As someone who has been going to this shop (DC, Rockville and Wheaton locations) for quite some time, this review is mostly a clarification and response to other yelp reviews that make no fucking sense. I moved to DC three years ago and, not knowing anyone, I didn't know where to go to get the tattoos I wanted. After much Facebook and Instagram stalking (which I highly recommend doing if you don't really know the place), I figured I'd walk into this Tattoo Paradise shop that had bright green neon lights and see what all the fuss was about. Well, we all know that at one point or another getting tattooed (or pierced) is an intimidating process. Hell, walking alone into a tattoo shop is as well (especially for someone as shy as I am). But from the moment I stepped in through the shop doors and was greeted with a gentle "hey, how can I help you?" I felt like I could actually express my uncertainties, insecurities, and question the process. Which was exactly what I did... and received the straight up, un-sugarcoated answers of what would go down, what would work as a tattoo (not all drawings or ideas work as tattoos), what would heal better and last longer over the years, and what would make more sense aesthetically speaking. It's not personal if someone shoots your idea down. Don't take it as such. I'm sure that that world map tattoo you wanted on the inside of your pinky finger was, theoretically speaking, an awesome tattoo. But fingers fade, lines blow out, and world maps become big blobs of nothing over the years. Not to mention the amount of detail that is impossible to put in such a small space. Certain things just cannot be done or will not look good. Trust what the shop person/tattooer is telling you and if you have questions ask.. but always remember: NOT FUCKING PERSONAL. Of course, there's always the flip side. If you don't know what you want, where you want it, or at least a general idea of the work you'd like done, don't expect people to live and die for you or to cater and suck up to your ever-lasting confusion and indecision. I mean, hello people, this is common sense. When you walk into Tattoo Paradise remember that a) people are on a schedule and are working, and that even though helping you is *p a r t* (keyword) of their job, it is NOT their job to tell you WHAT you want and WHERE you want it. This is YOUR body, it will be on YOU forever! Opinions are subjective and what I like may not be what you like; b) the price is determined up front and if you're not ok with it, or think it's too steep for the budget you have, SAY IT! Have the cajones! I BELIEVE IN YOU, YOU CAN DO IT!! One thing I love about this shop is that it is very open to working with the budget that you have. Don't expect a realistic portrait the size of your face to be $150, but if you think that that quote on the side of your foot for $120 is too much, question the reason of the price. Was it the lettering? Was it the placement? Was it the size? How intricate and difficult is the design? How can we work together to get something for $100? Would I have to change the location? If you want the price to be lowered, be prepared to budge on what you initially had in mind, but be certain that the quality of the work will always be stellar. Side note: This is also different than haggling. If you're not budging and actually making an effort to work with the shop, the shop isn't going to work with you. Get the difference? Keep in mind that good tattoos aren't cheap, and that tattooers put a lot of effort into whatever tattoo they do. What may look easy to outsiders requires YEARS of experience, focus and precision. Not to mention that tattooing is also a profession that pays the artists' bills and feeds their family. So, c'mon people.. we all need to survive. Look at your tattoo as an investment for the REST OF YOUR LIFE. How much is what you paid for divided by the rest of the years that you are still alive for? $200 tattoo/40 years left of living? oh wow, you're paying $5 a year shit man, better save up. Still not sold on the price and reasons? Tattoo Paradise also accepts those Yeezys you're wearing that will last less than a year. *lolz* Just go home, Susan. And take Craig with you. Yelp is cutting me off and I haven't even had a chance to talk about the piercings or the cleanliness of the place, but I can assure you 100% that throughout the years of coming here, I couldn't be happier with the quality of my tattoos, the piercings, the customer service and the bedside manner of all employees. If you're looking for quality, flexibility, and the cold hard truth about tattoos and piercings without getting butthurt, this is definitely the place to go. buhbye. read more

