My tattoo artist at another shop moved out of state and I had been itching for something new and was terrified to trust anyone with my tattoos until I walked into Avalon and met Joe Kearney. I feel like getting a tattoo from someone isn't just based on their ability but also on the connection you build with that someone. Having a tattoo artist you can trust is like having an actual relationship with that person, you are trusting them with your body and you should be able to give them the freedom to express themselves in that tattoo but know that the end result will be a work of art for the both of you. My experience with Avalon and with Joe is definitely something worth mentioning. From start to finish he was very honest, gave you his opinions and expressed actual interest in knowing you as a person. He gave me the most beautiful traditional Indian girl with a headdress and completely took the picture I brought in and turned it into a masterpiece by adding his own style. I have recommended Joe to all of my friends and will continue to remain a loyal Avalon customer. Long live Jose Carne!
Review Source:I got my first (and only) tattoo so far done here by Tonya Van Parys. My tattoo was just a simple script that required very little "art", so when I initially walked in to find an artist, I chose based off of portfolio appearance, figuring that someone who would take the time to make their portfolio look neat in appearance would put similar attention into the tattoo. Luckily, Tonya happened to be free while I was there, so I spoke to her about the quote and font I wanted, then booked my appointment and left my deposit.
When I came back a few weeks later, I was understandably nervous, but the Talking Heads and Bowie playing over the soundsystem as I waited helped quite a bit. I quickly got the paperwork all done, and then headed back. I had one small change that I wanted to make to the design, but that was fixed quickly, and then I got the stencil put on. While she was setting up, Tonya explained what to look for in a tattoo artist's setup to make sure that everything was properly sterilized and clean if I were to get another tattoo in the future, which I appreciated.
Then it started. Because the tattoo was on my ribs, she told me that she wouldn't be trying to engage me in conversation, as too much talking could make me move around, which I also appreciated. I won't lie and say that it didn't hurt at all, but it hurt a lot less than I expected, especially for what I've heard is one of the most painful tattoo spots (but then again, I only have a 2x6 inch script tattoo, and not some giant piece with a ton of shading). I was done in about fifteen minutes (or maybe less, but it did seem like a lot longer while I was under the needle). She cleaned me up and let my friend take a photo for me before wrapping it up and giving me the aftercare instructions.
Be sure to follow the healing instructions that they give you!!! I did with mine and everything came out perfect, it's 8 months later and everything still looks great, I never experienced any of the gapping or fading that I know some people can get as a tattoo is healing.
All in all, a great first tattoo experience.
Went to Avalon for my first tattoo and was completely happy with my overall experience!! Clean place and very friendly staff!! I worked with Kelly on my first tattoo  and he did an amazing job! I moved to vegas not long ago but wanted to get my next tattoo at Avalon! So I flew in last weekend and learned Kelly had moved so I worked with Jason! He did such a fantastic job!! I am so happy with his work! It was on my ribs so he kept me calm and chatted with me so I Didnt focus on the pain! But overall he Did a good job and it Didnt even hurt that much!! Definitely will be flying back to see Jason for my next tat!!:)
Review Source:Got my first tattoo done by Tonya and she was absolutely wonderful. She made me feel VERY comfortable and walked me through what I would feel before she did anything. And she gave me recommendations on the size and placement of the tattoo. Â I would def come back to her when I get my next one!
Review Source:I'm really amaze at some of the reviews I am reading here complaining that their tattoo artist wasn't chatty enough. Its subjective, but frankly I'd prefer a nice calm presence and a focused artist so I get the best work possible. You know how you have to turn down the radio to concentrate when you are lost finding an address? Think of it like that. They need to focus sometimes on making this lifelong piece of living art perfect!!
My experience was very good. I walked in to do a consult on a Friday afternoon and luckily got the artist that had been suggested to me by a dear friend. Tonya Van Parys took a look at my Frankenstein of a design that my sister and I both wanted. She took probably 20 minutes with me chatting over the design and what we were focused on, and what she could take more artistic license with. We scheduled an appointment for both of us to get tattooed the next day, paid our deposit, and left.
Its street parking for this tattoo shop, so I highly suggest getting there EARLY for your appointment. Also, the street in front of the shop is 2-hour parking only, so if you have to be there longer, I'd recommend going into the residential neighborhoods surrounding Garnet to park. We got there early and lucked out on a rockstar parking spot, so we wandered Garnet shopping until our appointment.
