I had a true five star experience here. Many people with bad reviews on here are discussing their negative Mini Monday reviews. Now, let me preface by saying that their minimum starts at $50, and Mini Monday goes to $35 for small tattoos. I have multiple tattoos and each done in different states. These prices are more than fair, they're extremely generous for the quality of work put out. Obviously, if you have something extremely custom and sentimental you should reach out individually to an artist and have proper consultations. From my experience, coming in as a walk-in at Ink Empire, I was pleasantly surprised! I called ahead and verified some things before coming in and they were very communicative. Then when I get here, I am greeted and treated with great customer service! The place was clean, playing great music, and was COVID-19 safe. The owner Tracy helped me fix some things from my reference image and verified everything was to my liking. I got seated in a good amount of time and finished my tattoo smoothly. My tattoo was done by Julio and he did an amazing job! Edit: Added owner Tracy's name, he and his wife own the shop (unfortunately, was unable to get her name but both lovely people)! read more

Decent prices. If you want a cheap, well-done tatt with nowhere to sit while you wait.. go ahead and hit Ink Empire. Things felt off with artist Alejandro the whole time I was there, if you're looking for an artist that makes you feel like a piece of trash I would recommend getting him for a walk-in. I get it tho, yall see hella people all day- but maybe thats a sign you need more artists so employees arent moody and aggressive. Treat each customer, including walk-ins, with respect. Manager is good people though. read more

Came here for their "mini Mondays" deal, thankfully, there wasn't a line wrapping around the door when we arrived. Excellent service, all of the staff were friendly. Good music, shoutout Tracy for making the clients feel comfortable and for checking in. read more

The staff were friendly especially the manager D he made sure we were doing ok asked if we wanted water, he had a positive attitude considering my daughter was giving him the flux. Vic the kitchen magician is what they call him did my tattoo it didn't take him a long time to do it, he did a wonderful job. The price was reasonable I love it he explained the does & dont's and the aftercare instructions. Hmmm Let's see what my next tattoo will be? read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

The line work was amazing! They did a great job and I love the end result. However, the customer service was not good. Be prepared to be stubborn about what you want and have a good reference image because they don't stencil your design before you pay. Overall though the tattoo itself was perfect. read more

Mini Monday is one of the best deals in town on small designs. I've been here multiple times and every time has been a good experience! Julio and Aaron tattooed me when they still worked here and made the process stress free. I can say that ink empire has treated me well and I can recommend mini Monday to anybody that wants a small design but doesn't want to be charged out the a**! read more

This is the only shop ive ever been a "regular" at and they started calling me that my second time there- I've now gotten four pieces in a month from three different artists there. These people treat everybody like family and create an inclusive friendly setting for all different customers that would be strangers otherwise to interact and have a good time, all while getting amazing tattoo work done by passionate artists. All I can say is if you've never gotten a tattoo or not had good experiences at other shops, THIS IS THE PLACE TO GO, FOLKS- great artists, competitively priced, great environment- what else could you want? Stop looking start booking. I just came to write a review in December 2024 after 5+ years not going to this shop and just returning on Sunday, finding the owner still remembered me. This was the review I had already written, somehow still saved ^^^ May well be the only thing I don't regret from being 19. read more

My friends and I came here on a random night to get spontaneous tattoo . The process was very organized and well set up. My friend showed them a picture of her dog and an idea of how she wanted it and they executed it so well. We both had Julio and we 10000% recommend him. The fine line drawing tattoos skills is amazing. I returned couple weeks later to get more tattoos during their $35 Monday small tattoo special but I was too eager and couldn't wait a couple hours so I went to another shop and boy did I regret that. It was nowhere nearly a fine job as Julio would have done. read more

All of my tattoos are from here. Will keep coming back. Love Mini Mondays and their Friday 13 deals.

Amazing work, very friendly clean environment! Been twice and look forward to coming again in the near future

They charged me for a custom piece and then copied my reference picture exactly. The line work is awful. The shoulder, far finger and bottom edge of the book are all messed up and uneven. read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

Such a great shop! My husband and I walked in at 5 on a Thursday with a good idea of what we wanted and Aaron took care of us. My husband has gotten many tattoos over the years but it had been quite a while since I'd gotten one and Aaron walked me through everything and made sure I was doing okay during. We are both so happy with how the tattoos turned out and will be back to see Aaron for our next tattoos! read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Pros: All the artists are very talented and dedicated. I really appreciate how accommodating they are with design and try to make your tattoo exactly what you want. Cons: My friend and I came at 1 for a walk in, but there was only one artist in working on a really big piece. So we were told to come back at 3:30. However, when we came back we still waited another hour for another artist to show up. They also don't have wifi offered to any of their customers. In addition the music is extremely ear blasting. Ink empire has a minimum price of $50, so since I got a pretty small tattoo, it was definitely overpriced. Also, I feel like getting a tattoo is pretty substantial, but I wasn't given any post care instructions. I relied on google to figure it out. read more

