My wife and I were visiting Boston and we had an idea for a tattoo that we have wanted for a while. We called many places around the area and they were all booked for the weekend (we were only there for a few days). Through a little bit of research, we found Hourglass Tattoo Studio and specifically Sanjay. We really liked his portfolio and emailed him the same day to see if he had availability. He responded pretty quickly and we scheduled an appointment with him for the next day. He drew up the design and with his edits it looked amazing, but explained that he didn't think the piece would work because of the curvature of our arms. This came as a bit of a surprise, but we trusted him since he is the expert so we decided to go with something else. We countered on the spot, with a new design, and thankfully (and surprisingly), he took it all in stride and drew up the design with no complaints. I think it helped that the new design was a bit smaller and simpler. Even though the new tattoo design was very impromptu for him, he was very fair and patient the whole time explaining what he thought would work and what would not. He is a very easy going and chill guy, with great taste in music, and you feel like you are in great hands. Not to mention the needle he uses (some kind of high speed, quiet needle) is much more painless than other needles I have felt before. I appreciate Sanjay for drawing up a great design and not being frustrated with us when we decided to change tattoo ideas. Thanks so much! The healing process was also nice and easy! Highly recommend Sanjay for any tattoos (small or large) that you are interested in getting. Also he has very fair prices. read more

I had a fantastic experience getting tattooed here a while back! Sanjay is no longer with the shop but his service was incredible and I would imagine that that is reflected with the other artists. They were very flexible with timing and they brought something so special for me to life -- the price was awesome too, and I keep recommending this shop! read more

Andrew was awesome. I came as a walk-in and got exactly what I was hoping for! Cash only. read more

James did this beautiful plum blossom piece for me. It was reasonably priced and he was very friendly and reassuring. The atmosphere was nice and everything felt very clean. Would recommend! read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Worked with James for this beautiful butterfly piece! Overall comfortable and genuine service. James is a pleasure to work with and he is so talented!! We booked over Instagram through James' page and we will definitely be back (: thanks again James! read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Absolutely loved this shop! My partner and I were back in town visiting and scoured all of Boston to find a good shop and thank god we ended up here. James was really nice and did amazing work, and made the whole experience enjoyable. Would recommend and come back :) read more

Sanjay was super nice and walked me through all the steps since it was my first tattoo. He did such a good job on the work! Thanks Sanjay. read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Tattoo design - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Absolutely love the work that everyone here does . Great prices and very detailed designs . I've recommended this shop to a few of my friends . Thanks to Sanjay who just did a cover up and I am so grateful. Love my lioness. Please note so be on time and cash only . I'm sure all the artists that work here do AMAZING WORK. read more

Update: I spoke to the owner months ago who stated that he would figure out a way to remove my tattoo at a discount and call me back. Shocker. NO CALL. They don't give a shit about customer experience or the traumatizing behavior of their staff. I wish I could give zero. I got a tattoo here 3.5 years ago and I only feel brave enough to say now that the tattoo artist I saw touched me inappropriately during 70% of the time he tattooed me. My tattoo is on my thigh so you maybe can guess what he did. I didn't move because he had a needle in my skin and when he was done it looked like he was high with glazed eyes. I felt sick and crazy after this experience and wish I could get the tattoo removed because it's a constant reminder. Do not go to this parlor. Do not share in my experience. read more

I had a truly wonderful experience at Hourglass! Suze did an amazing job taking my reference image and translating it into her own work of art that was exactly what I was looking for, and not an exact replica of the reference image. She was so welcoming and made me feel right at home right away. I called a few hours ahead of time to see if they had space for a walk in and was lucky enough that Suze was available that afternoon. The shop was quiet and cozy with couches and a pool table and while she was drawing Suze put a movie on that helped distract from any nerves. She was a total perfectionist in the best way and redid the stencil because it was a hair crooked (something she noticed before I did), she will not let you leave with anything less than her absolute best work. She was super communicative which put me at ease during the tattooing process and was as gentle as a tattoo artist can be. She was honest about what she felt would work best for the design I requested and didn't ever pressure me in one direction or another. I highly recommend Hourglass and Suze in particular! read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Sanjay does incredible work! My friend came in for his first tattoo today and Sanjay was sweet, professional, and did fast, beautiful work. It came out perfect! I've gone with a few people and gone around Boston and New York, and was very, very impressed. I highly recommend coming here if you want a tattoo in the Boston area. read more