My tattoo experience was tumultuous because it was my first one so I was overcome with anticipation and anxiety, but Tonya was amazing. I was a bit of a nervous wreck but Tonya was a total pro and spotted my initial light-headedness and then walked me through the entire 2 hour sitting. The art she created is exactly that, ART. I loved the sketch she did, and the finished product actually made me tear up a little it is so beautiful.
She wasn't super chatty but when she could she did talk. I was totally fine with that thought, because I went into a "zone" where I didn't want to talk anyway, I just wanted to hug that pillow and do arithmetic in my head. I would HIGHLY suggest this very clean and professional shop, and Tonya herself for the masterful work I have. I'm very pleased and should I settle on another design, I would see Tonya again in a heartbeat to tattoo me again.
I can't speak for all the artists, but Ronan is the bomb!! Â All enocunters I have had with the other artists have been great, just haven't had work done by any of them. Â I am in the process of getting a half sleeve and am only one sitting away from completion. Â the work is so good, even my mother-in-law said it was "beautiful". Â She is not a tattoo fan by the way. Â I would highly recommend Avalon Tattoo, especially Ronan, to anyone looking to get work done!
Review Source:Got my first tattoo. Â I fell in love with KELLY JORDON's work. Â I was his last client before he moved to Ohio. Â He made me feel relaxed and assured me that its gonna be alright. Â I guess I'll be flying to Ohio for my next one =D
I got orchids and the details are so great! Â I've seen other orchid tats, but the way he did mines, the details and colors were just *can't find the words to describe*, lets just say, I am glad that he did my first tattoo =)
This place is nothing short of amazing. Everyone there is incredibly nice and they definitely take the time to listen to you. Joe was my artist and he was incredibly patient with me as the location of my tattoo was in a very sensitive spot and I am extremely tickle-ish. All the artist's work is amazing and the entire shop is filled with very skilled and talented people. If you are  looking for your next piece of work I would highly recommend this place!
Review Source:I went to Avalon Tattoo awhile ago to get my first tattoo. Overall I was not impressed. The guy that did my tattoo messed it up a little bit! As picky as I know I am, I think the tattoo I got was super simple and I would assume easy to do for an experienced artist. My tattoo is in the shape of a heart and is not completely symmetrical...one side is just ever so slightly higher than the other. The discrepancy is very small and unless I point it out it is virtually unnoticeable. However, this is everyones worst nightmare when getting a tattoo because, to state the obvious, there's no turning back. Once it's done it's done. I noticed the difference after the tattoo had healed and again, it is not very noticeable.
Avalon is clean and has a solid reputation for doing a good job. The employees were nice and helpful enough, even being able to calm my jittery nerves as a newbie to getting inked. If you want to give this place a chance to put something so permanent on your body I would advise you to double and triple check the outline they put on your skin beforehand to make sure it is exactly what you want. Even bring a friend to offer an extra opinion. This might have been where I went wrong. No one noticed that my tattoo wasn't just right, including myself. Also, this is only the fault of myself and the artist that did my tattoo. A friend of mine had one done at the same time by a different artist and she experienced no problems at all. Mistakes are easy to make and if you point out a problem they will gladly fix it for you (he had changed the design slightly once before doing my tattoo). But, needless to say I won't be returning to Avalon nor would I reccomend anyone go there.
Brad asked so here's a new review. But you'll have to read a little story first. I love Dave Matthews, I don't care if you don't and I don't need you to tell me how much you hate his guts. It's like telling the guy next to you at lunch it smells like shit. I didn't ask so F@*k off. I have wanted a firedancer tattoo forever, so at lunch the other day I decided to walk down Garnet and get a consultation on the design I wanted. A walk in...so you don't have a good rappport with the artist but whatever. Terry you rock but one star off for lack of enthusiasm. I was stoked but he was like meh...this isn't where the $$ comes in. Anyways he said half hour, I said go for it and it looks AWESOME! Price was good, clean and Terry's gentle tender touch made me the little bratty brat feel limited pain. However my hand went numb.
There are A LOT of shops in SD .. too many. But these guys consistently do the job and I hear about them all the time.
Impulsive as I may be it worked out and I love love LOVE it....check out the pic and thanks Kelly for making my "dorky" design totally rad.