I'm not gonna lie y'all, unless you've previously worked with a specific artist and had a good experience, i would say go elsewhere. My mini tattoos from here are the only ones on my body that are dramatically raised or have faded. I have a tattoo on my hand from 2018 at another shop that has outlasted any of the tattoos I've gotten here in later years and haven't had welcoming experiences from any staff besides maybe the receptionist. Not sure if she still works here. I wouldn't risk your skin or your money here, even for just the $35 Mondays. read more

My girlfriend and I came in on March 17th at 7:30pm to get matching tattoos. The receptionist was great & so was the price, but once we finally got seated our artist was EXTREMELY heavy handed. There was no reason for him to be so rough besides wanting to rush the process. It's been 2 weeks since getting our tattoos and they are both blown out. Due to the extreme force of the artist, our tattoos are now infected and we must both go to the urgent care to get antibiotics to stop the infection. If you're in Austin and looking for a tattoo, DO NOT VISIT INK EMPIRE, avoid this place like the plague. They'll rush your tattoo and end up scarring your body forever. Biggest regret was coming to Ink Empire!!! read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - Blow out tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

Mr. Smidgens here! I had planned to get my tattoo for months now then the pandemic hit and everything shut down. We were being uber cautious as everything started to open up again and had to reschedule a few times while taking care of my parents. July 31st rolled around and we were finally making this happen. I came up with this design based off of Banksy's Panda Bear art. I love Pandas and like everyone, think they are super cute and cuddly. Least we forget, they are still bears and can rip your face off if they wanted to. That's me. I'm cute and cuddly, but... I showed up to the shop and signs of "masks required" were everywhere. They also had hand sanitizer for everyone's use. Only artists, staff, and clients getting tattoos were allowed. Stax did my tattoo. I had heard about him from friends at Nickel City before the pandemic. They run a Monday special on small tattoos for one price. Stax did a great job and I am stoked on how it came out! One of my phrases for life is "Hustle with Grace". I added the crown and red bandana to tie in the look I wanted on this piece. So, remember this. Keep hustling , but do it gracefully. read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - Pandas are cute, but they are still bears. Hustle, but remember to do it with grace. Tattoo by Nathan Stax. - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

It's been a little over a year since my mini monday tattoo, it was supposed to be fine line but unfortunately still has not faded in any way. The photo was taken after the time I was told to take the wrap off. Wouldn't recommend $35 mini monday it seemed a bit rushed. read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

Came in for a mini Monday. I've been wanting a tattoo for a while and I was so glad I chose this local business to get it at. Both owners were working the desk and all the artist were really nice. Aaron did great with my tattoo. Really liked the place. Music is really loud in here but I think that's just the vibe of their shop. Will definitely be back! read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This place is amazing! I went for a Friday the 13th flash tattoo and I have never seen such a wildly popular & packed flash day run so smoothly. Dope vibe, super friendly & helpful staff, every single one of them. They know what's up. I will most certianly be back! read more

I got my First tattoo here!! i told the artist that i was scared and nervous and he talked to me the whole time to make me feel better. The environment is so friendly and every artist are so nice my tattoo was $75 :)) read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - My tattoo artist :) - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

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Very safe place to get a tattoo during these times, always using clean gloves and equipment and only allowing 10 guests in the shop at a time. Artists are all very professional and talented with great prices for the quality of work. I came in last night to get a tattoo done by their new apprentice Albert, and he was great. Very polite and educated and not afraid to ask for help when he needs it. Would definitely recommend this tattoo shop for a first timer or a tattoo vet! read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - day after - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

I wasn't going to write a review but I'm still annoyed about it. I went in for the $35 mini Monday and she said it was a 2 hour wait which was totally fine. We got the text to come back 2 1/2 hrs later and they give you 3 sizes to pick from with the price mine was 35,55,75 and I picked the smallest one because I was only expecting to pay $45 ($10 extra for red) when I go to pay it says $65 and I told her it was suppose to be $45 and she says "sorry if it looked like a 35" and made the excuse that the design is what made it more expensive (it was just hearts) at this point I had already tapped my phone and waited almost 5 hours and didn't feel like arguing bc she already threw the paper away and I really wanted the tattoo. I recommend taking a picture of the slip so you don't get jipped. Or go to austin tattoo co they have more options and better deals and are super nice. read more

I did not get the tattoo. My girlfriend did. It was a mini-Monday four letter tattoo. Simple font. Within a week half of it was gone. Not faded, completely gone. When contacted, she was told she would have to pay again for them to fix the poor tattoo they gave her. This to me is absurd. I don't know if it was a first time apprentice that did the work, but it cannot possibly be a professional that stands behind their work. Why on earth would we pay again with no assurance it will turn out better on the second attempt? Extremely disappointed and more than likely will pay elsewhere with true artists that take pride in and stand behind their work. read more

Ink Empire might just be one of my new favorite tattoo shops in Austin. Also the most unintentional fun I've had at a tattoo shop. Although I was distracted with finishing out a work deadline, it was hard to not have fun while people were betting how many shots they could make at the mini basketball game while waiting. Added bonus it's owned by the hottest married couple I've ever seen with my own eyes! Seriously, I couldn't be happier with my spur of the moment tattoo with my wife, on the day after our 5th year of marriage. The artists are quick, efficient and detailed. I came in with a rough idea of what I wanted and walked out happier than I walked in. My wife got a cute marg and taco, coincidentally they are kind of themed. Thanks again Ink Empire, keep up the awesomeness! read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

