I have 2 tattoos by south bay Mike. The reason for the 3 star rating is mainly because of the price. The work i got done came out really good some of the best i have. But man it cost me an arm and a leg to pay for it. If your pockets go deep by all means go ahead and spend the cash, and you will spend it here. The good thing is that you wont be let down by the work done by Mike. My first tattoo here was a heart for my mom, it's actually the favorite tattoo i have and the pricing back then as my second tattoo ever seemed reasonable. The second one was a tribute tattoo for a friend that got shot in Iraq. Now on this tattoo is were i drew the line. It was way over priced in my opinion... Having gone to a couple other shops and tattoo artist it seems like i did the right choice. The work is great but the price is really steep. I have gotten just as good work in other places for less of a price. Look around do your homework if you click well with the tattoo artist there should be not problem agreeing with a reasonable price. read more

Southbay Tattoo - Bullet and wound done by south bay Mike - Tattoo Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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I won't let anyone else touch my skin with ink other than south bay mike. I love his, work. He did my first tattoo and it came it wonderful. (look at the pictures it's the cherry blossoms.) He's a super cool guy. Finished my tattoo in less than an hour and it hardly hurt. He has a light hand. He is a little pricey but you won't be disappointed. You get what you pay for. Pretty sure the shop isn't called celebrity tattoo anymore. read more

Southbay Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Went back to see Mike for another meaningful tattoo. This time I got morning glories (sentimental value). Mike has done 4 pieces for me and out of go all the tattoos I have, the tattoos I've gotten done by Mike get the most compliments. He is awesome and I highly recommend him. If you want a tattoo that is custom made for you, go see Mike. read more

Southbay Tattoo - Jellyfish done by Mike @ Southbay Tattoo Company - Tattoo Near Me - Chula Vista, California

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I'm not sure why anyone would give SB Mike a bad review. I live in Seattle and went on Motorheads Motorboat cruise last month. I heard Mike was going to be on it doing his work, and I knew I had to seize the chance. I made an appointment on his website and he messaged me on Facebook and we talked and agreed on a price. I was taken back by the price, but like he said "Do I want a quality tattoo" or a cheap one. I always have wanted a Iron Maiden "Eddie" tattoo and three weeks after the release of the new Maiden album "Book of Souls" was released, I had Tribal Eddie inked on my right arm. It came out AMAZING!!! Man he has mad skills. Very talented and serious about his work. Worth every penny. Mike is a cool dude. If you want a detailed and perfect/flawless tattoo, then visit Southbay Mike !!! read more

Southbay Tattoo - Iron Maiden "Book of Souls" Eddie- by Southbay Mike - Tattoo Near Me - Chula Vista, California

Southtown Mike is versed in all styles of ink but specializes in Japanese. I got a half sleeve from him and it absolutely off the chain! Like no other Koi tat I have ever seen. On top of that it was a cover up. First time or covered in ink....check out this shop first. read more

There are far too many people in the world with terrible tattoos, and too many two-bit hacks giving them. That's why reknowned tattoo artistist "Southbay Mike" warns everyone to "think before you ink." Or at the very least, call him up and make an appointment to get a permanent inking from someone who considers himself one of the true "old school" artists in the field. Mike has been tattooing for 21 years, opening his first shop in Chula Vista back in 1996. Now he calls Southbay Tattoo at 295 3rd Avenue his artistic home, coming in solely to work on clients who make an appointment by phone. He guarantees the quality of his craft and makes no secret of his disdain for wannabes buying a tattoo gun online and calling themselves artists just because they can somewhat draw. "I don't appreciate homemade artists," says Southbay Mike, who's tough exterior only slightly hides the fact that he's a caring family man that has a deep passion for is work. "I love the machine, and there's people out there destroying the art of tattooing. It's lost its attractiveness and has been cheapened. Us real tattoo artists look down on that because we put a lot of time into doing it the right way." Perhaps the fact that tattoos have been a source of wonder for Southbay Mike is the reason he feels so protective of the artform. As a kid, he was always mystified by the colorful, permanent drawings he'd see on people's arms. In fact, he believed it was actual "magic." Later in life, after beginning the process of learning how to create this magic, he realized it was actually hard work to create that magic. But that has never stopped him from doing what he can to "keep the magic alive" through his intricate, cleanly designed pieces. He admits that his commissioned pieces don't come at a bargain price. That's because he feels that "a good tattoo aint cheap, and a cheap tattoo ain't good." Even then, he will forego charging anyone if they're not happy with the work he's done. Not that that has ever happened. And seeing first-hand his work, I can see why. It's classic, clean, and smoothly finished. The woman he was working on, who also happens to be is apprentice, had no bleeding - a sure sign of an artist that knows what he's doing. read more

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I got tattoo'd by "southbay mike" for my birthday this year. My best friend told me about him and so I went with her to watch him tattoo her Sparrow on her shoulder. From the minute I stepped into Southbay Tattoo, I had nothing but good vibes. I watched him effortlessly freehand an amazing old school type sparrow. I instantly got excited. The end result was beyond words. His shading, skip shading, and his lines are all flawless. I knew I found the right artist for the piece I've been slaving over for years. My mom's mother was killed by a drunk driver, and since 2001, I've been waiting for the day I could honor her memory. My idea had changed several times as I grew up. My heart settled on a Barbie(gma collected them), about 5 months ago. For 5 months id been searching for the best artist for the job. Mike is that artist. My forearm now is home to a gorgeous 1960's style Barbie. The colors are bright and beautiful, his lines are unmatched. He truely is a master of his passion. You get what you pay for with mike, and as he would say "You don't buy a Remembrant at Walmart". Southbay Mike and his shop are World Class. If you are serious about this Art form like he is, he is the artist for you. If you want a cheap, impulse, sparatic tattoo.... don't waste both of your time. I can honestly say I'll never go anywhere else. Mike is my guy. Thank you so much for my Barbie, Mike, I know my grandmother would have loved it. I'll see you soon. Brenna Saldana. read more

Got my ink done here at this shop now called Blackwater Tattoo Parlor by Southbay Mike great experince and was only in the chair for an hour for a custom piece i highly recommend this shop for your ink needs. read more

i went to this place today, july 13th for their tattoo special. arrived around noon 12:15ish and sent them the tattoo that i wanted along with my friends tattoo he wanted as well. the place was sort of busy they said the wait was going to be 30-60min. not a problem so i went to eat and came back to the shop after about 30 min, and was told i was next in line. when they called me for my tattoo they only drew half of it and didnt ask for any clarification as if they were just going to take it and slap it on my arm. the friend that i came with got called for his tattoo 30 min before me and finished before they even called me to look at their print out. i told them more details about it and they had to "reprint" the tattoo. at this point i had been waiting for over an hour and a half. so, they skip my tattoo and move on to the next person in line who came in an hour after i had gotten there. after 3 hours of waiting i asked how much longer the wait would be, but the woman at the front desk wouldnt give me a time window. they didnt ask if i needed water they didnt tell me a price and they didnt offer me much service whatsoever. the saddest part is that i wasted half my day at a place that didnt even try to help me. read more