I had a very disappointing experience with Zach Young. The tattoo I received looks nothing like the design we discussed and agreed upon beforehand. I came in with clear ideas and references, but very little of what I asked for was actually incorporated into the final piece. What's most frustrating is the apparent lack of effort. When I compare my tattoo to other work he has done, the difference in quality and attention to detail is hard to ignore. My piece feels rushed and poorly executed, with minimal care taken to match the concept we had planned. Getting a tattoo is a permanent and personal decision, so it's important to feel heard and confident in your artist. Unfortunately, that wasn't my experience here. I would strongly recommend that others carefully review his work and ensure clear communication before committing. Also, he admitted to me that he has been drunk while doing other clients work in the past and had alcohol at his station in the shop. That begs the question if he was drunk while doing mine. read more

boston tattoo company has expanded: the tattoo building is where it's always been, and the piercing section is right across the plaza to the right. i missed his name but the gentleman in the tattoo reception walked us over to the piercing section, was kind + hospitable. i needed help with a naval piercing i got about a month ago from another studio, and i was easily able to find an appointment online for the next day with marina. i came in a bit late and didn't mind waiting, i just really wanted a piercer to check the status since there was some bleeding and uncomfortable healing. Marina was running the shop herself and took care of 3 clients in a short period of time without rushing. she was super kind and helpful even though i didn't get my piercing here. she let me know my options and i chose to replace the bottom disc of a floating naval with a ball since the disc was digging into me. after she replaced the disc, i nearly immediately started feeling better. the disc had swollen the area around my naval, but the ball nearly immediately settled it. the bar already seems much longer due to the swelling going down after about 14 hours. she was patient, helpful and caring. i appreciate that she cared about my healing more than the place i got the piercing done from! and i love her pink gloves and matching supplies. comfortable waiting room, piercing room, good vibes. i love that they separated the piercing and tattoo sections. wonderful customer service. thank you for not treating clients like a burden. read more

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Oooff... Not going to lie we should have known better from our initial approach. We got some small matching tattoos about the size of a quarter. Not only were the tattoos hand drawn due to the "printer being down" but they felt rushed. We didn't even have time to make sure they were facing the correct direction and alas... we'll have a story for the books. Not only are they facing the wrong direction they were done within 5 min with minimal effort. The place was PACKED with young travelers passing through. The real kicker? 150$ each tattoo. Mine was a simple outline and the other was an outline with minimum shading. The artist seemed uncomfortable with their station, was unorganized but a very nice person. Despite the price they give you an overly large bandage, not after care instructions and no tattoo ointment. They sent us on our merry way. I'd highly recommend against getting a tattoo here. Take your time and scope out a place that will give you the quality for what you're paying. This one seems more interested in the money than the customer satisfaction. read more

My experience at Boston Tattoo Company was awful. I booked a $1000+ tattoo session with Milo that turned out terribly. I can't even look at myself in the mirror without being horrified. I am livid. The linework is so sloppy, it looks worse than if a drunk person had taken a wide-tip sharpie to my skin. It is beyond amateur and looks like a child did my tattoo. I stopped the session halfway because I didn't like where we were going, which is probably the only silver lining from this experience -- that they weren't able to finish defacing my body. I went back a day later to discuss my options in this situation, and I was told that I would be refunded for the remaining time in the session. However, the amount they ultimately refunded was completely ludicrous -- only $200 of the $1060 I spent -- as if there hadn't been over half of the tattoo left unfinished when I cut the session short. No real apology. No offer to fix it or do better. This was supposed to be a really empowering and good experience for me, and all I got was deep trauma and a hole in my wallet. Ultimately, because I signed a waiver at the start of the session, the only recourse I have is to warn you guys never ever to get your tattoo done here. read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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I've had four tattoos done by Eddie at the Somerville location and I couldn't be happier with his work and the experience as a whole. Eddie takes time to listen, and offers great insights. He always guides and explains the tattooing process so there is no confusion at all! Eddie is very talented and comes high recommended! read more

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OVERRATED AF!!!! Came in to buy super overpriced jewelry & was already annoyed bc I was told that the piercers who are barely even there, have to be there just to sell the piercings..... then when I finally came back during their hours, the piercer suggested I get a thread less piece for my lip. I unfortunately listened and woke up with it MISSING less than a week later. I've had my lip pierced for over 8 years and have NEVER had this happen! I should've just went with my gut and gotten the piece I originally wanted. I unfortunately waited too long to put another piece in and now my hole has closed!!! Very upset with my experience. $165 ON ONE FUCKING PIERCING DOWN THE DRAIN!!!! THANKS SO MUCH BOSTON TATTOO COMPANY!!!!!! 1 star bc I don't have an option to give 0 stars! read more

