While on a trip to DC, my friend and I decided to do something spontaneous and see if we could snag walk in tattoos at Tattoo Paradise in Adams Morgan. They told us they get tons of walk-ins in that location because of how many people are in town for business and travel. First things first: the shop itself looked super clean, super organized, and really well done. Bright, professional, tons of flash on the walls, and everything felt sanitary and put together. We each got our zodiac symbols to represent our friendship. My artist was Sam Layzelle, and he was great. Easy to talk to, professional, confident. The tattoo was small (inside of my ankle so it definitely was not painless), and it only took about 10 minutes. He worked quickly and cleanly, and it was over super quick. Both artists were chatting with us while working, and my friend and I were getting tattooed at the same time, which made it even more fun. Sam mentioned he travels to Scranton, PA for the tattoo convention there, so we ended up talking about Pennsylvania and where we're from. It felt relaxed and personal instead of rushed. Each tattoo was $140 plus tip. If you're in Adams Morgan and feeling brave (or just a little impulsive), I'd absolutely recommend stopping in. read more

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This is my third tattoo from here. I had a family in town and the younger ones wanted a tattoo so we made it a family affair. It was myself, my son, cousin and her daughter. The service was great and everyone loves their tattoo. The quality of the artists work is great. It was my cousin first time and her artist walked her through everything which made her comfortable. Elliott did my tattoo this time so I will go back for the second part read more

Tattoo Paradise - African violet by Nikki. Loving it. - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

My friend and I chose Tattoo Paradise for its good reputation for our buddy tattoos. The shop was clean and the people were nice. We were both tatted by Dean Kind -- my tattoo immediately had blowout right when he tattooed me, it has only continued to get worse. Every single line on my tattoo is blown out. I'm really really disappointed at how mine has turned out; I paid 135 bucks for this and will probably have to get it lasered off for much more. I have another tattoo on my ankle from another shop that NEVER blew out, so it's hard for me to believe that "my skin just does this". I wish tattoo paradise did more quality control when choosing their artists. Very disappointed and would not recommend this shop. read more

Tattoo Paradise - Less than 3 hours after the tattoo, blowing out already - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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this is my fourth tattoo, walk-in, and Nate did such an amazing job! the entire staff was thoughtful and considerate the entire time and the artwork and shading was done very well. Highly recommend Nate and Tattoo Paradise! read more

I was traveling from LA, so I needed an appointment on a specific date and time, which can be hard to nail down with shops in my experience. Honestly, I chose this shop because they were the only ones who responded to my messages, and I'm really glad I did! I went on their website and found that Bobby was working the day that I needed, and used their booking form to send in my reference. Within a day we had confirmed an appointment with a $100 deposit that went towards the final tattoo. They called me a day before to confirm, and Bobby was there right on time with stencils already printed. They don't let anyone come into the tattooing area if they aren't getting tattooed, but there's seating in the front and plenty of flash to peruse for anyone you bring along. The guy at the front desk was really nice, and my artist Bobby was so sweet and made getting a tattoo on my hip bone and stomach as comfortable as it could be (not very, but that's because I was getting a cluster of needles hammered into my skin for an hour, not because Bobby was in any way unpleasant.) I couldn't laugh at his jokes (stomach moving mid-stomach tattoo = bad), but he was really funny and the energy of the shop was really upbeat and comfortable even while sweating through my pants and biting my lip so hard it bled. The shop takes debit and credit as well as cash, which was awesome as I was not keen on taking several hundred dollars in cash onto an airplane. For a 6"x3" linework tattoo of a pre-existing design I provided, I was quoted a very reasonable $320-$420, and the total price ended up being $350 which was great! The tattoo looks PHENOMENAL. I wanted an exact replica of a drawing I'd done, and Bobby executed it perfectly. He didn't use saniderm/second skin, which I appreciate as I'm sensitive to adhesive (he was even sure to double-check that tape around the bandage would be okay). I have 20+ tattoos, but he still made sure to go over aftercare and make sure I had the right soap and lotion for healing. I was stewing in the bacteria-laden air of a plane for six hours the next afternoon, but even so, healing has been a breeze. Overall amazing experience at Tattoo Paradise and with Bobby! If I'm ever in the area again I would absolutely come back here and have been recommending it to friends in the area ever since. read more