Today I walked in about half an hour after they opened and Andrew took me right away. My original idea we discussed wouldn't fit where I wanted it to so luckily I had a back up idea just in case. He drew something up for me which took no time at all since it was small. When I was under the needle we chit chatted about The Wire and he had some music playing which was nice during those times I zoned out a bit. It was overall a relaxing experience. And after I was done he gave me some extra ideas about my original tattoo, which was great knowing that he gave it a bit more thought. I would definitely love to come back and get some more one on one time with him for my original idea. read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Andrew - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Came in as a walk in for a pretty simple tattoo and within minutes I was sitting down to get my first bit of ink. Can't say enough good things about this place. No flash or BS. Chill atmosphere. Step by step was clearly explained to me so there were no surprises. Ryan did an amazing job and as the shops former apprentice he certainly learned a lot from the owner! As someone who has dealt with a lot of artists/shops in the area, take it from me that this place rocks and deserves to be top of the list when thinking of getting a tattoo in the Boston area. My ink looks amazing and is almost fully healed with no issues. Ignore Niamhs review as she clearly doesn't know how tattoo artists work. Def will be going back! read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Anjunabeats tattoo via Hourglass - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I can't express enough how much I loved my experience at Hourglass. I had seen some good Yelp reviews so I decided to walk in and get a feel for it myself. I expected to go in and find the typical tattoo aura of "pretentious/rough tattoo guys with judgey stares that make me feel like I'm not bad ass enough to be there", but instead, I was greeted by a very considerate guy who took my idea (a LEGO Toon Link) very seriously and thoughtfully. As we were working through my questions/concerns, this guy then introduced me to a different artist there, Keith Miller. I told him my idea, sparks/geeking out ensued, and the rest is history. Keith is AMAZING!!! Not only was he super jazzed about working with me, but he put soooo much time and effort into making sure I had the best tattoo ever. I had given him pictures I photoshopped of what I wanted, but he was so driven/inspired by my idea that he actually ordered a LEGO mini fig on ebay to take pictures of to help him have a better sketch (which he then gave to me after my session). During the actual tattoo process, Keith was so friendly and wonderful the whole time. I was BEYOND THRILLED with the outcome---instant happy tears. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't either rave about my experience or just look at it and smile. It is so freaking perfect. Keith is a talent in every sense of the world, and I can't wait to get another tatt from him!! I've had tattoos before, but this is one of the only times that I really felt like the artist cared/was invested in my idea and put 110% into making me completely satisfied. Thank you, Hourglass!! read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Shoutout to Keith Miller!!!!! - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Suze did a piece for my daughter and I and it was nice!!! too bad I can't get her to do more tattoos for she's unavailable. Good tattoo artist to say the least. Plus she's super cool person hands down. read more

So it has been awhile since I have visited Hourglass but after going through some major changes in my life I decided to reward myself with a new tattoo. I knew I wanted to go back Hourglass because the people are amazing and I was hoping to get an appointment with Andy. My next tattoo was going to be a big piece that covered my left foot and traveled to my right shin. I had a general idea of what I wanted but I really needed Andy to help guide me so I would have a beautiful piece. I was nervous as everyone had told my how painful the foot was but with Andy amazing reputation I knew I was in good hands. My friends were right it was painful but Andy kept my laughing and I swore at him during the most painful part of the tattoo which was very therapeutic me. :) We are still working on my tattoo as my schedule is hectic and it is hard for me to get into the shop but what he has done so far is beautiful. I get tons of compliments and people are always asking me where I get my work done. I can't not wait to finish it. I also have to say that the team of artists at hourglass are all amazing. I have visited the studio a few times getting various stages of my tattoo complete and I have been blessed to see incredible work from all the artist there. They are all extremely talented and professional. The studio is also such a fun social place to be that you just want to hang out with everyone even after the work is done. I hate that it took me so long to come back to Hourglass but I am so happy I did. I told Andy that this was my last tattoo but after receiving this amazing work I think there will definitely more in my future. read more

