Chris Gunn, the owner, is an amazing tattoo artist. He improved an old tattoo of mine and finished my sleeve. I'm really happy with his work. No one makes colorful tats like he does. He highlights and adds amazing detail. read more

Royce hooked me up with my very first tattoo for my birthday. The guy is awesome but then again from what I could see, so is everyone else in that shop. Great group of people that clearly love what they do and do it well. I'm already thinking about what I want next and looking forward to going back. Thanks again, Royce! read more

This place came highly recommended while I was visiting Austin. I got my first (and probably only) tattoo here. Jack did an awesome job on my Arabic tattoo and if I ever feel the urge to get inked again and I am in Austin, I would go back. Thanks for making my first experience with tattooing a great one! I did pay $60 for a small wrist tattoo BUT that was definitely a lot cheaper than what another place was going to charge me. read more

my sister and i came in on a friday evening hoping to get tattoos. We got hooked up with Jack who drew up our designs that we had seen ideas of online, and made our appointment for the next day. i think it takes him a little bit to warm up to people ;) but he is a really really nice guy. And although this was my third tattoo, for whatever reason this one hurt way more than i was used to and he was really accommodating. He got me a lollipop, a stress ball and kept reminding me to actually breathe. Plus since i was naked from the hips up i was mildly uncomfortable but all of the guys there were really nice and respectful. Since i'm from northern CA it was nice to talk to him about the bay area. I spoke with him about a couple future tattoos and i would have no hesitation whatsoever going back to him. I highly recommend him because he is realistic, knowing what will look good as an end result, and super nice and helpful. Just know that whenever you come in, it will probably be packed and busy, so make an appointment! read more

Southside Tattoo - thank you Jack! it's healed up nicely. - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

My first tattoo. I had been looking for tattoo's for a while and they helped me design one, giving me advice and ideas. Leila did the tattoo and I've received many compliments on how straight the lines are, the great shading, and overall a good tattoo. She was very nice and it's been a week and I've had no problems. No burning, itching, and hardly any flaking. I'm very happy with the whole experience and I will go back to Leila when I decide on another. read more

AWESOME !!!! I checked out all kinds of reviews to find the right place for my first tattoo ever. well i found this one. my friend and i went there in the early evening. Royce was my guy! he was so AWESOME!!! he was trying to get off work early but it didn't happen. he didn't mind drawing what i wanted really for the tat. it took ... what felt like forever to come up with the perfect one that i really really liked. The result is AWESOME !!! i love my tattoo very much!!! thanks to those who wrote the reviews, and Royce at Southside Tattoo!!!!! if you look for a place to get your first or next tattoos this is the ONE !!! read more

Love this place. Walked in with a idea and light sketch of what I wanted done and left with exactly what was in my head. They are two for two in my book. Top notch joint. read more

What can I say that hasn't been said already ? What does one look for in a tattoo parlor ? Cleanliness, talent, ambiance, price. Southside has all 4. After a good amount of research I ended up at Southside. Royce drew up a State of TX tat for me and we were off to the races. In less than an hour I had a beautiful tattoo. Royce is a pro and really takes pride in his work. He also touched up a sloppy Boston Red Sox tattoo from 2004. It looks brand new. Need ink go there you won't be disapointed. read more

Today is my 28th birthday, and I have been planning on getting a tattoo for over a year. I took in a sketch of what I wanted yesterday and Kristian did the actual tattoo today. He was AWESOME! He's hilarious and kept me laughing the whole time. I was surprised at how little pain I felt (small tattoo on my back, just under left shoulder blade). I was very pleased with how the tat turned out--it's Harry Potter themed (the Deathly Hallows symbol on top, and Harry's glasses w/ lightning bolt scar directly underneath). Kristian is super talented and I would definitely recommend him & Southside Tattoo!!! read more

Very professional shop. 3 of us went in for tattoos Donnie handle each of us with grace as we had ideas that he translated into gorgeous individual tattoos. Thank you ! read more