Tattoo Paradise - 2 days later - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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This is a long due review... I absolutely love the environment and artists here! They helped me through the process of figuring out what I had in mind to get (tattoo) and were very kind and patient. I did a walk in and the wait was less than I expected, though I know wait times vary from day to day. I wholly appreciated the friendly environment and the artists are truly talented. read more

Tattoo Paradise - No. 601 Squadron badge (RAF) - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Extremely professional tattoo shop. I called earlier to see if they're still doing walk-ins and consultations and they said yes! I came around 4:30 pm on 20 May 2023 after the fall-out with a previously scheduled shop. The two men running reception (one has glasses) were efficient and courteous. They're not "warm", but they were professional and welcomed everyone in, making two lines: one for tattoos and one for piercings. This was a feat since some people may or may not have been drunk and a bit rowdy. The receptionists instructed us to fill out the liability paperwork and for tattoos, the one with glasses asked what design we wanted, and he got the design started before the tattoo artist rendered the final designs. They will take ID and credit card for payment and to verify your age. My final cost was $305 ($5 to process design). It's probably a tad on the pricy side due to the neighbourhood, but I'm pretty happy with the final product. For reference, I asked for a 5inch tattoo on my left arm with two words with 3 tiny flowers and two petals. They did colour on the petals and the flowers and leaves. Otherwise, it was a black tattoo. The guest artist who did my tattoo, Juan (@raw.deal on IG) is from Brooklyn and he was very calming. Definitely an introvert like myself, but he made all the adjustments I requested or if there was something that may not work from an artist perspective, he talked to me about it and tried his best to explain why it may not work design wise. He communicated well, which put me at ease. We went back and forth about 3-4 times to get it perfect, which is what all people who want a tattoo need to do since it's going on our bodies. He also was able to pick up that it was my first tattoo and was very laid-back and provided me assurance. He told me would tattoo a small line to see how I felt and when I said I could keep going, he went full steam. His timing on the needlework helped me catch my breath at the right times and he did ask at least once or twice if I needed a break, but it was fine for me. Juan finished in about 40 minutes and gave me some additional aftercare instructions too. He securely bandaged my arm well and was really pleasant to work with. Most of his artwork is more Japanese art inspired with bold colours. A lot of the artwork in Tattoo Paradise is like that, with an almost retro feel. I was a little concerned about the style of art since it's something I like to look at, but for body art for myself personally, I'm more of a fine line, cutesy, stylistic person. However, when my other appointment combusted, I was looking around for another shop and I settled on Tattoo Paradise because I read that the artists and their professional customer service. I'm so glad I made this choice. Perhaps I'm old fashioned, but to me, getting tattoo is a big deal. You're trusting someone to stab you in your body with a needle hundreds if not thousands of times. You need someone trustworthy, where you trust that the equipment is sterilised and there's no cross contamination with ink or needles or other equipment. My previous appointment fell through, but I felt uneasy with them towards the end anyways since I no longer trusted them to tattoo me. I'm really glad that it fell through so I could get to Tattoo Paradise. If I'm ever in the market for a tattoo in their style, I would definitely return for that tattoo! read more

From out of town and of course snagged my piercing on a towel. Ari accepted my reservation and was excellent in helping me. The spot itself is located in a super cute neighborhood in DC. The atmosphere of the shop is awesome. I was chatting it up with other customers and the vibe was so positive. Ari herself is a sweetheart who ensured I was educated and helped me with the issue. Thanks Ari and Happy New Year! read more

Eduardo and Sam were amazing. A real true tattoo shop. If you want a tattoo in DC, you can't get a bad one here. read more

