Walked in on a Friday for my first tattoo (two modest Chinese characters on my chest) and a frenum (male genital) piercing. A little over an hour later, walked out with two new body mods that I am extremely proud of for a price that was both affordable ($190 combined) and well worth the service I got. Tattoo artist Miss Morgan did a fantastic job with a first-time client. She worked quickly and put my mind at ease. Pain on a scale of 1 to 10 was about a 4, with a few twinges of 5 as she approached the bonier parts of my sternum, and many stretches where it was a 3 or even nonexistent. From start-to-finish, it took less than forty minutes, and possibly half that time. When she said "You're done." I was pleasantly surprised. Now I have two Chinese characters that are personally meaningful to me on my chest forever. Most important, I am certain I made the right decision. Based on the much more intricate designs on their walls and their heavily-inked clientele (which means a lot of repeat business), I don't think you can go wrong with any artist here, but if this is you first tattoo and you are nervous, consider asking for Miss Morgan by name. I could not be happier with her work, and she had a fantastic bedside manner. Piercing was done by Caleb, who does all of their piercings, I believe. I'm not shy about my body, but if you are and you want to get pierced in an area that isn't visible to the public, you should know that Caleb is courteous, professional, and very good at what he does. He helped me decide between a Prince Albert and a frenum based on what I was looking for and his expertise without steering me either way forcefully. I previously had a Prince Albert, but opted for the frenum this time, and I am extremely pleased with the result. It's still healing, and will be for some time, but the initial excitement and pride of getting this done still hasn't worn off. The pain was about a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10, but Caleb worked so quickly and efficiently that I barely noticed it after a very intense less than one second period. If you are male and reading this while thinking of getting a piercing down there, my advice is to do it (you can remove them and they will heal without much notice or any damage). Professional service matters, and Caleb provided it like it was second nature, probably because he's done this many many times before. Both appointments were walk-ins on a Friday afternoon. Note that there can be a bit of a wait, since I do not believe they take appointments on the weekend, but only for the tattoo. There was almost no wait for the piercing (just 20 minutes or so for them to prep the area after seeing another client). I had been thinking about getting both procedures done for a long time, and I'm extremely pleased that I did not have to wait an excessive amount of time to get them done. Overall, this is a very professional and affordable shop, and I would recommend it heavily to anyone thinking of getting a tattoo or piercing, especially if this is your first one. If I could give this place a sixth star, I would. read more

Today is Veterans Day and I lost my nose piercing on the flight so when I landed in stl I went somewhere else ( trx tattoos) and I was not helped or greeted, I looked online and called Iron Age and the gentleman Simeon, I spoke with on the phone was soo nice, he took his time and spoke with me. I told him I was on my way and I got there, there were some individuals being helped by him but he acknowledged me and helped. I spoke with him and he listened and helped me and looked over with jewelry with me. I felt bad because I assumed I was holding up others that came in behind me but a young lady stepped up and helped so he could be more attentive. He told me someone would be coming up and there was a nice lady Bayle that helped me. She was amazing and very detailed and she tried to see if my piercing was still open but it closed up. She told me about aftercare but it was completely different than the place I went to before which I appreciated. She told me what would go with my face and nose shape and also helped with letting me know if some would turn which would cause irritation. She gave a lot of little words of advice even if I don't come back since I don't work in St. Louis. I am happy I didn't stay at the former place. I will definitely come back to her and Simeon at the front was amazing. I will recommend piercings here most definitely. read more

Amazing! All the other bad reviews don't listen to them. This was my first time getting a tattoo, I was a whole nervous wreck, but the people there were patient, friendly, and understanding, the vibe was very calming so I was nervous for nothing! The artist ( Dee) who did my tattoo assured me that it won't hurt and he was quick and carful, it didn't hurt at all only tiny pinches, I was expecting much worse. I 100% recommend coming here for ur first tattoos if ur a nervous or unsure like I was. The women who helped me find the kind of design I wanted was super helpful and kind also ! They make sure the spot u want the tattoo is clean and satanized, just omg best experience ever!!! read more