These guys are awesome! Fun atmosphere and very professional staff. They took my design to heart and spent time making sure everything was exactly how I wanted it. Very laid back and excellent work, i'll be going here exclusively moving forward! read more

I just got my tattoo done By Chris Gunn. All i can say is wow. It is a very bright and wondefully thought out tattoo. I love it and will definatly be back for some more work in the future. The staff there is very friendly and nothing but helpful. I liked how i dropped in and Chris stopped what he was doing to go over the tattoo i wanted . He worked to make me comfortable through the whole process. I highly recommend checking out his work. read more

I usually never write reviews,but this is an exception. I had the tattoo itch for a while now. I was bored this past sunday so I decided I would go check this place out. As soon as I walked in Donnie helped me out and he asked me what I wanted to get. Told him my idea . He sketched out my idea made some adjustments got to work and bam! Legit tattoo! Thanks Donnie! read more

I have a few tattoos, but recently decided to get matching dachshunds with my mom after our beloved Cookie passed away. She wanted the tat but was supper nervous and is a perfectionist. She was stressed about where to place it, etc. We saw Noska at south side tattoo and he was the most kind and professional artist, he eased her fears and gave great advice on where to place it. the whole experience was fun, and We are beyond happy with how it turned out, and though this is probably the first and last tat for her, I'll definitely be coming to see Noska for my next ink! This place is A+ and everyone who works there is obviously passionate about what they do, which makes them excellent. More stars if I could give them! read more

Went in with a vague idea of what I wanted and explained it to Donny. He got out some sketches and nailed it on the design. Normally they work by appointment but they fit me right in. This place has attitude so if you can't handle that go elsewhere but overall they were very cool. If you want ink art this is the place. read more

Artist asked for a picture of my lower back for a tattoo I was commissioning, then bragged about it and drunkenly showed it to a mutual friend. Wtf? Not a trustworthy business. No thanks. read more

This is an awesome shop that I would highly recommend. I had my appointment set up about a week prior to arriving with Leila and she had a drawing ready to go as I walked in. Great artwork, clean lines, solid shading, I was very impressed. They've got a tight knit group of folks in there so the atmosphere was enjoyable while I had a needle in my arm. Awesome customer service over email as well. Can't wait to get more! read more

Eric Anderson just finished my half sleeve a few weeks ago and I could not be happier with my experience over at southside. He listened to what I wanted and was happy to discuss the design decisions around the piece. This included resolving some issues with an existing tattoo. Each session (of which there were many) was a fantastic experience for me from when I entered the shop to the last bit of shading. During the hours in the chair I also watched him interact with plenty of other customers and didn't observe any particular negative exchange. Eric's feedback will always be honest and in my experience, always in the customer's best interest. read more

I walked in to get my first tattoo but was not given a good first impression. The artist at the front counter rarely looked up to speak with me as I described what I was thinking about getting. Instead, he kept drawing and working out new designs as he talked. I have no doubt based on the other reviews that it would have been a great tattoo. I just need to deal with someone who has some enthusiasm for their client. It was busy and I was told to come back later in the day. Instead, I'll go somewhere else. Bummer. read more

Three tattoos here have all exceeded my expectations. Royce has improved on each design I've brought in. Although he's the only artist I've worked with, everyone I've seen at Southside during the time I've been in the shop does outstanding work. The shop is clean, the atmosphere is friendly, and they pay attention to detail in the work they produce. Highly recommended. read more

Noska did amazing work on me. And Bart Willis has done equally amazing work for me before. And they, along with the rest of the crew at Southside, are rad people. I wouldn't go anywhere else. They take both appointments and walk-ins. read more

When I first walked in I was immediately helped at the counter by Noska (who ended up doing my tattoo). He told me his advice, things to watch for (like not putting it on the crease of my wrist because it doesn't heal as well and to use black ink because it lasts longer) but did give me ultimate say in my tattoo. Super clean. I watched them unwrap the needle from the wrapper and it was a well lit tattoo-ing area. I didn't see anybody's art work because I just wanted a simple word on my wrist but they made me feel completely comfortable. It was my first tattoo and was extremely anxious and my hand was actually shaking before he started to tattoo. There is a $60 minimum but they gave me a discount of $10 since mine literally took less than 5 minutes and I would say well worth it still because of how understanding and helpful they were in my first tattoo experience! Plus I absolutely love it and it turned out better than I had even imagined! read more

