I've never gotten a tattoo on a trip before but this was the time and place to do it! The staff was fun, was to work with, diligent and clean. The tattoo the did for me came out so clean and was a perfect filler for my arm. I recommend the entire staff go and watch "nirvana the band, the movie, the show" at Music box Theater this week! It was like the office mixed with any Tim Robinson sketch and was really so unpredictable! Thanks for creating a great memory for us! read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Finished Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I had a fantastic experience with Great Lakes Tattoo and Kevin Leary! After researching shops and artists I went with Kevin to do my Black Sabbath tattoo. The online booking was easy and GLT had great communication throughout the process. Day of the tattoo, Kevin couldn't have been more welcoming and friendly. He absolutely knocked it out of the park with my idea & placement. I'm so happy and proud of my piece. The shop also does some cool Chicago tattoo preservation and hangs old flashes from the first tattoo shops in the city. I will definitely be back GLT! read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My friend and I walked in on a weekday for quick tattoos, and it was a professional and welcoming process. My cousin from the area recommended this place, and I'm so glad she did! We showed the front desk girl our reference photo and we got a quote, which we were okay with, and sat down and filled out some online forms. Felix did our tattoos, which were 3 small stars on our wrist. He was friendly, professional, and overall was great conversation. The studio was clean and everyone was friendly and welcoming. Conversation was easy and so was silence. I felt very welcome and Felix was gentle. The tattoos came out beautifully! I would recommend Great Lakes Tattoo. I think prices are very fair, but the experience was wonderful. read more

See all

Mike, Brandon, and Gabriel were amazing! We were walk ins and felt so taken care of - efficiently and with skill. since we're tourists, we were extra nervous. It was such a comfortable and professional vibe we immediately felt better. Could not recommend this place more! read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Tattoo stencil - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really nice shop that isn't too far from the downtown area. I've been there a few times, and every time I've been in there I have been treated like a rockstar. The artists are very personable , as well as the front end people. They have some really cool old time photo books and tattoo artifacts in there. They are close to Bari and D'Amatos if you want to grab a sandwich while waiting. Also, when done they are down the street from Twisted Spoke or a short cab/uber ride to the Fulton market area. read more

I have always loved working with the amazing artists at Great Lakes. They are incredibly kind, talented, and receptive. My go to artist is Kevin Leary. He has impeccable line work, especially when it comes to straight lines. I have gotten 7 tattoos with Kevin in various styles. His most recent work he completed with me was a classic scooby doo popsicle. He's probably the only people I would ever trust to do any type of wrapped tattoos, because his line work is perfect and he will take the necessary time to get the stencil on straight. He has an incredibly chill vibe and will be honest with you when a tattoo may not be in his particular tattooing style, which i wholeheartedly appreciate. read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Scooby Doo Tattoo by Kevin Leary - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was visiting from California and wanted to get a tattoo during my trip. I looked at a few shops and ended up picking Great Lakes. I loved all the flash that they have covering the walls throughout the shop. If I had to pick one I probably would have left with three. Luckily I came prepared that day. My tattoo artist was Brandon and the time went by pretty fast. He was hella chill. While talking he was expressing how he loves doing tattoo regardless of the of the piece and made the image I gave him come to life. Whenever I'm in Chicago and need a tattoo this place is definitely my first stop. read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Calla lily tattoo done by Brandon - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nick gave me an uneven hand tattoo. This shop also used to be clean. It's not anymore. read more

I had a wonderful experience -- I walked in with a vague design idea and left with an amazing tattoo

Was charged 250 for a 15 min tattoo, blood immediately was leaking out of the bandage they gave me I asked for another and was given an empty pack where there used to be a bandage. read more

Mario Deza did a phenomenal job capturing exactly what I wanted in this tattoo. The lines, shading and color are absolutely incredible and he completed the work super fast as well. Highly recommend. read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Traditional American style 1920's Chicago inspired tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Same day tattoo service. Vibe was laid back with history wall and pics of artists and prized customers long gone. I was blessed with a very competent and creative artist. I drew up the word and it was done in under 10 minutes. I may return today! read more