I decided to start a Yelp account after my experience at Avalon Tattoo in Pacific Beach. I never had any big tattoos done. First of all, the first impression when you get there is nice, you'll be most likely welcomed by this friendly retired Navy Chief and the rest of the staff is friendly as well. I was actually pleasantly surprised after an experience of visiting a different shop where the owner acted like an idiot (rock star attitude). After doing my homework I decided to go with RONAN HARVEY. Ronan took my idea and with his personal touch took it a step further. He did a stellar job with a great attention to detail. I have a huge ship and a scull on my arm from the elbow up and I could not be happier with it. Again I didn't know what to expect while sitting there for 8 hours but Ronan is a down to earth guy and is very easy to talk to. I will be coming back no matter how far away I live and I would recommend Avalon and specially Ronan Harvey to everyone... Thank you Avalon Tattoo for the experience!!!
Review Source:I found Avalon Tattoo after doing a LOT of research, as I wanted to get an existing tattoo I had enhanced and expanded. Â I was in town for a few weeks for work (I lived in San Diego for 25 years) and wanted to get it done during this time. Â I visited the shop on a Saturday around noon and already had 3 of their artists in mind to do my work which was flower work. Â The staff was very nice in welcoming me, particularly the gentleman whose space is up front on the right and Isaias. Â Tonya was the artist they brought up, and we spoke for a bit and scheduled my appointment for the following Friday and I gave her a deposit. Â The only drawback to this meeting is that she was quite negative about my original tattoo that I wanted enhanced, told me it was poorly done (I disagree completely) and that left me feeling not so great. Â My perspective is that tattoo's are art, and everyone has different tastes... I had asked that my tattoo from prior be drawn as more of an abstract water color... so it was not meant to look "life like".
Okay, so when I went back for my appointment a week later... I was told that Tonya had an emergency to attend to and she did not have my contact info to let me know ahead of time (weird, since I supplied her with that on a form I filled out and she had my email from the pictures that I had emailed her). Â I told them of my time constraint in being an out of towner... and KELLY JORDAN had time for me later that afternoon and asked that I come back which was not a problem....
Man am I GLAD that things turned out the way they did as he was SOOOOOO nice, did a phenomenal job working my new flowers into my original tattoo AND he never once bashed my original tattoo. Â He incorporated the new flowers and their size into my original and used his own style (at my blessing) to make a BEAUTIFUL tattoo... I feel like I have a gorgeous water color on my side/back and love it. Â He was super nice and we chatted quite a bit (so not sure about the other reviews about Kelly because they are dead off) and hell, he is a dog lover so he has to be awesome.
I highly recommend not only Kelly Jordan, but the shop itself -- true to other reviews everyone that I interacted with was so nice and welcoming and they live up to their reputation.
After asking people "where did you get your ink done?" for the last two years, the choice to come to Avalon was a no brainer. Â I checked out the portfolios on-line and really loved Steve's work. Â He worked with me to create a tattoo that went beyond my expectations. Â Steve took the time to make sure I got a great piece of art.
Review Source:this rating is for JASON SALINAZ...he once again exceeded my expectations. Â My sister already uploaded a photo of our matching tattoos Jason had done over a year ago. Â I had a tattoo done really randomly in Chico, CA when i was out with girlfriends, and lets just say a foot tattoo never stays the same. Â It was also good at first but then after getting my tattoo done by Jason, I realized how poorly drawn my other tattoo was and I have been waiting and putting off fixing it. Â I went to San Diego to visit my sister and randomly I called him and asked if he could fit me in. Â Of course, Jason said yes and I went in after a really long day for him.
He drew multiple designs because I was so confused on how to cover up the other tattoo on my foot...then he drew the perfect tattoo right onto my foot. Â My sister and Jason came up with it and then I added to it with my favorite thing, a skeleton key. Â He did have to cover up the ribbon tattoo he made the ribbon into an L and wrote out love...see picture
THANK YOU JASON YOU ARE AWESOME, PATIENT, AND A GREAT ARTIST!
here is his site: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avalontattoo.com%2Fjason.htm&s=d4e3ccd6b0230c949db9b1abcf84182b777b4dd9b05d1e7aef5fdf30491dcff2" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.avalontattoo.…</a>
A client of mine gave me a referral to Avalon Tattoo in Pacific Beach.  Specifically, Jason Salinez.  I originally contacted  him about six years or more.  I had a specific design feel that was important to me, and I had a photograph that was very close to the feeling.  What was going to make the idea work was if he could specifically design the piece to enhance my muscle structure.  After two appointments that lasted aprox. eight hours all together, I had a tattoo that would always get compliments.  I thought one was going to be enough.
