My daughter took me here for my first tattoo for my birthday Pete was my tattoo artist, he was very mindful of making sure I had eaten first and recommended I eat beforehand while he drew up the design. The design was awesome, he did amazing work. I absolutely loved my first tattoo and I'm already planning my next one. My daughter and I are going back next week for matching tattoos! read more

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I saw Joshua Sharpe for my tattoo, and I'm sorry to say he did a very inadequate job and was rather unprofessional. He misaligned my tattoo and shaded it in a way that made the piece morph together rather than capture the detail. I actually had to go see an enhancement artist after the session and chose not to finish the piece with him. Also, throughout the session he was very distracted and even took a moment to smoke his weed pen right in front of me then get back to work. Unprofessional and poor job unfortunately. read more

Josh is an amazing artist and craftsman! His line work and shading are top notch and the traditional style art he did for me came out amazing from the concept he worked up for me based on the references I gave him up through the finished piece! I highly recommend him for anything you are considering putting on your body! read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Traditional style tattoo to honor my parents. - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

Dustin does amazing work every time. Always had great experiences with him after having some rough experiences with other places. 10/10 read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

Wish I could remember the name of our tattoo artist as he was awesome. My buddy and I stopped by several weeks back to inquire about tattoo's and got good vibes from the artist. It was a fast and extremely fun time as it had been almost 16 years since my last tattoo. Surprised to see them in Kirkland and it being so busy but definitely a place I would recommend to get a tattoo. read more

Josh and Stefan are AMAZING! My sister and I came in with a vision and they both handled us with care, respect and made the experience so comfortable. Not only did they rock, they are both so talented and created our vision to a T. Thank you both, 10/10 recommend to anyone looking for amazing work. (Floral/fine line work) read more

WORST SHOP EVER, please do not come here. I would NEVER recommend this place, not even to someone I disliked. Came in with a friend asking for a very simple piece. Showed Dustin (young man with "Hell Bound" tattoo on forehead) the picture and he refused to do it because it was already tattooed on someone else? He said it would be $100 each, then goes to the back and draws something "similar" to what we wanted. We did not entirely like it so we asked him to make a small adjustment to it, as well as change the placement of the tattoo a bit higher. He then replies "I don't care you're paying for it" and walks off with a noticeable attitude. He comes back and starts tattooing my friend, and takes less than 10 minutes to complete her tattoo. When she got up from the chair we were both VERY disappointed because the seemingly simple tattoo lacked BASIC artistic skills, symmetry, and honestly looked as if my 5 year old nephew drew it. Although we did not like the tattoo, we said nothing about it and my friend went to pay. They then tell us that the tattoo is now $136??! We ask Dustin why the change in price, and he says "You both were very complicated and difficult the entire time and made me re-draw the tattoo" WHAT?? We are being charged extra because we wanted a minor change in a tattoo that is going to be stuck on our body? After asking Dustin multiple times why he would not tell us PRIOR to paying that the price was raised $36 dollars, we eventually pay and leave. I am 43 years and have been to a few tattoo shops in my lifetime and have NEVER had an experience this horrible. I walked out without getting my tattoo done, and was left with a traumatized friend who now has a regretful tattoo. Please SAVE your money and go to the next tattoo shop near you! Below are two pictures. First is what we originally asked for. Second is what my friend got. read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - What Dustin tattooed on my friend. - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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Spontaneously decided to get another tattoo on my incomplete sleeve. I had an ideal image of what I wanted and just walked in hoping to get it done on the same day. Luckily I came in at a perfect timing. My tattoo artist was Caesar, I highly recommend. As for reviews I noticed that a lot of people had bad experiences with other artists there. And I completely could see why. My session lasted about 2 and a half hours. So, i saw how the other artists handled customers as they come in and out. I did notice how picky some of the artists were to what designs they wanted to do and so forth. They would quickly deny not doing that type of work. I also was able to meet the owner, Josh. Who hid in the back room the entire time and would refuse to do any simple tatts. My friend was able to get a quote from him for a tiger tattoo that she might get with him in the future. I cannot speak for the other customers who got the other artists but what I can say is that my artist, Caesar, did an incredible job. I think I might have just found my tattoo artist. The attached picture pretty much speaks for itself. I will be back for more! read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

Moved too Kirkland from Hawaii and found me a shop that can do my tattoo exactly how I wanted it love this shop read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Before and After Touch Up the owner Josh did a beautiful Jesus piece on my shoulder exactly how I wanted it recommend coming here - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