Tattoo Paradise - Done by Eduardo - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is a review for piercings with Pattie. A friend highly recommended Pattie and I had been wanting some additional ear piercings and finally went for it. Pattie was so nice and helpful discussing my ideas and working with me on what would be best (ended up with a low helix and flat rook). She also talked through the jewelry options and even though I ended up spending more than I was planning to, I'm really happy with my choices. The whole piercing process was quick, easily and barely painful and Pattie talked me through the whole thing. I also felt like the shop was taking COVID precautions seriously and that it was very clean. I would highly recommend Pattie for your piercings and will definitely be back to dress up my right ear a bit! read more

Tattoo Paradise - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Wonderful experience from start to finish. everyone on staff was kind and professional. Nate did an incredible job on my arm, had a light touch, and was great on time. the price was very reasonable, especially considering the quality of the work. I am obsessed with my tattoo, and have gotten crazy compliments on it. Vibe at the shop was great and made the experience all the better. Thanks, Nate! 10/10 will be back! read more

simple number tattoo on my wife's ankle not even bigger than two fingers that we got on Friday the 13th. we were hoping it would be at a discounted price with the whole special day but the guy said nope we don't do that, even tho news company WashingtonTonia posted about Adam Morgan's tattoo shops giving out these deals but they're special, anyways, and he proceeds by throwing a random number after a few "uhhs and ums". The only reason it's not a one is because they stay open late and my wife was able to get it. A low review for being its awful price point. Already mentioned a few friends to avoid this place. read more

So clean, professional, and efficient! Brynn is a doll and Davide did an incredible and quick job :) read more

Tattoo Paradise - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I FOR SURE got scammed. Considering I had to pay $255 for two SMALL tattoos. See below. read more

Tattoo Paradise - Second tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I visited in March for a tattoo with Lupo. The staff acknowledged my first-tattoo jitters and made me feel comfortable. My tattoo took about three hours and ended up being pretty painful towards the end as he shaded the inner thigh. Lupo was patient with me as I asked for small breaks to drink Gatorade and breathe. My adrenaline wore off at the end and I started crying (not my proudest moment). During that time, another tattoo artist came over and gave me a stress ball to squeeze which helped tremendously. Thankfully there were maybe 6 people in the shop due to COVID regulations lol. Lupo is extremely talented and will work with you to make a custom piece. I highly recommend him. FYI - Make sure to tell your artist if you have a latex allergy. There are aftercare products that can trigger a reaction and they can use alternatives. read more

Tattoo Paradise - My tattoo in the wild. - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

These guys are very very friendly! They are obviously knowledgeable about tattoos and will make sure you are educated on what's going on, sizing, cleaning, pictures/drawings etc. They will make sure you are satisfied. Also very happy that they are open late and in the middle of DC. They said this is the better location, but after asking about it, they have 3 locations total which rotate the artists. I will be going back for sure!!! read more

Tattoo Paradise - Inside - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I had a tattoo of a medusa head done yesterday by Tessa. She was amazing! I didn't have a super concrete details of what I wanted but she took creative liberty and it turned out great! Her fine line work is amazing! She was also so much fun, great vibe! read more

Tattoo Paradise - Medusa head tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

So glad I chose this place. Guilherme did an awesome job. Very professional, courteous staff and clean facilities. Highly recommend. Thank you read more

Tattoo Paradise - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I got my tattoo with Chase Fenner and I was blown away by his talent, professionalism, and patience. He made me feel like we were on a team together to get to the perfect version of my tattoo for me - and he never rushed or pushed me. He's so talented that he was kindly helping other artists throughout the day too. Definitely recommend you go here and ask for Chase!! read more

I drove an hour just for a random woman to give me attitude. As soon as you walk in, it's not very welcoming. I came in for a tattoo and the woman who is at the front desk with curly hair just gave me the worst attitude when all I did was ask about a tattoo at a tattoo shop. I only went because of the reviews but it's quite ironic that a business that has "don't come in if you have an attitude" hires people with attitude problems and ugly personality's. Trust me, I thought this would be a great place to get a tattoo but I was wrong. You guys should save your time, money and gas. They obviously don't know what good customer service is. It's honestly not worth it. To the business owner, you should get better at hiring because you obviously don't know what you're doing :) read more