I recently moved to Austin and began searching out a shop to get my next piece done at. I only have two and wanted the next one to be over the top. Southside came up over and over again when I'd stop nicely-inked folks around town and ask where they got their work. This is one of the first shops I've been into where EVERYone in their is cool. There's no on scowling at your non-sleeved out arms asking you where all your ink is. The guys in there are friendly, receptive and honest with their opinions about what will and will not work. Between myself, my wife and three friends, we've gotten five tattoos by three artists and all have turned out great. This is not some flash shop, so it would be best to stop in and talk to the guys. There is some flash and various artwork on the wall for inspiration but this places thrives on the custom jobs. Some of them may be booked months in advance due to demand for such masterful work, but there's likely someone on any given day that can take walk-ins. And it should go without saying, but the shop is clean. You will be leaving with a nice new tat, not scabies :) (And without detracting from any other artist, I've got to recommend the only one I've personally seen - Michael Norris - the rest of the folks in there are all highly talented, but he just HOOKED ME UP with the start to a great piece) EXCELLENT SHOP! read more

I went to Austin on a business trip expecting to eat and drink and maybe cause some mischief...but definitely not with any intention of getting a tattoo (my first one)! Our hotel was across the street so my boss and I on a whim walked over to Southside Tattoo and began what was to be one of the most fun experiences of my 23 years on this earth. Royce, my tattoo artist, was incredibly friendly, enthusiastic and able to put up with my mindless chatter throughout the 'consultation' and tattooing. He managed to find the EXACT image I was looking for (a line drawing of a Rambouillet sheep) of which I had been searching for on Google for a good while *Insert middle finger in the 'information super highway' here.* I would also like to give a shout-out to Jack (another great Southside tattoo artist) who helped me kick my boss and her husbands ass at ping pong. THANK YOU for the amazing art that is now on my forearm, I'm sorry I didn't have the balls to have the sunburst coming out of the rambouillet's ass. Hope your motorcycle trip (Royce) was half as good as my tattoo. read more

The only reason I didn't give this place 5 stars is because it was a pain in the ass to actually get an appointment. They really need to take "walkins welcome" off of their website. I mean, I guess walkins are welcome...but don't expect to get ink for awhile, LOL. I got mine the day before Thanksgiving, and I was the only person in the shop for several hours. They let my 13 year old son answer the phone, and admitted he was better at it than any of the artists. In short, artists are flakey, but we all know that. But bottom line is, they really want you to be happy with your decision and the final product, and it shows. Clean, friendly...I couldn't be happier with my work. read more

Got my first tat from Chris Gunn @ Southside Tattoo. Would highly recommend anyone thinking of getting ink to go here. Clean, friendly, professional atmosphere with great music! It was an awesome experience. Portia / Chicago read more

I went in on a Monday a year ago to get some ink put on me. The tattoo turned out awesome. The artist there was in from Chicago as a special guest and he did an amazing job on the ink. That tattoo I got was chef skull and the artist specialized in it. While waiting for him to be ready Bart Willis noticed one of my other tattoos I had got done else where needed some touch up. They did that for me and didn't ask for a cent for the effort it took to correct the work. Needless to say all my tattoos now look really nice. If your looking for a really good Tattoo parlor I would highly recommend south side tattoo. You can't go wrong with them IMO. read more

It's been several years now but the half-sleeve original piece that Chris did for me still makes me smile every day. He obviously didn't like taking my card (I've found almost all tattoo shops prefer cash) but to his credit he refused the tips I added after several sessions. Also, the aftercare products they offer are the best I have ever used. My only recommendation to anyone is to give them plenty of time to work on the art before they start working on you, I was so enthusiastic about my piece that I probably could have let him work on the details a little longer but overall my experience and the resulting tattoo were both outstanding. This is the shop I will be returning to for my next large tattoo. read more

