeing her, making my girlfriend feel insecure and uncomfortable. (We told her we saw her about 3 weeks to a month ago.) The lady was notably rushed again when we came the second time. Overall, good vibes and knowledge about piercings but professionalism and kindness was lacking. My girlfriend and I left the shop that day upset and in anger. We understand that she may not remember every person, but denying that one modified a person's body is just rude and uncalled for. UPDATE (6/20/26): As of lately; Shop owner has denied ever performing our piercing, I would not trust this business at all.

Got a portrait done by Alonso, excellent work and a nice environment. Definitely recommend this shopread more

The artist's there are super nice I got a few tattoos from there.They did amazing on my tattoo.I…read moregot my first tattoo there.I would recommend this place to anyone that wants to get a tattoo.

I gave this review a lot of thought before posting it because I generally prefer to handle issues…read moreprivately. Unfortunately, after multiple attempts to resolve things directly, I feel other potential clients should be aware of my experience with Living Lighthouse Tattoo and specifically with the owner of the shop. I have many tattoos, grew up around tattooing, and have worked in tattoo shop environments before, so I understand the difference between normal tattoo healing/touch-ups and genuinely rushed or poorly executed work. At first, I gave the artist smaller projects to build trust, and the early work was acceptable enough for me to continue. However, over time the quality became increasingly inconsistent. The linework on later pieces was shaky in several areas, the black packing was uneven, and some placement decisions felt rushed. My finger tattoos especially appeared hurried and did not heal or settle well. When I brought up concerns after healing and requested touch-ups/finishing work, the response felt dismissive and defensive rather than professional or solution-oriented. The larger issue for me was the overall professionalism of the experience. During appointments, the owner frequently took extended breaks, often leaving me waiting in the chair for long periods while he left the shop. Breaks happened very often throughout sessions. He also regularly rolled marijuana inside the business and smoked outside around the shop during many of those breaks. While that may not bother some people personally, it contributed to an environment that did not feel focused or professional to me, especially considering the prices being charged. Most disappointing of all, work I had already paid for was never fully completed, and communication eventually stopped altogether despite multiple respectful attempts on my end to resolve the issue privately. I understand people have personal lives, families, stress, and responsibilities, and I truly wish him and his family well. But as a paying client, I can only speak honestly about my own experience. Based on the quality of the work, the professionalism, the communication, and the lack of follow-through, I would not personally recommend this shop.

Cody did a fantastic job on my tattoo rework !!! Highly recommended!!! Epic attitude and good priceread more

Robert is an amazing tattooer. He puts his heart and soul into his work!! When you go see him give…read morehim an idea and he will make you a design that is truly amazing and you will be honored to show off. He has tattooed me and my wife and we love his work. We live in San Diego and will only go to Merced to get tattooed by him only.

Excellent artist, remember a tattoo is permanent so choose an expert who has the ability to create…read morean awesome piece of work!

Absolutely outstanding! I had my brows done very badly several years ago (out of state) so trying…read morethis again was slightly terrifying. My experience with Ellie was like night and day. She is so precise and thoughtful, and takes great consideration of your coloring and face shape. I'm very fair-skinned and middle-aged. She gave me beautiful brows that are age-appropriate and the perfect color. You literally will not feel a thing. The best part is that she is just a lovely, kind person!

Elizabeth was very professional and made me feel very comfortable with my choice! She explained the…read moreprocess very thoroughly and always explained every step along the way, making me feel less nervous about everything. My eyebrows came out amazing! Elizabeth provided after care instructions and products so it made the healing process very easy. I recommend Elizabeth to my mom and aunt and they absolutely love the way their eyebrows came out! If you have any questions before, during, or after your appointment, she is always ready to answer!