It was my first time coming into this shop and I was immediately yelled at for bringing my child in. Although I understand the reasonings behind having children in a tattoo shop I would've appreciated it more if I was told nicely to leave the shop with my child as I was just making sure my sister was situated as this was going to be her first tattoo. Definitely wasn't a fan of the way staff handled it and my sister did not get a tattoo from this place read more

Long before I had an appointment at Tattoo Paradise, I had come in and asked questions. Each time I was answered courteously and professionally by the front desk staff. Not only were they attentive to detail, but they also gave their constructive opinion on which artist would best suit the type of work I was looking to have done. When it came time to finally get a tattoo appointment in, the level of professionalism by the front desk staff was maintained. My expectations were blown away by my tattooing experience. John Lupo is to be commended not only for his expertise in the art of getting the ink on you, but also for imparting his own unique and and otherworldly flavor to any piece that he touches, as well as being a hilarious guy that makes any session fly by with his wit and humor. Also gives great food and movie recommendations. 11/10 experience, will be returning for more appointments. P.S ALL of the Tattoo Paradise staff I've interacted with at all three locations are an amazing bunch. Special shout out to Rachel at the Rockville location for being an enthusiastic and talented piercer. read more

I just had my tattoo redone and redesigned by ADAM WHO WAS AMAZING AND DID A INCREDIBLE JOB. He made it look so GREAT. I highly recommend him and the staff so friendly. BEST EXPERIENCE .. First pic is new one just had it done read more

Tattoo Paradise - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Update to my review: This shop reached out and showed genuine concern about my experience and offered to reschedule my appointment. I appreciate the professionalism and follow up offered by this shop. I have faith that my initial experience was just an off day! read more

I was visiting friends in DC for the weekend and called about getting a tattoo. They were nice enough to allow me to do a walk in but did inform me that it would be first come first serve. I was actually surprised how quick I got in and out on a Saturday (at 1.... an hour after they opened). All within a matter of 30 minutes!!! They had several options to choose from after I told them what I had in mind. Tom did my tattoo and was so gentle and kind the whole time. He did such an amazing job and fast so that helped!! I am so happy with the outcome. For this tattoo I spent $160 (it was higher because of the placement of the tattoo on my side breast). There shop minimum is $100 and the tattoos are done in an open area (no private rooms). But they all abided by Covid safety guidelines. Very happy with my tattoo! read more

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This place is legendary in the tattoo world, artists come from near and far to work here. My experience with the front desk was extremely pleasant, efficient, and helpful, with the guy at the front being very helpful in helping me pick between images I'd seen and advising on size and placement. The artist (Sam Layzell) then took the design and modified into a classic and beautiful rendition, which he tattooed while having a relaxing and interesting conversation. The design, shading and vibe of the tattoo are better than I could've hoped for, and all from a walk in. The place was very clean, very professional, good price, great service. Big shout out to Sam Layzell for the absolutely sick tattoo and the great conversation. read more

Tattoo Paradise - Reaper from Sam Layzell - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I dont usually write reviews, and I even downloaded this app just for this. My friend and I recently went to Tattoo Paradise for a walk-in appointment. Although the person at the front desk was polite enough, he was also distant and cold in creating our designs. I have a handful of tattoos so I know what it looks like when artists create designs on the spot and I have never seen artists copy + paste images and use a free font maker to make a design for me. Moreover, I noticed later that the tattoo artist in charge of our tattoo used these images as the physical stencil. In the process of getting tattooed, the artist made me feel very uncomfortable, barely communicated with me and was thoroughly unhelpful in collaborating with me about adding elements to my tattoo that would extend the already basic google image design. Moreover, friend afterwards said that the artist simply did not listen to her input in placing the tattoo, resulting in a slightly off center tattoo. Now this uncomfortable experience would have been okay if the tattoos themselves had turned out clean, but this was not the case. Firstly, both my friend and I noticed the tattoo was not well wrapped in covering so it was exposed to the outside as a fresh wound. This morning when I uncovered my tattoo I immediately found multiple mistakes: crooked letters, shoddy line work and uneven details. If you look at the images provided you can tell at first glance that the artist was lazy and didn't seem to care to put effort into my tattoo. This experience was upsetting, especially considering that these tattoos were meaningful to me and my friend. Ultimately, I was disheartened and disappointed in this experience where I felt uncomfortable the whole time so much to the point where I couldn't advocate for myself to save the end product at the least. And all this for a shop that charged me and my friend $255 each for designs taken straight off google images that mind you, has posters pasted all around the shop boasting that their "high quality work" is worth the price they demand from you. Hope they can do better next time because this was disappointing from start to finish. read more