So I've been to under the needle for 2 of my 5 tattoos by 2 different artists, and I love both of them, I think they turned out amazing. Usually all of the artists are very nice and explain things properly, the after care instructions are clear, they ask if I'm ok during (I forget to breath sometimes during so I breath loudly so as not to). Very nice place overall. The reason I knocked 3 stars off, is cause of one incident with my latest tattoo from last year. Not with the actual tattoo but the original consultation I had with it. I went in the night before to show what I wanted (pics included) and the tattoo artist there said to me "I'm gonna tell you right now you're just way too dark to get any type of color on you. All of that color is gonna fade and it's a waste of time for us and you, you're just way to dark for that. If I was doing it I'd make it clear with white and light blue but you're just way to dark for that." Like as I'm trying to explain what I'm looking for between his insults, I mentioned the words I wanted at the bottom, and the font. I showed him my first 3 tattoos as an example and first words seeing them "yeah those tattoos have absolutely no depth. And I'm not gonna be the one tattooing you but yeah...you're just way too dark." Like that's all he kept repeating was that I was too dark. And I'll leave to the imagination the look I kept getting. I wasn't a fan of some of his tattoos, they aren't my style, but that wouldn't give me a right to insult things that are on his body forever, so why he would do that to me I'm unsure. The receptionist there looked very uncomfortable during the whole thing, and a few of the other artists came, and she told one of them what was said and he got offended as well, asking "and what was that supposed to mean? So would color not look good on me either?" He was not happy. And the other came and said "it's the same as coloring different types of hair, it's not gonna look the same but doesn't mean it's not gonna look great. Just different." I got it the next day, and I did fade which I expected, and a lot of the middle you can't see anymore, but I'm very happy with the end result anyway. It's my favorite tattoo My over all experience there has been amazing, most of the artists are very nice, HOWEVER, had that been my first experience there, I would not ever go back. And I was respectful, was not rude in any way, even though I went in for that man to insult my skin and other tattoos. The other artists really saved face for me. Really wish I woulda thought to catch his name though. read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Now - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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Very clean artist, they take alotta pride in the work they do. Kinda felt like it was over priced for just the small piece I got but..‍ (156$) read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Rose tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

I had a terrible experience at under the needle. 1. They did not do a good job on my very simple tattoo. 2. They did not honor the free touch-up that was promised. I was never informed that it had to be with the same artist, and was then not informed when she moved. When I called they basically said "whoops too bad she's gone" and said I'd have to pay $75 to get it touched up. Apparently this is a very common confusion (so then be more clear about it??) 3. When we got the tattoo done, I called ahead and was told I would be next in line. They proceeded to take more people ahead of me and we ended up waiting 2 hours. Even when our consultation began it took an additional hour. Actual tattoo time was about 5 minutes. The man at the front desk was rude, unprofessional, and quite frankly it's unethical how they practice their business. You should go somewhere where they take the integrity of their word seriously. Also, maybe somewhere they can manage to draw a straight line decently. read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Uneven lines- you can tell she got lazy towards the end. I know finger tattoos bleed but this was immediately after it healed. - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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If so could give 6 stars I would. Ihad an amazing experience here! My boyfriend and I were visiting Seattle from CA, we wanted to find a good place to get a tattoo last minute but still a good price & not feel rushed. We had walked in, and the guy at the front desk advised us who would be available next to take us (Dustin in about 3 hours) and asked if we wanted to make a deposit that would go toward our tattoos just to secure our spot. We had left and called back to say yes we want to, and he let us know Dustin actually came earlier and was able to fit us in earlier. We got these two tattoos, Dustin understood exactly what we wanted the first time around getting the stencils down, he's not heavy handed and worked at a great pace, I didn't feel like I was being rushed or it was taking forever. The price for these 2 were amazing also. We had gone by one studio around the same area & they quoted us $600.00 for just 3 words & 2 numbers. Which was ridiculous!! We paid under $400 for both of ours together WITH tip included. I'm very happy with the outcome of our tattoos, the lines are amazing and Dustin is just awesome!!! Thanks again! I definitely want to come back & am actually considering coming back tomorrow! read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Under The Needle tattoo, artist Dustin - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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Love this shop, it's very clean and everyone is super chill! I always feel like I'm just hanging out with friends because they are so welcoming. I've been tattooed by everyone in the shop (except the owner) and I love all of my tattoos. They understand my vibe, listen, and make sure you're comfortable throughout the process. Plus a prime location right by the lake! My fiancé also comes here and sees Jamie, we are in there pretty much monthly at this point and don't see that changing anytime soon! read more