I have been mulling over getting my FIRST tattoo for the last years (which would have been way earlier if I didn't come from a tattoo hating family). I'm 39 - it's never too late lol. So when I finally had an epiphany of what I wanted to get I wanted to get this ink ASAP! My dear friend Brandon Seef referred me to your shop. I emailed back and forth with GL a few times this week. They were super responsive and cool. They even warned me that walk in on Saturdays could have bad waits (if you can avoid Saturday, do it, there were a LOT of people). On the day of, I sat nervously in the awesome waiting room. After making friends with everyone from traveling sailors to some awesome lumberjack looking dude I was called back for the big event. Brandon was super comforting and small talked my nervous a** self through the whole thing. My "and"*(story of word below if interested) tattoo turned out perfect. I love it!!!! And they were even super cool and let me come back in to re-wrap my thirsty self who removed the skin to take picture and show my husband. Thank you Brandon and all of the awesome staff and Great Lakes for making my first experience great :) * Tattoo story - I'm a CPS school counselor. Using the word and instead of but has increased my overall communication from school to home. "The bottom line - Avoiding 'But', and saying the word 'And' instead gives more direct and constructive feedback, while better validating others feelings. Using 'And' allows you to share your opinion without dismissing the feelings and needs of others." - Anchor Light Therapy Collection read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - My first tattoo (I am 39 you ha!)! I am so happy that I kid you not I kissed my own wrist this morning. - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

TL;DR I would go back. I would recommend them. Stopped by and got this little guy on my last trip to Chicago, AKA hog butcher to the world. The shop was clean, low key, and welcoming. They even take credit cards, which I have never seen before. Brandon was great to visit with and I am excited about the work he did. Walking in mid-day was easy. Even if you have to wait there is stuff to eat and do nearby. read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I wanted a tattoo on a spur of the moment trip, and found Great Lakes Tattoo had high reviews online. We did a walk in an hour before they closed. The shop had flashes everywhere to choose. Mario Desa called me back and made quick work of my thigh tattoo. 11/10 to Mario for the good conversation and awesome piece. GREAT LAKES TATTOO IS A MUST GO TOO! read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I went here for my first ever tattoo & couldn't be happier. The process was covid safe and all the staff were friendly. Miles gave me my tattoo & although he has moved on I highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a tattoo. 5/5 local business with talented artists. read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I saw this shop based on great reviews I was a walk in. Because if Covid. They appointment only. But because I knew what I wanted and it was small. They squeezed me in. The shop is super clean! Everyone was very friendly. No booth were too close together. It's a beautiful shop. I felt very comfortable there. They have great after care instructions as well. Tattoo is nice clean and he was quick because it hurt Highly recommend this shop! read more

See all

This was the best tattoo experience I have had. Everyone working was so flexible and efficient. Erik walked me through step by step during the session. This was a bigger leap for me, and he made it so much easier. I'm from out of town, but would definitely come back just to have the same shop! read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Eric had an available spot, and I was super excited. Fantastically warm and jovial dude. He was super chill and also made me feel very welcome. His tattoo was super quick and relatively painless. I am not even remotely from the area, but I would love to come back! Front desk staff were also excellent and told me about a lovely architecture river tour. Everything about this place was super professional and I would love to get inked here again. read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - An original stencil and tattoo by Eric Gillespie - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am SO BUMMED! My 2nd tattoo in my life at this place and I'm stuck with a tattoo the wrong color. The artist NEVER asked and I never stated the color bcuz I was getting more of the same. Purple, NOT blue ink. I won't show my tat. I'm too embarrassed. My disappointment is extreme. read more