The Summary: I just came out of a minor, painful surgery to remove the extremely negligent piercing done here. I've had many piercings and can say with confidence that this one was done absolutely wrong. Please don't patronize this establishment. The Long Version: I went to Tattoo Paradise with friends to get my third cartilage piercing. The front desk staff were curt and not incredibly comforting; it is the kind of body art place that chooses to intimidate rather than welcome. So I am no stranger to piercings, my other piercings have cost ~$50 with nonstandard jewelry, but I was told $80 here. Expensive. Above the unsmiling staff was written, "The bitterness of poor quality outlasts the sweetness of low price." Screw it, I think. I'm paying a premium for cold, hard people who know what they're doing. The woman piercing me makes no attempt to carry the small talk I start (unusual and unprofessional, most piercers know that small talk helps the customer relax before pain). After the piercing, she explicitly tells me NOT to spin the jewelry because it doesn't need it, and a saline soak without touching it will be just fine. The post is also very small and my skin is squeezing against it (she should definitely have been able to see this--I assumed she had and that this was normal, so said nothing). This is at odds with my previous piercings, where I have been advised to spin the piercing and clean it with a q-tip after saline soaks, and where the piercer has explicitly told me that the post is left longer to give the skin room to swell. But I follow her instructions--I soak morning and night, gently wipe it off, and leave it be. After all, she's the piercer, right? I tell myself she probably knows better. Nope. Fast forward to today, it is two weeks since I got my piercing. I wake up and my ear is feeling a strange kind of pain. I wash my hands and touch the back of my piercing--only there IS NO BACK OF MY PIERCING. In the healing process, my skin had nowhere to go from the tiny post and swallowed up the back. I go to my doctor with this emergency: it takes three doctors and a minor surgery to remove this post from my ear, which had healed over it and was screwed on so tightly that they almost had to cut through my ear to get it off. When they finally remove it and I see the earring back.... Y'all it was so small the back she used was smaller than the gem itself. The gem itself was 2mm. Of COURSE that back was going to get swallowed up. I honestly am kicking myself for not keeping the jewelry to show you, and for taking it to them to show them. All in all, I paid $80 + doctor's fees to have a surgery that ended in no piercing. ****Most importantly: in checking reviews, I found that I am NOT the first person who went to Tattoo Paradise to have this happen. Not only that, but the way the owners of this place respond to reviewers is incredibly unacceptable--it is absolutely understandable to refrain from admitting liability, but to mock your reviewers, double down, and blame them? That's not civilized behavior. I am genuinely frightened that they will bully me after I leave this review, but that's how bullies thrive and I have to post this as I am genuinely concerned for other customers' wellbeings. It is part of the reason it is so long and detailed. read more

I found Tattoo Paradise based on the overwhelmingly positive reviews on Yelp - and everyone was right. LOVE this place! I have numerous piercings, but this was my very first tattoo and I am now saving up to get a whole lot more. First off - everyone was incredibly nice (forget the fact that these are a bunch of amazing artists, which is a given). I know there are lots of talented artists in the area, but the fact that I just randomly walked in on a Wednesday afternoon and they were so super friendly and understanding that this was my first tattoo really sets them apart. No pretention! How can you go wrong? Teddy did the tattoo for me and he was awesome! I basically had a general idea of what I wanted and I told him to run with it. He completely understood that if I liked my experience, I was definitely wanting to add-on to it. So the design he presented me with can easily be turned into a cuff and eventually a full sleeve. I absolutely loved the outcome and am now going to come back in a few months to work on a much larger sleeve piece. Teddy loves japanese art, so I am pretty much dragon-bound :) My friend also came in to add on to some tattoos that were on her back with the intention that this would in the end be part of a much larger back piece. She sat with Matt, who was really patient, talented and amusing. He was able to take her idea and incorporate it into her existing tattoo. In the end, the piece is going to be fantastic - just based on the smaller one he did today. So if you are a newbie or someone who has lots of tattoos, I highly recommend coming to Tattoo Paradise. You will not be disappointed (unless you are some insane control freak who won't let these guys do what they do best). Oh - and yes, I will also go get pierced there too. Need a new industrial bar, dammit! read more