I got my first tattoo ever here at the Newbury Street location. I got my tattoo done by Sebastian Garcia and he exceeded my expectations! He was so kind, professional, and did a perfect job with a fine line dragonfly tattoo. He was very precise and willing to work with whatever I needed. The place was sterile, safe, and everyone was so supportive. 10/10 would recommend! read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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I booked with Lou who is in on Saturdays and they were the most friendly and informative person I could've asked for! This was my first professional piercing experience and I can say that I will definitely be coming back here. I got a nostril piercing which was quick, easy, and (relatively) painless. Lou walked me through every step of the process and was there to help me through any nervousness. Additionally, the folks at the front of the store bring a cheerful and welcoming vibe as well as professional and informative. 5 stars!! read more

Super happy with my service today. Had a pair of double tapers in my ears and the piercings had closed around them. Brian took care of it no issue- removed the jewelry quickly and painlessly by cutting them off. Then got a 3rd piercing on my ear lobes. He did an awesome job with placement, and quickly pierced each with very little pain and no pain during placement. They look beautiful and now my second gauges are free of the stuck jewelry. Service when I walked in was great- they were busy but I was greeted as soon as I walked through the door. Options for my new studs were super pretty and overall I'm extremely happy with the service and jewelry I got. read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - My new piercing and the jewelry for the second gauged piercings. - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I needed a quick replacement for a piercing and they took me in as a walk in. The waiting room was super cool and eclectic. I forgot how expensive jewelry was but I'll wear this for a long time so it's worth the look! read more

This review is for Newbury Street. I got a naval piercing a year ago for somewhere between $150-$200. Everyone was extremely nice. The place was clean. Reservations are on time. Overall good customer experience. My friend got her nose pierced, and that went well for her. I don't have many piercings and I wish I knew I did not have the anatomy for a naval piercing. They checked me and said yes I have the proper anatomy, but it was probably questionable and after a year, I had to take it out (not because of infection). I went to a specialist near me and she said that it was pierced improperly and my anatomy was not the best, so I should have been directed toward a floating belly button piercing. This is a review to say while this place is really nice, either my naval was improperly pierced (and you have very few chances if more than one chance on the belly button) or I don't really have a compatible anatomy and either way you need to do that research before you come here. If you want to get your belly button pierced you need to take it really seriously and don't rely on the piercing place. Idk if this is bad to say on someone else's review but I wish I had gone to Rubi's piercing in Watertown from the jump. read more

The piercers' kindness makes it challenging to confront them. However, the communication is poor, and the pricing is not transparent at all. Initially, I was led to believe that the jewelry cost $40, both doubles cost $30, and the cartilage piercing cost $30. I even sought clarification, and they confirmed the $40 cost. However, they failed to mention that the $40 was for each stud, not the total cost for each pair. I asked the worker if my approximation of a total cost of $180 for all my piercings was correct, and the worker replied "I don't have a calculator but yes if you counted $60 was for the piercings and $40 for the jewelry," and I agreed. When I went for the piercing, they informed me that one of my piercings on my earlobes had never closed, so they did not have to pierce them. Nevertheless, they did not adjust the pricing, claiming that the $30 charge was only for lobes in general. I still agreed to continue because I seriously believed the overall price would be $180. I was shocked to discover that the total price had exceeded $300. Despite my careful care of my piercings, I developed a nasty abscess on my earlobe, which required a visit to Urgent Care (I would upload a photo, but I'm sure it's a bit too gross to share publicly lol). I have had piercings before, and I have never gotten an infection. I take very good care of my piercings because I want to avoid any infections at all costs. Urgent Care informed me that the piercing was done incorrectly, leading to the abscess. I had to get my abscess drained. I contacted BTC to inform them, but they blamed my cleaning for the problem. I also met several people who had been pierced by the same piercers at BTC that had also developed keloids, abscesses, and infections. They all had to go to urgent care for similar reasons. Given the number of people with issues, I believe the problem lies with this location, not the customers. I unfortunately will not be returning. Although very kind people, I do not recommend going here for a piercing of any kind. read more

Irina Is An Amazing Artist. This took two sessions. I can not wait to finish the sleeve. Thank You for the great work Irina read more