See all

I had been looking for a place to get my third tattoo and ideally become my go-to place. My previous two were done by a guy on the other side of the country and I'd rather not fly back and get a hotel room to get more tattoos. So, I went to Instagram and Facebook to get recommendations and see the work of various artists. I got a custom piece done by Mario. I setup the process via email, booked an appointment online, paid the deposit online, and showed up to get it done. I liked the vibe of this place. Old school hip hop and some rock was playing. The walls are covered in flash. It looked very clean and welcoming. Every staff member that I interacted with was friendly. On to the tattoo and Mario... I knew in general terms what I wanted (hourglass with waves and potentially a sunrise/sunset and to not look out of place with my other tattoos in the area), so I sent the ideas via email, however, I also knew that I wanted Mario to put his spin on it because I really liked his use of color, shading, and line work. He nailed it-from the design to the placement. This is why you research artists and go to reputable shops. They know what they're doing. The conversations we had during the tattoo process were great, but I'm not an overly talkative guy so I tend to default to being quiet and letting the artist do his thing. I almost fell asleep on the table a couple of times-I find getting tattoos on that specific part of my body very relaxing (upper arm). The price seemed very reasonable to me-the whole good tattoos aren't cheap and cheap tattoos aren't good/you get what you pay for. This was one right in the middle price-wise compared to my other two tattoos (both done in Rhode Island, one was custom and the size of my hand, one was a shark flash). The time on the table seemed to fly by. From initial placement to being back on the Blue Line to go home, I think it took 35 or 45 mins (granted the tattoo is only about the size of the palm of my hand). So, when I go for my next tattoo, it will more than likely be another from Mario at Great Lakes. read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Hourglass by Mario - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My High School Girlfriends traveled to Chicago for our 60th birthdays. We decided to get a tattoo - one that means eternal friends. We went to Great Lakes Tattoo and they were so wonderful to the 4 of us. Great atmosphere, cool music and vibe. People there are so welcoming and knowledgeable of their craft. Great find! read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Our Tattoos - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

If I could give this place 6 stars I would! From the moment I walked in, I was beyond comfortable and everyone there eased my nerves away. The person at the front desk (sorry I didn't get your name) was so sociable and kind as I came in for a walk-in tattoo. I was definitely getting nervous sitting down to get the tattoo, but Nick was the kindest and most calming person ever! I owe it to him that I did not freak out and walk out before anything could even start. Thanks again Great Lakes Tattoo! If I'm ever in the Chicago area again, I know where I'm coming! read more

Got a tattoo here yesterday and I couldn't be more happy about it! The shop is super awesome really cool vibe! I got my tattoo from Danielle and she did an awesome job! Definitely one of my favorite tattoos I've ever gotten (I have a lot). Couldn't recommend Danielle more and this shop! read more

Felix did an amazing job when I got my first tattoo super chill dude and absolutely crushed the design. Go see this man! read more

Amazing experience from front desk to checking out. A couple of friends and myself were visiting Chicago, and wanted some tattoos, we came in as walk ins. Staff was supper accommodating, friendly, and professional. Felix my artist was amazing with a gently hand, love my tattoo. Truly a great experience to commemorate our trip! read more

I'd like to add another five star review to the pile. The shop, artist, and ancillary staff were top notch. The walk in process went smoothly and we were able to schedule that very day. Felix was able to interpret exactly what I wanted and took his time with the placement. He could sense I was nervous and let me tattoo HIM a bit to calm my nerves. Unreal! But seriously, he was lightning fast and checked in regularly regarding pain. Thanks everyone! read more

I was looking for a really simple tattoo, and all of my friends with beautiful, intricate tattoos come here. So even with the simple design I wanted, I decided to come to a reputable place. I didn't make an appt with any particular artist, instead I called ahead asking if I walked in, if there would be someone available, and there was. It was a little on the pricey side for how simple my tattoo was (two words, black ink, script font, five minutes), but the reputation for this shop and it's talented artists is 5-star worthy. This was my 3rd tattoo and less intricate, but I could definitely sense a pride in their level of professionalism and cleanliness. Oh, and love the gorilla logo and the inspiration behind it. read more