My three friends and I decided we were going to get tattoos, and we chose Tattoo Paradise based on its Yelp reviews (and its late hours of operation). Boy, were we glad we did! We got there around 6 p.m. on a Saturday night, and there was nobody waiting. The man at the desk was gruff but very kind once he realized we were serious about it and not just some random college kids wandering in to look at the walls. The price was reasonable, $105 for a 1-inch (approximately) black tattoo on our ankles/feet. There is a minimum of $100 for feet and hands, which was fine. Especially considering that they will be on us forever. We all went back at the same time, about 2 minutes after filling out the paperwork, and everything was ready for us. The guy who did mine was Billy. David and Scott did my friends'. It literally took 2 minutes! They were all very nice. One of my friends was a little lightheaded after hers, and Scott made sure she sat down, had a glucose tablet, and then had another employee get her a soda from the restaurant next door. He even paid for it himself! Another thing we appreciated was that the man at the desk talked to my friend about her tattoo and told her that it was probably going to be too small and that she should make it bigger or not get it at all. He made sure that she was going to be happy with the tattoo she was getting, and he was very honest about it. She ended up not getting it that night because of what he said, but we all went back with her two weeks later when she got it bigger, as he suggested. She is very happy with it! We are all very pleased with our experience at Tattoo Paradise! If we hadn't promised ourselves that we were only going to get one tattoo each, we would definitely be coming back in the future. Thanks, guys!! read more

Shawn Brown was sent from the future to save the world from a bleak existance in which lower back tribals and upside down words like "faith" and "no regrets" on wrists reign supreme. he has always been happy to tattoo me and he has always done a great job. I am not sure but I believe it was because in the future I developed the time travel technology and afforded him this wonderful opportunity to come back and save humanity from becoming one giant episode of L.A. Ink. Either way he has always been enthusiastic to work with me. I should also mention that he is a stickler for cleanliness the likes of which would make Howie Mandel simply green with envy. he was also happy to accept modern day American currency which I thought was rather gratious of him as I had assumed the whole world would be using euros by the time he was sent back here. but i guess he is saving up for the trip he will eventually make to come back here again and make the money that he just made once more. also he did this on me http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs339.ash1/29134_452096504147_507614147_5899320_4930853_n.jpg read more

I got my tattoo (still just have the one) at Tattoo Paradise when I went to visit my sister for the Inauguration. She'd gotten all three of her's there and really like the place. Also the vast majority of her tattooed and pierced friends had gone there at least once. Anyways. My first tattoo and I'm more than a little for multiple reasons. I'd decided on an owl a long time but didn't bring a picture with me. Billy (my artist) took the flash I found on the wall and took the time to make it work for me. The original art had the bird sitting on a skull with a knife through it or something like that. A lot of people say that Paradise is really expensive but for the art (and it is art) that I ended up getting I don't regret paying what I did ($180) for a good sized all place piece. The shading this guy did is amazing, they gave me great directions on taking care of it and my experience was awesome. This summer I'm going to get some words added beneath the piece and I really wish I could go back to D.C. to get it done. read more

Walked in yesterday to get a small tattoo on my ankle with two friends who were also getting smaller tattoos in the same area (not matching ones). Ben at the front desk was fantastic, he looked like he was juggling multiple things at once, but doing a great job at all of them! He was very friendly and answered all of our questions kindly. It took less than five minutes for them to invite me back, and I was grateful that one of my friends could sit with me while I got it done. Nikki did my tattoo, and she was also very friendly and patient with me. Everyone behind the scenes was talking and laughing, and it was a very comfortable, positive space to get a tattoo! Nikki was quick with the tattoo and it turned out perfectly! I absolutely loved my experience at Tattoo Paradise and would not hesitate to come back here. I'm also familiar with Jinx Tattoo in Georgetown, which where I got another tattoo, but I much preferred Tattoo Paradise. read more