ZERO STARS!!! I paid Bryon (SlimBTatts) a $100 deposit. He DID NOT say it was non-refundable. I drove to the shop at my appt time 8pm & was asked at 7:53 to come in closer to 9pm. So I did after I was 5 minutes from the shop. Then got there at 9pm, waited until 9:55pm. The manager or whoever runs the shop told me he would talk to him about rescheduling & that the shop doesn't handle the deposits. I asked for my deposit back and got no response then asked to reschedule. I'll post our messages below. Unprofessional as hell. It's like reservation for a dinner. You schedule a time to go & if you have to wait you're gonna leave.. read more

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I've lived in this neighborhood for over 17.5 years, and I'm so glad you opened your shop here! You've brought a great vibe to our little neighborhood. I'm going to come get a mini as soon as I can get over my phobia of needles! It will be my first. Thanks , and I pray for your continued prosperity! read more

Great experience, everyone is super kind and very sanitary! Aaron is awesome and did a great job on my tattoo! read more

My daughter came to visit and we both wanted a mom/ daughter tattoo. However , trying to find a tattoo shop in Austin , TX can be overwhelming to say the least as you know there so many . However , being that this was my daughter first tattoo ..... I really wanted it to be special. We we were able to find a female and on top of that ....a black female tattoo artist . The shop and the vibe was amazing . All the tattoo artist in the shop were professional, down to earth and very talented . Thanks to all for an amazing experience read more

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Shoutout to Julio! Banged out an amazing tattoo for $35 Mondays in 5 minutes. Wait was only 30 minutes. Both owners are amazing! If you're down for cool vibe, supporting black owned business, and great ink hit this spot up! read more

I'd leave no stars if that was possible. Went in for mini monday and ended up leaving with my worst tattoo (s). had to go back two weeks later to get them redone because they literally fell off of my skin. they even charged me $50 on top of what i already paid ($70) initially . and that's not including the tip! i'm pretty heavily tattooed and i've never had such a terrible experience as this. it's easy to see that a lot of the staff is new to tattooing. save your money and your skin. there are plenty of better shops in east austin. read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - c'mon.... looks like it was done in someone's garage - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The coolest tattoo shop with the nicest people! I've come multiple times and leave happy every time! Couldn't recommend this place more!

The inconsistency in the lines explains it, not the first time this has happened, but I had hoped for this time to go better , contacted the shop and they never got back to me . read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

This place kind of sucks. Sick tattoo I've had done but it faded so I went in to get it touched up and it still faded a little bit more.

AMAZING PEOPLE AND QUALITY!! Super good experience , always coming here they are so sweet and did exactly what I wanted and put up with my fidgeting . Really do appreciate them read more

one guy very heavy handed so a tattoo that shouldnt have hurt at all, hurt a lot more than what i anticipated.

Man let me tell you! This place is amazing, from the staff to the well talent tattoo artist. If there's anything you want or need done, this is the place to go to! Shot out to Tracy, Vikk and Julio! Hands down just some good folks with great people skills. I HIGHLY recommend Ink Empire!! 5 Stars!!! read more

I got my first ever tattoo here, it was a pretty big one for a 1st. Also it was a memorial tat for my brother so I did my research because it meant so much to me. A lot of ppl I know kept telling me to go here. I seen work from all the artists & they were all GREAT. But STAX was skilled in color tats. So he did my rose. I absolutely love it!! He does NOT have a heavy hand either. I was comfortable the whole time & it only took about an hour. I get so many compliments on it, ppl think it's a sticker cuz it looks so 3D-ish. Also the environment here is a whole vibe. All young but respectable ppl. The couple who owns the place are so nice. They make you feel like y'all been friends forever. If it's your first time they take ya pic with the gold crown on . Which I also thought was cool. Look them up on Instagram! All the artists are phenomenal!! Def recommend EVERYONE who asks to go to them first. I'm going for my 2nd tat soon! read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - Tattoo by Stax - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

I first found Ink Empire on Facebook when they were promoting their $35 mini Monday tattoo special last year. I finally went in today and had the best experience! I messaged them via Facebook with a picture of what I wanted and asked if it qualified for the special, which it didn't but I figured not. They were very straightforward with pricing and I paid exactly what he said I would when he responded to me. The two employees who greeted me were extremely friendly and helpful! They even adjusted parts of the tattoo that I wanted changed. Needless to say, I wish I wouldn't have waited so long to go see these guys and I will definitely be back. Work by Nathan Stax read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

Honestly, best first time experience at a tattoo shop. Everyone was so nice and accommodating towards my friends and I. I suggest going in and checking them out, you won't regret it! Whenever I'm in Austin again, I'll be coming in for my retouch and maybe another tattoo! read more

Ink Empire Tattoo Shop - Anchor/semicolon - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

Amazing experience!! Perfect service! Came in for mini monday, such talented tattoo artists!!!