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My first time there ! Customer service was awesome ! The artist did a wonderful job!! I give them all 5 stars the earn every read more

Iron Age Studios - My sexy navel piercing and zodiac color - Tattoo Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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I think the best thing about Iron Age, in my experience, is their expertise and reputation in the city. Located in a vibrant area of the city, Iron Age is loved by many. This includes a dear friend of mine who recently passed away. She never trusted anybody else with her piercings! So, when we lost her, we decided that this was the place to go to commemorate her with tattoos. There were two separate occasions in which we visited. The first was several years ago. An artist named Jason, who I don't believe is there anymore, did our tattoos and was so kind to us, knowing that we were there for a sad reason. We were happy with our tattoos, but they didn't totally match what we gave him. Not the biggest deal though. The next time we came was just a few days ago, during this crazy COVID time. I want to be clear that I COMPLETELY understand all precautions and have no problem following them, but the way that the staff went about their routine on this particular day was a little off putting. It was very hot outside with minimal shade, but only three-four people were allowed inside at any given time. The waiting area in the shop is pretty substantial, so it was a bit confusing that they couldn't open a bit of seating in there on a hot day. At minimum it would have been nice to have been offered water while waiting outside for two hours. The lady at the front desk might not have been having the best day, because the questions I asked her about tattoos and piercings seemed to annoy her. A sign of the times I guess. Anyways, my friend and her dad went in separately to get their tattoos by an artist named Panda. From what I can tell, he did a pretty good job. These were very simple tattoos. But he wasn't all that empathetic when learning about the reason for them being there, so that made things a little less comfortable. Overall, I think that the cost of the services here are much higher than most other places I have been and maybe not worth it. I don't live in town, so I wasn't able to get a touch up within that first year, and now the touch up would be $50...I may as well just get another tattoo at that point! They will do a good job here, and you can most certainly trust them, but I think moving forward, I will probably look elsewhere for a touch up and any additional services. read more

My sister and I got matching/non matching tattoos. Came in as walk ins and they got us in right away. Awesome experience. We had kino and manny. They while my sister was finishing us her tattoo I got my conch pierced. Piercer is awesome. (Bayle) Super professional. Loved her. read more

