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    Vine St. Tattoo

    4.6 (112 reviews)
    ModerateTattoo
    Open 1:00 pm - 10:00 PM

    By appointment only

    Services - Vine St. Tattoo

    Tattooing

    Vine St. Tattoo Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Vine St. Tattoo

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    Reviews With Photos

    Tattoo after 12 hours

    Noel is HIM. This was my first ever tattoo and Noel was very accommodating and understanding of my situation. From the first text to the actual date of the tattoo he continued to engage in conversation with me and laid out the steps for the entire process. The shop is pretty cool, there is a lot of historical and cultural objects that give him inspiration and display origins of certain designs/patterns. Noel was spot on with describing the pain of a first tattoo, something akin to a cat giving you painful scratches on the same area. The shibas were really sociable and helped break the ice when we first arrived. I loved the Reggae vibe and all the songs Noel put on, no complaints there. Noel gave me ample time to take breaks and rest in between hourly intervals which I am really grateful for. Noel is an artist and also a teacher. He taught me the significance of the culture, the meaning etched into my arm, and the history. Thank you for being so chill, very professional, and most of all being sanitary. I'll be looking for another session to get BLASTED soon.

    Danny P.

    Been going to Noel since 2014! He is as professional as he is personable. I appreciate his attention to detail , flow, and marksmanship with just his 2 sharpie markers. Friendly , laidback atmosphere with his cool shiba dogs (Pet Therapy always helps) He brings positive energy to every session, which usually helps with calming my nerves before we start. Easy guy to talk to! Highly Recommend 10/10. Pare! Much appreciated for all your art throughout the years and can't wait till the next one. P.s. Noel's line work is clean , crisp and DURABLE. I've had my first tattoo from him August 2014 has kept its saturation

    Original Tattoo

    Overall, really happy with the tattoo and the service I received over the 2 week span we were communicating. I was a bit nervous, especially not being from LA, but after seeing his work I knew everything would be great and it was! I was looking to add onto my current forearm tattoo and I was already in love just by seeing the drawing before. Noel was really accommodating and a friendly guy, making my comfort a priority and always reminding me to let him know if I needed a break. Can't wait to see Noel the next time I'm back in LA!

    8 hours total... And this is all I got.
    Jay D.

    Artist was Noel. I came in to get a piece on my bicep and partially cover up a previous tattoo on my tricep. I was really stoked because this was gonna be my first time getting a tattoo professionally. Noel was cool, easy to talk to and good guy.. Now on to the things I didn't like. 1. My appointment was at 1pm but we didn't start until 230/3. Eat, prepare the shop and do whatever else you need to do before the client gets there man. 2. The cover up doesn't even COVER UP the existing tattoo I wanted you to blast over.. Kinda defeats the purpose then huh? 3. Most importantly.. It took 2 4hr sessions for this?! Like fuck bro, I didn't wanna be rude at the end but you should've been able to do half sleeve with 8 hours man. What I have is decent but I can't help but feel cheated of my hard earned money. He charges $150/hour btw. 8 hours and he didn't even do a full wrap on my arm AND failed the cover up. The price, time and experience that I had at Vine St. was unfortunately bad. I'm getting my the rest of my tattoos somewhere else.

    Back piece done

    Super friendly guy, always shows up to his appointments. Was fun being tatted by him even though it hurts. Definitely recommend especially if you are looking for filipino tribal tattoos

    Healed tattoo (6 years) upside down

    Noel is an amazing artist and person. He is very knowledgeable about Filipino and Polynesian tattoo motifs. He designed my tattoo for me incorporating what was important to me. He was very nice and professional during my appointment. I still get compliments on my tattoo after 6 years bc of his masterful artistry.

    got two sick ass tattoos that i get non stop compliments on thank you so much noel for KILLING these and always being a vibe during the session. definitely recommend coming to him for some clean work

    "maniwala" ("to believe") in baybayin. thank you, joel!!!
    Adrianne D.

    I was searching for a tattoo artist who had experience with Baybayin/Alibata pieces. I didn't want just "any" artist; I wanted someone who understood the history and significance of the traditional script. I originally looked around San Diego (my hometown) but wasn't too convinced. I looked up #baybayintattoo on Instagram and found Joel! I messaged him in July 2019 with my idea of getting "maniwala" ("to believe") on my left forearm. He was very thorough with asking what I wanted and where I wanted. Joel even asked if I knew about tattoo aftercare, and provided me with instructions over our messages. I scheduled an appointment with him for October 2019 (I wanted to schedule it after summer so I could still enjoy summer at the beach/in the water/etc). Joel later messaged me asking if I could re-schedule, which worked out because it was just later that day (and I was going to be in LA the whole weekend anyway). I met Joel at the shop and he was extremely friendly to me and my two friends that came along! We went over my idea of "maniwala" again. I was amazed while watching him freehand the characters, they really look printed! I trusted Joel with his work and was done with the actual tattooing in about 30 minutes (time in to time out was around an hour-ish)! My forearm piece came out BEAUTIFULLY and I am so proud to have gotten it done by Joel. I have gotten so many questions about what it means and so many compliments! To me, I wanted to get "maniwala" as a reminder to believe in myself, to believe that good things will happen and to believe that the universe has my back. Thank you Joel, so much, for bringing this piece to life. definitely worth the wait and the trip to LA! #jalayahayink

    Polynesian Tribal Tattoo
    Paul T.

    Noel is a cool dude and we worked on the design for a few hours. He was very patient and made sure I got exactly what I wanted. The picture I posted is a progress picture and I am actually getting my tattoo as I speak. Clean facility and pays attention to detail. Would highly recommend him to anybody in SoCal looking for tribal/Polynesian work. The price is worth it especially if you're going to have it for the rest of your life.

    Daniel L.

    First and foremost, I'd like to thank joel for his time and artistry! Words can not describe how grateful and pleased I am with the creativity Joel has done bringing life into the tattoo I've wanted for years! God has blessed me with Joel's steady hand and keen eye for detail! This tattoo will be worn proudly and Joel is now family! So to all those who seek not only a talented artist you will also be blessed with a great family man! I HIGHLY recommend this man for your next tattoo!! Thanks again Joel for the incredible tattoo!!! God Bless, Daniel L.

    Tattoo by Noel #ink #tattoo #vinestreettattoo
    Neil G.

    Tattoo artistry at its finest... I went to Vine Street tattoo a few weeks ago for a consult, A couple weeks after...here I am getting the "ink" that I have been procrastinating for quite sometime now. Noel, my tattoo artist is a real master at his craft, I told him what I want during our consult and today he delivered with such precision, I liked how light handed he is compared to previous tattoo guys I've been to, he is very light with his hands which is good as the needles alone are like a billion bees stinging you lol (just kidding... or am I???) You'll feel the big difference between a novice and a pro once you've experienced getting a tattoo from both...of which one you ask yourself if a butcher is cutting a piece of your skin while you gnash your teeth every time the needle hits the stencil compared to having someone do art on your skin without loosing your consciousness ...Uhm, yeah..that kind of difference. I've met the personable King Afa too whom I have to say is quite talented as well with his craft (he does great work!!) the place is alright with comfortable couches to sit and hang while waiting for your turn, but most of all, these guys take cleanliness seriously, from the tools, to replacing gloves frequently especially for the intricate details and designs which could take a while to do. I am very happy with my ink today and thankful to Noel for making this an "almost" painless job (I said "almost" but it depends on your pain tolerance haha) I HIGHLY recommend Vine Street Tattoo if ever you are thinking of getting body art in the future... ...thanks Noel! You are awesome!

    Tattoo by the one and only Noel
    Andy W.

    3 simple words to describe Vine St Tattoo, and Noel in particular: Unparalleled, Experienced, Friendly. There is no other place in the southern California area that has the raw talent or work experience Vine St Tattoo offers. Noel personally started tattooing in 1998, almost 20 years ago. All his work was completely free hand but you'd never guess with how precise his work is. The spatial intelligence and creativity was quite literally amazing. Even with such a resume, Noel was not dismissive at all of my input and took it into consideration to create a piece we both really loved. He kept me informed of everything-- such as which areas would be more sensitive to tattooing, and was very upfront about pricing. He even powered through our last session to finish the piece because I had come from out of state just to get it done here. The whole process only took two days and about 14 hours with breaks included. Despite being a person that tends to be a bleeder. I have had almost zero irritation or raising of the tattoo even directly after. All this is again due to Noel's skill to apply only the necessary pressure and not pierce further into the dermis than necessary. There were certain parts that were still rather unpleasant when it was getting tattooed, but those areas were localized due to what I understand are just places with more nerve fiber that don't receive a ton of friction (read as bicep). I would happily come back again.

    Tattoo by Noel. I was Very unhappy with how it turned out. Several crooked lines uneven shark teeth, spear tips are uneven.
    Alicia B.

    Worse tattoo I've ever gotten. It took Noel close to 1 hr to trace (not free hand) the image on my wrist. To then take 2 more hours to do a seriously crappy job on my tattoo. While he stopped to watch a movie he had playing. He then had the nerve to charge me by the hour! The lines are really crooked and the shark teeth are uneven sizes. I have several tattoos and this one was embarrassing. It was really swollen do I couldn't tell how horrible it was until a week later. I text Noel the pictures of my tattoo. He didn't say sorry or tell me to come back to get it fixed, but honestly I wouldn't trust him to tattoo anything on me ever again. I finally had it fixed by another tattoo artist and I couldn't be happier. Before and after pics to follow. Be warned! I wish I was. :( My tattoo is the Polynesian tribal design (above) on a large part of my wrist.

    Done by Noel

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    Ask the Community - Vine St. Tattoo

    How much for a 3/4 wrap around sleeve?

    text me noel at 323-383-2253 for a quote. thanks

    What is your minimum?

    $200 minimum

    How much would a half sleeve of tribal cost?

    $150 an hour. 4-5 hours per session

    Hi just wanna ask how much is a wrap around half sleeve polynesian?

    )$150 an hour. each session about 4-5 hours

    What is the tattoo minimum?

    $200 minimum

    View All 20 Questions

    Review Highlights - Vine St. Tattoo

    Noel gave me ample time to take breaks and rest in between hourly intervals which I am really grateful for.

    Mentioned in 49 reviews

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    The Fig Leaf Tattoo

    The Fig Leaf Tattoo

    5.0
    (247 reviews)
    7.4 mi
    $$
    Certified professionals
    Women-owned & operated

    I had been following June's tattoo instagram account for over a year, and had been wanting to get…read moremy first big tattoo in her signature colorful, botanical style, but was a bit nervous. I finally went ahead and booked a virtual consultation (being in San Diego). From the very beginning of the process, submitting the request to book, through the consultation itself, and coming in to get the tattoo, I had the most amazing experience. I felt comfortable that I was in the hands of the best team at this shop. Rob was super responsive with scheduling and questions. June created a beautiful design based on my references and feedback and added little touches that made it even better. When I showed up to my appointment, I was a little anxious, but it was such a cozy, beautiful studio and I felt welcomed and at ease by Rob and June. June took such great care to cover up the scars I wanted covered and make it look beautiful and flow well with the natural curves of my leg, and made sure I was comfortable throughout. After she finished her work, she brought out the professional camera to get the best pictures possible and promptly sent them to me the same night. You can tell she takes pride in her work (as she should!) I will absolutely be back for more tattoos in the future, and maybe add more to my leg sleeve. It was definitely worth the drive from San Diego to work with the right artist who made my vision come true!

    Found June because I wanted a tattoo that was a piece of art and not your everyday tattoo. They do…read moreregular tattoo's also, but June was a true artist. I had a long list of items I was thinking about and She quickly gave me 4 examples and through a couple weeks we tweaked and I felt came to the best design possible. Had it done today. Not only was is a real work of art, but it turned out better than I ever expected. She also stayed till 11pm because I couldn't do a second appointment. I highly highly recommend if you just want a tattoo or specialty want a unique piece of art. This is your place! Also, the atmosphere is the most unique parlor I have ever been to. Amazing on all counts!

    Photos
    Our entrance is down a driveway.
    Our entrance is down a driveway.
    Excited customers in our waiting room
    Excited customers in our waiting room
    Artists working in one of our two work areas.

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    Artists working in one of our two work areas.
    Oak & Poppy Tattoos and Piercings

    Oak & Poppy Tattoos and Piercings

    4.8
    (868 reviews)
    14.7 mi
    $$
    Certified professionals
    8 years in business

    There aren't the words to express just how comfortable and PAINLESS my experience was at the 3rd St…read moreOak and Poppy. Yesterday I got my septum pierced for my birthday. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted warmly and immediately made to feel at ease. The shop itself is very clean and welcoming. The jewelry is beautifully displayed. I just wish I remembered the name of the woman who helped us because she made such an impression. She walked us through all the options at different price points in a way that felt completely neutral and respectful. There was no subtle steering toward something more expensive. It genuinely felt like whatever we chose was the right choice. Ivy, my piercer, was incredibly thorough and precise. I really want to stress how pleasant and painless this piercing was. I am talking pain level 0 out of 10. I AM NOT MAKING THAT UP. She is extremely clean in her process and talked me through every step so I always knew what was happening. The room itself felt like a doctor's office in terms of cleanliness and professionalism. I wanted to write this because there aren't many reviews here about septum piercings specifically. When I was searching for where I wanted to go, Oak and Poppy kept coming up but I didn't see many septum reviews. Ivy is a true professional in this work. It's clear she knows exactly what she's doing. The staff cares about the customer's experience and it shows every step of the way. If you're looking for a septum piercing and want an experience that feels comfortable, this is the place to go! Thank you Ivy! Thank you Oak and Poppy!

    The staff here are friendly and welcoming. I'm giving 4 stars for their customer service,…read morecleanliness, and responsiveness. My husband and I got matching tattoos here and for the tattoo itself it's 3 stars. Today, it has been 3 days since we got the tattoo and although the tattoo itself is small, has fine lines, and is on the wrist, it appears as if it has a smear/smudge on one of the corners on both tattoos. This isn't my first tattoo, and my husband and I have been following the after care and have been careful. It's on the healing stage, but you can tell that the corner line differs and there is a smudged area on both tattoos. For both these it was $240 total and done by Chris. I will update this review once the tattoos heal completely.

    Photos
    Oak & Poppy Tattoos and Piercings
    Oak & Poppy Tattoos and Piercings
    Oak & Poppy Tattoos and Piercings

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    Vine St. Tattoo - tattoo - Updated June 2026

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