I wandered into Southside earlier this year to look through Eric's portfolio and after meeting him right then and there, I knew I'd found my artist. I'd been looking for the perfect match for a very specific and personal tattoo for YEARS and discussing it with Eric made me so excited!! A couple weeks later I returned and he created a back piece of a Great Blue Heron so beautiful that I takes my breath away (just like the actual bird), he understood my own artistic convictions and added insight and direction that I value immensely. It took the better part of an afternoon and was super comfortable, focused and he gave me the GREAT advice of eating a big steak afterwards...YUM. I'll be going back soon. BEST CHOICE EVER. Plus his motto is "like getting licked on by kittens"....kittens rock too! read more

Go see Eric! He has great vision and his art is awesome!! I gave him my ideas and he drew me up an amazing tattoo. Did first session last week and will finish the end of March. Long wait but well worth it. As long as I'm living in Texas Southside will be where I get all my tatts!! read more

Southside Tattoo - Session 1 complete!! - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

I saw Jack years ago for my first tattoo and came back without hesitation. Jack wasn't available, but I was able to get Noska. Noska is AWESOME! He really brought to life what I envisioned. I love, love, love my new tattoo. Highly recommended! I'll be back!! read more

If you want your first tattoo or your second, this is the place to go. Jack is amazing, calm, and very professional. These folks are clean and the atmosphere is laid back. I recommend Southside...the work is literally on my arms! read more

Randall aka The Husky Jesus is an awesome artist. He's great as his craft. He listens to your ideas without any judgment and works with you in order to give you a great tattoo. He tattooes super fast, has a great hand (it barely hurts) and he's super funny. read more

Had Bart help me create a custom memorial piece and it turned out great. Very welcoming in the shop, and very down to earth. Awesome artwork too! read more

Unfriendly, unhelpful, uncomfortable. It doesn't matter if you call first. I called, was told to come in, arrived 45 minutes later and was informed there was one person ahead of me and that it would be a 3 to 4 hour wait. Being my first tattoo, I brought a drawing and was hoping for some input from the tattoo artist. It was to be a small tattoo, but he had no advice or suggestions on improving or enhancing it. Nada. My daughter had brought her artwork as well, asked for no advice, and was told that hers was too small for the area. "Big canvas, little picture...won't look good." Seriously, if this were the case, then everyone should have full body tattoos. We returned three hours later and waited, unacknowledged, in the shop for an hour. The artist who'd just finished with a client, seemed intent on completely ignoring us. When a beautiful, foreign woman walked in, the same artist jumped at the opportunity to fawn over her artwork and announced that he'd "love to do the work for her". Apparently, the artist she'd had an appointment with had gone for the day and wasn't returning. The woman left, irritated. We were then told that there was, still, another client ahead of us, who had not, yet, arrived at the shop. We left, irritated. The shop that ended up doing our tattoos was clean and comfortable. The walk-in wait was 20 minutes. The artists were helpful, friendly and calming for a first-timer. The finished artwork has beautiful, clean lines and a really nice graduated color, (of the artist's suggestion). I will be writing a five star review for this shop. read more

I've never been a believer in simply knowing when you meet the right one. I've had an idea for a tattoo that means a lot to me. I've lived in six states over the past four years and I've investigated countless tattooists in all of them. None of them were good enough. And I'm not talking talent-wise. They just lacked a certain quality where if you cut them, they would bleed their art. This is something I'll wear forever - it's that important. So none of them would do. I've been in Austin a year and just happened to drop by Southside about another tattoo I was curious about. Michael Norris greeted me at the door. Not to get too metaphysical but I could simply sense the difference. What an artist! I trust him so completely that I felt no reluctance stretching my left calf in front of him and saying "draw." This tattoo of two bold, beautiful phoenixes awes people when they see it. When this is finished and colored in, I will have no reluctance in showing him my back and saying. "I'd like a dragon. Draw, please." You will not regret choosing Michael as your tattoo artist. read more