Tattoo Paradise - The lettering is inconsistent, the lines on the constellation are crooked and frankly both tattoos were heavy-handed. - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The woman at the front desk was zero help in letting people know how long the wait for a walk in was and insisted that everyone wait outside (which wasted everyone's time). Go somewhere else where you can put your name down and not wait outside for an unspecified amount of time. Pure asshole behavior. read more

Couldn't have had a more pleasant experience. Came in for a walk-in after speaking with the owner via yelp on logistics lol. Came in on a Friday night at about 8ish? Wasn't super busy but there were a few other patrons. Sitting in the lobby I noticed they do a lot of group tattoos and seem to be really good sports about it. No matter how mundane the tattoo might be lol. Charlie did my tattoo. Awesome dude! So lucky to have him in the shop that day. He's a visiting artists but if you have the pleasure of catching him; HIGHLY RECOMMEND. Came in getting a traditional style scorpion piece. Charlie sketched the torso and pretty much free handed the rest (including the tail) on my arm. He seriously made it so much more rad than what I imagined. I came on a business trip here but I was seriously so impressed by how friendly the entire staff was and how skilled and professional the artists were that I might consider abandoning my artists' back home in San Francisco and come here. read more

Tattoo Paradise - A piece that visiting artist Charlie did. If you can catch him I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Update: 10/13- tattoo is starting to blow out *shocker cause this idiot tattoo artist was heavy-handed* two emails and phone calls later no response from manager. Go to Jinx Proof instead in DC. read more

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I had a wonderful experience here last week. I was a walk-in and got there right when they opened. They couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful in assisting me with the design, size, and placement of my new tattoo. The tattoo artist (Jimmy) was extremely professional and talented. I couldn't be happier with my experience and highly recommend them. read more

I really wanted to get a tattoo done for my 23rd birthday and did my research around town and I can't be happier with my choice to come to John Lupo at Tattoo Paradise! Overall for the shop, all of the staff are really friendly and nice people. I have in the past gone to tattoo shops where you walk in and there is an air of judgement but when you come here, it's a really open and nice feeling environment. Which is awesome. John himself was amazing! The work I got done is beautiful and detailed and well done, I'm so in love with my arm, it looks like a work of art. He listened to me and the end product is really just out of this world. He's a super cool and really nice dude. He replied to my emails fast and was really professional. 10/10, if you're considering him or this shop in general I'd definitely recommend it! I'd definitely come back here for more tattoos, whenever I do decide to do so. read more

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It was our last day in DC and we were looking for some where to get a souvenir tattoo. We walked into tattoo paradise and barely had any wait. They were really busy but managed all the clients well. Nate was our tattoo artist and he was so awesome! I would definitely recommend him! Thanks Nate for the awesome tattoos! read more