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For context, you can see my 12/28/12 review of All-Star where I briefly address this experience. But the real story is here... I tried to gauge the trends at IA these days via the Yelp reviews as it's been YEARS (and roughly 10 tattoos) since my experience there. Feels a little unfair to sweep in and share such a "blast from the past" when so many folks seem to be having great success here -- especially with piercings. I can't speak to that aspect, but I can speak to my irritation at what seems to be a lingering pattern of behavior (when it comes to ink) that people like my friend do not speak out about out of embarrassment or feeling like they aren't "cool" enough for a tattoo at this establishment, or that they are asking for too much or posing the wtong questions... I know this pattern and I know this insecurity because I lived it. So I don't write this review now assuming that NOTHING has changed (though I am seeing some 2020 posts that suggest things haven't). I am writing this now for those who feel hesitant or intimidated but also excited about their first tattoo. Or their second...as was the case with me. Roughly 5 years ago, I walked over from Wash U to the Loop with a print out of a phoenix in my pocket -- the tail kind of cut off because of scaling issues or my own printing incompetence or whatever. Who cares, right? They're just gonna redraw it anyway -- they can finish the tail. It was a quiet weekday afternoon; I was greeted warmly. Paired with an artist who looked at my printout and said "the tail is cut off, this is unfinished." To which I replied, "well, yeah, but you are gonna draw and fill it in anyway, right? I mean, it's not like this is just some decal you are going to slap on me as it is." And to be clear, at the time, I was way less articulate --imagine way more "umms" and not making eye contact. He looked me over, asked me where I wanted it and what size...the plan was to span my right waist and cross over my pelvis in front and ass in back. So, ya know, a BIG tattoo. He remained insistent on my print out being insufficient. I left. Said thank you. And drove to All-Star Tattoo on a Google whim. Just to see if it was me, if I was doing something wrong. Same warm greeting from the front desk. Artist comes out, and I nervously share the printout. He nods and notes the tail of the phoenix is cut off, and I thought, "here we go." I started apologizing, and he stopped me and said, "doesn't matter, we need to resize and reframe it to fit your body anyway." He grabbed some scrap paper and did some tracing along my right side, asking about width and desired size, while he small-talked with me about any prior ink experience I had. I showed him my one little shoulder tattoo that is the size of a post-it. He didn't miss a beat. We scheduled a session with him advising me about how much more time-intensive this one would be. Nothing but kindness and encouragement. One three and a half hour (accurately and reasonably priced session) and 10 tattoos later with this kind, straight-forward artist (shoutout to Ed Rook), and here we are. I don't know why exactly I was treated as I was at Iron Age back then -- but I felt inconsequential and not cool enough to warrant anything beyond "pick something out of the book" or "bring me a shrunken version of this printout." It was especially weird since I tried there first because my boyfriend had gotten his tattoo there a couple of years earlier, and no one seemed to have an issue with what size or design or "whatever" he wanted. Full disclosure: While it is his only tattoo, he had a good experience, they adapted his own hand-drawn design, and he felt heard and seen the whole time. Even when he acted like a little [well ya know] at the first contact with the needle. Kidding. I wish I could remember specific people, as I am not trying to critique the entire operation, but like I said, seems like there's some lingering judgment, and I just wanna say -- don't be afraid to ask for what you want. It is permanent. It is YOUR body. The artists are ARTISTS by definition. And I don't care who you are -- feel free to insert any stereotype here (I was a shy 34 year old in cowboy boots and ratty jeans and a half tucked in polo shirt). Go somewhere you feel seen and treated like an equal. If that place is IA for you, great. But don't settle, and if you need some recommendations where you will feel at home and seen, I got you. And if you are still reading this, bless your heart, you must be procrastinating even more than I am. read more

Got a small sternum tattoo and artist was very efficient and professional. It still looks fresh.

I've been here for a piercing and also a tat. It's always best to make an appointment when possible so you're not sitting and waiting. It's even possible to make a piercing appt on line. This is a popular spot in the Delmar loop. I recently went back to get retainers put in the slots of my piercings so I could be prepped for an operation read more

Iron Age Studios - Clear retainers - Tattoo Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

I had some free time this weekend and I wanted to get a piercing removed. I initially tried remove myself since I others but this one needed special attention. I decided to call before visiting because right now in Stl is spring break and a lot of ppl are outside more I feel like in the city. I spoke to a really sweet helpful person her name was Cass. I hope I'm spelling it right lol. She provided exceptional service I could hear her smile through the phone literally lol. I loved that because I work with clients and she def handled me with care. She told me the exact time to come and how much the service would be. I missed coming on the day I called but I proceeded to call the next day and got her again and she provided me the same exact energy as she did the day prior. She got me on the list and I called to check the wait and she told me I was next so I hurried back to get my spot lol I had Alex and his room was so cool he had a lot of dope pictures and creative vibes going. The entire place is a art gallery honestly. He was very helpful and gentle and helped me remove my piercing and even explained how next steps can be if I wanted another one in the future since mine healed so good he stated. Alex and Cass were top tier I would definitely recommend if you're in the Stl area visit Iron Age they will get you in and quality is forever. I have work that still looks new and it's over 6 + years old. 5 stars read more