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Definitely not impressed. Made an appointment to get a piercing and showed up on time. Was greeted by a nice receptionist (I think that was their job?) but that's about where the positive experience ended. We were told to sit in this little waiting area. The appointment was at 12:30. We wait. And wait. We heard the party next to us being bullied by the person who was going to be tattooing them about how their design was too small and they needed to find a better picture. From the sounds of it, they were new to being tattooed. His demeanor was unwelcoming sounding. It was easy to hear everything because there was no music in the place...? Finally 1:00 rolls around. No word from ANYONE. If we had been checked in on, or told that they were running a little behind, I would have happily kept waiting. I understand things happen but with no regard for another persons time? Nuts. The brooding piercer just kept walking around the shop aimlessly and ignoring us. The irony was that I heard the receptionist ask a girl who called to get pierced if she could reschedule if she was going to be more than ten minute late...like hunny, I don't think the ten minutes will make a difference for this crowd. After a half hour with no word, got up to tell them we were leaving. However, of the four people sitting around the front desk, no one cared to look up at us. We just walked out without a word. On the bright side, did get the opportunity to grab a nice brunch. Walked by the piercer ripping a butt on the way out lol. read more

I'm so so so obsessed with all the tattoos Milo has given me here. Their creativity and uniqueness shows through all the pieces I've gotten from Milo, and I will definitely be recommending this artist to anyone who is looking!!! read more

Back again to say how much I appreciate Dani and this shop! About a year later and my experience was just as flawless as it was the first time. The shop is so clean, their check in system is quick and easy, and Dani is a freakin' rockstar. She makes you feel so comfortable and really cares about her art. She even retouched my first tattoo because she wanted to (I never said anything about it) - it was SO nice of her. Her lines are SO clean and she always explains care very well. So much love for these guys. read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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I read through so many reviews when before I came here because I was so anxious so I want to make this review to help someone maybe as anxious as me haha I am 16 and I got my first professional piercing done (that wasn't a piercing gun) here. I got my nostril pierced. I had Brian and he was incredibly nice and talked me through the whole process. I was so shocked to find out that the piercing barley even hurt at all. I would rate it a 2/10 (my earlobes done with a gun probably hurt 4/10). He was super quick and I barley had any time to think about it. They had a very nice jewelry selection. It was 40$ for the piercing and 40$ for the jewelry so I only ended up paying 80$ (which was a lot cheaper than I expected) I didn't wait that long in the waiting room, quick easy piercing and great service. I would definitely recommend this place to others read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Recently got a great tattoo from Hail! They were fantastic to work with, I sent in my idea, they got back to me quickly, told me the price and were able to see me in a week. When I arrived, they had already printed out a design of my tattoo and we talked about sizing. It turned out fantastic! They were also very kind and gentle, which was great for me because I'm a scaredy cat for needles. Great conversation while I was getting it done as well. I highly recommend Hail! read more

This establishment is fantastic. I received my first tattoo, yesterday. Nicholas Bratkon, who did the work, is extremely open-minded and professional. Seconds before getting my first tattoo, Nick asked if I'd eaten. I hadn't and, because this was my first tattoo and knowing first timers could potentially become light headed on an empty stomach, Nick allowed me to step out to grab a quick bite. You simply can not ask for better customer service than that, period. After inhaling a burrito, I sat down and Nick went to work on me. From the moment I walked into this establishment, I couldn't have be happier with the entire experience. Side note: Getting a tattoo is not even remotely as painful as I'd heard. If you're on the fence b/c you're nervous, don't be. You'll be pleasantly surprised if you go in, relax and simply own it. read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Thanks again, Nick! - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

My artist was Alicia, and she was wonderful. I gave her some references and she showed me what she drew up. I loved it. I had no changes, then she placed it. It was wonderful and I was excited. She was nice about my super talkative "support person". I can't recommend her enough. She answered all my questions. Was kind. And I love my tattoo read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I've had four piercings done by Brian - two helixes, a conch and a nostril (somehow the nostril piercing didn't even hurt - he is so good at placement and working precisely and efficiently). Brian is so professional and kind - and he and Joe are APP certified, which means they're the real deal and do continuing ed on their practices. The shop is always super clean, with sterile jewelry and technique. Brian has also happily done jewelry changes on piercings he didn't even do on me. He's done a whole bunch of more complicated piercings on friends, including nipple piercings, which have also turned out beautifully. They have a really gorgeous and classy-but-still-alternative jewelry selection, too. I tell all of my friends and also my teenage students who are getting first cartilage piercings, etc, that this is the spot if you want any kind of piercing - accept nothing less! read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Brian did my nostril and the conch on this ear, as well as two helixes on the other side - they came out perfectly! - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Flew out of Florida to meet Jimmy Snaz for a "consultation" meeting. After months of waiting, I finally walked into the shop for our meeting. When the assistant informed Jimmy of my arrival he was both surprised and annoyed. Our conservation lasted a total of 2 minutes. I had spent more time giving the assistant my card info for a deposit. Jimmy immediately went to the corner of the shop, got on his tablet to watch youtube videos, and did not even have the decency to at least walk me out of the shop and thank me for coming in. I immediately canceled my appointment the next day. This happened a while back, the only reason why I am now doing a review is because of the newsletter in my email. Spend your money else where with an artist who is actually grateful and respects your time. Do not hand your money over to a shop that condones this type of behavior. read more