I've had both my lobes pierced at a 10g and two 14g cartilage piercings done here and everything has gone smooth as silk. Brian has done all my piercings here, and they've all been perfect. No infections, no problems healing to speak of at all. Brian himself is super professional, willing to help you get the piercing done exactly as you want it. I even went in without a perfect idea of what I wanted in terms of the cartilage locations and he was able to understand what I wanted before I did. On top of that he's really friendly and easy to talk to, I didn't feel awkward or looked down upon any time I've been in there. He cares about his job and it shows. The shops prices are decent, about what I expect these days from quality piercers. You get what you pay for: a well done body piercing. If you want some holes in your body and want them done right, come here, ask for Brian, and be sure you'll be happy with the results. read more

One of my family members told me to go here for my tattoo. he said he liked the place (1) because the people was helpful and nice, (2) the tattoo artist were good, and (3) because they didn't waist people times. And for every point he stated...i couldn't agree with him more. As soon as i walked into the building a the lady t the front desk asked me how i was doing and if i had an appointment. She was very helpful. She told the tattooer that i was here and he was ready for me in a matter of moments. My artist name was Matt. he was a cool person. he asked me my name and about my day. and while i was getting my tattoo done we had a pretty good conversation. Overall i have to say this is the best tattoo parlor in dc. OH!!! and did i forget to mention that this place does great tattoos for a great price. my tattoo was only 260 here, whereas at two other places it would have been 550 read more

I went here yesterday to get my first tattoo and I can't stop raving about it - the tattoo and my experience at Tattoo Paradise. I had checked out other tattoo shops around DC and none seemed as professional, clean and helpful as Tattoo Paradise. And the artist, Billy, did an absolutely incredible job on my tattoo. He worked with me to make sure the sketch was exactly what I wanted and then the tattoo even came out better than i had even imagined. And I was not the model client - I was def squirming some because I was not used to the pain (it really is bearable but still hurts). But Billy was patient with me and in an hour or so, he had completed an awesome tattoo. Everyone I've shown it too has agreed its incredible, quality work. The price also seemed reasonable but I don't really have anything to compare it too. I highly recommend this shop and Billy as a tattoo artist. read more

The only people who could think this place is good are probably the ones who only have one tattoo and haven't experienced anything else. My buddy and I were going to both get one here and called up to talk to someone. Since we were only in town one night, we wanted to do our research ahead of time. The manager of this place is an asshole. Very pompous and couldn't give a shit less if you get a tattoo or not. I guess he just has tons of business because he doesn't seem too concerned. You can't make an appointment, which is odd. I've got a friend who's a tattoo artist and his number one rule is if you DON"T have to make an appointment, you need to be skeptical. We didn't even end up going because this guy on the phone was such a dick. There are places out there that actually WANT your business. This isn't one of them. read more

I am inspired to write because Rachel, a piercer on staff, was tremendously kind and helpful to my 11 year old daughter, who had gotten her ears pierced three weeks ago in Portland OR. One earlobe had become infected, and because her piercer there had recommended Tattoo Paradise for any needed follow up, we called and they said to come in. Rachel was amazing: warm, funny, professional, and encouraging. She spent more than an hour patiently cleaning out the infection and getting my daughter set up with a new earring with a longer post (including watching her closely and bringing a Sprite when she started feeling light headed). I was very grateful, and couldn't believe that they only charged for the new jewelry (needless to say I gave her a large tip). She also has been responsive and helpful via email for follow up. read more

