We had an excellent experience getting our tattoos done by Doe. She was so patient as we tried to figure out exactly how to make our idea work, and she made an excellent design that we loved!! She was also very communicative throughout the process, and worked quickly and got us finished in what seemed like a short amount of time. Really would recommend her to anyone, she did clean, beautiful work and was so nice to talk to. Thanks again! read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

I've been getting temporary jagua tattoos from Tanya for a little while now, replacing the faded one with something new to symbolize how I am and what I want to focus on at that particular time. She has been great at guiding me through the process, with knowledgable advice and a deft hand. read more

Very clean place. The old school feel as you walk in is very comforting and inviting. My artist was Kevin. Who was great to work with. He is an amazing artist with skills and the details in his work are flawless. read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - Kevin's art! - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

I've gotten 3 tattoos from Galen and obsessed with them all! He takes his time and perfects what he does. I highly recommend him! The shop is also very calm and relaxing of a environment. Everyone is super friendly. read more

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What a cool shop! My wife and I have long considered getting tattoos and doing them on our trip to Asheville seemed like a great way to make an amazing memory together. We called in the late morning and were able to secure a time slot for later that afternoon with Allen who was highly recommended. We walked in and were surprised by the welcoming, somewhat eclectic environment of the shop. All of the staff was pretty laid back and made our first tattooing experience a wonderful one. Allen took the time to make sure we were comfortable and to ensure we were happy with our tattoo design. He was happy to share his opinion and to make sure we enjoyed our experience. The entire experience was welcoming and enjoyable and we couldn't be happier with the end result. Thanks so much Thistle and Pearl, we will be back for sure! read more

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Thistle and Pearl was recommended to me by a friend and I'm so glad it was! I had a specific idea for my first tattoo and after looking over the portfolios of the 3 artists who's books were open I decided Bill's style fit my idea the most. It was very easy to make a consultation appointment (just filled the form out on the website) and I was contacted very quickly. Bill was very nice and made me feel comfortable! It was my first experience in the world of tattoos so I was worried about being intimidated but that was not the case at all. We discussed what I liked and when I came in for my appointment Bill had the most beautiful drawing, he really took my idea and ran with it. I love my tattoo so much and I highly recommend this shop, and Bill! Very clean, comfortable, and welcoming! read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

I'm from out of town and had no idea of the popularity of this parlor. I called three times with no answer before deciding to walk in. I met with an artist and I told him my idea in detail. He was very professional and honest, but also kind of rude? Even with detailed images of my idea and a color pallet he acted very stubborn and kept saying that I really had two ideas in mind that were "completely opposite" of each other. I asked for his opinion and his guidance into creating the tattoo and he really had nothing to say. After about 30 mins of talking he informed me that he would be able to fit me in next month. When in the beginning I mentioned only being in town for the week. He laughed at me, which made me feel awful as I truly did not know the popularity of the place. I give two stars for his honest opinion and the atmosphere is beautiful. EDIT: from two stars to what I wish I could put as ten. The owner of the parlor reached out to me and fit me in with another artist who blew my idea out of the water. My new piece is stunning and I absolutely LOVE it. When the owner reached out to me I knew she truly cares about her business but also her clients. Thank you BB (and of course Galen the gent who did my tat) for a beautiful tattoo. Please check this place out!!! read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - Succulent piece by Galen - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Got my first tattoo at Thistle and Pearl a couple of months ago, and I really couldn't be happier with the experience. I was very apprehensive about the process and had a couple of requirements: I wanted a female artist and someone who had experience with watercolor-style designs. I had a vague vision in my head of what I wanted and Brittany/BB June brought it to life more beautifully than I could have imagined! She was very accommodating throughout the process and my friend and I had a great time hanging out with her during the two sessions it took to finish it. The shop's environment is very feminine, gentle, and welcoming, and that certainly helped me feel more comfortable where I likely would not have in other shops. Don't let that ward you off if you're the skull and crossbones type, though; the artists have diverse portfolios and I think just about anyone would feel comfortable and attended to. I was so pleased with my experience and result that I will be back for piercing and for my next tattoo as well, likely with Brittany again. read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