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This review is only regarding piercings. I had Bayle and she was wonderful. This was my first piercing so, I was scared to ask a stupid question. She was so kind and inviting. She educated me on everything and answered every question I asked. My favorite thing was she told me if I ever had more questions or if I thought something was wrong " Don't be afraid to come in and have us look at it. You're not bothering us". She even wiped away my tears so my makeup wouldn't run. I left so happy. I came back a few months later because my piercing was bothering me and I needed to get it shortened and changed and I had Alex. The nicest guy! He also reassured me that I didn't have stupid questions and that coming in to have my piercing changed was not stupid it was even recommended. He told me everything he was doing before he did it so I didn't panic. I will only be coming here now. I love this place. read more

Iron Age Studios - Bayle preparing me for nose piercing - Tattoo Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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Bayle pierced my nostril and it was quick, she was very knowledgeable and made the experience comfortable, and had a pretty selection of jewelry. It's healing perfectly and I couldn't recommend her more! read more

Iron Age Studios - Nostril piercing - Tattoo Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

if u want to kill youself while waiting bc it's 4 hours for a single tiny word. this place fucking sucks and the workers are genuinely so lazy, just sit around and talk. it's so frustrating. 0/10. read more

Had a ring done. I get told frequently how bad it looks. Lines aren't even or straight. Went as a walk in. The artist didn't seem to want to take any time with me or listen to what I wanted. This was my first tattoo and my mistake. I should have done more homework. Definitely would not recommend. read more

Iron Age Studios - Tattoo Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

In both tattoos and piercings, I've had many great experiences. Caleb has been my piercer for about two years and will continue to be my source on body jewelry and piercings. He has done several of my piercings, including my rook, daith, forward helix, nose, and septum, in addition to helping me with my stretched ears and jewelry selection. He is knowledgeable, friendly, and, most importantly, safe. I've never had to worry about the sterility of my piercings because Caleb is willing to vouch for every part of the process. For tattoos, everyone I've been to has given me beautiful work. I would advise looking through the artist portfolios to get an idea of their styles, but I feel that you can get a great tattoo from anyone here. read more

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Pat is an amazing tattoo artist. Blasted a pepper eagle on my arm. Great shop, very reasonable prices.

Alex did an amazing job on my conch piercing! I went into the studio hoping to get my daith pierced, however my piercer informed me that due the anatomy of my ear this would not be the best piercing for me. I was so happy he told me this, really shows how much he cares for his clients. Instead I had him pierce my conch. He was very friendly and let me know everything he was doing so I never felt left in the dark. I definitely recommend Iron Age to anyone who wants to get a piercing done right! read more

Avoid this place, had two different tattoos from two different artist and they both have mistakes. Plus, I was over charge for a simple military tattoo. read more

i understand getting a tattoo on the hand is completely different than getting a regular one on the body. i had a consultation for a touch up on a piece that i previously had on my pinky finger. the artist asked where i got it done and i had told her i got it from a friend, i understand it wasnt done in a studio nor "professionally" but the jokes the artist made were inappropriate and just plain rude. the piece she put to cover over what my friend had done is the worst piece i have ever seen. the ink isnt staying and it looks worse than it was before. but thats just the start. i also had a piece on my forearm done. i showed her what i wanted and she drew me up something that i liked. we proceed to go back and forth about sizing until she finally agreed to do what i wanted. next there was a wasp in the studio, the artist kept freaking out and jolting around while she was tattooing me, i never been so scared in my life. overall for the price i paid for the forearm piece and touch up was too expensive and just not worth it. read more

Iron Age Studios - Tattoo Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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I've had multiple tattoos done here by multiple artists. All of my experiences have been great. Very professional and amazing tattoos. read more

Iron Age Studios - Lily of the valley tattoo. - Tattoo Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

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bayle did a nose piercing on me back in early june & it was such an easy process! she walked me thru every step of the way. i was a nervous wreck in the waiting room but relaxed once we went to the back. i loved it so much i went back 2 weeks ago to get a second piercing. the healing process was pretty easy. i did have a little bit of swelling that i thought might be beginning of scarring (like a keloid) but she assured me it was just swelling. finally went down & loving the look of the double piercing! definitely splurge on the modern mood or BVLA jewelry. less bulky looking & super cute read more

Iron Age Studios - nose piercing - Tattoo Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

EVERYONE, contact Bayle (find her on Instagram @b.tripps ) for all of your piercing needs. For reals, this girl is a teeny tiny cutie who will pierce your ear with the confidence and skill of a lifetime surgeon who grew up on the professional arm wrestling circuit, and she'll make it feel like a FREAKING HUG!!! I cannot say enough good things about this girl!!! Accept no substitutes, Bayle ( @b.tripps ) is where it's at!!! read more

After speaking with the owner, he suggested I come back in and work with Bayle. She was fantastic! She took a lot of time to ensure the double stacked lobe piercings were correct this time. Customer service was great! Bayle is the person to go to for a piercing at Iron Age. read more

I wanted to touch up my tattoo so that the coloring looks more balanced and accurate to the meaning of my design. I called Iron Age as soon as they opened on Monday and asked about my artist's availability. The guy on the phone kept telling me that the touch-up service is on a walk-in basis since it's free. I called back several times to check on how long the wait was and whether I'd be able to get in, but the phone man kept insisting that it's on a walk-in basis and wouldn't let me just make an appointment over the phone for that day even though it'd just be a quick spot touch-up. Phone man's impatience pissed me off a little. Anyway, I decided to just suck it up, walk 20min to Iron Age, and take my chances since I didn't know when else I'd have time to get the touch-up, especially with my artist being there only two days a week. I thought to myself: fuck it, if I can't get in today, I'll just think of the 40min walk as post-dinner exercise. At the studio, I saw my artist there and he was just about ready to tat a client. He was going to book me an appointment for the next day if Monday's line-up was too long (wtf was the phone man talking about how it's on a walk-in basis only??). However, his next client was still walking back from a restaurant and since I really just needed some minor work done, he decided to just squeeze me in really quickly and do my touch up. And just a few minutes later, I was out of there happy with the revised color, and glad that I could start early on the healing process. Also, Iron Age doesn't guarantee certain tattoo areas like mine, but my artist touched up my piece for free anyway. +1 star for how baller my artist was this time around; -0.5 star for the the phone man. Ehh, I'll round it up to 4 for my baller artist. read more

Went there many yrs ago. Was told I would get a free retouch but every time I called they said the owner had to be in the studio for a retouch. I don't know why,since the owner wasn't the one who did my tattoo. The people there are rude and upity. They act like they're the only tattoo shop to go to. I don't recommend Iron Age at all. Check around because Iron Age is way over priced. read more

I know it's a timely service, but holy cow. While waiting over an hour just in the waiting area, I sat an extra 30 minutes watching ALL 3 artists to take a smoke break. A 30 minute smoke break with us sitting there for an hour already. No sense of urgency or respect for those in the waiting area (the shop only opened 2 hours ago). Numbing cream wearing off, phone dying, and paying 2 hours for a parking meter before I even talked to a single artist. 7 smoke breaks in 2If I would've known I would've gone to Enigma right down the street. My artist WAS amazing though. Shoutout to Manny read more

Got my nose pierced this past Saturday night. Receptionist was super nice and helpful in getting everything set up. Caleb was awesome - he was quick yet thorough in helping answer all my questions. Made me feel very comfortable and was a funny dude. He did a great job and would 100% recommend him for piercings! Overall, great pricing and experience as a whole and I'm super happy with my piercing. Thanks again Caleb! read more

Although I didn't get my work done here swinging by to visit and check it out I was thoroughly impressed. Staff were super friendly and above all the establishment was clean and hygienic without looking hospital sterile. It looked like what a tattoo studio should look like. The portfolios of the various artists that work out of this studio is impressive and judging by the previous reviews, if I lived in the city or had more time I would certainly come here to get my work done. read more