Well, years later and I found myself sitting in Jason's chair once again. Â It was time to turn my shoulder / chest piece into a full sleeve. Â Again, he designed so that it flattered the flow of muscle structure, and I just finished my second apt. Â It is gonna work perfectly together and it is original to me and me alone.
The man is a beast! Â Great artists at Avalon. Â Clean, easy going. Â Just remember, artists of this quality, best Pre schedule an appointment.
We walked in here about an hour before they closed, after getting an off-putting response from Sideshow on Garnet. My friends and I were quickly welcomed and helped and I felt very comfortable at Avalon. I walked in with the design I wanted and Marty drew it up and did the shading. I was in and out in 45 minutes and he did a wonderful job! Not to mention he was very amicable and chatty. I definitely recommend Avalon!
Review Source:ive been here three times so far. Ronan has been helping me fix some poorly done tattoos and i really couldnt ask for more out of an artist and shop. everyone there is really cool and friendly, non of that rock star attitude that one sometimes encounters at tattoo shops.
ronan took my nasty tattoos and turned them into vibrant pieces of art. he takes his time with the shading and coloring to make sure they wont fade for decades. a lot of artists will give you a hard time if you want to do a coverup or touchup, but thats never the case with this place. on top of the great work he does, hes a great guy to have to spend 6 hours of pain with....good conversation and good tattoos....and good tacos across the street.
On a whim, a friend of mine called me up and said I want to get a tattoo. So where was the best place to tattoo shop hop? PB of course.
We visited several places, finally ended our hop here where we met Nardo. He was straight up, and though more on the pricey side, had and is still doing fantastic work- look at his portfolio and youll see. While perusing thru his portfolio, my 'gal came across a picture of her cousins tattoo that Nardo had done and that was what closed the deal.
We came back the next day and the work he did on her wrist turned out really pretty. He totally put her at ease and was a great conversationist.
So, if youre lookin to get worked on- big or small, hit up Nardo- you wont tbe disappointed.
But then again, its just my opinion..
I have had the pleasure of Tonya Van Parys inking me up for the past three years. I feel incredibly lucky to have found Tonya - she is a passionate artist with amazing vision. She covered up a horrible tattoo for me and gave me a true work of art. I have referred six people to her, all of whom have had her tattoo them and have thanked me time and again for referring them to such a capable tattoo artist.
Not only is Tonya a great artist, she's a kick ass person in general and I know that I have made a good friend for years to come. Thank you Tonya for being so rad!! Love ya! xoxox
This shop is one of the oldest and best shops in PB. Â There is a lot of experience in one place. I have gotten 3 tattoos there and there were exactly what I wanted. Â The artist was friendly and seemed like they really wanted to do the best job they could, even though the tattoos I got were kind of small. The only downside, is the parking situation, but it is the same as any other shop down there. But if you are in the area, its worth dropping by.
Review Source:These stars are for Ronan Harvey, who did a beautiful tattoo for me today. I was lucky enough to walk in and catch him during his free time. He was very nice and drew something up pretty quickly. The end result was awesome. I will definitely be coming back to see him for more complicated work and would highly recommend him!
Review Source:I probably shouldn't say this, since tattoo artists aren't generally cuddly little puppies, but the entire staff at Avalon is so ridiculously sweet. Seriously, they must be the nicest guys in San Diego. And they're all super talented...Ronan made sure all the minuscule details in my itty-bitty wrist piece were absolutely perfect, and all the other guys were equally intent on their pieces.
The shop itself is spotlessly clean and conveniently located on Garnet. I'll definitely be back.
I had my tattoo done with Jason at Avalon and would definitely go back again. Â I had a tattoo done ten years ago in PB, but didn't get attached to the artist or the place. Â I lived in PB for years and knew the reputation of different tattoo parlors, and Avalon didn't disappoint. Â Professional, clean, friendly, and good art work!