I got my work done by Michael. When I showed up, he did not have anything, including the sketch, ready. Even though I had contacted them a month prior. He seemed super out of it and my appointment was at 1:00 PM, my tattoo did not start until 4:10. Then he told me my tattoo started at 2:10. I had to correct him. My tattoo turned out good, but we did not plan on spending all day there. Walk ins were getting out faster then I ended up getting out. Not to mention my tattoo was a simple outline of a rose, with no color or shading, and it ended up lasting 3 hours. This is edited because I wanted to share my experience with BB June, the shop owner. She contacted me after I shared my experience and went above and beyond to make sure that my experience was made up for. Besides being an amazing, sweet person, she offered to touch up my tattoo for free. I highly recommend this place as all of the other artists, including BB June are friendly and are good at what they do. read more

Just another tattoo shop that is too cool for school. We are out-of-towners but their Instagram and Yelp clearly states that "walk ins are welcome". So, after trying to call them with no answer and then reading that they don't answer the phone from another yelper, we booked an uber and headed to the shop. After not being greeted for the first 5 minutes of our visit, a man popped his head from out from around the corner of a half wall, and told us they aren't accepting walk ins... read more

Awesome shop with great people and phenomenal art. In a quiet spot so it's nice if you want to avoid the typical hustle and noise of the shops on the main strip downtown. Will certainly come back! read more

Only good things to say about this place. My wife got a tattoo by Allen, great artist and very nice guy. Best atmosphere in a tattoo shop that we've ever been to. We will be back. read more

I was in Asheville for a girls weekend and I had been wanting a tattoo for months. I had an idea and I had been sharing with my friends about how badly I wanted to get a tattoo with all of them with me. I had never had a tattoo before, so I went to Yelp and Instagram. I called up Thistle and Pearl, and they were very friendly and helpful! We went in the morning and Elliott helped me make an appointment and explained the cost, how it could vary based on the amount of artwork the artist may need to do. My friend had sketched out my idea that I decided on, so Elliott made a copy for the artist. We came back at our scheduled time where Michael (my artist) greeted me with a handshake. He asked me if I had any questions/concerns and showed me the minor adjustments he made to the sketch. He made minimal changes and cleaned up the lines and I loved it! When it came time for me to be in the chair, I was nervous and I talked a lot. Michael was very patient with me and my nerves and he did a wonderful job of helping me prepare for the odd pain of getting a tattoo. When we were finished, I was ready for another one!! One of my friends in the group has a white tattoo and asked him if he could go over it in lavender ink and he obliged. He was very laid back and relaxed. I am very very very happy with my new ink and I am very glad that Asheville is only an hour away from home! Michael was simply wonderful and I will recommend him and Thistle and Pearl to anyone looking for ink! read more

This is the second time I'm writing this review. The first review I did disappeared from the site somehow. Currently, it just shows my name and the rating and my comments are no longer there. I went to get an old tattoo brightened. I stopped by the shop, discussed what I wanted. The tattoo artist I spoke with said he was willing to freshen it up, knowing it was another artists work. So, I made an appointment for February 9. When I went to get the work done, he put black ink around the edges of the tattoo insisting that would brighten it up. He didn't touch the existing tattoo. Although I was very specific about what I wanted. He completely ignored my request and just did what he wanted. He assured me, when I went in for a consult that he was willing to do what I asked (putting new ink on my existing tattoo). It's extremely unprofessional to promise one thing to get me in the shop and then neglect to do the work agreed upon. Really poor customer service. Hopefully this review won't disappear as my earlier one did. But I guess if that happens I'll have contact Yelp directly. read more

Wonderful experience from start to finish. I submitted an inquiry online and got a call back in less than 24 hours. Every staff member I interacted with was polite and friendly, which has not been my experience previously with tattoo shops. I was coming from California to Asheville for only a couple days and they were super accommodating about scheduling me (and I only contacted them 3 weeks ahead of time). I worked with Bill Smiles and had such a great time. He is super chill and friendly and also took a really long time to play with my design and perfect it so that I was happy with it. Saw another reviewer who said she had a 1:00 appt and was there till after 4...same here with Bill. I had a 1:00 appt and was told it would be an hour but was there till 4:15. I appreciated the time that he took with the design and the attention to detail throughout the process. Bill was also really enthusiastic about my design, which was nice, and he even said at one point that he was having fun creating it. There's a certain vulnerability in bringing ideas to a tattoo artist to put them on your body forever, and Bill was so gracious and encouraging with that. He also has an M.F.A. and is an artist through and through! Thanks again! read more