The entire staff is amazing! I could not have asked for a better experience. Gray did my tattoos and they absolutely killed it! The entire space was clean and inviting. If you're getting a tattoo in Boston I HIGHLY recommend stopping here. read more

Brian pierced my lobes and conch the other day. I tried this place on a whim because my old piercer moved away. I've never in all my years had piercings that have healed so beautifully and with virtually no pain or irritation. Their jotform check-in was also a breeze, and their prices are reasonable. I will definitely be coming back. read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

If I could give this place 0 stars, I most definitely would. I'm not sure who changed my nipple bar, either Brian or Joe. This was a few months back, but they claimed they didn't have the specific bar I was looking for, so I had to end up getting one I didn't want, which is fine. Also, I didn't go here for the original piercing. Just needed it changed. The issue came in when they tried to force a bar whose gauze size was a size too big for me and it hurt like HELL! And they didn't care whatsoever. My nipple piercing started to bleed a little and the guy goes, "if your nipple was pierced a year ago, it shouldn't be bleeding." Um, well, ya see... ya just tried to shove a too-big bar into my nipple, so, yeah, of course it's gonna bleed! I think they thought because I'm a Black Woman that I could tolerate all that pain, but no, not the case. Never going here again, and I suggest you don't either. read more

Services are over priced for the experience that I got. I paid $260 including tips, so I expected the people who work there to be helpful in explaining the prices and the procedure. The earrings and service fee are not listed up front at the counter. The people also seem very disinterested in helping the customers. If you are really interested in going though, I recommend being proactive in asking questions: - Ex: the earrings prices aren't listed, so make sure to ask how much. If they don't know, ask them which sections are the cheapest? My earring was $65, my fault for not asking before picking. - Also, Pay after your get your eat pierced, so you can get the math sorted out and determine how much you want to pay for tips. The people who work there do a fabulous job with the piercing but not so great with customer service. read more

I went to the one in Medford to get my eyebrow pierced and my piercer was Leslie and she was absolutely so nice and sweet I highly recommend booking with her. She Made me feel so calm and was just great read more

This place is so awesome. All of the staff are all very friendly and intelligent. My roommate went here to get her ears pierced and the staff were all so helpful in explaining everything to her and making her experience easy and painless. They explained everything from the types of jewelry they sell to the best way to pierce her ears to the type of care she should do after the piercing. They were so nice to everyone who came through-- from a nervous girl getting a tattoo to me who was just there for moral support. The place was clean and big and they were all very professional. Overall a great place if you want to get a piercing or tattoo. read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - My roommate getting her ears pierced - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This place was so amazing! Visiting Boston for the first time, and wanted piercings to commemorate the experience. Brian did an amazing job in making us feel comfortable. The piercings were as quick and minimal pain as possible. He is an absolute rockstar. 10/10 will come back if I'm back in the city! read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Constellation piercings - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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My kind and considerate piercer, Leslie, did a great and symmetrical job on my ear piercings today!

I went to Boston tattoo company to get my first tattoo. Since it was my first time I was unaware of what to do and reached out via email. Emily was extremely helpful in coordinating with me via email and booking a consultation appointment with my crammed schedule. My tattoo artist was Arran- who was phenomenal (and super talented) With sketching out exactly what I wanted and sizing it. He also ended up fitting me in the same day for the tattoo itself. I would highly highly recommend him to anyone who wants a more delicate tattoo (finer lines). Overall this place went way beyond my expectations and I highly recommend it read more

I can't say enough good things about this place and Dani Williams in particular. She makes you feel so comfortable the entire time, and was so patient with me while I made nitpicky changes about the tattoo placement. Her attention to detail is incredible and it helps that she's super fun to talk to while getting tattooed. The artwork she's done for me is so stunning, I really couldn't recommend her enough! read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Lighthouse tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Had a solid experience getting a cartilage piercing with Brian. It was easy to make an appointment, we came in and Brian was helpful in suggesting jewelry and placement, and the process itself went smoothly. No complaints he did a great job! read more