I'm a south side from Chicago, and it was my first time in Austin. The hub and I were tooling down South Congress and stopped in to check this place out. I was like "I need to get 'branded' in Texas'. Told the guys what I wanted and made an appointment for the next day. During that time, and after researching the design I was contemplating, I decided I wanted something a little different and in a different spot. They were totally cool about it. Royce was my artist and did a fantastic job on my ankle. The guys are all really nice and laid back, place is clean and got a funky vibe to it, and they play some nice tune-age while you are being tortured. Next time I'm in Austin, I may have to get branded again, and I'd definitely go back here in a heartbeat. read more

I was disappointed with my visit to the Southside Tattoo parlor. I walked in to make an appointment to get a very small tattoo. They told me that they could go ahead and do it right then if I had the time. I did have the time, however I was unprepared and without my photo ID. I told them I could run home and get it but they said it was no problem, and that I could go get my ID after they did the tattoo. I agreed, and with in 15 min the tattoo was finished. However, in the 15 minuets it took to finish my tattoo the mood changed drastically. It went from being laid back, easy going, and fun, to being uncomfortable, awkward and tense. The man who tattooed me seemed stressed and snapped at me as I was paying. I returned later that night with my ID. All in all getting my fist tattoo here was not enjoyable, and would not recommend this place to anyone. read more

I honestly cannot imagine getting any of my tattoos anywhere else. Southside is fantastic. Tattoos are a passion of mine and I actually love spending time in shops. They are so friendly and such cool guys. My friend recommended the place to me and he has work done on both sides of his ribs, by Noska. It is incredible. After going in a few times to talk about ideas I have for my next tattoos I wandered in one day and talked with him to see if there was anyone available to do a Hippo tattoo on my arm. I was ecstatic when he said he had the free time before his next appointment. It was a really basic tattoo but Noska made it perfect and at the end we even added a little thought bubble coming from the hippo. You cannot look at my forearm without smiling. Even though it was such a simple tattoo I knew from then on that I wanted him to do my next, bigger piece. I wanted flowers, vines and some ants and beetles on them sort of flowing up my arm to my neck, in black and grey, sort of like a watercolor painting. I came in and Noska and I talked it over and came up with ideas and by the end of that night we knew exactly what I wanted. He is so talented and attentive. It was the longest month ever waiting for that appointment! I was so excited, we looked through tons of bug books to find the perfect beetles and ants to add. We were totally on the same page. The tattoo took 5 hours and it was so much fun. I was blown away at the end and I could not imagine having any one but Noska do my tattoos from now on. It came out just how I wanted it with a sort of sepia looking tone to it, with a sort of japanese style fading. He basically free handed the whole thing. AH I could go on forever, out of all my tattoos the ones that I have gotten done at Southside are my favorite. All the artists are fabulous and ridiculously talented. read more

Southside Tattoo - My tattoo done by Noska! - Tattoo Near Me - Austin, Texas

I am writing a review for a service I did not receive and yet am totally happy with. I went to Southside planning to get a tattoo to mark the fifteenth anniversary of my sisters death. After falling in love with Eric's work from his book, I made an appointment for a consult and sketched some ideas. When we met, he told me he loved the design concept (not at all offended that I brought my own idea) but asked me the significance. When I began to tear up, he calmly offered suggestions about a memorial tattoo and what to expect, reminding me that I would have the same questions from anyone who saw it. I modified the design and booked an appointment, but later cancelled after realizing that, being happy in my skin for the first time in many years, I didn't need to ink it to remember my sister properly. I have never been so happy to lose a deposit in my life- it's cheaper than counseling, and I have much respect for an artist who thinks about the impact his work will have and wants it to be meaningful and beloved, never a regret. I have no doubt the tattoo would have been lovely, but I appreciate Eric even more for knowing its absence would be lovelier. read more