Photos are 4-5 weeks after. I was in the area for a couple weeks and was looking for a small, quick tattoo. They gladly took me in as a walk in. Got tattooed by Jeph. Chill guy, very clear, collaborative, and helpful. He made sure he knew what I wanted. Only had one problem (which was also partially my fault!!!): we didnt clarify on a price beforehand. I didn't realize until midway through the tattoo. Got a little anxious about that. It's my fault for not requesting a quote but I feel like it's professional if the tattooer provides a quote, whether the client asks for one or not. I hate to be critical, because it was an honest mistake (and both parties are responsible), but it's also one of the worst mistakes you can make for any type of service, let alone for tattooing. That stuff is important because it can get complicated and problematic real fast(both for the client and tattooer), especially if you're dealing with the wrong people. Fortunately, it was all good and the vibes in the shop seemed real chill. He ended up giving me a perfectly reasonable price for a one-word script (it was a typical shop minimum). Anyways, it was an overall positive experience. He put saniderm on afterwards and it healed real nice. Very clear, bold lettering. I like it Also, apparently they charge tax on top of the artist's price, which I have never heard of for tattoos (maybe its a Seattle thing?) so I guess just be aware of that if you're on a tight budget read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Simple script on tricep, above elbow - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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awesome place! very clean, great customer service, really great work. Dustin was awesome. definitely coming back for additional pieces!

First time getting my tattoo here out of spontaneity. Loved my experience and the result of my tattoo. Came on a Saturday so expect a wait but they do walk-ins before 12AM. They close at 1AM and cash only. (There are 2 atm's at the bar right next door). I suggest going to Jupiter bar because the fee is less and the first atm nearby broke down. read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

Place was clean, music was great, staff was friendly and eager to help. Picture is of my first tattoo here, back today for another one! Not a local, appreciate the business and professionalism. read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Taurus constellation with a moon backdrop - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

Sometime early in the morning (so like, noon) in 1991: ME: I want a sun and a moon, because my name means moon - really! If you look my name up in the dictionary, I think it's number three - and I'm a Leo. And I want these Kanji's that sort of mean my name - really it says my name with extra syllables - but the ones that say my actual name mean "Big Hole". HUBBA: The Kanjis are going to need to be bigger. Do you have a reference for the sun/moon thing? ME: No, I thought you would have that? Don't you have that? And I don't want a big old tattoo! I just want this little tasteful one. And I will always LOVE IT. I loved it for like a month. March 2008: ME: I am so glad you moved back from LA! Because I'm a self-centered bitch and I've always wanted you to do my cover-up. I HATE THIS HIPPY THING. JOEL: What the fuck are those? ME: Kanjis that I can't even read anymore. I wouldn't listen to Hubba. JOEL: They look like shit. ME: Really? Ya think, Smartassica? And so began the month and a half saga that is now the BITCHIN' back piece I have 90% done. A tattoo that I sat 5 hours for on the only decent day we've had in a long time. A tattoo that is about change and juxtaposition of storm and calm, light and darkness. There's no covering this bad mamajama. Motherfucker is BIG. And tasteful and beautiful and LOUD. Like me. Those stars up there are for my pal Joel Kennedy who is the Master of Asian Tats and the KING of cover-ups. I highly, highly, highly recommend him. He took all my ridiculous ideas and boiled it down to something I don't even have the braincells to imagine. (Oh, and yes, I am fully aware that I am stepping into a mid-life crisis. I'm as self-aware as I am bat shit, thank you very much.) And - the Pop's reaction: "I like the new ink. But in order to like tats in general I have to suspend my normal process and criteria for looking at "art". Art being that thing that is eternal and skin being that which ain't. But, putting aside my precious-fucking-artist head I actually do tend to like tats and find them useful sometimes. (It's always nice to know what a boy's training has been and nothing says it like a full set of prison tats.)" read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Joel Kennedy - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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I am now changing/updating this review... I previously left a negative review as I was unhappy with not getting any kind of response about modifying my tattoo I got there. I will say Ludvic was very friendly during the tattoo and did fit me in as a walk in to get a semi colon on my left wrist. I love the semicolon itself, but not the shadow lines underneath it. So he is going to touch it up for me for free when I go in for my appt. The reason I gave four instead of five is because the people that work the desk need to get their shit together. As I sent in more than one email about my concern without any response. Later finding out that the desk people never forwarded my emails or my concerns to the artist. Ludvic is very polite and professional with excellent work! read more

I had a large arm and chest piece done by Levi that took 4 trips and nearly 12 hours. A clean shop with friendly staff/artists and great music. It's on the pricey end but they do great work and I didn't get any pretentious vibes from anyone at the shop. Rare for a tattoo shop. I'd recommend Levi, but you should look through the portfolios, choose a couple artists in the style you like, talk to them, and most importantly, get something custom. Don't just get something from the wall - let your artist customize it a bit for you. You'll regret not making it personal down the road. read more

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And I believe his name is Ludvic! Well, let me tell you! Its cheaper than getting a tattoo in New York. He's personality is amazing. Light hand, so not very painful. What can I say? I put my skin on his hands, and didn't %&ck it up! I'm very satisfied. I look forward to my next trip to Seattle and getting color by him! I recommend him. ludvic.pitre@gmail.com Allen. NY, NY! read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Im happy with it! :) - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

went here last night and i got an outline done(shading in a month) my fiancé also got a rose piece both turned out beautiful 10/10 would recommend this place if your going to get anything black and grey. super professional and dustin (the artist who did me and fiancé) was super cool, friendly and didn't f*** around. he did it in good time but made it absolutely perfect! read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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Awesome shop! Great customer service, excellent artists - lines were straight and crisp - and they were more than happy to accommodate minor changes to designs and adjustments in placement. They were very good about sanitizing equipment between clients (COVID). Jamie gave three of us two different tattoos each in a little under three hours. Highly recommended for anyone in the Greater Seattle Area. We'll be back! read more

This place is rad. I was visiting Seattle this past Labor Day weekend. I was planning to go in to make an appointment, but they ended up taking me in right away. Christopher Robin is awesome. He was very understanding and knew exactly what I wanted. He has been tattooing almost 20 years, and did a stellar job on my tattoo. He added on to my existing tattoo and made it look 10 times better. I'm in love with it. I paid $90 for my tattoo, and was definitely worth it. I can't wait to fly back up in the future for more tattoos! read more

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I was recommended this shop by a friend because my best friend wanted to get matching tattoos for her birthday. They people were pretty nice and we were walk ins and we showed them some pics we liked and they drew up a design. We both really liked the design but the quality is what lacked /: the guy only took approx 20 mins on my tattoo and he was very heavy handed as you can tell in the pics; my lines are hella blown out, some areas worse than others. Along with that, for a less than a palm sized tattoo that is just outline, no shading or coloring, it was RIDICULOUSLY overpriced?? (I have a lot of tattoos and even my bigger colored pieces were almost the same price range for this simple outline..) I wanna say we paid around $160 each I've seen their work on social media and it looks really good so I'm just slightly confused on why my tattoo quality was very poor read more

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All the artists are so kind and talented. They worked me and two others in late at night and did amazing!

Jameson is an extremely talented artist. I've gotten several tattoos from him and I plan to get more. I've referred several friends to him and they have all had the best experience they could ask for. Free handed or with a stencil, Jameson is hands down the guy you want to get your tattoo from. read more

Terrible service at this facility and the staff is across the board unfriendly...not a smile in sight. After a very lengthy wait we were turned down because the artist was extremely pompous and did not want to do the tattoo my sweet mother requested. The delivery of this message was unprofessional and pretty rude. Apparently our money was no good there. This message would have been received better if our time hadn't been completely wasted and we didn't leave feeling embarrassed and shut out for no reason. Inexperience or uncertainty about doing justice to a design is one thing, total disregard for another human being is another. Absolutely terrible experience for trying to get a first tattoo with my mom. Will never recommend that anyone to go here. Went down the road to Slave to the Needle in Ballard where we were met with kindness and an appointment to get exactly what we wanted. Take your money somewhere where the people are kind, the art is incredible, and the service is miles above the rest.....The low bar service you will receive at Under the Needle is disappointing at best. read more

My wife went to get a tattoo done and the guy was next door drinking! He hadn't come up with a drawing and done it on the spot He didnt do anything we asked of him! So he said he would do up a drawing or two if we put down a deposit So we put down 100 dollars We then decided not to go with this guy as per his attitude before so we tried to get our deposit back and the guy has the nerve to say no! So we just gave you 100 dollars for nothing We rang 3 days in advance to cancel Not on man! Not cool read more