I cannot say enough good things about this place, and about Erica especially! I walked in on a Sunday afternoon, asking about my double conch piercing that wasn't healing after a year (I got it done somewhere else). Erica quickly diagnosed the problem (that the posts on the jewelry I had in were too short) and explained my options to me. She then removed both piercings, which could not have been fun for her as they were irritated/infected, all the while concerned about any pain I was feeling. She was straightforward but optimistic, telling me that we were going to save my piercings. She cleaned my piercings, put in new jewelry, and walked me through taking care of them. Everything was extremely clean, it was reasonably priced, and Erica was beyond kind, patient, and just all around wonderful! read more

Erica the piercing lady is the best ! I kept talking to her instead of breathing in and out shes that personable! But the piercing took 15 seconds easiest piercing ever (front helix) didn't hurt at all. I love that they also have homemade cleaning directions...not trying to push you to buy anything. Also I called this place easily 4 times before I came in asking a number of questions and the person answering the phone was so nice ! I am going back this weekend to get a tattoo on my head! So probably will write another review....but as far as I'm concerned this place is perfect. In one of the coolest neighborhoods in DC, authentic , funny and knowledgeable staff. So whether you're a local or from out of town I strongly suggest checking this place out! read more

I really don't understand some of the reviews here. Initially I was put off by the yelp reviews, but my normal tattoo artist in MA told me that this was the best place in DC. I walked in at 5:00 pm on a Tuesday. The guy at the front desk was super helpful and honest about what I wanted to do. He ran it back to David and told me I'd have to wait 20 minutes until he'd be ready for me. It took less than that. David didn't talk much, but it was great because it allowed me time to calm down. I had random questions about stuff around the shop while I was waiting that they were more than willing to answer. Was it expensive? Yeah, but to paraphrase their sign, it's better to pay more for quality that to be bitter about a low cost, bad quality piece. read more

I will never return to this shop for a tattoo as the guy working at the front desk, some long haired blond asshole, was rude beyond belief both times I got a tattoo here. Extremely off-putting, disrespectful, and unhelpful. Especially for someone who at that time was completely new to tattoos. I hope he doesn't work there anymore. I'll take my business elsewhere. As for the tattoos themselves I was way overcharged for somethings so small and quick compared to bigger tattoos that only cost the shop minimum at other places. Anyway, this place sucks with their abysmal customer service. If I were recommending tattoo shops to people who want to get their first tattoo I'd tell them go to Fatty's. read more

Tattoo Paradise is the place to go. The staff is nice and kick ass at their jobs. I'd been wanting a tattoo for years but just never worked up the courage to do it. When I moved to DC I started asking people whose tattoos I liked where they got it done and they ALL went to Tattoo Paradise. Scott did my first and second tattoos and I'll definitely be going back to him for more. He's amazing! I also got my nose pierced there and had the fastest, least painful piercing experience of my life. The piercers name was Sarah and she was really nice and fast and talked to me the whole time- it was over before I knew it and completely painless. Great work, great price, great people. Go! read more

Best Tattoo shop in DC!!!...hands down everyone who works there is so taleneted , bringing them ill skills...i get tattooed by Teddy (who is the man!!!...get some of that!)..but i always like looking at everyone elses work when im in the shop .....you gotta check these dudes out everyone travels and they all tattoo in multiple countries and theres a constant rotation of guest artists ( famous dudes who are so cool you aint even heard of em yet) all you suckers looking for a way to up your street cred go down to paradise and get you a piece of the pie!... ...and price?....yo its forever?...i wouldnt haggle the price with a plastic surgeon ....i wanna stay flossy ! read more

I did a tattoo about a year ago, my friends looked for a place, and they saw good recommendations about tattoo paradise. I did some words on my shoulder, it was suppose to be an easy tattoo, at least they told me that it would be. I did my tattoo with Carly, but the words were very blurry, it was terrible, I returned there few days later, and they tried to fix it with white ink, but was still very bad!!! I don't know if now he is better or not, I just wanna share my experience, it wasn't good at all! And its something for the rest of my life. Now Im gonna try to fix it, but I dont know how it will be, because I really don't want something big on my shoulder. read more