Review Source:Was in town for a couple of days decided to get a tattoo while strolling down PB. Â Stopped at Guru before but they only had one artist accepting walk-ins and there was a waiting list for the others. Â I was told he was only visiting from another state, saw his portfolio wasn't really impressed. Â Also he told me that what I wanted wasn't possible and that it was too small. Â Had read about Avalon on Yelp and thought I'd go in there to check it out. Â The shop manager was quick to assist me. Â I told him what I wanted he even gave me a book to look at that help me find the design I've been looking for! Â He matched me up with KELLY JORDON. Â I had read about him on Yelp and checked out his work on their website. Â I asked the shop manager if he does good black and grey work and he said yes. Â After mulling it over for a bit, I decided to make the commitment. Â I showed Kelly what I wanted, he gave me his input and convinced me to go a little bigger on the tattoo if I wanted to have all the detail I wanted. Â He asked if I could come back the next day because we got there pretty late. Â He does require a $20 deposit for the sketch and is counted toward the cost of the tattoo. Â He quoted me a good price of $300 for two angels on my lower back. Â I had inquired at another more "famous" shop in Hollywood and I was quoted $800! Â
We arrive for my appointment the next day.  I was a lil' nervous, but Kelly was really nice and easy going and made me feel comfortable.  I don't know why people on Yelp gave him bad reviews, he's a really cool guy.  Given he's not super chatty, but I could tell that he was really meticulous and focused  on his work and I prefer that in a tattoo artist any day.  He made sure the placement was perfect.  He listened to my concerns and and request and really tried to make me happy.  I wanted a specific look for my angels and he delivered.  He's been doing this a long time and has picked up a lot of technique a long the way.  He doesn't specialize in just one style.  If you look at his portfolio, he does traditional americana, pin-ups, portraits, smaller tattoos, sleeves, japanese etc.  I am sooooooo happy with my tattoos!  I'm glad to have walked into Avalon.  Kelly told me that Avalon was the first tattoo shop on PB and that they've been there for 21 years!  They are also more accommodating to walk-ins than other shops.  I would definitely come back and I'd recommend this place to my friends and family!  If you wan't a good quality tattoo, you can't go wrong with Avalon!
THANKS KELLY U ROCK!!
two words. JASON SALINAZ!!.. my twin sister and i went in last week to get our sister tattoo that we have been trying to get for YEARS. i had researched and researched for a year or so and after a close friend got his tattoo at avalon i looked into it and thats where i found jason salinaz. this is my FIRST tattoo. my sister and i went in and jason drew up exactly what we imagined! he listened to me babble on and on about exactly what i wanted because i was so nervous and excited and just wanted it perfect. well he by far EXCEEDED my expectations. my sister and i are soooooo happy with our tattoos and that we went to jason! i have gotten tons of compliments already on how beautiful and colorful it is. one girl asked me if my tattoo was real because it was so vibrant ha so thank you thank you jason!!
(if you want to see my tattoo its in my pictures)
I got threee tattoos here over the course of several years, all done by Heather Sinn.
There was certainly nothing challenging about my tattoos, all single-color, black. I brought the designs in myself, but Heather was so nice, professional, helpful, and made all three tattoos look great.
I am still very happy with them all, and they look great and are holding up well.
I would definitely recommend this shop and my artist, Heather, to anyone looking for a quality tattoo.
I decided I wanted some ink done on my birthday and I finally decided on going down to Avalon. I had an artist in mind but they had completely slipped my mind until I was introduced to Kelly Jordan, who I originally  wanted to do my piece. The consultation was quick and easy, not much talking was done and I set down $20 to get my custom piece done (a 1950s girl with some roses and a ball and chain).
The day rolled around and I was slightly nervous about the final product but Kelly's drawing was amazing. I filled out some paperwork and was getting inked fairly quick. He was professional and we didn't talk too much, which I like since I don't talk that much myself, but we did share some laughs over some Dos Equis commercials on the radio and bonded over having the same phone.
4 1/2 hours later and my piece was finished and it looked beautiful. I get so many compliments on it and can't help but smile every time I see it. The line work is excellent and the colors are exactly what I wanted. Parts of it looked like it was just drawn on with a pen or paint brush and there's so much detail in just her hair.
He's definitely going to be doing the rest of my traditional style sleeve as soon as I save up some for my next piece.
I've come to Avalon for 8 out of the 9 tattoos I have and I absolutely love everyone here! I've gone to Kelly Jordan for the last 4 and I can absolutely say that the man is a genius! He puts a lot of thought into the tattoo pieces and makes sure the shading and colors are just right. Â He's very chill and laid back and the best part is that he remembers you. Â
I read the other reviews about him and am kind of shocked at how people have responded to him. He may not be a talkative person, but he is an awesome artist. I agree with Liz G....I rather have him be focused on the tattoo itself than trying to socially please me. People, it's a tattoo parlor, not a hair parlor!!!!!
Aloha!
Kelly Jordan ROCKS! He has done 6 tattoos for me and he is the only artist I will ever trust! His black line work is awesome, so is his color work. He is infinitely patient with me on getting the designs right. He sized it up and down, made a few changes when I asked, and I LOVED the results. Tat's really are addicting and I am planning my next art with Kelly. The more info/drawings etc. you give him, the better. He doesn't say much while he works, so some reviews have said he is not too friendly, but who cares? I would rather have him concentrating on his work than making small talk with me. Go see Kelly. You won't regret it!
Review Source:This review is mostly toward Heather, since she's the only person at Avalon I really dealt with.
For her part, she's a great artist with a very charismatic and likable attitude. Â She finished the job ahead of schedule and even rounded-down the amount of time to charge me less (which I vetoed with a bigger tip).
When I need work done in the near future, Avalon is definitely where I will head to schedule with Heather again. Â They take credit cards too (some tat shops don't), so just bring cash for tip if that's how you'd prefer to do it.
I can't speak to Avalon as a whole, since I've only had experiences with one artist here. Â All 5 of these stars are for Jason Salinaz.
I walked into Avalon randomly about four years ago to get another tattoo filled in that I had gotten back east. Â The place wasn't busy at the time, and Jason ushered me into the back. Â This piece was pretty simple, basically just some shading. Â It came out looking great, and Jason was such a rad guy I figured I'd come back for my next tatt. Â
Flash forward 6 months later. Â Until this point, I'd only gotten two small tattoos. Â I was ready for my first bigger piece, which was also going to be a cover job of the first tattoo I'd ever gotten (really bad - the dude who did it got fired two weeks later - just to clarify, this was NOT at Avalon). Â I stopped by Avalon one day and made an appointment with Jason. Â The first thing that surprised me was that Jason remembered me. Â I'd sat in his chair for half an hour six months before, so that was pretty impressive.
On the day of my appointment, I brought in a few different drawings and Jason quickly synthesized them into one outline. Â The tattoo took about 4 hours, and came out looking amazing. Â What's more, he only charged me $250 and touched it up for free a few weeks later. Â It still looks great several years later.
I came  back to Avalon for more work about two years after that.  Jason remembered me again, and designed another really awesome-looking piece for me.  Now I'm starting to get that itch again, so I'm sure I'll be back soon. Â
All in all, I can't say enough great things about Jason as an artist. Â If you're looking to get a great tattoo, you can't go wrong with Jason and Avalon.
The tattoo parlor itself was pretty standard but I had a bad experience with my artist - Kelly. Â He seemed very disinterested in me and my tattoo. Â He spoke 2 sentences to me the whole time. Â Now I'm not asking to make some life long friend or have a 2 hour conversation but he told me to lie down and how much to pay - that's it. Â Maybe the other artist are better as the place seems decent but I do not recommend Kelly.
Review Source:I forgot the name of the guy that did my tattoo, I'm pretty sure it was Kelly. He is an awesome guy. I went with my ex. I had a tattoo done by this other guy in hollywood and he totally messed it up. It was writing in arabic and it was big so not very easy I suppose. Kelly spent 1.5 hours and totally fixed it, turned out beyond amazing. My girl at the time got butterflies up and down her leg and those things turned out amazing as well. I was very impressed. He is very clean and everything is sterile. There is a great place across the street to go have drinks and chicken wings.
Review Source:I'm super disappointed with my experience with Avalon. I would have given zero stars, except for the fact that this reflects the shop and not just one artist. 2 stars are for the benefit of the doubt that the other artists are more professional than the I dealt with.
I read all these wonderful reviews and decided to head in there to talk to Kelly Jordan, a tattoo artist whose work I admired on their website. I spoke with him about some ideas that I had about getting a rather large quarter-half sleeve. He had little input, little to say, and really gave off an arrogant vibe. This didn't bother me really. I knew what I wanted but needed an artist to kind of put my ideas to paper.. or ink so to say. He wrote down my thoughts, took my name, and my phone number and told me he would call. It was like a talking to a guy you like, giving him your number, and he never called. Well Kelly Jordan never called. I guess I should have taken his vibes as disinterest, but instead of guessing I think he should have told me he didn't want to do my tattoo. I met with him almost a month ago, I also emailed him and he obviously thought it was easier to blow me off.
All in all. I hope the rest of the artists at Avalon are more professional that Mr. Jordan. Maybe I just picked a bad one. I'm happy now, I met with an artist across the street at Above All Tattoo that spent a couple hours with me today talking about my ideas and being very enthusiastic about it. I gave him my deposit and can't wait to get it done, NOT with Kelly Jordan.
I love the art the artists do at Avalon, but try to work on Customer service so you don't waste people's time.
After reading the yelp reviews, my friend and I decided to go with Avalon -- it seemed great! Â Thought I would share my experience.
"No appointment necessary" Â -- not necessarily true. Â We went in at 1ish (on a Tuesday) and the grumpy man at the entrance told us that we had to wait until 6 PM! Â We were a little discouraged and almost went across the street, but because of the great yelp reviews, decided to stick with Avalon and just wait til 6.
We came back at our scheduled time and got set up with our artists -- mine was Jacek Minkowski and my friend's was done by Kelly Jordon. Â They were both great! Â Professional and funny! Â Kelly had my friend's tattoo finished in literally 20 minutes -- it looked great an she was happy! Â Mine took a bit longer (but was larger) and I love it as well.
My only complaint:
It's only been about a week since I got it done, and my tattoo is already fading. Â It's a little blueish!. Â It could be because of the location of the tattoo on my body (on the inside of my arm) but thought it was worth noting!
Overall -- pretty good experience... Â Tattoo artists were great -- really liked both guys we dealt with!
Don't let the miserable "greeter" man at the door discourage you!
OH YEAH!  And they prefer cash  because they have to pay a fee to use the credit card machine!  Wish I had known that before we went!  I felt bad  when I had to pay with my card!
Came here as a walk-in to get a tattoo with my sister. Â We were both gettin' inked within 20 minutes of walkin' in.
New needles were used, new ink was used, and every precaution was taken to eliminate contamination, which is something I think is number one when looking at tattoo places.
The two artists we worked with were very cool, laid back, and had lots of experience.
My only qualm was that prices were a tiny bit higher than other places, but that's probably cause I got somethin small.
Again just wanted to say how happy I am that I found Jason Salinaz at Avalon Tattoo in PB.  It has been a long journey  and I icould not be happier with the outcome!!  Something that I used to hate to show and to talk about is now something that I can't wait to show off!!  If you are even thinking about getting work done, Jason and Avalon tattoo should be your ONLY choice!!  I have now included before and after pictures....check it out!!
Review Source:Ronan Harvey is awesome! Â I had my back started already but I needed someone with good cover-up examples to cover an old tattoo on my shoulders. Â I went in to see Ronan and he not only outlined the rest of my back (with a really cool idea I had never thought about), but he also covered up the old tattoo on my shoulders. Â Now, I have my shoulders covered with a sweeet tattoo and I'm in the process of having him fill in the rest of my back.
The great thing about the Avalon in PB (there is another Avalon in North Park, owned by the same people) is that their tattoo base is mainly tourists, so if you happen to live here you'll be able to get an appt a lot quicker than the one in North Park whose tattoo base is mainly people who live here.
I can't believe I haven't reviewed Avalon sooner. Â I got my first tattoo here in 2006 by Kelly Jordan. Â Was absolutely scared to death and Kelly made me comfortable and walked me through the whole thing. Â the color of my tattoo is beautiful and i get so many compliments on it! Â I went back for a 2nd round of torture (j/k) in April 07 and got a set of dog paws on my right ankle. Â I had Kelly do this one as well and it's beautiful. Â Although it was a simple design he did a great job and once again the color is awesome! Â
I have had several other people go down who too have not been disappointed!!!!
got my biggest piece so far done my steve about 2 years ago.
i drew the ambigram, and he thought it was pretty cool. could've been lying to me, but i love it.
good shading techniques, i liked his porfolio too. i'd prob go back to him for another piece. we'll see whenever i get the moolahs.
i guess what some people don't understand is that you go the the tattoo shop you want to get it done at, and talk to the artist you want to get it done by, or someone close. talk about your piece (what you want to the tee), then schedule an appt for the actual tattoo to get done. it's a bit hard to just walk into a shop and get one at that moment. they don't make burgers and fries people.
I went to this place a few years back because it was voted the best in San Diego. Â When I called, you don't schedule appointments. Â You simply show up. Â Luckily, when I went, there was no one ahead of me. Â The girl who traced and eventually tatted me up was a specialist in animals. Â She drew it perfectly how I imagined it. Â The copy I had was kind of blurry but she knew what she was doing. Â Soon enough she started working on me. Â The finished look was great. Â She even added some shading which made it look even more amazing. Â The original picture did not have a shading. Â I also noticed their cleanliness by taking off gloves to answer the phone and then putting new ones on. Â About 45 min later, I was on my way!
Review Source:When I went to Avalon to get a special tattoo, custom that is, we met a wonderful guy who did an awesome job.
When I was getting ready to get another custom tattoo, I called and that guy had just left that shop. Â So I asked for someone who specialized in flower tattoos, they said all of them did. Â So I asked who is the best at portraits and they said each one of them were. Â I asked who did the best grayscale work, again I was told each one of them were the best.
That's not even possible. Â Each person has their own strengths!! Â They didn't care about the quality of my tattoo, they just wanted my money. Â I want a tattoo artist who will tell me the truth. Â I want someone who will tell me that it's not a good idea or it can't be made that small or that it would look better without color.
So, we tracked down my original artist to 454 Tattoo in Encinitas. Â I brought my sis-in-law and her friend with me. Â He told the friend the truth and refused to do certain tattoos on her because they wouldn't turn out. Â He was honest with her. Â He did my custom tattoo and I am very happy with it.
So if you are looking for an honest Tattoo Artist... don't go to Avalon. Â I gave Avalon 3 stars because I did get a good tattoo from there and I'm sure that basic tattoos are good. Â I just didn't like being lied to and not being treated like my tattoo was an important decision.
in my youth, i used to make big plans to get all of my tattoos done here. i would hang out on the beach, walk by this shop and imagine all of the super rad stuff i would get imprinted on my body.
and good thing i couldn't, because imagine the cost of all that laser surgery to remove what were terrible, terrible ideas!
not that tattoos i got at other places, after i was of the legal age to get them done (including but not limited to: a tomato, some stars...) were good ideas either, but the ones i thought i'd like when i was 13 were certainly worse.
every time i go home to san diego, i think it's time to get another tattoo. if i ever actually follow through and do it, i will go to avalon.
This is the best tattoo shop in SAN DIEGO BY FAR. Â the rates are competitive, the service is great, and everyone there is laid back and chill. Â I got my first piece done there and they were very accommodating. Â If you are planning to get some ink done for the first time, or any time for that matter, make AVALON your choice. Â Jason Salinas does remarkable work. Â If you are into traditional work and Japanese art he is definitely worth the wait for sure.
Review Source:i've been getting tattooed here for years by heather & she is SO fabulous- an incredible artist & so sweet (i had my first tattoo ever done here and she was sure to check in with me as the tattooing progressed, making me feel comfortable etc.) if i lived in sd i'd only go here for all my tattoos.
Review Source:SAN DIEGO YELPERS!!! Â START YELPING!
I was not expecting this to be a first for me! Â But I get the first, and that's always a bonus in the land of Yelp. Â
I got my first tattoo when i was 19, and i drew it myself! Â I walked in here with the tattoo, and Steve did a great job of transferring it onto my bum. Â It was under my pantyline so that my Jewish parents couldn't see it. It was my little secret.
My younger sister then gets a lower back tattoo, and now this has me yelling FREEDOM!!!  I can get a tramp stamp too!  Parents were already pissed at her, Where should I go?  I went back to Steve at Avalon, cuz  he did a great job so many years before.  As luck would have it flowers are one of his specialties, so i scored!  I told him what i had in mind, so he took my reservation fee, and told me to come back in a week and he would have my design ready.  I love my tramp stamp.  I get favorable comments whenever i show it off.  Even my Jewish mother thinks its pretty.  She eventually saw the hidden one too.
I wish that this tattoo parlor was where i lived, because he would be  my top choice.  My next tattoo is going to be my first "visible" one on the inside of my upper arm.  I need to find another good flower guy.
I've found artists in SF, and i know that there are plenty to go around, but if you find something you like, especially in the way of tattoo...stick with it.
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
