The worst experience I've ever had, hands down!! I have at least 12 tattoos and I have never walked out of a shop upset or disappointed. It is incredible to me that after spending just about 30 minutes explaining the artist what I wanted he ended up doing something absolutely different and of questionable quality. Not only do I hate the tattoo all together, but it doesn't even look good.
I asked for a realistic, very organic hibiscus flower and he made it what he thought was "best". He argued with me over and over about how it needed to be done that way when right on the other shoulder I had exactly what I was asking (which i got done at Sacred Heart) so evidently it was more than possible for his to do it, and make it a good one.
Another artist in the shop dared to argue that what they offer is NOT a service... Ummm, YES it is. You have clients, you tattoo them, they PAY! A service!! You should be able to satisfy your customer/client and give them what they ask (not what you want) and if you think it's not a good idea you should let them know you can't or won't do it.
It is more than upsetting having to now wait for the thing to heal and go elsewhere to get it as close as possible to what I actually wanted.
I'm by any means saying they are not able to do a good work, but in my case they failed to do it on top failing to apologize... AND argue back and forth with me.
If you want to give an artist free will to so what they want, go for it; but if what you have it's an specific idea and want it executed in a specific kind of way, please go else where.
the rating should be a half star...really. Â I went to them Father's Day to get a memorial tattoo for my father.. I have gone to 13 Roses off and on for over 3 years.. Â this is not the first time I have been disappointed in them. Â While I really like the work there, customer service is NOT their forte. Â I went up the stairs, was greeted.. and I inquired about getting a tat.. very simple.. Â the guy told me, 'we don't have any artists available'. Â I said, but you're open. Â He told me no one wanted to work.. I said, well, you've just lost a customer..his response - Whatev's and turned around. Â I've been in there and seen/heard the way they talked to customers.. not good for business. Â DO NOT PATRONIZE
Review Source:Long ago I brought my niece there for her 1st tat~ her artist was kind, focused and meticulous; she has since left & opened her own shop, on Memorial Drive. [I've had also been tatted by one of the former owners of 13 Roses- at his shop in Decatur].
Thus, I have fond memories of 13 Roses as being a clean and efficient ~ somewhat friendly place to be.
However, My gal & I had a very different experience on our last visit; we went in to get the festive "Friday the 13th tats" - many shops around town [& in the tat world] have a special set of "flash" art that they create for each Friday the 13th [there will have been 3 in 2012 ~ Â the next is in July].
Anyhow, everybody who knows about it is prepared for a long wait & signs in ~ kinda like a popular restaurant @ brunch would be... thus, it is a hectic event.
I've been to several of these @ different shops and found 13 Roses to be an ill experience:
I observed some folks who work there drinking and b*tching too much... like the customers were a pain in the booty for taking up space and asking about the wait time. My feeling is that if it's your job to be the desk person, you should pretend to enjoy it or complain to your colleagues in private. We were very polite  to her despite the fact that the list was not followed & the wait times given were drastically off for many~ but not all; in speaking to others we found that the times were determined at the whim of Ms. annoyed.
Also, some of the artists were gruff & irritated~ as though they'd forgotten to go to bed the night before such a big event.
In years past, I have usually enjoyed watching the bustle of hard-working artists who challenge themselves with this highly anticipated day of tatting... knowing that for some customers it would be their 1st tat~ an experience that should be friendly & positive.
I tried to be a part of the posi~, for the record~ I was friendly, polite, and used the wait time to grade journals, read magazines, and bond with My gal.
We eventually got our turn ~ luckily, our artist was friendly & our tats are pretty cool... but I just can't see ever walking up that steep staircase without having a 1/2 night memory of whiny & unfair behavior.
I had the ideas floating around in my head for years. Â Then won second place in the mechanical bull riding competition at the East Atlanta Strut. Â So with free credit in hand it was time to put up or shut up.
I had browsed the artists online and they all had considerable experience and none caught my attention more than the others. Â So, I just dropped by the shop and met Jay Chastain. Â I talked to him about my ideas and he was helpful with suggestions for placement. Â When I saw the sketch I was blown away. Â It was incredible. Â I gave him some ideas to work with and told him to fill in the rest and that he did. Â Only had one change from the first sketch. Â Great work.
Come day of the appointment I was pretty nervous. Â The shop is meticulously clean and very professional. Â Once I got through the initial pain had a good time chatting it up with some others in the shop.
He worked surprisingly fast and was able to complete what I thought would take two sittings in one. Â Saved me some money that way and earned himself a decent tip.
Ended up with a wonderful and permanent piece of art to go along with my life.
I will never go here again. I got tattoed here last year, but after my experience last week, I am very upset. I went in for their special Friday the 13th deal. I signed in at 8:15 and was told by the manager that if I signed in they would make sure I got tattoed. I waited until 11:58 when I was told that it wasn't going to work out as they were stopping at midnight. What made it worse was that 5 people cut in line in front of me. Two guys replaced some people who had crossed themselves off of the list. A married couple walked in at 11:45 and got pushed to the front of the list. Another girl walked in at the same time and got pushed up as well. These last three people got tattoed after midnight all because they knew one of the managers. My sister, another couple, and myself all got turned away. Are you kidding me? You can't stay open for a few more minutes to tattoo 4 people who have been waiting nearly four hours? My sister and I were literally next in line, and the managers very well knew that had people not cut in line we would have been tattoed. What a crappy way to treat customers, especially ones who have done business there before.
By the way, I noticed a lot of great comments for Danielle. She has opened her own shop called Only Yours Tattoo. It's on Memorial across from Oakland cemetery. She'll get my business next time.
My son got his first tattoo here....the guys name was DJ (I think, he even had a picture of himself with Ed Hardy....the real one) its been since the summer, but I just had to chip in and say these guys were helpful and even drew up a premilary sketch for my son, since he couldnt find anything he really liked in the numerous books they have. Â We went back the next day and my kids hate that I take pictures of every single moment of the lives, and we're not talking one of two pics, but an entire roll if needbe. Â Anyways....DJ was great....he didnt mind flash bulbs going off in his face every 30 seconds, and my son's tattoo looks great. Â He even advised what I could do to add more vibrant coloring to my 13 year old tattoo....and if I ever decided to have something else done...this will be the place. Â I dont know anything about rich benefactors and driving mom's car....but this place knows and IS tattoos.
Clean space, we had our own room unlike 13 years ago when I got mines and everyone in the waiting room could see me...this was a really great place for someone to get their first tattoo. Â I know the cost was about what was expected...and its been almost a year and the tattoo still looks very nice and my son always gets compliments on the WOLF!
Im giving this place 2 stars only because the work that was done to my tattoo before I left was great, though it was not finished. Â What respectable tattoo shop leaves a tattoo unfinished....? Â This place does. Â When I ask if he was going to finish it, the artist said I would have to come back. Â (P.S.- there was only a 20 minute piece left). Â Im guessing he got tired of doing mine and was ready to move on to someone else. Â I do plan on getting more tattoos, but they wont be at this place.
Review Source:My second tattoo was done last week by Joe Vegas at 13 Roses. Â My first was done twenty years ago by Larry Allen Studios in Anchorage, AK (hometown) so I have very foggy memories to compare the experience to.
I picked the place because my friend Mary Jac had work done there, and Lori and Duane sing it's praises. Â I can't say I've heard a peep from anyone else I know about any other shop in town.
I loved the space, the bright colors, dark wood, and funky flair (incl the fake shark head in the waiting area). Â I loved the quantity of books they provide to look at, and the willingness to work with me to get what I wanted *just right*. Â Scheduling was easy enough (same day) and Joe Vegas even snickered at a few of my jokes.
The job was quick and relatively painless, and as inflation goes, the price was probably less than what I expected.
Would I have liked a little sheet that told me about after-care? Â Probably, because I can't remember my own name most days. Â Was it available on teh interwebz? Yes. Â No sweat.
My review is pretty positive overall b/c unlike Richard H. I'm not privy to the ins and outs and drama of the tattoo community in Atlanta.
My experience was a great one.
I am in the process of getting a piece finished by Danielle and I can't wait. Â She rocked our first session and I am super stoked with the outline and just made an appointment to get it finished. Â When I began this, it was to cover up something else and everybody in the shop was really helpful with suggestions and ideas of what was possible and the most feasable. Â I won't go anywhere else from now on.
Just got my tattoo finished and it is awesome. Â Danielle did the best job. Â The colors are so vibrant, I love it.
Screw this place.  Every time I've tried to check this place out, everyone  there has acted like they are god's gift to the tattoo community.  I browsed through their portfolios and saw great color  and line work and what not, but certainly not better than Phil Colvin's or Dirk Hays's or any other established artist in town.  Russ Abbott was the best thing they had and he left.  Besides, these guys didn't work in tattooing for years before they could afford the advertising and shop that they have.  They were set up with everything by a guy with money.  It is like being a rich kid posing as a punk rocker while driving in mommy's car.  Give me the guy that earned his shop through hard work and perseverance.  They appreciate your business a lot more.  13 Roses are just the spoiled princesses of the tattoo community.
Review Source:I got my first tattoo at 13 Roses, and I don't think I'll go anywhere else. Â I chose to get one by Danielle DiStefano, and it came out perfectly and even better than expected. Â She was so friendly and helpful, totally patient, and really down to earth. Â Everyone in the shop is cool, and it's extremely clean and professional.
Review Source:When my friend and I went to get our first tattoos at 13 Roses, we were given an appointment with a guest artist, Joe, from San Francisco. Everyone was very friendly and helpful, and Joe was a great artist. We looked in on some of the other artists as well and wow, when I'm ready for my next one, I'll definitely be returning. It's a very clean, cool, relaxing place with a lot of gorgeous artwork. It is also very prone to making you feel like a hardcore badass.
Review Source:Russ Abbott is the artist that I have gotten a couple of tattoos from, and his portfolio is out of this world. (Russ has moved to his own shop since this review was written -- Ink and Dagger Tattoo Parlour).
The other artists are equally as stunning, and this place is the hands down, one of the best tattoo parlors I have ever set foot in. It doesn't have the feel of a tattoo parlor, it actually has more of a old-timey barber shop or ice cream parlor feel, and makes your experience seem so much less "deviant", and a lot more fun and interesting.
It is located directly above Flat Iron, so if you need, you can get a drink when you are done with your tattoo. I love the work that has been done on me so far, and I am totally happy that I was able to find this place. I recommend this to anyone and everyone that wants a fantastic quality tattoo.
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