It took me 10 years to finally decide that I was ready for my 5th tattoo. Tomac was super friendly and nice and professional making me very happy with my decision. I've had many many comments and questions about my tattoo making me want to only go to him for any future tattoos read more

Mission Tattoo - A fly tattoo because I'm the shit - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

After a double mastectomy I didn't want reconstructive surgery. I did a little research and found Tomac. He created a gorgeous custom design based on artwork I had found. His attention to details, ultra-sanitary studio, and kind and professional demeanor are incomparable. This was a very personal experience and Tomac delivered above and beyond. read more

I had some ugly tattoos on my arm that I wanted to cover up, and Tomac did a great job! He came up with a custom designed art piece for me that completely covered the old tattoos and most importantly, looked great. The tattoo process itself went smoothly and I am overall very satisfied. read more

My goal was to find a great tattoo artist who worked with colors. Many artists specialize in black and grey tones, some specialize in portraits, and others realism. You get my point. But I wanted someone who works flawlessly with colors and I searched practically all of Southern California. Finally I found him: Jimmy Bell. I've now spent more then 10 hours under Jimmy's needle so I feel that I'm qualified to review him, and Mission Tattoo, here on Yelp. First of all, Mission Tattoo is clean and very cool. It's a relaxing place with a great sound system and a view of Santa Barbara that relaxes the eyes as you gaze out the window while getting inked. The chairs are comfortable, and the guys are very friendly and professional. I won't allow anyone else to tattoo me but Jimmy. You'll find him to be friendly, honest, direct, and confident. If you take your dream tattoo to him, he makes it happen with clean lines, and beautiful colors that he melds together so naturally and (seemingly) with ease. Masters of their craft often do make it look easy, and Jimmy is a master tattoo artist. But if you bring him bunk ideas or something that just won't fly, he'll let you know - just like he did with me and I'll always appreciate that. Mission Tattoo is legit, don't hesitate to call them if you've got ink in mind! read more

Mission Tattoo - Psychedelic skull by Jimmy Bell. Inspired by a dark French painting, brought to colorful and permanent life by Jimmy. - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

After researching a bunch of tattoo artists, I came across Jimmy based on the stellar reviews he's received. First impression was he is very approachable and passionate about his work. I had an idea of what I wanted but wasn't able to elaborate much - mostly I said "can you make it pretty". I could tell the wheels were turning and he came up with something that was perfect for me. It was like he understood what I needed. The whole process was extremely professional and the shop is very clean. Great communication all the way through and the price was reasonable. I cannot believe I now have a beautiful piece of art on me! Jimmy is truly an artist! read more

Mission Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Tomac, the owner was so great and helpful! I got simple second holes in my ears but he took the time and care to make sure that it was done correctly. He humored my perfectionist self as we decide the exact placements of the holes. And afterwards he took the time to explain the aftercare as well as giving me written instructions which I appreciate as verbal instructions go in one ear and out the other. I definitely recommend this shop! read more

Just went in for my fourth tattoo and this has by far been my best experience in any shop. I wanted a coverup of a old tattoo on my right arm that my first artist had messed up. Alan Murray took my idea and make it better then I could have hoped. He is a wonderfully skilled artist and I know I will be back again and again. read more

Mission Tattoo - My 6 hour process, so happy with the final results! - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Wow. I just got my 2nd tattoo by Tomac Henson, the owner, and all I can say is Wow. He is amazing, He drew both my tattoos by hand and they are amazing. (See photos). Its a SUPER clean and beautiful studio. He takes cleanliness and sterile environment very seriously which is always great :) He is friendly and so is his staff. I won't go anywhere else. read more

See all

Been a loyal customer/supporter of Tomac for the past few years. Everyone in his shop is kind, welcoming, and professional. Each tattoo experience is a wonderful delight thanks to him and his staff. Very good pricing, amazing detail/talent. Best in town, hands down. read more

Mission Tattoo - Compass and two sparrows. 3.5 hours, amazing detail. - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

I just had my first session with Jimmy Bell and I am so super stoked. He is an amazing artist, professional and overall dude. I gave him some samples of the kind of stuff o wanted in my sleeve and just let him work his magic. He drew up some amazing outlines and we went straight to work a week or so later. In 3 hours we were able to do most of the outlines and even shade in some of my upper arm. The view from any window in the shop is amazing and relaxing. It really is like getting a tattoo and a vacation at the same time. The shop is impeccably clean and Jimmy listens to mellow hip hop which I like. No weird smells or screaming music! Really like the vibe and artistry. Love Leo the lion on my upper arm. Friggin awesome! read more

Mission Tattoo - Line work lion!!! Some of the initial shading - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

As any tattoo shop I look for chill artist and a great area, I am part of the MCRD Roller Derby league and they sponser them, so I thought I would check it out, I met the owner Tomac he is very chill and down to earth, he's a great artist as well As Jimmy B, I walked in a he was happy to do a walk in, they sanitize all their equipment so it's nice and clean in there, I got to watch people not be able to drive down mission which is always fun. All and all I enjoyed my experience there, only down side is that you gotta find parking on the street but I didn't have any trouble finding parking. So if you're looking to get ink done or piercings done they do it there as well! Highly recommend this place! read more

SOOO great. I went here for my first tattoo. I originially went in just for a consultation and ended up talking to Tomac for TWO hours asking him every question possible, working with him on my design, expressing my nerves, and he was SO nice and SO patient with me. We spoke for two hours and i ended up just doing it right then and there because i was so convinced that this was THE best place to go in Santa Barbara. he is extremely clean, and has a cleaning area in his studio and he is OCD about keeping things clean, which is GREAT for the ones getting the tattoos done. I got a very small, thin, ohm sign done and the result was PERFECT. its not easy drawing very thin small tattoos and it seriously came out incredible. BEST TATTOO PLACE IN SANTA BARBARA and Tomac is awesome. Definitely go here read more

My girlfriend and I decided to get small simple tattoos and were very pleased with the reception we received being walk-ins. Danny is a very skilled artist. The tattoo we received didn't make use of his talent but we would definitely be back again for more work. Fast, clean, friendly, and talented! read more

Got my first tattoo here. Sorry to hear that jimmy has moved on to another location but it was great

I was passing through Santa Barbara and wanted to get my nose pierced. Found this place on yelp and decided to give it a try. I was very pleased with the service and professionalism portrayed. Tomac explained the procedures in a very courteous and professional manner. I am very pleased. Thank you! read more

Tomac was great he saw the vision I wanted for my tattoo and although I know it wasn't easy he was able to make it come true. He was awesome and stayed super late to get it done since I drove an hour to get there. Thanks so much for the great experience. read more

Unfortunately did not have a great experience like the other people here. A tattoo that I thought was simple enough (just lines) got botched up by Cruz. Wanted to give this place another shot so went back to speak with Tomac, and he seemed hype about fixing it. But he suddenly stopped responding to my emails and my phone calls after he asked that I send him material to start brainstorming (unprofessional if you ask me). So I simply took my business elsewhere (Energy tattoo) and finally got the tattoo fixed and I'm so happy with it! read more

Contacted Tomac for a tattoo last December and connected in person in January for my last and without question most personal tattoo. Tomac spent a lot of time in discussion with me and drawing something up. When I saw it and asked for something different and showed him another idea along the lines of what I was thinking he obliged and made more time for me the next day. The next day when I arrived I was not disappointed in his second rendition, it was exactly what I was looking for. Not only was the entire process professional but they are EXTREMELY focused on hygiene for everyone's safety. A lot of time is spent on prepping you as well as the area prior to even starting. Tomac spent hours on my tattoo, slowly, methodically inking me and did an excellent job. Six months later I asked for some touch up work and he obliged, making time in his very busy schedule for me. Again, the professionalism is what I keep coming back to because if you want quality work done you need to work with quality people and Tomac is exactly that. I can't thank him enough. read more

I've been going to Tomac since he was starting out at Iron Cross. His attention to detail, standard of a clean sanitary environment and great music have always made it a pleasure to return and get more work done. He can truly bring your idea or vision to life or refine an existing piece of work. read more

I love it!! I went in as a walk in, I was greeted and seated by Jimmy. He did amazing! He drew out my idea to my expectations. I will definitely go back when I'm in the area. My artist was friendly but most important, talented. Thanks Jimmy for adding on to my old tattoo, making it more vibrant and much more meaningful. I had an old tattoo I got when is was 18, ten years and 2 kids later, I decided to add on to it with my kids first name initial. It's perfect! read more

Mission Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

My girlfriend always gets her tats her so I decided to get mine her for the first time. My artist was Jimmy, cool guy, very informative, very professional and down to earth. I personally will be getting more tats here and will reccomend this place to anyone. read more

Mission Tattoo - Jimmy doing my first tatoo - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Horrible customer service! I walked in to make an apt with Tomac, he wasn't there so I left a message for him to call me...never got a call. I emailed him and he responded and we were working on a time I could come in but then he just stopped responding all together. I gave him a few days and sent another email but after 2 weeks he just completely left me hanging and dropped the ball. I am a local and will never go back or recommend this place to anyone. read more

While on vacation, and also my birthday (as well as my deceased mothers), I decided to do something to honor her. Every greeting card she would sign with 'xxx ooo'. I went to see Tomac, and he was the right guy to do the job. He took a pic from my phone and stenciled it on my left wrist.....This place is amazingly clean, friendly and the perfect spot for me, who would've never imagined getting a tattoo. If there were a 10 star review, it would get my vote. No regrets....extremely pleased with my experience. read more

Mission Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Had a rough experience with my first nose ring done at another shop years prior and decided to get my nose re-pierced on a whim after work. Stopped by the studio with a friend also looking for a piercing later in the evening hoping for a last minute opening and to our delight Tomac managed to squeeze us in. He was extremely kind, funny and patient and went above and beyond in explaining everything he was doing as he went along. The shop is clean, well decorated and definitely somewhere you feel comfortable being. He calmed my nerves and was insanely knowledgeable on piercing and tattooing and kept great conversation for the duration of our time with him. We didn't feel rushed at all and he spent lots of time making sure the placement was perfect despite being busy, you can tell Tomac cares a lot about his art! Can't recommend this shop enough, I'll definitely be back for more! read more

I went to get a ducky tattoo. Carlos did my tattoo quick and clean. Special it was mt first time santa Barbara. An nice clean location.

Tomac is an awesome guy and a very talented artist. His attention to detail and cleanliness is above and beyond anything I have seen before. He was patient and really took his time with our group making sure we were all 100% happy. Tomac is the perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness. We will definitely be back! read more

Hi i just recently got a tattoo on my foot. I'm 28. i've been wanting a tat for about 8 years now, so it was a big decision for me. I finally felt like i was ready. Tomac was knowledgable and friendly. the entire staff were super chill when i went. I received a lot of comfort and care when i was in the chair. I really enjoyed the tat. Everyone i know who has a tat (and who doesn't) thinks it is a very good tat. Most importantly, i do too. A lot of people where stoked for the time and price that i got it for and i've been hearing that it is actually kind of hard to find a decent tattoo artist in town. I appreciate the great work and i love the art. Thanks Tomac and thank you mission tat folks, you guys are good in my book :D -Get your tat on! read more

My artist is Jimmy and I've been getting work from him for about four years now. Best experience I've ever had with a tattoo artist! He's patient, kind, informative, and very talented. It's always a lot of fun when I'm there. I get compliments on a daily basis about his work and I never hesitate to reference him. All around great dude and great shop. I will be finishing my sleeve with him soon and I can't wait. Definitely recommend. read more

See all

Yelp wrong. They closed weekends. Doesn't impact my review because I never received a service, just info for anyone looking.

What can I say.....if you take your art seriously and you want it done right the first time by someone who takes their art just as serious and someone who pays attention to all the details both before and after the art is done, then look no further than Tomac at Mission Tattoo! read more

I got my first tattoo by Chelsea in February. I knew the two words that I wanted and where I wanted them, but was really struggling to find a font. She was very patient with me and made up her own font and tweaked it until it was exactly what I wanted. I ended up having to go back about a month later because the ink somehow didn't take to my skin and it looked faded. She was very nice about giving me the free touch up and went over the tattoo again. The shop was very professional and clean. Chelsea went over the care instructions with me and made sure any questions were answered. I am now very happy with my tattoo, it's perfect! read more

So I'm rewriting this review because originally I gave them 1 stars due to one of their artists messing up my tattoo that I got while visiting my mom in Santa Barbara . Well that artist no longer works there and Carlos fixed that tattoo that was messed up for free and it looks great. Then he gave me two very awesome new tattoos. I love this tattoo shop now and will visit again when I'm in town next time. read more

Mission Tattoo - Three arrows - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Came for my 18th birthday, was set up by Tomac and tattooed by Carlos. Great experience, super accommodating and kind the whole way through. Carlos did a fantastic job and was very talkative and friendly while doing the piece (which helped with the nerves/pain!). Clean shop, reasonable prices, welcoming staff. read more

I'm getting married in less than 2 months with a strapless dress, a horrible tattoo that was done 8 years ago on my back and was in dire need of a miracle. After doing a lot of research on local tattoo artists I decided to go to Mission Tattoo and met with Tomac to see what my options were. For 7 years I was stuck with a turtle tattoo that was so unrealistic looking and had no depth. I was never happy with the way it had turned out and was almost ready to just give up and pretend like it wasnt there. Tomac is unlike any other tattoo artist that I have ever worked with and I have several tattoos. He was super professional and really took the time to make sure that the final product would end up being exactly what I wanted with so much detail. At first he was going to fill in the tattoo and add some color to make it pop, but he realized that he did not have much to work with to make it into something that I would be truly happy with. Then after a few hours working with him on a concept he decided the best fix would be to do a cover-up. I never thought that it would work with all of the black and color that it had originally and was a little doubtful at first. I decided to trust his ideas because I could tell that he was a true artist who wanted perfection and so did I. I went in for two sittings and afterwards I can honestly say that I couldnt have asked for anything else, its simply perfect! I never imagined that he could take such a simple piece of art and turn it into a masterpiece. For such a long time I was so dissapointed and now all I want to show it off to everyone! I definitely recommend tomac for all of your tattoos! Not to mention that the rest of the staff is super friendly and very outgoing. Also a plus is that this was by far the cleanest shop I have seen in Santa Barbara with a beautiful view of the Riviera to boot. read more

Mission Tattoo - Before - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

See all

Tomac is a great artist and I've gotten multiple (amazing) tattoos from him, but good luck making an appointment. Scheduled an appointment and he didn't show up the first time, canceled the second appointment 10 minutes before and told me he would call me to reschedule. I never got that call and am slightly upset about it, so I guess I'll be taking my business elsewhere. If you're looking for a great walk-in tattoo, this is the place and Tomac is the man. However, if you're looking for a reliable shop/artist to repeatedly go to, I would search elsewhere. read more

I just went with my friend to get her first tattoo. The parlor was very clean and a really good environment. Tomac is such a great artist and it was evident that he was extremely knowledgeable and he was very professional the whole time. The tattoo looks great! read more

i came here with my roommate to get our traguses pierced & they did an amazing job. no pain at all and super clean. customer service was amazing!! would recommend to anyone read more

Mission Tattoo - tragus piercing. lobe piercings done elsewhere - Tattoo Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Tomac is great! He saved my Birthday! After a local shop messed up my nose piercing the previous day, he went out of his way to fix it and explained everything they didn't, made sure it was done right this time. I should have gone there in the first place! We highly recommend his shop, and will go to him for my next tattoo! Thanks Tomac! read more

I first visited Mission Tattoo in July 2014. I got my first tattoo on my chest done by Jimmy Bell (check out his Instagram for his work. It's "jimmybellart", I believe). I remember I gave Jimmy this silhouette picture I wanted tattooed on my chest and he took a look at it and told me "Let me draw something up for you and tell me what you think". I ended up getting his drawing tattooed on me and I am forever grateful he stopped me from tattooing that silhouette on me. Jimmy is a true tattoo artist, emphasis on artist. He draws every thing himself; he was a painter before he started tattooing and I've noticed that these two skill sets have been meshing and evolving throughout my time getting to know him. I love that he uses my body as a canvas; all of my pieces were done by him and everything meshes together beautifully. There's a really nice flow to his work and I love that his tattoos don't look like stickers on me. Jimmy really cares about the tattoo and isn't going to tattoo something on you just because he's getting paid to do so. For example, I wanted some text done on my ribs and he told me to change the font because he was worried that the tattoo was going to be all mushed up in a couple years. We ended up changing it and I am happier with the change since it is much more legible now. Finally, a couple of my favorite things about Jimmy is that he's a family man and he's super professional. Communicating with him is effortless and it's never intimidating. I have gotten my entire chest, a half/quarter sleeve (3/8 sleeve? lol), and my ribs (more than 20 hours of work) done by him (with more on the way) and he has exceeded expectations every time. Jimmy's rate is very fair considering the quality of his work and the fact that tattoos are permanent. There's a short web-documentary on him coming out soon so that might be worth checking out if you're interested. read more

Just got a tattoo by Chelsea! Everyone there is professional, and makes you feel super comfortable. I'm not saying I have many tattoos, but I have experienced arrogant assholes whom other tattoo artists had to fix their artwork. You can just tell everyone here loves what they do, and are more than willing to go above and beyond what you're looking for. Chelsea asked me questions, sized my tattoo just perfectly, with her professional opinion, and then I went back in and I finished it and I could not be happier. They're the best. Wouldn't go anywhere else. read more