LOOK NO FURTHER! IF your just looking for your basic tattoo.. any of the artists at Hourglass Tattoo would be happy to perform such an effortless service BUT if your looking to .have a piece of true artistic talent represent your vision or idea for your piece... This is a studio for you! I am SOOOO impressed with my experience. From the cool and hip space the studio resides in... to the impressive professionalism displayed in every aspect of this adventure. Andrew surpassed my every expectation... He listened to what i wanted. A tribute for my dad who i have just recently lost. His interpretation of my story. My love for my dad.. our Irish heritage and dual citizenship. And the 9 shamrocks for the 9 of us. Including my dad. I did not know what my tattoo was going to look like until he finished. I was blown away. His ability to create art out of my words and my bond with my dad. It took my breath away. Andrew is a true interpretive artist able to create a piece so unique to you and what you want it to represent. I will forever be so grateful and so tremendously proud to represent his talent read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I first met Sanjay back in June when I walked in on a Monday afternoon with a drawing I wanted tattooed on my forearm. He quickly drew up a design, quoted me a price, and said he could do it that day if I had the time. The price was more than reasonable considering Sanjay's talent and willingness to accomodate a walk-in on a random Monday. I walked away fully satisfied and completely in love with my new tattoo - I knew I'd return to Sanjay when I wanted more. Fast forward to a couple weeks back. I reached out to Sanjay via Instagram about a 2 part thigh piece. He responded the next day and within the week I had met him for a consultation and scheduled an appointment for session one of two! As before, the price was definitely reasonable and MORE than worth it. I cannot even begin to describe how amazing it feels to have something so beautiful on my body FOREVER. Sanjay is light-handed, listens to cool tunes while he does his thing, and always encourages you to let him know if you need a break or anything like that. I would recommend him in a heartbeat. His talent is absolutely undeniable. read more

Sanjay is the best! He's done all 3 of my red ink tattoos and is always kind and professional! My tattoos always heal beautifully and his line work is immaculate. read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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After 20 years, I decided I wanted to get another tattoo. I did my research, read all of the reviews and decided on Sanjay at Hourglass Tattoo Studio. He has a great personality, a good listener and easy to talk to. He will also tell you what will work and what won't, which is what you would expect from an honest tattoo artist. I wanted something tiny, but we decided to enlarge it slightly so that it doesn't just look like a big blob as the years go by. Sanjay did a great job and I am happy with the results! read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

This past weekend I spent some time under the needle with Andrew Regan. This is my 4th trip to Hourglass to see Andy. He designed a half sleeve for me and it is amazing. He has been extremely professional, creative, patient, thoughtful, and conscientious. The studio is amazing, so clean and pretty, with amazing art on the walls, comfy couches to wait on, or look through books on, while cool movies project on the wall. There is also an awesome pool table. Everyone that works in the shop is super mellow and friendly, something you don't often see at tattoo parlors. There are no egos here, everyone is really into what you are getting and get really excited about tracings, and pop in to see how things are going as you get inked. My sleeve is beautiful, the most recent addition has so much AMAZING shading and beautiful bright color combinations. Andrew is an artist at heart, and also a really nice guy to chill with while he works. I am heavily tattooed and often travel to NY, LA, and San Francisco to find the best artists with the best vision, and I have to say Andrew and Hourglass are the best. HIGHLY recommend both artist and studio. read more

I simply adore Hourglass Tattoo! All of the artists are extremely talented and you'll be pleased with anyone you work with! I've gone to Chris Riley (who started as an apprentice when he first tattooed me) for a few pieces now. He is light handed, precise and an outstanding artist. His rates are perfectly reasonable and it doesn't take too long to get an appointment with him. Additionally, (this might not be a big deal for everyone) Riley is a blast to talk with. I mean, if you're lying around with him for 6+ hours it's nice to have someone interesting to talk to! I always have a good time going here. I highly recommend Hourglass. Jaw dropping work. Clean. Great location. Reasonable rates. Non-pretentious. Fun. read more

Walked in to catch up with an old friend, ended up with my most personally significant tattoo thus far. Suze is a talented and humble artist with a great knack for customer service. She'll take care of you as if you're family. Andrew, the shop owner, is like a big brother to a very tightly knit group of hooligans. I had a great time catching up, getting tattooed on my birthday and trash talking for hours! Top notch place. read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - It's our inside joke... - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I just got my second tattoo done today at Hourglass, I could not be happier with the outcome. I walked in this afternoon and was helped immediately. Within a half-hour I was having the stencil placed. Keith was the artist who did my tattoo, he gave it his own flare and it was fantastic. I could not have asked for something better. Keith was great, he made me feel very comfortable, we laughed a lot, but he was very professional. The studio itself is very clean, and nice. I would go back in a heartbeat. read more

This review is long overdue.. I went to hourglass in 2012 to get my first tattoo. I remember showing up about a half hour before they closed on a Friday, just looking to bounce some ideas back and forth, not necessarily to book an appointment (I'm a total weenie when it comes to needles and I wasn't completely sure I wanted to go through with it.) Fifteen minutes later I have an appointment for the next day and I'm running across the street to the ATM to get money for my deposit. Suze made me feel comfortable from that first night. I didn't want anything complicated. A two inch lotus flower, just an outline, white ink, on my ribs. Suze got excited and immediately lifted up her shirt to show me a gorgeous cascade of lotus flowers she has running down her own side. When I went back the next day she had the perfect little flower drawn up for me and brought me right back. Everything was super sterile, needles and ink in sealed packaging, clean rooms, etc. I told Suze about my fear of needles and she suggested I put on some of my favorite music to calm me down. Three Guns & Roses songs later, I'm tatted up and out the door (with a handful of Starbursts to get my blood sugar back up.) I'm a total noob when it comes to tattoos and again, mine is super simple, but it's been four years and it still looks wonderful. I'm not sure I will ever get a second, but if I do I will totally go back to Suze. read more

I am very happy with my first tattoo from here. Breyner did exactly what I wanted and he makes sure you're comfortable too. I'll being going back for another! read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The tattoo artist I spoke to was a pretentious dickhead. He was short with me and had no intention to help. Terrible service. I'd give them 0/5 just for that. read more

Saw Keith Miller here yesterday about a tattoo I've been wanting since I was a kid. All I had to show him was a grainy old picture from a movie still, and Keith took over and created exactly what I wanted! He took all my input, tweaked it until we both thought it was perfect... and then VOILA! Now my lifelong vision is proudly on display forever. Keith Miller is a brilliant artist and a master tattooist. I have ten or twenty friends who all swear by his work, and now I know why. The shop at Hourglass is clean and bright (with NATURAL light from a whole row of skylights) and it just feels like a great place. The artists there love what they do... you can just feel it in the air. It was fun, exciting, and worth a return visit (or two). Hourglass and Keith Miller are the best in town. read more

Went in yesterday for a 3rd tattoo, and was instantly impressed with the friendliness of the staff. Keith did both mine and my friend's tattoo; he was great! Super nice and super fun to talk to. Hourglass Tattoo is clean and even has a projector screen to watch movies on while you wait! Great that they allow walk-ins :) I am very happy with my tattoo and would recommend Hourglass Tattoo to ANYONE, and especially for those who might be getting their very first tattoo. They would certainly cater to your needs and make sure you're okay/ask if you need breaks. Incredible artists work there! read more

Love this place! Keith Miller is an amazing artist and easy to get along with. His work is very fluid and I am very happy with my tattoos I got done from him a month ago. Highly recommended! read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Got these bad boys tattooed on me by Keith Miller - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Usually never write reviews, but my dude Breyner hooked it up so I had to leave a positive review for him. I had my first tattoo today, it was a simple cursive script tattoo on the inside of my left upper arm. I came in around 3:30 PM and was out by 5 PM because the only people ahead of me were already finishing up when I first walked in. The place isn't super fancy but it's clean and has a really chill vibe, and everyone there was very friendly. I was pretty nervous about my first tattoo, and was so relieved when Breyner was not weird about it at all! He worked with me over a few versions of the tattoo so that the font was perfectly to my liking, and then was very helpful when telling me how to lie down and to relax when it was getting done. The tattoo process itself was totally a breeze! Breyner and I just talked through the whole thing and had a really wonderful conversation, I barely felt the pain. I definitely would recommend this guy to anyone walking in there! I got a script tattoo but he specializes in black and grey realism and his art work looks bomb :) read more

I had a fantastic experience at Hourglass--very clean and professional, the people are very nice and friendly. My artist took me as a walk-in late and gave me a beautiful tattoo. They were very helpful with aftercare instruction, even giving me personal info in case I needed to contact them with any questions. This was my first tattoo, and I was very pleased with Hourglass; I highly recommend them! read more

I got my firts tattoo from Suze, she did a kick ass job and has great judgement when it comes to input on the design. 10/10 would go again

Can't recommend this place and Sanjay enough - I walked in to ask about a tattoo coverup and Sanjay had a perfect design drawn up for me within minutes and less than a half hour later he was working on me! I was super nervous as my initial tattoo that I was covering up had been super painful but Sanjay was super calming and nice and the tattoo was over before I knew it - he managed to come up with such a great coverup that was exactly how I had imagined it and I am so happy! read more

I went in with my sister to get matching tattoos (She wanted it behind her ear; I wanted mine on the side of my ribcage) with the same short quote. We both wanted white ink. Andy and Suze take pride in their work and said they wouldn't put their name on something unless they were sure it would be great. And it was on both their ends. After putting Andy through several trials on the drawing board for the perfect lettering, size, and position, his patience was not only appreciated but the design came out awesome. Suze also did an outstanding job with my sister's tattoo and found a way to make it fit behind my sister's ear without sacrificing the font. Suze also looked at my sister's previous tattoo on her lower back and re-did the entire tat because it faded after only a few months, and she used white ink to fill in the spaces where letters had blurred together. I had no idea my sister's tattoo was capable of looking that amazing until Suze touched it up. It looks awesome. They both stayed far after opening hours, were super patient, fun, kept it lighthearted with Grandma's Boy playing in the background, and just made it such a great experience. Jon, who helps make appointments was also super patient and helpful on the phone. Needless to say, my sister and I were so impressed with the outcome of our tattoos and especially happy with the time they took to make sure we were satisfied. Best of all, the experience was just a fun time. It goes without saying, but I highly recommend Hourglass! read more

Very belated on writing this review. I didn't have any ink yet. I had held off for long enough and it was about time for be to get something done. One design had been kicking around in my head but I hadn't been able to work out the details on paper yet. Also I knew that it would be a little bit expensive. At some point I realized that there was a simple design that I could go with, everything was worked out but there was only one place that it would work out properly and one doens't take getting a tattoo on your sternum lightly. Plenty of people were calling me an idiot, apparently you aren't supposed to go for maximum pain for your first tattoo so I softened the blow by deciding to go to Hourglass. I'd been hearing plenty of good things about them but there's no shortage of places around so I did a quick pop in to make sure they were cool. They're laid back and it's more like you're swinging by a friend's apartment when you go in to talk to them. It was about a week later that I went back in to get everything done up and Suze Manzo was there to do the work. My design needed a quick trace and I just chilled out on the couch watch Halloween while things were prepped, and it was an interesting process going through everything, getting it properly aligned, making small tweaks to ensure that there wasn't something off with a permanent marking on my chest and then it was a good solid hour on my back, needle to chest, small talk as bits of ink were cut across my chest, lines forming and a slow numbing pain just staying there, pauses to make sure everything was right, checks to see if the pain was pain or sever horrible anguish. But it was ok, Suze paced everything just right and I ended up with a nicely crafted piece on my chest, dull pain remaining and a great thankfullness that I can handle pain alright. Go to hourglass Don't get sternum tattoos if you aren't fine with pain. read more

oooooh i had a great time here during my tattoo a couple months ago......first let me say the two reasons i chose hour glass..... 1) they're far from acting like dickheads (which i have found many a tattoo/piercing parlors to employee.......the title of being a tattoo artist goes to peoples heads and apparently entitles them to a crappy attitude and horrible interpersonal skills with customers) 2)they took me right away(i was offered to get tattooed on the spot but didn't have the time so i came in the next day.......which is more than what i can say for other places who didn't even have computers to print off some google images for the tattoo i wanted......ummmm really?!) holy shit.....i had a great time here hanging out in the pbr art showcase party and looking at some talented, trippy art, listening to a dj, and meeting some excellent people through the employees.... Suze, ur a good girl from the Jerz......happy ur in boston and tattooing.....my only complaint.......200bucks for 7 silhouettes of seagulls?.....and thats with the $50 discount?....come on Suze......ehhh, but maybe thats how much tatties go for now? Do these guys have a mailing list?.....i'd love to hit them up during these tattoo promo times that i keep freegin missing out on when tatties are like 50 damn bucks.......WHAT THE, WHAT THE????!!!!.....THATS TITTY!.......i wonder how much my seagulls would have cost me then?....hmmmm....... read more

I have gotten a total of 7 tattoos over 4 years by Breyner and I LOVE them all. He's super friendly and always makes me feel comfortable every time I come in. He works with me to make sure I'm getting exactly what i want. He never rushes any of his work and I can tell that he thoroughly enjoys what he does. I feel like his work gets better and better with every tattoo which is super cool because it shows that even though he knows what he's doing he takes the opportunity to keep gaining more knowledge about tattooing. I'd definitely recommend him. read more

I have been kicking around an idea for awhile -- it started as a text-based tattoo which I eventually talked myself out of. Only a few weeks ago did the idea really start to come together, so I walked into Hourglass to bounce my idea off of an artist. Suze was awesome -- immediately enthusiastic about the concept, and really helpful in directing me towards a vision that would make sense as a tattoo. I have walked into other shops before where I was dismissed (I assume) because I wasn't covered in tats, and have even been to places that have tried to pressure me into making appointments without really getting a good chance to speak to an artist (read: I felt taken advantage of as someone who was relatively novice at getting tattooed). None of that bullshit here. Suze took me and my idea seriously and took time to work through the idea and to answer questions, which really helped me feel at ease. Over the course of the 3 weeks between my consult and my appointment, Suze answered emails and was receptive to tweaks I wanted to make to the design. When I arrived for my appointment, she presented me with a sketch that was the best possible version of what I expected. Throughout the appointment she worked quickly, but was still attentive to how I was doing with the process -- it was as painless an experience as it could have been. Would highly recommend this studio and Suze in particular. read more

Hourglass Tattoo Studio - Silhouette motif by Suze - Tattoo Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

What a great experience! We went here on a Friday night. We called them from in front of another tattoo place that told us they weren't open (even though their website said they were, but the guy behind the counter said it was their "winter hours". Whatever, jerk-off.) So when we called Hour Glass they said they had one or two already waiting but would be glad to take care of us. We got there and found them to be very friendly and helpful in the process of designing my wife's tattoo. Andrew, the owner, did the work. He took all the time needed to make sure it was just right, even though we were their very late. His calming demeanor helped her relax, plus he was just a fascinating person to talk to. He also made sure we understood the care and healing instructions. The end result was beautiful. She couldn't be more pleased and went on and on about it all the way home. It was our 16th anniversary, and she said it was the best gift ever. Great experience and fantastic results. Highly recommended! read more