Tattoo Paradise - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I went into the store to get simple word tattooed (Champion). At first I was going to get two words but finalized on one. The original price for the two tattoos was 280. I decided just to get the one tattoo. The price dropped down to 230-200.. I was taken back that price dropped only 40-80 dollars. When I discussed this with male receptionist, he insisted that he told me 300. What was so funny is that the Lady who was doing bank deposits looked over at him like "really?".. I didn't argue because I can take my money else where.. IDK if it was because I was young black but I felt mistreated and played with. I would not recommend a place after my experience. Counter response.. Yes I was get a wrist tattoo hence why I said two tattoos.. The wrist tattoo was more complex that the neck tattoo.. 300 never came out his mouth. Even the lady gave him look.. I noticed all the side eye and her body language.. He said he said told me 300 and 280 never came out his mouth.. I told him I remember a lot, I'm licensed Counselor here in DC.. I told the male receptionist that it was way to high for the one tattoo and I question him about the pricing. He said that's what it is and shrugged his shoulders.. At this point, please share what I could've have been done? When he saw me start gathering my wallet and ID he could said something. If my business was really wanted he would've worked with me in the moment and you would've had an comment reading great service they really worked with me.. But instead you spending time running damage control.. read more

Tattoo Paradise - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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tattoo paradise will keep your deposit even after their artist stops replying to your requests to schedule your appt. avoid. read more

I loved the tattoo parlor itself, the front desk staff were extremely friendly and helpful. However I was quite disappointed by my tattoo artist's behavior (Spencer). When I first saw him he looked visibly high (I have no problem with smoking, but when you're putting something permanent on someone's body, do the bare minimum of trying to hide the fact that you're high). Throughout the duration of my appointment, he refused to look at me directly or engage in any conversation. I was the only person of color in the room, and he consistently spoke with everyone else in the room while ignoring me (WHILE TATTOOING ME). I can't say for sure whether he had racist intentions, but this experience definitely rubbed me the wrong way.The minimal words he offered to me were so rude and dismissive. When I'm getting a tattoo, I expect to be treated with basic human decency, and this totally ruined the experience for me. I've gotten other tattoos and I have never been treated like this by a tattoo artist before. read more

Got my first tattoo with Dave Cavalcante. I could not have asked for a more responsive, flexible and gentle artist! I really appreciated that he would lightly ink the elbow ditch, as though giving a heads-up, before inking deeper; that area is super painful. The designs be drew up were different than what I originally imagined, but I trusted Dave to do his thing and was rewarded with an AWESOME piece! I love the design so much more than any designs I thought up of on my head. Lesson learned: the tattoo artist knows best, just trust them and you won't be disappointed! read more

Omg!!!OMG!! The nicest people ever! I went for a last second industrial with my friends. I explained to the gentleman doing my piercing that this is the first time putting piercings on my right ear due to a split on my earlobe from when I was little. He took the time to look at the split and even mark where I could have a piercing to not be effected by the split. I had to stop myself from crying in that store when I saw the marking. I made my last second decision to go back after my industrial for my lobe piercing. He was so happy that I was happy, I hadn't had it pierced since I was at least 7. read more

Tattoo Paradise - Industrial and lobe piercing - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Recently popped in to get tattooed and the experience was awesome. I got tattooed by Gordey and he absolutely crushed it. The staff was so friendly and nice. If you're looking for a professional, clean, & friendly tattoo shop this is the spot! Thanks again! read more

Tattoo Paradise - Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I was a little put off when I first walked in and realized that there was a wait. (Which means that they have good foot traffic here) I eventually warmed up to the front desk guy after I realized that he was trying to do so many different things at once, and when he finally had the chance to talk to us, he was surprisingly very pleasant. (Most front desk guys at tattoo shops aren't so pleasant.) He was quick with his service: printing the tattoo my partner wanted, getting the payment and information, as well as making some changes on the final product. The tattoo artist, Billy, was really quick. Granted, my partner just got three phrases, but it was surprisingly quick. Good work though. A couple of things, I understand all the rules. I get it. The reason just may be that AdMo is co-ed/college students and the rules are guidelines and reminders. It was just a lot for me, a lot of "no --". My partner also stated that there are also confederate flags tattoos on frames; take it how you want it. I'm happy that I was able to get my partner a tattoo in DC as a bday present, but $185 for three sentences with two words each (a total of 6 words) is way too much in my opinion (but that's DC pricing for you). I'm all for paying good money for good work and I completely agree that great tattoos aren't cheap; I'm just stating my opinion about the price for 6 words. read more

Tattoo Paradise - Tattoo Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia