I got a tattoo here from a truly incredible visiting artist, Harmony Furman, who I hope will be back at this studio when she moves to RVA....bc it is amazing! All the artists and clients for that matter were awesome--so friendly and warm and excited to see everyone's work. I love that it's a woman-owned studio and further, Katie the owner is so talented and lovely. The studio is smaller so you can see a ton of art on the walls, which I loved since it distracted me from my tattoo. ALSO: there is amazing food and drinks within walking distance. Halal Munchies is next door which is perfect pre-tattoo food, then there is TT's boba shop a little further down. I'd never been to either and they were perfect. I can't wait to come back here for my next tattoo! read more

Salvation Gallery - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Super nice crew all around! Vivian is a true Gem! She's super talented! Book with her, you won't regret it!

Both my tattoos have been done here. Excellent people all around here - friendly, fantastic artists... wonderful front staff. Mike Baker did both of mine and just scheduled my third with him too. read more

Salvation Gallery - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I got my first tattoo done here back in 2007. I recently came here and Holley made a custom piece for me. It's still a WIP, it is from my first trip to New Orleans on my 1st wedding anniversary. I told her what I wanted and to incorporate a wicked awesome mausoleum I'd seen while there too. She matched my vision exactly! She works hard and will chat with you. She even said she love to finish an unfinished mermaid on my leg too! Can't wait to get back in and have her finish this piece up. They follow all CDC guidelines for Covid. read more

Salvation Gallery - WIP by Holley - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I've gone to Mike Baker for two of my tattoos so far and absolutely love his work! Would recommend him and the shop to everyone looking for tattoo work. Never disappoints and am excited to get more from them in the future. read more

Salvation Gallery - I've gotten two tattoos from Mike Baker and they've been excellent quality! Would recommend this shop to everyone! - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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When you are located near a university known for its arts and the location is booked solid for months, it has to be good! I decided to finally get my first tattoo at the age of 42. I wanted to reward myself for losing weight and getting my health (relatively) back on track! The place I wanted to get it from in Richmond closed down, so per Yelp reviews, ended up here near my Alma mater VCU. Was not disappointed! Matty was very nice and chill and allayed my fears since this was my first. Very smart dude! Learned alot alot about sharks. LOL I would definitely go back for another one but I may wait a bit (and that's just me! Lol). Check them out!! read more

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Why haven't I reviewed this yet?? I got my first tattoo here by Fred in 2011. The service and atmosphere was so great I've been coming back. Now that Fred moved on, Nate has been my guy. He's great! He's been helpful at bringing my ideas to life. Also funny when I need to take my mind off a painful area. read more

This is my second time coming here to get a piece by Holly and she is by far one of the best artists I have ever been too! She's so sweet and understanding and does a great job with making you feel comfortable. She's fast while also being thorough, clean and precise. I couldn't recommend going to Holly enough, her work is creative and beautiful, just like her. And another special shout out to James for doing such an amazing job on my partner's tattoo as well! He was also very kind and accommodating and his work is also wonderful. Teddy bear and Jack o lanterns by Holly and Masterchief helmet by James! read more

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Excellent tattoo shop. Everyone is really friendly and personable. Artists work individually with clients to develop a one of a kind design. Shop is clean, sterile and follows COVID guidelines. Katie is amazing! Highly recommend. read more

Salvation Gallery - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I had the pleasure of getting inked by Mike Baker. He's such a talented artist! From the get go, I showed him an image of what I wanted and from his honest perspective, offered suggestions on how the tattoo would look best (considering how ink fades over time and how the design would best look composed on my arm). The rest of the staff were just as equally pleasant to interact with. Highly recommend this shop! read more

This is such a cool tattoo shop! My partner took me here to finish a chest tattoo I started a couple years before with Fred Pinkard, an incredible artist. He took us to their upstairs studio above the downstairs lobby so I could stretch out while he worked. I enjoyed the traditional setting while we talked music, life in Richmond and outside the city, and our plans to move there. He did an incredible job, and I couldn't be happier with his work. His wife Katie also works there and is an incredible artist in her own right. Definitely check out Salvation for quality ink. read more

Salvation Gallery - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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After going to Salvation several months ago, I'll never go elsewhere in Richmond. Mike Moses is the bomb. First off, I emailed him with an inquiry for a custom piece. Even though he had a packed schedule and I would only be in town the next weekend (I was mostly away at school in Cville), he insisted that I still come and he'd even stay after closing to fit me in. On top of that, the day of, he contacted me and told me someone canceled and I could come in earlier. I rushed in, was greeted by the best staff, gave them some baked goods, and got my best ink to date. A knife on my left inner upper arm, a matching fork on my right. Mike's so damn creative and passionate about his craft, and funny to boot. A client beside me said that Mike should materialize and sell the silverware he designed for me :) haha. P.S. Cash only, the last time I checked. read more

Salvation Gallery - props to mr. mike moses - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Since I have come here to get my sleeve done, I recommend Salvation to everyone. So far I have gotten my work done by Katie who is super chill & rad. I have refused to check out other studios because I am so incredibly happy with the work I have now! Hopefully, I do not have to move away any time soon because commuting to Richmond will probably suck, but I will still do it. Keep in mind-they are big on appointments & are cash only! Their location is in a great neighborhood near the fan/VCU area and they are right next to 821 Cafe. Definitely go to Salvation for your work! read more

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Full review complete! 1st visit to meet Matt and talk about the awesome cover up work he is going to create for me!! I found his work online and fell in love with his style. Turns out he has done some really memorable work on two of my friends! I emailed him my info and needs and he got back to me quickly. I got on his waitlist and when he started taking people again (like a month or two later) the shop called and helped me set up a consult for a month out. I met him in the shop explained what i wanted and we came up with a rough idea on the spot. My session is in another two months. So Halloween 2017 was my session! I got an email with my sketch, i provided some correction requests and my tattoo was perfectly updated when i arrived. It took awhile as expected and i was so anxious about moving too much but Matt was really awesome and helpful. So 4hrs later i have an awesome tattoo and a new friend and im so pleased with this shop! read more

You can't live in Richmond and not have a constant nagging desire to get more tattoos. We are the third most tattooed city in the country, and I'm honestly pretty proud. With such a high demand for ink in this city, it's no surprise that choosing the right artist and shop for your next permanent piece can be pretty overwhelming. There are literally dozens of incredibly talented tattoo artists in the city, but I wanted to share my experience with a particularly awesome guy and shop. I spent a fair amount of time researching different artists in the area and when I came across Matt Brotka's work, I stopped looking and picked up the phone. I came in for a consultation appointment and went over my ideas and left him with some artwork. The consultation requires a $50 deposit that will go towards the total price of your tattoo. It also guarantees that Matt, or the other artists, will get compensated for their design time, in case you choose not to get the tattoo. Matt was incredibly kind and listened carefully to my ideas and concerns. He was understanding and patient when I changed my mind about a few things last minute and I ended up with an amazingly detailed graphic line drawing of an owl. His precision and professionalism was amazing. I am beyond happy with the final product and would recommend Matt and the Salvation Tattoo shop without hesitation. If you are thinking about your next (or first) tattoo, make sure to check out Matt's website and Salvation's portfolio as well. There are many other talented artists that also work out of the shop. Thanks again Matt! read more

I was in Richmond only for a day and had a lot of time to kill. I had been thinking about getting a tattoo recently for my two nephews, and figured "why not?!". I called and asked if they had availability in 15 minutes and the dude over the phone was super friendly! I got there quickly and met Nate. He took time to get something together and when I asked it to be a bit smaller he fixed it with the quickness. Nate was light handed and dealt with my antics for the 20 minutes it took. I love it. It's perfect. Can't recommend this place and artist enough. I'll post a picture once it's healed. Keep in mind that they are CASH ONLY. Also, $60 minimum. read more

I've gotten a bunch of work done by Josh at Salvation. He and everyone there are incredible artists, highly professional and friendly shop, easily the best overall tattoo experience I've had anywhere. read more

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I called on a whim with a tiny request, and I have to say Phil was awesome. While most people were there adding to large bodies of work, Phil was willing to squeeze me. Nate was awesome and did a fantastic job. He prepped the space, laid the stencil, and after my approval got to work. He rendered my request perfectly and Literally 7 minutes later he was finished. With care instructions, a tee shirt, and a smile I left. Thanks for taking the time to do a small, but meaningful piece for a reasonable price. And doing it with perfection. If looking for a solid place I highly recommend. Salvation was full and every person in there was a return client, albeit myself. My thanks to Nate and Phil! read more

I think this place is awesome and I don't know what I am going to do when I move to Seattle because Katie is an amazing artist and I'm scared to let anyone else touch my skin! I love the atmosphere in this place - it's very chill. Everyone has been really nice to me. I thought people might laugh when I walked in for my first tattoo since I tend to look clueless, but everyone was great. They only take cash - I don't know if all tattoo shops do that since this is the only place I have been. Any time I have called to ask questions or make an appointment, everyone has been really nice and helpful. Katie is WONDERFUL! She did a great job with my friend's tattoos so that's why I chose her. She did my very first tattoo and then my first "commitment piece" on my chest. I'm still very impressed by the ink and I have a photo on my yelp profile page if you are curious. With my lotus blossom (first one) I wasn't 100% sure how I wanted it. I knew I wanted the lotus but the pictures I found weren't right. She drew it up and added these gorgeous leaves that I wasn't expecting but they definitely gave the lotus that extra special part that was missing. It turned out beautifully and I knew I'd go back for the next piece. A few months later, I did come back and she did my cherry blossoms. Again I still wasn't 100% sure how I wanted the blossoms but Katie created this amazing, original design. It's such a beautiful piece and not only does everyone (but my parents, of course!) think its amazing, I absolutely love it. I can't imagine my body without it. Katie is very professional and fun to be around - the experiences both times were really enjoyable. She was honest with me about my ideas, especially for the cherry blossoms and I'm really glad I went with what she suggested. We went larger in size than I was expecting but you know, if you're going to get a tattoo in a visible place like your chest, you may as well get it done right! I'm glad I did because if I had gone smaller they would have just been weird random cherry blossoms (she pointed that out and I feel like she helped me make the right decision.) She definitely takes pride in her work and she gives it her 100% every time. I would recommend her to anyone! read more

Fred is my guy. Met him at a tattoo convention in Rochester, NY in 2010 because I knew I was moving down to Virginia soon. I liked his portfolio a lot so I went for it and got a tattoo that day. It's actually one of my favorite tattoos. When I did finally move to Virginia I hit up Salvation and made an appointment with him. Again more brilliant work. Now I'm having another done by him in April. I'm not terribly familiar with other artists. If you are interested check out their portfolios on the website. Kate is another great artist who does great tattoos for females IMO. The shop is pretty cool. In the big window there's are pictures and trinkets devoted to old time tattoos. When you walk in there's big pieces of art adorning the walls as well as plenty of flash (I don't think it's any of the artist's flash, but I don't know). On a small coffee table you'll find all the artist's portfolio's so you can peruse and look for ideas and styles that take your fancy. At the front desk you'll find extremely friendly people who want to help you get the tattoo you want. You can also call to make an appointment. When you make an appointment you'll need to put down a deposit, $50 usually. I put $60 down on this latest one, which was my choice. You can do this over the phone, which I think is great because I live in Manassas and would have to drive down to Richmond to just to do this (I had to go down for a consult anyway this last time, but I'm not upset because I'm confident the tattoo will be worth it and I love Richmond). I know other shops will only let you make appointments in person. That's all. Definitely a great shop in one of America's tattooedest cities. DON'T FORGET TO TIP read more

Tattoo = a piece of art that should be decorated on your soul. Nate did exactly that!!! I had a tough time closing out my grandmother's death. She was an integral part of our family. I walked into this shop with an idea in my mind. Nate took the time to sketch it and a week later I now have an amazing piece on my left shoulder. Nate was able to help me bring closure to "Peggy"s" passing. I am excited to go back to have him tie together my other works as well as add to my family tree which sadly has become my back!!! GO SEE NATE!!! read more

I just started another leg piece with Mike Moses and couldn't be happier. This guy is brilliant. I also got an oldschool "mom" heart done on my arm a couple of months ago and it came out perfectly. read more

Salvation Gallery - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Got my first tattoo's done by Mike. The atmosphere was very friendly and welcoming. I am EXTREMELY pleased with the artistry and really fair pricing. Will definitely be back. read more

Went today Fred was my artist. Awesome job very friendly staff. GREAT SHOP!!! read more

Salvation Gallery - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I got my first ever tattoo done here this weekend by Nate. The entire experience was awesome. I live 90 minutes away, so I initially called the shop to see how I should proceed with an idea I had for my piece. I spoke with Phillip who was very helpful and professional. I was able to email my images to them, and set up a time to come down to the shop to discuss things further. Once at the shop in RVA I was able to check out the portfolios of each artist to see who best fit my design. I went with Nate because honestly his work is incredible. And it turns out he's a chill, fun, awesome dude to do your tattoo. He printed an outline of my piece the exact size I had described, and had every detail perfect. The finished piece is awesome and his shading work is phenomenal. The shop was clean, everyone was laid back and friendly, and made my wife and myself feel at home. This was an amazing experience and I can't recommend Nate or this shop highly enough! As some advice, they require a deposit of anywhere from $60-100 depending on your piece, however this goes towards the total cost of the tattoo. The price was very reasonable. I will definitely be back. read more

Salvation Gallery - By Nate. German town seal of my grandmothers hometown with her maiden name below. Nate got all the details exactly as I hoped. - Tattoo Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I don't have any tattoos but tonight I was on my bike and approached by two angry car drivers who pulled me over, looking to fight. The owners and their NEWBORN BABY interfered and sent them on their way. I have nothing but respect for this couple and they have my undivided loyalty till I'm in the ground. read more

Got my first tattoo from Mike. The whole experience from scheduling an appointment, to asking questions, to getting the tattoo was all smooth. Everyone was super friendly. I would definitely recommend both Salvation Gallery and Mike! read more

I can't comment on the shop itself, as I received my tattoo during a tattoo convention. But, I can comment on the staff and the artwork. I moved to DC a few years ago. I had searched and searched for a tattoo shop. While I had read decent reviews on here about some places, I was still weary. A good friend recommended this shop; she's had all of her tattoo work done here. We decided to set up an appointment for a weekend that worked for the both of us; turns out the shop would be working at a booth at the Baltimore Tattoo Arts Convention. We took the short road-trip up. My work was done by Mike Moses. It's an upper back piece -- a realistic cherry blossom tree (minimal coloring: black, gray and pink) with some text. It was also a cover-up piece for a small tattoo: he used the trunk of the tree to cover up the previous tattoo. Before the appointment, we conversed through e-mail... I told him my ideas, showed him some reference photographs and he got back to me with his sketch. It was incredible and beyond my expectations. He was extremely professional during the tattoo process. He had a light hand and was conscious of my pain index. It took about two and a half hours, with a break for both him and me in there. It turned out great and healed wonderfully. The price was also very reasonable. I've received a lot of positive comments about the piece. I would absolutely recommend Mike Moses. However, I hear he will be leaving the shop soon and heading to New York City. I would also recommend Matt Brokta. I do not have any work from him (yet), but I have seen his stuff: in person (on my friend) and in his portfolio. He does amazingly crisp, clean and vibrant old-school style work. read more

The vibes here are comfortable and welcoming. Everyone in the shop is hospitable and eager to accommodate. I got my ink done by Josh Autrey. He gave me his best work and delivered a quality tattoo, as well as a really enjoyable time in the chair. Couldn't have asked for a better job. The tattoo itself is brilliant as well; no lack of talent at Salvation. I'll be coming back again! read more

Nate and the entire Salvation staff were incredible. Easily the best tattoo shop I've ever been to. They were energetic, positive, and full of personality when we got there. Nate was already prepared with the PERFECT design drawn up when we had arrived, after simply talking to him about it on the phone. We felt like we had their full, undivided attention and dedication to our tattoos. I would highly recommend Nate and team to anyone in RVA looking to get a tattoo, and will quite frankly come back to Richmond for any tattoo I get in the future. read more

This place is the best! Fred did my back piece and Katie did my arm. They are the only ones that I will allow to tattoo me, and I live in LA, so that should say a lot! read more

Went there to get a memorial tattoo for my friend. Initially I spoke to Matt Brotka, who referred me to Nate Moretti. I'm so happy that I got tattooed by him. He did a great job, was very friendly and fast, and managed to squeeze me into a very busy schedule. I will recommend him to all my friends. Thank you so much for the great tattoo! read more

I recently decided to have my very first tattoo done at Salvation and I'm so glad I did. Everyone that works there is super laid back and friendly. I chose to schedule with Matt B. and he was so great. He drew out exactly what I wanted and I'm in love with the result! I was definitely nervous about my first tattoo experience, but Matt was so chill and even listened to me gab the entire time which really helped to calm my nerves haha. He was also quick to respond to an email I sent him with questions before my appointment. There are obviously a ton of places to get a tattoo in Richmond but I definitely recommend choosing this place! read more

As the home of Jimmy Chamberlain, this shop gets five stars. He's great--unique style, light hand, fast, reasonable. Tattoos heal quickly and most importantly look great. Highly recommended. read more

If you get a tattoo from anyone here, you will not leave without something awesom!. I'm getting work done by Fred and Katie and they're the most friendliest shop in RVA. Just a heads up, some artists can be booked out for weeks or months, so plan in advance. read more

My sister and I went here for our first tattoos. The service was excellent, very clean and Nate was awesome! Could not have asked for a better artist. Would highly recommend Salvation Gallery. Outstanding! read more

I believe you could close your eyes and point at any Artist in the room and get a great tattoo......... but Fred's my guy. He excels at his craft and his ability to guide his clients. Great atmosphere and very professional staff. I highly recommend this shop. read more