Super easy. Clean. Nice. Friendly. Professional. I got a simple tattoo - the word "SELAH" on my wrist. The guy who answered the phone was really nice and told me to email online. They got back to me super quickly. They got my wording and spacing perfect after just two tries on paper as a draft. This was a small, easy tattoo - done with Mario - but everything was really professional and smooth. I'll probably be coming back in a week to get another one and hopefully will make this my go-to place. I definitely recommend. Convenient too. It was $100 for a very small tattoo but you probably won't find a place who's going to do anything for less. read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This was my first ever tattoo and Great Lakes made me feel like I've been getting them for years. They are BEYOND welcoming and have no judgement at all. From the first person you see when you walk in to your tattoo artist, they are honestly the best. I'd recommend to anyone and if I ever decide to go for #2, this will be the only place I go! read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - New tattoo! - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Brandon did my tattoo here: super friendly, patient, cool dude, we had dope conversation. I made the appointment online and sent a few ideas & I asked him to change a few details & add some things-the whole thing took like 1.5 hours. I'm very pleased with the outcome & will be back/recommending it to friends. read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Ink - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came in to make an appointment for 4 different small tattoos 2 of them was a matching for me and my cousin..... and each would have 1 extra separate !! I have shown them and they said come in at 12 as a walk in because they don't take small tattoos as appointment!!! Fine !!! When we got there at 12 they told everyone it will be 2 hour wait ! There was 5 in front of us ! And as we showed them the tattoo they said they can't do it cause they can't do that kind of fine line!!!! Which said everything!!! read more

Got my first ink at almost 50 years old. As this was my first and I was just in town visiting, I was very nervous walking in. The girl at the front desk was amazingly kind and helpful and Mike made me feel very welcome and did a great job with my tattoo. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Thank you all so much! read more

I got tattooed by Matt a couple months back and I couldn't be happier. Once I submitted my appointment request form I was contacted quickly and walked through their process. They answered all of my questions since I've only gone to one shop out in Arizona and was unfamiliar with how Great Lakes operated. Matt was extremely professional and an all around nice guy to work with. He made sure I was happy with the design and placement then got to work! If you're looking for an awesome artist with a lot of experience I highly recommend Matt. I already have my next idea and will definitely be returning to Great Lakes. Thanks again Matt! read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I am revising my review to include my privacy was violated as well, adding to my previous complaints. I asked for my drawing sketch and photo of my existing tattoo be returned, as it exposed a private part of my body and was given only to the artist who was scheduled to do my tattoo. When I went to pick them up, they were in full sight at the front desk for anyone to see......not folded, not in an envelope, and my private part photo copy was on top! I'm sure that's not legal and definitely not ethical. Again, very disappointing. GLT is not an asset or adding anything positive to the neighborhood I've been living in since 1987! read more

This place was amazing. It was my first time getting a tattoo so of course I was a little nervous. The person at the front desk was very welcoming and courteous. Mike was very down to earth, easy to talk to, and walked me through each step of what he was going to do, putting me at ease. I really like the tattoo and I feel confident about how to take care of it over the next few days thanks to their simple instructions. I felt the price was fair. I walked out with a great tattoo, some cool free GLT swag, and the satisfaction that my first time getting a tattoo was an awesome experience! read more

Very overpriced. The price does not justify the quality. Artist literally overlooked pieces of the tattoo, I had to return to get it finished. I was charged $180 for 15 minutes of work that wasn't even done properly. I had lettering with straight lines that looked like a drunk guy who was detoxing picked up an ink gun. This is a tourist trap. They likely get a ton of business due to their proximity to the loop. https://imgur.com/a/Z04KHNY read more

GLT is amazing. came in as a walk-in for my first piece and came out very very happy with the their work! the spot is clean, laidback, and comfortable. the staff is friendly, professional, and worked closely with me to get exactly what i wanted. the artists are top tier! solid spot, solid people, solid artist. excellent spot and i can't wait to come back! read more

Cleanest Lines in Chicago. Recommend Beatdown for all you tattooing needs Have been going to Nick and friends since Chicago Tattoo on Belmont. Always professional, always great tattoos read more

While in town with friends, I got a wrist tattoo here I've been wanting for a decade. We were walk-ins and I appreciated that we were given clear wait times and they tried as best they could to get us seated around the same time so we weren't waiting for each other. I'm not new to tattoos but I think this would be a great shop for someone getting their first piece. It healed beautifully and my artist (can't recall his name but his booth was the last in the back) had a great touch. I only wish I was close enough for this to be my regular place. read more

Great Lakes Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chicago, Illinois