Mike McCarthy gave me my first tattoo. It was a great experience, and if I get a second tattoo, I will certainly come back here and ask for Mike. He is precise, artistic, and easy to talk to. The shop is clean and cozy. Everyone there was very friendly. read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - Great tattoo from Mike McCarthy. It's exactly what I wanted because his sketches and suggestions made it perfect! - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful tattoo. Brittany's style and aesthetic fit exactly what I was imagining. It's only been a week since our first session (I don't even have color on it yet) and I have gotten many compliments. Amazing line work, balance, and artistry. Can't wait for my next session! The only unfortunate thing is that she is in North Carolina and I live in California...worth a trip across the country though! read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - "Family tree" in botanicals. - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Disappointed that after waiting months for my appointment it was canceled an hour and half before. It's an intimate process. This artist may be talented but I want someone who respects me snd my time. Moving on read more

My husband and I walked-in for a spontaneous tattoo appointment on a Friday at 12pm. Allen was helpful and patient as we batted around the exact design we wanted (we had already decided on the relatively simple subject). After we settled on the final design, the process was quick and easy. Thank you, Allen, we are loving our new ink! read more

I got my upper arm done a few days ago by Brittany. She is so sweet and friendly, and I immediately felt I could put my trust in her. I had an idea about a tattoo I'd been wanting for a while but had some life events happen in the meantime. I was able to tell her about this and, along with a basic drawing that was my only idea, she came up with a great design. She incorporated all of this into a folk-art type tattoo which was my preference. There's a lot of fine line work as well as shading, and I think it's beautiful.. I'm very happy with Brittany and with Thistle & Pearl. I do plan to come back. It's a nice, friendly shop that anyone would feel comfortable in. read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Got a custom piece done here, 2 stars because the artist was friendly and helped me work on my idea from scratch. However, the quality of work was relatively poor. Some very obvious errors in execution, and overall the end result does not look great or very professional. I'm super sad because I really liked the artist's portfolio work and my tattoo just looks poor in comparison. read more

Haley tatted me & I'm thoroughly satisfied. This was my 4th tattoo and she did great. She was personable and played an awesome Pandora station. There was three of us in her room and it didn't bother here. Thanks Haley for the great tat!! read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - : ) - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

My two best friends and I have been talking about coordinating a tattoo together for a while now. We had a rough idea but didn't really have a layout. We walked into thistle & pearl to be surprised by the awesome atmosphere, everything is clean, they have refreshments in the lobby area and the relaxed laid back vibe really made the entire experience that much better. We worked with Michael, when presented with our ideas he put honest effort and thought into it and in the end made our tattoos that much better. He was honest to the point that if he believed it would not work or look nice he said so, no BS. During the tattoo he was informative and precise, excellent line work, shading and an all aound great guy to work with. Overall I loved the experience and would highly recommend thistle & pearl to anyone in the area. Thank you Michael really appreciate your work and effort, love my first tattoo!! read more

Comfortable and welcoming. Nice front desk person. Convenient cash machine if needed. Comfy funky waiting area. Love the Bowie pillow. This place is not some big open garage tattoo joint with a bunch of intimidating bikers or head-to-toe ink junkies. Thistle and Pearl feels safe and cozy. Private tattoo rooms. The artist I worked with is Becka. She was terrific. Great artist. Very attentive to my desires and careful about any health concerns I had. She knew about redhead sensitivity. We listened to podcasts together while she worked. read more

We had an Awesome Experience at Thistle and Pearl. My mother and I took a vacation to Asheville and decided to get a couple of tattoos while we were there! I am from Michigan and she is from South Carolina and we were able to communication pretty effectively about what we wanted even though were miles away. Michael was outstanding and we are very happy with our beautiful body art! read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

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This place is awesome. Very friendly very professional staff. Very chill space that it relaxing and welcoming but also very very clean. I had work done by Bill Smiles which turned out amazing so far (visiting again in a month!). He really cares about giving you a great tattoo and making sure you are smiling on the way out of the shop. Very fairly priced as well. I'm not going to anyone else in the Asheville area. Top recommendation! read more

I absolutely loved this place! Their shop is very nicely decorated and super clean. All the staff were friendly and they promptly responded to an email I sent. Can't say the same for other shops. Pickles, the sweet little shop dog, was an added bonus. I had a piercing by Allen and he is awesome. He was patient with me and explained everything he was doing. His aftercare instructions were thorough and easy to understand. He is an awesome piercer. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'll definitely return to this shop and I'll recommend it anyone looking for a piercing or tattoo! read more