Excellent work, clean space, great atmosphere and friendly staff. I've been in twice without an appointment and they were very accommodating both times. read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Done by Tascar Wise - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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Fabulous, clean, and friendly guys. I had a super simple tattoo done and walked in shortly after they first opened. Both guys working were nice, and they said they could do my design right then and there! In and out in less than a half hour! I think it was Vick who did my design, and touched up another spot, he was very laid back and seemed well experienced. I found them to be VERY reasonable with a $75 minimum. Most places I've been to are more, so yay, thank you for my experience! read more

I was very pleased with Dustin's work. He made me feel at ease. The salon was pristine and between each tattoo they thoroughly sanitized everything. Next tattoo I will for sure go to Under the Needle! read more

Couldn't possibly say enough great things about my experience here. First off, walking in to the shop for a walk-in and being accommodated was super surprising and kind! The guy helping me out at the front desk (wish I got a name) was crazy helpful and explained everything clearly. I was tattooed by Jeannie, who was PHENOMENAL. She made a recommendation about my tattoo that I hadn't considered but ended up loving so much more than my original idea, it added to much to the tattoo. She made the process comfortable which I really appreciated. She's moving at the end of the month so I highly suggest booking with her while you can. I definitely plan on going back. read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - Orange done by Jeannie - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

I came to Under the Needle on whim. I was in Seattle for a couple of days, and I had been scoping out two other places to get tatted, but they were out of the way for me. Under the Needle was right between the walk from Seattle Center & Pike Place Market! Tattoo parlors can be super intimidating, and I'm always nervous going into one. However, this place was really vibrant and welcoming, as far as tattoo shops go. I came around 9 pm as a walk in, and Tim was able to see me right away. I was only there for a super small and simple tattoo. When I walked in, I didn't really feel all that welcome, but after I actually got onto the mat/bed thing, I felt more at ease and stopped caring so much. I got a small tattoo on my ribs, which was virtually painless and over in 20 mins. I wound up paying around $83 plus 20% tip, which came out to $100, which was super low compared to NYC prices! read more

I stopped in here and put $100 down with a guy named Dustin for a follow-up, who cancelled on me for a family emergency, which makes sense and was fine, but then never rescheduled or responded to my follow-up text messages. $100 down the drain. Even if I could get a hold of him now, wouldn't trust ink I had to forcefully chase down. read more

I came in for a walk in but because my piece was too big, they couldn't do a walk in. If your piece is going to be medium to large, highly recommend making an appointment! I had Dustin work on my tattoo and it came out amazing. I had a picture I showed him and he drew it all out. I had a few tweaks in it and he was able to execute! The staff there is nice and they were also talking about how nice the piece came out. The price was relatively affordable as well. It took around 3 hours total, including preparation, drawing on the design, breaks, then the actual tattoo itself of course. I recommend bringing earphones or something to help distract you from the pain as certain areas are more prone to pain. I felt like I might of been moving a few times but Dustin reinsured me that I was doing great and wasn't moving a lot. The only bad thing (not really that bad) is that it gets cold inside (only if you're required to take your shirt off for the tattoo). read more

My kids surprised me with Mom/Child tatts for Mother's Day last Saturday :) Jamie (Jameson) was our artist who was patient and thorough. Our tattoos were basic, but there were 4 of us and we were far from organized. The salon was very clean and between each tattoo, there was extensive cleaning. I appreciated Jamie just wanted to make sure we were satisfied and like the tatts. This is my 4th tattoo at this location. So far Dustin and Jamie have been great and quite professional. I would highly recommend. read more

I had a tattoo done by ***** not gonna say the name. I got a wave on not even half my bicep that cost WAY more then my more detailed forearm tattoo... the shop was clean and everyone was very nice and respectful but way overpriced... over all I recommend this shop by how honest everyone is! read more

Under the Needle Tattoo - This was the tattoo that cost less at another shop for my first tattoo. Way more proud of the color and detail in this! - Tattoo Near Me - Kirkland, Washington

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This review is for Josh and is not tattoo-related: I was in Seattle on vacation, my rental car broken into, and purse stolen - including wallet. Josh found my ID, googled my name and found my number, and bent over backwards to get it back to me the day I was flying home. Having your personal things stolen can feel so violating and depressing - especially when on vacation in a great city like Seattle. Josh's kindness here really saved the day and turned the whole experience around. Thank you Josh! read more