My friend and I were walk-ins for a cartilage piercings and had a relatively smooth experience. We called ahead to make sure there was no line, because walk-ins are helped first-come-first-serve. Though we were the first in the queue and the piercer was available, we waited longer than expected to be seen by the piercer. We waited 30 minutes after we had filled out the forms and picked out our jewelry, but the piercing itself took 20 minutes or less for both of us. I docked a star because the receptionist was curt throughout the process, in responding to the questions I asked about cartilage piercings in general, the type of jewelry they sold, and prices. She was the one person that made us feel unwelcome in the space. Especially at a tattoo parlor, how kind and welcoming the folks who work there make such a difference with nerves, so that was a negative point in my experience. We were both pierced by Brian, who was very professional throughout the entire process. He did a great job, and it was a fairly painless process for both of us. The price was in the normal range for a reputable establishment. $40 for the cartilage piercing, $35 for the standard industrial grade titanium jewelry, and $10 for the aftercare solution -- all not including tip! I would definitely return for a piercing, but hope that a different receptionist is there. read more

Got my first tattoo from Alicia this weekend, she's a consummate professional. Had a variety of sketches ready for my appointment and was flexible on last minute changes. Tattoo was quick and painless, and she left me with clear instructions for aftercare. Would absolutely come back! read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I had a great first tattoo experience with Alicia. I had seen her artwork on Instagram and knew that her style was right for me. I waited 3 whole months before our appointment after that initial consultation, and it's no surprise that she is so fully booked. Her artwork is great and she was extremely accommodating when adjusting images for me to fit in better with what I was looking for. She also made recommendations regarding sizing and placement, which were very needed and welcome. The actual tattooing was an easy process--2 hours for the two tattoos, not that painful, and she offered me frequent breaks to stretch my legs. She and her co-workers are hilarious. And, as the tattoo progressed, she checked in with me on what I thought about changing the design slightly or seeing if I had preferences with color as we advanced. I can't imagine having had a better experience. And the compliments I'm getting on the tattoos are raves! read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Apapane tattoo, an original design by Alicia Thomas! - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

I had a great first tattoo experience with Alicia. I saw her work first through her 150 Pokemon tattoo project and then on her Instagram page. She has a great eye for color placement. I went to a consult with her in February, and she was kind and also straight up. She made sure I was ready for a tattoo by her and encouraged me to meet with other artists, since this was my first time. She also made sure I always had the opportunity to ask questions. I also sent her my reference images via email. Three months later, I go in for my appointment. She had about 3 main designs in 6 or 7 ways for me to look at, which I wanted them all. She was also helpful in advising placement, size, and color choices. The shop looked clean, and her station was organized. The tattooing room was brightly lit. It took about 2.5 hours with a couple breaks in between. I didn't chat much during the process (I was concentrating on not being in pain), but she did assure me taking breaks are okay. For the next couple of days, she answered so many of my noob aftercare and experience and questions promptly which I really appreciate. read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Elephant tattoo by Alicia - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

First tattoo and I'm so happy I ended up in Alicia's hands. I had been looking at the abstract work of both Alicia and Dia on Instagram and on the Boston Tattoo site. I was looking for something that was not representational. I really fell for Alicia's work. She and I communicated via email and met for a consultation and within a month, I'd walked out tattooed and totally happy. The entire process was great. All the staff were friendly and, if you listen to their banter, they're a pretty hysterical bunch. If you're on the fence about getting a tattoo, I'd say hop off and head over to Alicia. I highly recommend Alicia and the Boston Tattoo Company! read more

After reading a few Yelp reviews on my train ride home from work a few months ago, I stopped by The Boston Tattoo Company on a whim. I got my cartilage pierced by Brian (I previously had my lobes/nose pierced at different locations and I knew what I was looking for when I walked in). He was very professional and answered my questions without ever being condescending. Brian gave me a couple of pamphlets on how to care for my new piercing, which I thought was an especially thoughtful procedure on his part. Although Brian didn't recommend I get a hoop on a new piercing (and explained that studs generally heal faster),he wasn't at all pushy when I decided to go with the hoop anyway. read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Irina really puts the word ARTIST in tattoo artist. She spent so much time getting every little detail right in my tattoo, and I could not be happier. It was on my ribs, as well as my first tattoo ever, but she let me take as many breaks as I needed. If you're looking for realistic flower tattoos, she's your girl!! read more

The Boston Tattoo Company - full color pansy tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts