I went here to get some stars tattooed on me that I wanted before PRIDE this year. I'm really happy with my choice. I did some research and read so many reviews before making my decision and I am very happy with my choice. My tattoo artist Paul was awesome. He was hella chill and we had good conversation. Not to mention Gauge the owner was also really chill and down to earth. This is by far the best tattoo shop I have ever gone to. The atmosphere was just amazing. A 100% queer friendly shop, unlike some others here in Castro. If you're looking for top notch service with top quality tattooing with a great experience, this is the place to go. I'll be coming here from now on to get my tattoos.
Review Source:Bulldog Tattoo is fantastic and Gauge is amazing! Â What a hidden gem in the Castro. Â The shop is super clean and has a tranquil Zen vibe. Â Gauge was able to take the previous work I'd had done and create a full sleeve that I absolutely love. Â I've never been a tattoo loyalist who visits the same artist over and over again, but after seeing Gauge for a few sessions I'm seriously rethinking it. Â From now on Gauge is definitely my go-to tattoo artist because I'm certain in a few months I'll be itching for another session.
Review Source:Deciding on a tattoo artist is obviously a very important decision. Â I mean, its permanent! Â I did quite a bit of research before going to Gauge at Bulldog. Â His technique is amazing. I had an idea and he helped me bring it to fruition. Â Not only is he a brilliant artist, he also happens to be one of the nicest, coolest people I have met in a long time. Â His studio is impeccably clean! Â I started with one idea and ended up with a full sock and I could not be happier. I have people stop me on the street to look at this piece of art. Â I actually had on tattoo artist from another country ask me about the artist. Â Gauge is brilliant! Â I completely trust him. Â Check out his work and studio.
Review Source:GAUGE is amazing. I first went to him to have my existing tattoo recolored. He took from a piece I was not thrilled with to loving. The color is deep, rich and one year later just as bright as when he first colored it. Â I am not continuing the piece across my chest and the line work is the cleanest and smoothest that I have ever seen. Â If you are planning on having a piece of art on your body that will look great for years to come Gauge is the person for you!
Review Source:I got my first tat last Wednesday and Guage made it a great experience. Â I got a white ink tattoo, which some people in the tattoo industry scoff at, but Guage was awesome. Â He has experience with white ink tattoos and was able to answer all of my questions. Â I had a design in mind, but it needed some help. Â As I knew he would, he made it better than I could have hoped for. Â He and Ryan were fun to be around and made the process virtually painless ;-P.
Thank you Guage, I look forward to visiting you for my touch up in a couple of weeks.
I LOVE GAUGE!
He's awesome. His work is incredible and I can't wait to go back for more! Â He's a pleasure to work with and more than willing to work with any idea you give him. He'll give you his expert advice and I bet you will love any piece he does.
He did a cover up for me, it's bright and beautiful and everyone that I've shown has asked where I got it done. Even before it was complete I had strangers complimenting his work. It was so worth the "spicyness". ;-)
The shop is cozy and super clean which  made shedding my blood much more comfortable. It's conveniently located on Market Street and yes the hours are by appointment only but that just means there won't be any interruptions while your masterpiece is being created.
Their business hours are by appointment only.
Second note: This is not really the place to go for a small impulse tattoo. These guys crank out sleeves and full back and chest pieces like its their job!
Third note: If you see an incredibly beautiful man in the Castro with an impeccable tattoo, it came from BullDog! Voted Best Gay Tattoo shop 2 years in a row!
This is a small shop with exceptionally talented artists! The ambiance is great, they have turned a standard commercial space into a comfortable studio that you look forward to spending 4 hours under the needle in.
Paul and Gauge have both been in the business for longer then I have been alive and I love that! They are both incredibly thoughtful and will spend the time collaborating and drawing to make sure your artwork will be better then you had anticipated!
For me placement is key. I want to know how the tattoo will sit and move with the body part it adorns. On my last tattoo Gauge was patient enough to let me move the imagery around to multiple places till I found the perfect fit.
I think these guys do just about every style of Tattoos from seriously authentic Polynesian tribal, Old School, Celtic, White tattoos, Wording and Stippling, Think Big!
They also do piercing. They have a whole book of genital piercings. Â Who knew there were so many options :)
I realized that my previous review shouldn't have been based on how I felt, it should have been based on the outcome. I asked for something and gauge gave it to me and Im happy with the outcome. I'll go to him again, and I'll see what he'll come up with on his own then I can truly rate him based on his artistry.
Review Source:I am proud to say that Michael DeMatty at BullDog Tattoo is my personal tattoo artist. The ONLY one I trust to make permanent ART on my skin, on my body. I had been searching since I was 18 for the right tattoo and the right tattoo artist. This was something I was going to put permanently on my body. Thirty years later, I found Michael through a dear friend. Now, I am hooked! I'll be back to BullDog in mid-May for my 3rd body artwork by Michael., a great artist and a very sexy guy. Don't forget to tip your body art creators!
Review Source:Michael DeMatty did two of my first tattoos. Â He was kind and incredibly professional. Â He worked with me a significant period of time to get the perfect size and placement for the tattoos. Â Incidently, the week before I got a tattoo in the same style somewhere else. Â The one Michael did healed faster, turned out better, and has maintained its color perfectly while the other has faded significantly. Highly recommended!!!!!
Review Source:Let me tell you two things that generally do not go together.
Jew. Â Tattoo.
In my religion, tattoo's are taboo. Â They are a no go. Â Bad. Â You're not supposed to get them. A) We are not supposed to desecrate the temple that we are given (our bodies). B) We are reminded of a time that we were tattooed against our will with numbers as a way to keep track of who was to be extinguished. Â C) Most Jewish mothers do not like their kids getting tattoos.
It was reason "C" that I got one. Â Any thing that pisses Estelle off is A-okay with me.
However, being a somewhat good Jew, I figured, let me get something ironic...because, as you know, we Jew's are just filled with irony. Â Something in our blood. Â Or do we not get enough iron and that's why we are all anemic and sickly looking? Meh. I digress.
The point is, I wanted something that speaks to the two things I love most in this world. Â Being a Jewish goddess and my utter devotion to my beloved husband. Â So, I call my pal, Michael DeMatty, who I absolutely cannot stand because he is atrocious to look at. (Translation: He is hot as all get out and totally taken by my best friend so I am a jealous bitch hater). Â I say, Mikey, my love...can you combine the world of Jew with the world of my husband? Â He says, Cher, my angel...fly on your wings of gold to California and I shall create a masterpiece beyond your wildest dreams.
I boarded my plane and flew to the Castro and into Bulldog Tattoo's. Â I flung myself down on the table, half naked and said, Ink me! Â We discussed for some time what I did and did not want. Â I did not want just a Star of David. Â Nor did I want my husbands name on myself (hence the curse of putting your lovers name on you guarantees you break up. Think Pam Anderson...and every guy she has ever, um..."inked"). Â Michael did some mock ups. I wasn't sure. Â I hemmed, I hawed. Â I looked up what hem and haw meant because frankly, they sound dumb together. But, Mikey...he was sure. He was so sure that he said, lay your head down, freaky Jewish girl...and i shall place the ink of the lord upon thee and incorporate thy love for thy husband in the process. Â "Don't you put his name on me, Michael!" Â "I won't, Cher. Â Shut up and lay down." Â (Don't worry, he's a lot kinder to strangers than he is to me LOL)
When I got up a mere two hours later, I was in awe. AWE I TELL YOU! Â Michael created a stunning Star of David with no black ink. All done free hand in every color of the rainbow. Â He did some beautiful scroll work around it to give it that extra flair and flourish that is absolutely my personality. Â And, within the confines of my Star, he added an old Hebrew saying that was a part of my wedding vows...a quote from the Song of Solomon that says, "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine." Â He wrote it out in perfect Hebrew lettering. Â My husband said, "why does your back say, I am a garbage bag and the dog is mine?" Â Tee hee. Â Israeli's making jokes. Â How funny! Â (not). Â
The tattoo is so elegant and beautiful. It covers the whole left upper portion of my back and I am forever getting complimented on it. Even KLAN members have stopped me in the street and said, Hey you! Jew! I hate your guts...but WHERE did you get that stunning tattoo??? Â I said, in the Castro district in San Francisco at Bulldog Tattoo's, that's where, you sheet wearing Jew hatin, homophobic pig! Â I then suggested he get a rainbow swastika. Â I don't know if he opted to get it, but if he did, he would definitely go to Michael DeMatty at Bulldog Tattoo's.
In all seriousness, the tattoo means so much to me. Â Michael really took the time to sit and listen to me, truly incorporating what meant the most to me and then, threw in a bit of my own personality to truly make it my own. Â Then, he inked my husband as well with a plain black Star of David over his heart. Â There is a lovely photograph in Mike's studio of my husband and I embracing, with his chest tattoo showing on one side, and my back tattoo showing on the other as we hug. Â I am so proud of this piece of artwork. Â The only major fail? It did not piss off my mother as I Â had hoped. Â She said it was, "elegant". Â ELEGANT?? Â I wanted ironic! Â
Someone call Alannis. We are having an irony conflict.
Anyway, if you want something inked on you permanently and don't care about what it is or how it will look...go any where else on the planet BUT Bulldog Tattoo's. Â However, if you want ART...true ART...then you go see Michael DeMatty at Bulldog Tattoo's and you tell him his favorite Jew Girl sent you. Â No, it won't get you a discount. It won't get you squat actually...but it will totally make him smile and that alone is a sight worth seeing. Â I flew 3,000 miles to get my ink from him. (See photo).
My 16 year old son made me and dad promise that when he is old enough for his first tattoo, that Mikey be the one to create it. Â I wouldn't dream of giving any one else that honor. Â And Mikey? It better say "Mom" with a heart...ya hear me?
I must say, Michael was absolutely the best. Â If I get a chance to get another tattoo, I will definitely go to Michael.
So I meet up with Michael to discuss my idea for my 4th tattoo. Â From the start I knew he understood where i was coming from and that he saw my vision. Â In about a week or so he had a sketch ready for me to view and boy was I amazed. Â He created something that I gave the stamp of approval right there and then (with minor, VERY minor changes). Â Through several 2 hour sessions, he was not only a profession with his work but he was a great person to converse with.
Im am very very pleased with his work. Â thanks Michael! Â your amazing artistry even got my bf like my tattoo...and he doesn't like tattoos
So. Much. Win.
Gauge did an absolutely amazing job bringing to life the Ganesha tattoo I've wanted for several years. His design work is impeccable. I'd never had shading work done before, and I am grateful I had someone with his even, smooth hand take care of it. He is a talented artist, and has the skills to manifest the ethereal into your skin with alacrity, sensitivity and badassery.
Last week, a few of us accompanied a friend to get a tattoo as she marked a significant milestone in her life. Â After stopping in at a few places in the city and talking with some friends who have far more ink than I, we were directed to BullDog. Â
Obviously Gauge is the top tog at BullDog, but were were extremely pleased with Michael: his demeanor, creativity and his awesome selection of itunes were truly a gift.
As soon as we walked into BullDog, our entire group just knew that this was the place. There was nothing wrong with the other places we visited, but the vibe at BullDog was relaxing, creative and personalized.
But back to Michael . . . after looking at the design my friend wanted, he was great at going back and forth until she found a design that she was willing to place permanently on her body. Â He helped explain why some colors and designs were better, but never came across as pressuring her into something she was uncomfortable with. It was clear he wanted her to find the best design in all regards.
During the actual tattooing, Michael was extremely focused and caring. Knowing the reasons for the tattoo he spoke some profound words about what my friend would remember about not only the tattoo, but the act of getting it done.
Some of the nitty-gritty:
- Be ready to stay for a while, so parking could be an issue if you do it during the day. Walk-in to leaving was about 3 hours.
- This is not a cheap endeavor, but when it comes to a tattoo, the whole "getting what you pay for" is probably true. Totally worth it.
- Be sure to tip.
- Don't try to out pop-culture reference Michael. You will not win ;-)
I have a very small tattoo at this point, but if I ever dive in again, I will definitely be going to BullDog. Â Thanks Michael for such a great experience.
Gauge is like a father to me, so my review is slightly bias.
But he's also the best tattoo artist I've ever met. And growing up with a biker for a mom, I've met my share of tattoo artists.
He did my first two tattoos and I get compliments on them all the time.
If you want amazing quality, pay the couple extra bucks and go see Gauge...
OK.....lets see..walk a mile, cab a couple more to check out your business that advertises as being open at 3 PM..oh, wait..you were not open, nor did you open during the 15 minutes the Mrs and I stood outside your pathetic little shop..gee...you must be doing such great business you did not need ours..never again..
Here is a tip for the day..you say you are going to open at 3 PM..do so..dumb ass..
I got my first tattoo in 1980 and I got my first tattoo from Gauge in 2002 and he's now the only person I would even consider going to for tattoo work. Â He's done quite a bit of work on me, and I suspect we're not done yet.
As others have said, he's a warm and caring person, and having tattoo work done with him can be like a therapy session -- in the best possible way. Â
The quality of his work is amazing. Â He has an uncanny ability to take a verbal description of an idea and turn it into the perfect visual design. Â I don't know exactly how to say this, but it's not just a visual representation of your description and it's not just that it's beautiful and perfectly proportioned -- but also, he is able to put your personality into it so that it fits in every way possible.
Even people who don't care for tattoo work in general love the work that Gauge has done on me. Â And other tattoo artists who see the work he's done on me are always very complimentary. Â I recommend him to anyone looking for unique and beautiful work.
I was so nervous getting my tattoo, though it was not my first, I always get the jitters. Gauge was so awesome and made me feel super comfortable and at ease (I'm so glad he was able to take my girlfriend and I as a walk in). Gauge is definitely a fantastic artist and i'd recommend him to anyone who wants an amazing tattoo, he has such precision and a steady hand. Coming from a neat freak, the shop was spotless! and the staff was so much fun, we were cracking jokes the entire time which definitely helped with the nervousness. I'm definitely coming back!!
Review Source:I have never posted to Yelp, but decided it was worth my time to express my deep gratitude to Gauge. Â He just completed the first stage of my second tattoo. Â He completed my first large back tattoo too. Â My most recent tattoo Gauge created for me and all I can say is WOW. Â WOW is what most people say when they see it too. Â I gave him a few shots from a movie of circles that I was drawn to and he created the most amazing artwork. Â It was like he somehow got into my mind and plucked out what I wanted without any explanation. Â I seriously don't know how he did it, but I am extremely happy. Â He really enjoys creating artwork "outside the box" with excitement and joy. Â This current piece of work I can't stop looking at it in amazement and joy. Â Thank you Gauge !
Review Source:I want to express my deepest gratitude to Gauge for his amazing ability to make people feel comfortable, loved, and important. Â I pay visits to his shop even when he isn't working on me, I like to go in and hang out with him and see how his day is, and when I don't come in he asks me where I've been... It's people like him that make small business successful! He really is a master of his craft, I get complimented on my ink on a daily basis, and I give him all the credit, I just had to sit still.... Thank you Gauge for amazing work.. I will be working with him for many many months to come as we are only 3 sessions into a full sleeve.. I encourage anyone thinking about getting a tattoo to visit his shop and hang out with him and see what he can do for you!
Review Source:Gauge is an excellent artist. The shop is clean, comfortable, and inviting to the process of creating body art. Gauge stands out in the world of tattoo artistry as one who is able to engage the vision of the client and using his years of experience, create with the client works of art that are truly astounding. I strongly recommend Gauge and BullDog Tattoo if you are looking to be inked in San Francisco.
Review Source:what many search for when deciding to adorn their body forever is a connection, comfort, security, and confidence in the artist they have chosen.
gauge is a compassionate, patient, inspired, openminded tattoo artist who is excited to take the journey with you. Â
i wish i could see him more! Â
The tattoo industry in sf is filled to the brim with people willing to take your money, but you are the one walking away forever with that art on your body. Â
i recommend gauge, after my husband, of course, for a thorough tattoo experience.
thanks for reading!
Gauge is not only a master at "regular" tattooing, He did a fantastic job of "medical" tattooing, creating a flawless pigment match (darker than obvious in order to fade correctly) and rendering the offending scars almost completely undetectable. This work was done over 5 years ago, and it has held up perfectly over time. Total sweetheart of a guy, too. Five stars are not enough!
Review Source:Bulldog Tattoo's new location is beautiful, clean and has easy access from Muni and Bart - right in the heart of the Castro District. Gauge has designed a lot of the tattoo work on my body. Â Even those pieces not be him have found improvement by his adding some of his magic along the way. Â I can recommend him hands down as an artist to ANYONE who needs a coverup because he is amazing at it. Â He has excellent energy, honors your vision and has the skills to not only draw it out - but to bring it to life on your skin. Â Anyone who admires his work on me gets a huge thumbs up - his phone number and a nudge to make the drive to the City... Even if you are not in San Francisco, make the drive... or schedule a visit, because Gauge's work is worth it. Â Go Big Dawg - or go home...
Review Source:Gauge is truly amazing guy! Very steady hand and great eye, he senses the personality and designs exactly what you want! Go in tell him what you are looking for in general and let him design a piece for you! His shop is very nice and clean! Â I got one, coming back for my second one! Plus he is a super nice guy! Thanks GAUGE!
Review Source:I am done looking for my home-tattoo shop. Bulldog is the place. After being referred to Gauge a couple years ago from my long-time tattoo artist, I finally tracked him down. And how easy it was! An incredible new space on Market. Gauge picked up where my last tattoo artist left off...and it's going great. I am extremely happy with what we started, and am looking forward to each visit. Can't say I would have a reason to ever go anywhere else but here from now on. The place is comfortable, and has a fresh feeling to it. Teri and Gauge are both talented and fantastic people.Great work, great conversation always. Â Check them out!
Review Source:I have had many tattoos done by both Gauge and Teri, and highly recommend them both. They both are very skilled, friendly, creative, and communicate well. I'm excited about seeing the new shop- I'm sure it's going to have a relaxed, friendly and genuine atmosphere, which is sometimes hard to find in a tattoo parlour. I'm definitely going to come by and pick up some business cards to give to my clients and strangers when they ask me who did my work.
Review Source:Gauge is an incredible artist and a great guy. Â I brought him a concept to include 2 or 3 celtic knots. Â He was able to meld them together into something new but completely connected to the original knots. Â He worked fast with an amazing result. Â I'm definitely returning, but haven't yet decided what the next piece of ink should be.
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