I knew I wanted a tattoo, and knew some of the basic elements I wanted, but I'm not an artist and…read morecouldn't quite imagine how it'd all come together. Some highly inked friends referred me to the artists they worked with, and those artists referred me to Lorenzo at Ritual Tattoo. I sent him my ideas and he went wild with them. The end result was so, so much better than I could've hoped for. I gave him full creative control and I'm thrilled with the result! I've sent other friends to Lorenzo since then. Side note: My first "grown-up job" was as a surgery tech. When I tell you that Ritual Tattoo is spotless and hygienic, I mean it.

Unprofessional Work, No Price Disclosure, Zero Accountability…read more I have rarely ever left a bad review for any place or service- but I'm compelled to do so for this experience. I paid $4,000 to Laura Taylor at Ritual Tattoo for a custom piece over two sessions (5.5 hours total between August and September 2025). The work was for a frame and details surrounding an older tattoo from a different artist. The experience was deeply disappointing on every level. The Work: I showed Laura a specific piece from her own portfolio as reference - fine linework and dotwork with minimal shading. What I received was completely different: heavy shading throughout that was never discussed or approved beforehand. In the final session, she changed design elements without consultation. She never once asked if the tattoo was going in the direction we'd discussed. No Price Disclosure: Laura never disclosed her rates upfront. * Session 1: $2,000 for 4 hours (I was shocked at the expense but already invested) * Session 2: She told me it would be "about 2 hours." After only 1.5 hours, she charged her full $2,000 day rate * During session 2, when I asked about adjustments, she kept insisting I "let it heal and decide" - meaning another paid session for her Complete Lack of Accountability: * I emailed Laura about my concerns - no response * I emailed owner Matt with detailed feedback - he promised to look into it * After 5 weeks and follow-up emails, he finally responded to say Laura is an "independent contractor" so he's not responsible, and he won't offer any resolution I have a $4,000 permanent reminder of an unprofessional experience and a really disappointing tattoo that I'll have to invest more money in with another artist to fix. Save your money and find an artist who communicates clearly, honors their portfolio style, and stands behind their work.

Andre is an extremely talented tattoo artist and it shows in every aspect of his work and…read moreenvironment. The studio is very private in a quiet area and kept to a high standard of cleanliness. He uses the best tattoo machines, needles and inks available. Which results in a smoother and less painful application. This translates to a quick healing process and long-lasting art. I have zero scarring even in the softer areas which are more prone to difficult healing. Andre dedicates his life to the art and is consistently working on his skills. This can be seen online (Instagram) and the walls of the studio plastered with incredible large scale pieces. His personality is extremely down to earth and humble, great to conversate with. Me and my wife both have work from him and we get complimented regularly. If you are searching for an incredible artist and an overall exclusive experience this is your place.

Hands down the best artist that I've ever dealt with and one of the best in the Bay. Great overall…read moreexperience. Alex is really easy going and works with you to make your idea come to life. I've come to him for almost all of my tattoos and he's helping me to clean up my old work. His realism work is by far one of the best. He's upfront and will let you know if something works better in a difference spot or from a different angle. He also has a light touch so the actual tattoo involves very little pain. He definitely puts a lot of effort and work into each piece. He has a bit of a waitlist but is definitely worth the wait. I use to go to artist who ignored what I wanted and it would be frustrating in the end because I wouldn't get what I wanted especially with something permanent. But Alex makes sure that it's what you want and you're happy. Be careful because you'll leave wanting more ink.

Great sense of location. Awesome experience, very humble guy, and incredibly talented. Can't wait…read moreto finish up all my other tattoos in the future. 10/10 recommend.

I had in mind to get myself a bucket list present of a back of hand tattoo when I stumbled across…read moreMini P's "Tattoos By The Bay." Her artwork looked amazing, so I decided to book a consult with her at the Pinole Salon. She also has a salon in Walnut Creek. And by salon, I mean a beautiful, clean, comforting place to get a tattoo. Mini is the sweetest, kindest, most gentle tattoo artist I have ever met and her work is STUNNING. I decided to get a back of hand tattoo (see pictures). She was gentle, and kept me updated on what she was doing the entire time, always making sure I was comfortable. It came out absolutely incredible. I will soon be returning for another.

Just got back from his shop, we love our new tats. Absolutely stunning. Too shook to speak tbhread more

So he ask me for $50 to get my appointment, I did it!! And never get my appointment…read more So don't give him $50 lol.

Cat was Amazing!!! Her attention to detail is great and she kept checking on me to make sure I was…read moredoing OK. She's fun to talk to and made me feel at ease the whole 4 hrs I was getting tattooed. I will be going to her again!

Very happy with my wolf tattoo that was recently done by David…read more 'Ocean' Hardy. He took his time as I decided on several different styles and changes... and in no time I had the tattoo I wanted. (and I thought the price was very reasonable) The studio was very accommodating, clean and comfortable and very good air-conditioning! Highly recommended artist and shop!

I had a great time getting 2 of my tattoos here. Both of my tattoos were done by David "Ocean"…read moreHardy @tattoosbyocean. My first experience with this shop, my family experienced a loss and wanted to get a tribute tattoo made for a cousin. It was a brand design with my cousin's initials inside. We asked if they could fit 5 of us in and they were more then accommodating. David made us feel comfortable and was a good guy to talk to. So good, most of returned to get more! I returned to get a karaoke mic on my arm that had the wire plug into my wrist. He got what I wanted down! Consistently great experience. This place is conveniently located near downtown Vallejo off Sonoma Blvd. Parking is no problem with street parking in front and parking lot across the street. It's good to know that there are great artists locally. I see that David specializes in portraits. So if you are looking for an artist that can do portraits well, David is your man! There are a couple artists that reside here and their artwork, from what I have seen, is pretty awesome! Hopefully, you're Yelping adventures lead you to this awesome tattoo spot in Vallejo. Even if you are not close by, I would travel for their talents. Definitely recommending and returning for more. Stay hungry adventurous and happy Yelping!

Highly recommend Gia (@tofuubrat)!…read more She normally does black and grey but took on my offer of colored pom pom purin and momonga! So I appreciate her going out of her way for a cute design. I love how kind and thoughtful she was regarding placement and making sure if I wanted to go bigger or not if I had other tattoo placements planned. When I came in she had printed a 4" piece but I wanted it slightly bigger, so about 4.5" was perfect! The vibe is a cute two story building with lots of hobbies and decorated art on the walls that tell a story of things they enjoy and love. You can definitely tell it's a well loved space and the energy was good. Gia was upfront about explaining different pigments and other elements about tattooing that were new to me, and made me feel more comfortable having that new knowledge. For sure hit up Stray Tattoo, the place has a decent amount of parking and is easy to find. Definitely want to come back! I uploaded photos so it's easier to find what it looks like, as someone who gets lost easily (aka me).

The best tattoo shop in the Bay Area! The shop is beautiful and has an amazing ambiance. Austin has…read morealways done an excellent job on all my tattoos and he's great about touch ups/making sure your tattoos are healing fine. I can't say enough how amazing this shop is, I HIGHLY recommend you come here for all your tattoos!!