At Uptown Ink, Cesar anxiously asks me again if I didn't want to split up the session. "I'm afraid you're going to make this into a bad experience." I hold firm and arrive on time for my appointment. "You didn't bring anybody with you?" "No... Was I supposed to?" "Well, girls usually bring somebody with them." He recounts the customers who bring 10 people with them and how he makes them rotate through the room. One tatt is a quote on my side and another is of two doves. I told him I wanted "cute doves" and he drew them for me. My one of a kind doveys. My piercer has no piercings. I inquire about them suspiciously. "I took them out cause I was a bouncer for a while and I didn't want anybody to be grabbing anything." Legitimate reason enough. Each cartilage piercing hurt more than the proceeding one: by the third one, I no longer felt the tattoos; by the fifth one I was mentally blowing off plans to gym later; by the sixth ring, I had decided, overdose or not, I am going to go home and drug myself with painkillers. To sum up the experience, in 2 hours, I had gotten 6 piercings and 2 tattoos for $240. Cheers, my friends, I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. That brought my piercings up to 19. The artist and the piercer both told me I was going down in their books. I guess it was kind of nuts. I trust them with my tattoos and piercings and you can too. read more

3/5 based on two experiences with two different artists. Please read both before you decide. When I first decided to get tatted, this is where I came. I got a semicolon and an infinity (yes I was very basic...) from Cesar. They were shit. The semicolon completely uneven and the infinity is as well because he tatted while he was pulling the skin. I will be getting the infinity covered up this summer. Alternatively, Dan Zapata is the bomb! He did both of the tats I shared to the page (The unreadable one is legible in the mirror so I can read it. It says "this too".) I got the first while he was working elsewhere in Stockton, and the second at Uptown in their new location. Overall, the place is clean, Dan is very friendly, and he makes sure you're getting exactly what you want, no matter how many times he has to re-place the outline. I HIGHLY recommend Dan. I can't say much for the other artist(s). read more

Uptown Ink - Beautiful chaos - by Dan Zapata - Piercing Near Me - Stockton, California

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I had a wonderful experience here. My piercer was a big guy with a ton of piercings and tattoos. A little intimidating at first, but super nice upon talking to him. If you think about it, being a piercer & tattoo artist is a hard job when you get regular people and little girls like me. I was definitely nervous sitting in that chair watching him take out all those sterilized products and everything. The process was quick and surprisingly painless. I breathed in, and as I exhaled, he stuck the needle through my lower lip and it was done. Not only that, I took out my lip ring for an hour about a month after getting it pierced. I freaked out a little because I couldn't put it back in, but I went back to Uptown and he brought me back to that chair and probed at my piercing to try and help me get it back in. Though unsuccessful, I greatly appreciated his attempt. read more

Very UNFRIENDLY and RUDE. When i first got here, there were two people just sitting down and staring at me. I thought they were customers so went up to the counter, waiting for the person to come out. Five minutes later, one of the people sitting at the table finally came up to me and asked me if he can help me with anything. When i asked him some questions about piercing jewelries(tragus), he just gave me a blank stare and had NO IDEA what i was talking about. i just wanted to know what gauge it was and if they had extra ball to screw in since mine fell off! When i rephrased the question and tried to explain it again, he just cut me off and didnt even bother to know and kept repeating the same answer over and over again. I went there yesterday to give it another try because I mistakenly thought my friends got piercings there for a very good price. When I went in, I told him about what kind of piercings I want and asked him for the price. I went with two other girls, who also wanted piercings and thought we could get a good deal. Even before giving us the quote, he wanted all of us to sign the paper works and told us that he will tell us the prices after we sign them. He did end up telling us the prices but it was way too expensive. No discount either!!! we were going to get 9 piercings total! It turns out that my friends got piercings from the shop block down called in to skin. I went there to get my piercings instead and I am happy that I did! so much cheaper and friendlier. any body piercing is $25. If you are a student, they knock off another $5. Two bad experiences in a row!! I will never come back here. Don't waste your time or your money here. Instead GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. read more

Paul did my tattoo and he did a great job!!! It was my first tattoo and I wanted to do a rose for my mom. He copied my moms handwriting too. Thanks Paul!! read more

Uptown Ink - Piercing Near Me - Stockton, California

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My daughter recently got her nose pierced at Uptown Ink and she is very happy. The shop is clean and I like the fact that they have separate rooms for everything. I don't want to see anyone getting poked with needles and I couldn't even watch my daughter getting pierced. She had to take a friend with her to hold her hand...yes I'm a wuss I know. Uptown Ink is reasonably priced and they have a good selection of jewelry. They also went over the cleaning/care instructions thoroughly with my daughter and didn't just hand her the paper on our way out the door. Next time she talks me into a piercing (and I'm sure there will be a next time...sigh) we will go back to Uptown Ink. ***Update*** I had to take a way three stars. They told my daughter to clean her piercing with Bactine which is too strong and caused a huge bump to grow next to the piercing site. I thought it was infected until I went online and realized that we had been using the wrong stuff to clean it. read more