Carson did an awesome job on my tattoos. He took the time to make the detail come out amazing and made sure I got exactly what I wanted. I will definitely be coming back for more tattoos from him for sure. I recommend you ask for Carson Darryl for any fine line artwork. Look him up on instagram, he does amazing work. Definitely what we needed in St. Louis.They healed wonderfully and I am loving my new tattoos. read more

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I have wanted a tattoo for as long as I remember. I got a small tattoo of a flame behind my ear on my 18th birthday. Since the piece was small I opted to walk in instead of making an appointment. I entered the shop on a Wednesday around 5 and only waited for around 20 minutes. My lovely artist, Miss Morgan, kindly fit me in before an appointment she had and I only sat in the back for about 10 minutes total, only 2 of which where the needle actually touched my skin. She gave me an immense amount of aftercare instruction that aided in a quick and easy healing process. All this considered, Iron Age has proved to be a professional and friendly environment to go for tattoos. I even went back a few days later for some piercings and the experience was just as incredible. They provided me with the body art and memories that I have always yearned for. read more

Walked in with a friend one night to get my nipple pierced. They weren't busy and the people behind the counter were super nice. We chatted and talked and felt really welcome. When I went to the back to get the piercing done, the piercer was a little intimidating and had a kind of chilly demeanor but warmed up to my friend and I, and we had fun. The piercing was done with minimal pain and I was super excited about it--loved the result. I left a satisfied, happy camper. However, a few days later I noticed that the piercing was extremely swollen. At this point I had left town to the city I would be having my summer internship in. I emailed the piercer about the swelling and he was dismissive, saying that it was normal swelling as long as it didn't get worse. Surprise! It got worse. The piercing became so uncomfortable that it got to the point where it was embedding itself in my nipple. I went to a piercer in my new city and he changed the jewelry, saying the piercer at Iron Age had used the wrong size of jewelry and that it was pierced way too deep and could lead to a lot of dangerous infections. I got worried and continued to care for it the best that I could. I wasn't having a lot of pain but wanted a third opinion on the situation. I sent a picture to a friend of mine who is a piercer that I trust and she told me to remove the piercing ASAP because it was pierced way too deep. Turns out some of the "swelling" was just the extra part of the areola that the piercer shouldn't have pierced but did. Overall, a waste of $60+. Really disappointed and kind of ticked off about this whole thing--a lot of anxiety, wasted time, money, and effort. The only reason I didn't give it one star was because the people there were really great. Sorry to be harsh, but there's no reason a responsible person should be punished for enjoying their body and trusting someone who is supposed to be a professional. read more

For all of those people that reviewed this place and didn't have any work done, you're all idiots. You can't review the place if you didn't eat the food. All of you that said they were pricey, what do you want? A good tattoo is not cheap, and a cheap tattoo is not good. If you come in and want something and you kinda know what you want it to look like, give these artist some creative leeway. They are ARTISTS after all. They know what will look good on skin and what just wont work. If you think they are being rude by telling you that your idea wont look right, trust them. They are the ones that do this for a living. Personally, I don't understand the guy that said his tattoo artist didn't chat him up. This isn't a beauty salon. She was focused, that's what you want them to be. They are doing something to you that will forever be on you. Give them some quiet time. I come here to see Kerry. She does great custom flowers and we're working on a back piece now. I know the price is fair, this isn't my first rodeo. If you want custom the artist charge by the hour/session. If you just want some flash off the wall the pricing is different. They're not here to screw you over and take your money. When they do work on you, you become a walking business card. All artist I have met have been nice and polite. Just remember when you go in there and explain what you want: A- you're probably not the first person to ever want that or thought of it so don't expect them to be like "that sounds awesome!", B-it probably wont look right if they did it just they way you wanted C-you need to give them creative room. I'm sure you'll have a good time. Just remember to tip! :) read more

I had a really terrible experience here. I was told that Iron Age was one of the best tattoo studios in St Louis, so I tried to go there to get my most recent tattoo. I tried to call ahead to make an appointment, but they told me to just do a walk-in instead. When I came, they were so busy that we had to get on a wait list and come back several hours later. Once I finally got to speak to a tattoo artist, he was rude and too rushed to actually listen to what I wanted done. He kept coming back with tattoo designs that were not what I was asking for. I felt like he was pressuring me into something permanent that I didn't like. I eventually walked out (and lost my $20 deposit). If you want anything more complex than flash or a single word, than Iron Age probably doesn't have the time to work with you on it. I eventually went to a place in Columbia (Living Canvas) where I got exactly the tattoo I wanted. read more

This place came highly recommended by a few people and their recommendations bore out! Quality work, clean and efficient processes, personalized renderings on the fly and close attention to detail. read more

Iron Age Studios - Tattoo Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

This is the only place I have ever gone for tattoos. Between my husband and I, we have four. We have never made an appointment as all four were spontaneous! We were both super nervous, especially the first ones we got but each artist we worked with was patient as we hemmed and hawed over size and location for the ink. Mine was a small letter that took about 15 minutes and boom it was done! No color or anything - just black ink. I was and continue to be pleased with it. My second experience was about 8 minutes, a small tattoo on the instep of my foot. The artist took time to explain the risks of fading due to the placement of the test and let me weigh my options before proceeding. It's been over a year now and the ink is still going strong! I thought the prices were fair, especially paying for someone's artwork but I didn't shop around for tattoo pricing prior to my experiences at Iron Age. I would recommend this place to anyone looking their first or fifth tattoo. It's clean, comfortable and there is always something to see! read more

I've gotten all 11 of my tattoos at Iron Age because I know the work will be done well. There's no question that these guys know what they're doing, which is probably why they charge so much. The location is so much better than their original one! They always prepare everything right in front of you so you know you're not getting leftover needles or ink. My problem with the place is the attitude. When I first started going 11 years ago, the staff seemed friendlier and we knew who everyone was. Now I feel like I don't know who a few of the artists are. Also, it really does feel like they judge you based on whether or not you have lots of visible ink. Just because my tattoos aren't all over my arms and neck doesn't mean I'm new at this. It definitely feels like they don't take you as seriously if they don't personally know you or if you're not covered in full sleeves or something. Call me crazy, but I think the customer service should be better than that. read more

I got a nose piercing from Caleb today and I'm so happy with it. The studio is great, and Caleb did an amazing job! It looks great!

Could someone please explain to me how/why you would review a business, if you aren't a patron? You went in with a friend to get their work done, and felt you should comment on what you perceive as poor customer service? Are you fucking retarded???? My apologies, but people who complain about nonsense annoy me, and bring down business ratings unnecessarily. Ok...back to the topic. Up until yesterday, I was an ink virgin...I've had piercings, but no tats. I've lived in St. Louis previously, and I'm familiar with the quality of work that Iron Age does. Came into the shop, stated the reason I walked in, and was advised by a tattooed man at the front desk that Jason was finishing up a client & would be working with me. Out pops Jason Bane....I'd seen some his work on the website, when I was browsing around...also saw some from almost all the other artists in the shop. Jason asked what exactly I was looking for, and my answer was simple....angel, holding a bible, with a breast cancer ribbon worked in there somewhere....non-flash. Explained I wanted a decent sized piece on my upper arm...not quite shoulder to elbow, but sizeable. Jason explained that he would sketch something out for me, and that he could get my piece done the following day at 4pm, due to them closing @ 10 & and me coming in around 9. Agreed upon price was $100/hr, which I felt was fair, with an estimate of 2.5-3.5 hrs to complete. Came back @ 4pm on Thurs, got right in the chair after he showed me the design & I approved. Went with the black & gray tattoo, with a small bit of pink (photo in gallery), and will likely be back for more art from Jason. He made the experience enjoyable...made sure I was comfortable throughout the process, finished right at the 2.5 hr mark, and made sure I thoroughly understood everything regarding aftercare & upkeep. Great experience! P.S.-There's a sign in the shop that says good work isn't cheap, and cheap work isn't good. If price is the driving force in where you decide to get your ink done, you're seriously misguided. Either be willing to spend a little more now, for something that looks great from the get-go, or be willing to pay more later to get that cheap work fixed by a quality shop. read more

Iron Age Studios - My first tat. Black & Gray arm piece by Jason Bane - Tattoo Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

First off, a bit of philosophy. I think it is difficult to objectively review a tattoo studio, especially if you are going to have a complex or custom work done. You're not going to come away from that not getting to know your artist a little bit in the process. I have a somewhat large tattoo from Kerry Soraci, one of their artists. The "second floor" artists are very skilled but I would definitely give credit to the "first floor" artists who do walk-ins as well as appointments. Kerry is a good example of why you would want to choose Iron Age - a formally trained artist with a lot of talent for custom designs, color shading, and a distinctive style. Tattoo work of that quality is not cheap and I think this is why some may feel that Iron Age is a bit pricier than other places. From what I have seen their standard flash (the stuff on the wall that walk-in people usually want) is reasonably priced. I can see where some people might feel like the desk people have a bit of an attitude, but I think some of it goes with the territory. As the night goes on I can see how it would be difficult to be chipper and exuberantly happy about the 20th person that comes in and wants a cute little flower or tramp stamp or whatever. But if you are looking for custom work or can give more than a vague description of what you want, my feeling is that you'll be taken seriously even if you don't look like the stereotypical tattoo customer. They seem to observe really good hygiene and sanitary standards, the place is generally clean (although it has a bit of creative clutter I suppose), and the tattoo and piercing stations are cozy but can be made private if necessary. They didn't try to push aftercare products on me; I don't know if that was just something that my artist doesn't do or if that's more common. Their aftercare materials do advertise specific brands of products but that's all I ever heard about the subject. read more

Iron Age Studios - Kerry Soraci at Iron Age - Tattoo Near Me - Saint Louis, Missouri

Note: This only speaks to piercing and customer service, as I have not gotten a tattoo here, so if you're looking for the inside scoop on their tattoo artists/quality, feel free to move on. I have a lot more piercings than my mother probably approves of, and consequently, a reasonable amount experience with the spectrum of piercing places. The good: The prices for actual piercing services are reasonable/competitive (jewelry prices are fairly average). The bad: The lines are terrible on weekends (weekdays can be better depending on the time of day); the employees are often discourteous and seem bored/uninterested in customers (see more on this later). If there's a line and they realize you're coming in for a less expensive transaction (eg, just buying a new earring), you may get pushed to the bottom of the line and end up waiting a long time for something that would normally take 5 minutes. Aseptic technique can be a little iffy at times depending on which piercer you see, but it's not horrible. The ugly: A number of the employees seem to have little regard for customers. They can be curt and ignore what you ask for; I try to give people the benefit of the doubt as I understand that everyone has "off" days, but I've noticed this pretty consistently here. They also aren't always entirely straight forward; I've had them change prices (upwards) on me and then deny it when I inquired why. Even if it's only by 5 or 10 dollars, which is not *that* much money with respect to the overall cost of getting a piercing, I think it speaks to the type of business they run--at worst intentionally dishonest (I'm choosing to believe this is not the case), at best sloppy and not showing as much care for customers as would be ideal (seems more likely). Conclusion: If money is really the biggest issue, then consider Iron Age. If you can afford a little more (I would say 10%-ish), go elsewhere. TRX on Grand is great--customer service alone there is worth the slightly higher prices and longer drive read more