Loved the atmosphere and the artist. I had Mike he did awesome, wish I lived closer to come back sooner. But will definitely be back for the next piece:) read more

I cannot recommend Thistle and Pearl highly enough!!!! I recently worked with Brittany (BB June) to design my first tattoo, one with very personal meaning to me, and from start to finish, she was nothing short of awesome. My friend and I were working on a very particular timeline, as we were getting tattoos together while on vacation in the area, and Brittany and her staff did everything possible to accommodate us through the design and tattooing process even though we were working from a distance. The shop is so relaxed and comfortable and the people were so kind and friendly. Although the process of tattooing can be scary for us newbies, Brittany and her staff were so helpful and really walked me through the process. My friend and I had such an awesome day there and the results are absolutely perfect... What a talented artist!!! If you work with Thistle and Pearl, you won't be sorry!!! read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - BB did an amazing job creating this custom tattoo for me! Love!!! - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

I've have 3 of my 5 done here. Bill Smiles is a great artist. I recommend this place to anyone who ever asks me were to get work done!!

Hayley Halbach did a beautiful job with my tattoo -- a drawing I traced of a midsagittal brain slice. Incredibly friendly, helpful, and gave me thorough instructions on care. Would definitely recommend. read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

Becka was super friendly and did a great job with my lavender tattoo. I'm from out of town but I would definitely recommend this place to a friend! read more

Just got my first tattoo done here a few days ago by Michael. Love his work, and I'm really appreciative of his input. We wound up changing where the tattoo would be so that it would complement the symmetry of the design and wow, does it look good! The place itself is very comfortable and homey; it's not like the stereotypical, cold looking tattoo parlors you typically see. All around wonderful experience! read more

This is literally the best tattoo shop I've ever been into. They were all super professional and I felt good vibes immediately as I walked in. They greeted me and my friend and made us feel right at home. I got a Daith piercing done and it went super well. It is currently still healing and I can't wait to get it replaced with some pretty piece of jewelry. Go here if you are looking for a wonderful piercing and tattoo shop! You won't regret it. read more

HIGHLY recommended. BB is an artist and professional at her work. I am so pleased - after just 3 days I'm planning my next tattoo. read more

Thistle and Pearl Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Asheville, North Carolina

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! My wife and I were in town for a Marriage Retreat Weekend. Prior to ur trip I contacted the shop and they setup an appointment with Mike McCarthy for us to have wedding ring tattoos. Mike and the rest of the crew were awesome! He was very knowledgable on the do's and don'ts of tattoos on fingers. I can't wait to get back to have some cover up work on my back in which he gave me great ideas. read more

I went to Asheville in January on a whim and felt that it was the perfect time to finally get a tattoo for my dear friend who passed away last year. I searched online for tattoo shops and stumbled upon Thistle and Pearl. They replied within minutes when I emailed them. They told me I could book an appointment with any one of them (a very hard choice they are all wonderful artists!). I ended up going with Hayley. I had a sort of vague idea, mostly certain items and little things that remind me of my friend that I wanted incorporated. She put together a beautiful piece for me that I will treasure for the rest of my life. Not to mention Hayley went out of her way to fit me in to her busy schedule. I had a beautiful experience!! read more

Hayley Halbach is a genius! She is super talented, gentle, professional, and kind. I get so many compliments from my tattoo and can't wait to get more work done by this amazing gem of an artist! read more

I and my 40-something girlfriends decided to get tattoos to commemorate our crazy friendship. We had only a vague idea of what we wanted, but Hayley worked with us VERY patiently until we were each satisfied with our designs. The end results were perfect. read more

The shop is immaculately clean and inviting. There is always good music playing. Everyone there seems to love what they do, and it shows. I had a large outline on my side done about 6 years ago in CA, and had Jessica do the color about a month ago. It turned out really beautiful! It healed so nicely too. I'm a huge fan of the Zen ointment that is sold at the shop. It healed my tattoo so quickly. I've used it on freshly waxed eyebrows, and it worked so well to reduce the redness and irritation. I had a tick bite that itched for over 2 weeks, put some Zen on it and it was healed in two days! It works for everything, and it will help heal up your new tattoo like a dream. Jessica is such a great artist, and really took the time to listen to what I wanted. I highly recommend her! I've seen the work done by Brittany and it rocks too. What are you waiting for! Go get some ink at Thistle and Pearl! read more