Was very pleased with my tattoo, this was my first time and the experience was good. I got my tattoo from Paul very cool dude he created some good conversations during the process of getting my tat and made me feel comfortable with some tips. I will admit it was very quiet and kinda awkward when I first came in to set up the appointment but once your about to get your tattoo and you start up a conversation with the gentlemen in the back you start to feel more comfortable and welcomed. Also the pricing at this shop is very reasonable (depending on what you get) which is excellent. Enough to say I will be coming back to this place if I decide to get more tats which is what I told Paul . read more

Uptown Ink - Piercing Near Me - Stockton, California

Honestly the worse establishment ever. I schedules three appointment with them and each time i came in they acted like they didnt know me. They are rude. And the place isn't even clean. And they were all late to work ! I waited to for an hour to talk to the "artist" and he didnt even remember me. Kinda hard to believe when i play for the Oakland A's read more

The Best Is all I can say, if you're looking to get a tattoo and you want an honest opinion as well as incredible neatness and detailed art, then this is what i can suggest.. look for cesar, the guy is a genuine artist who wont sugar coat and will get the work done far more better than you actually pictured it would be.. read more

I've gotten 2 tattoo's from this place and I was very happy with the results from both. I have taken friends here as well and they recieved excellent service. All of the artists are excellent and frienly. read more

This place is AWESOME!!! I haven't gotten any tattoos but I got 4 piercings here... Nose, tongue, belly, and cartilage. I keep going back because this place really takes care of you! The process is quick and ALMOST painless and I really like the variety of earrings/ barbells/ belly rings that you can choose from! They educate you on how to clean and take care of your piercings and all mine has turned out perfectly fine! Prices are reasonable and they are super duper clean!! Idk what my next piercing will be but I will most def come back!! read more

I highly recommend Cesar! Great tattoo artist, got my first tattoo from him and I love it!

I came here because a friend recommended cezar. The tat has healed...n it's clean and smooth. Cezar opened the new needles in front of me. I've been tatted 4 different times...I'm the type that wants silence to tolerate the pain. Cezar caught on quick and didn't force a conversation..When I wanted to talk(when the it hurt) he had a response...when I didn't he went about his work...Great experience. If i get another tat in stockton it will be here read more

My stepdaughter and I went in to get tattoos together. She wanted one but was very nervous and anxious (yeah, she's afraid of needles!). Paul and his team were all amazing. They all talked to her, calmed her down, and they kept her mind off of the process. Paul is the best... he was calming and worked very quickly. He did my SD's tattoo first and it was PERFECT. She insisted I get one, too, so I did. A GREAT EXPERIENCE and a clean, great shop. THANK YOU! read more

My brother and his girlfriend have gotten great tattoos from Cesar. I definitely trusted Cesar to do my first big tattoo after seeing his work. I told him I wanted two realistic sunflowers, I didn't look at the tattoo until 3 hours later when he was finished. My mind was BLOWN. Cesar does amazing work and for a very reasonable price! I'd recommend him to anyone and everyone in the bay, I drove 1.5 hours to get tattooed by him. I will be back again very soon! read more

Had been to this tattoo shop twice one for an industrial piercing, and another one for a chest piece. First I will like to say that the place is nice and looks clean, the tattooers look kind of intimidating at first but they are actually pretty cool. The industrial piercing I had in 2009 got infected but it wasn't their fault I kind of knew that a piercing like that may heal or not for me since I've always have trouble with infections when it comes to piercing my ears. Paul was the one who did my chest piece and although I'm not super impress by his work I will give it a 3/5 stars, I paid $110 for this tattoo which is affordable compare to what other tattoo shops want to charge you. I got this tattoo last year (2011) and an appointment wasn't require, however I was trying to get a new tattoo this past February so I went back there and I was inform that now you are required to make an appointment which sucks for me cuz I always miss my appointments and don't have enough time to be remembering when to go get tatted LOL. Overall I do recommend this tattoo parlor is one of the cheapest ones around town and their CUSTOMER SERVICE GET A 4/5 STARS. read more

This was a few years ago. I called them asking for an appointment and they said ok. I came in right on time and they told me the artist wasn't there yet. He showed up an hour late. Fast forward to after I got tatted up, he gave me a card that tells me how to take care of my new tattoo. I wanted to go to the job fair in stockton right after, that's why I asked for the specific time. And because he was an hour late, I didn't get to go because it already ended. When I get home, I noticed the tattoo was messy. Lines were not even, he had to draw two stars and one star looked normal, the other one was wonky. I wouldn't recommend this place. The price was cheap but so is their work. Go to a professional instead. read more