A friend and I came here as walk-ins to get our second tats together. I'd wanted to check out this place for a while because of all the positive buzz on Yelp, and they certainly did not disappoint!
Unlike many other tattoo shops, the vibe at CDR is totally chill and unpretentious. My artist, Kim, had a sketch ready for me in 15 minutes and was very patient and helpful throughout the process. I got a short quote on my arm, and the script is beautiful and the lines are so clean and well-done. I was very happy with the end result.
You can tell the artists here take a lot of pride in their work and care about what clients want. You won't find any typical flash on the walls here, as it's all custom work. Respect.
I'll definitely return to Kim for my next piece!
I got a tattoo last month from Liaa and I can't say enough good things about her work. Her design was beautiful and exactly what I had envisioned. The placement, color, and overall look is perfect and I admire it every day. I got it on my ribcage which was pretty painful but she made me feel comfortable and helped me through.
I'll definitely be returning for future work!
I walked in at 1200 on a Saturday. They found me an artist - who happened to be a guest, Tina, from No Kaoi Tiki in Philadelphia. I explained that I wanted lettering on my toes and she explained why it was a bad idea, showing me her own faded tattoos on her toes and explaining how she had gotten them touched up.
No problem, I had another reference on my phone. However... I had lost my phone. They were very nice when I had to leave and run down the street to the Giant to retrieve my lost iPhone. When I came back, Tina was still waiting, and I emailed her the photo and she drew the design up for me. I was there to get a replica of a butterfly tattoo my sister has. She came back with two sizes for me to try out, let me be all picky about just where on my thigh I wanted it, and didn't mind when I ran back downstairs to get my boyfriend for moral support.
The actual tattooing was a pleasant experience. She warned me before she stated, told me that I was sitting like a champ, and kept checking in on me. We didn't make much conversation, as I had brought flash cards for studying while I was getting inked (much to the other artists' amusement).
Overall, I had a nice experience. The employees are patient and down to earth, the place is beautifully decorated with all sorts of crazy stuff, and the prices were fair. ($150/hour). I highly recommend Cirque Du Rouge.
I cannot say enough positive things about this shop, the level of professionalism, Â and the amazingly talented tattoo artists that are housed there....but especially the incomparable Cynthia Rudzis (Cyn).
I've been going to the same hair stylist for years and have watched her accumulate a beautiful collection of tattoos. After pondering my own substantial lower back tattoo for quite some time, and researching artist after artist in the DC area, I finally decided that my stylist's artist - Cyn - was the one for me. This was my second tattoo, but my third time getting inked. I had a solid vision of what I wanted but was also seeking an artist who would take creative license and put their own stamp on it. I truly wanted a collaboration resulting in unique, wearable art.
When I first sat down with Cyn to discuss my tat, she drew a sketch of what I described and I was astounded that within minutes, it was exactly what I had imagined...but better. Cyn's artistry, choice of color, and the way she designed the tattoo to the contours of my body was perfect. She really got me and what I wanted. The end result was absolutely stunning. I've had friends who "aren't tattoo people" who are in love with the artwork she has created on my body. Â
From my initial consultation to the two separate sessions it took to complete my tattoo, my experience was the same: friendly, highly professional, easy-going and fun. Cirque du Rouge is 100% by the book in terms of running a business. Cyn is a top notch tattoo artist, owner and all-around fantastic person. I also met several of the other tattoo artists during that time and saw other people get inked - all at the highest quality and artistry.
The thing I especially love about Cirque is that they take tattooing very seriously. They aren't a shop you stumble by drunk and decide to get inked. You are encouraged to meet with an artist to discuss your vision. That way, if they are not the best artist for you, since each artist specializes in a different tattoo style, they will refer you to the one who is. I would never dream of going anywhere else. If you are not already sold, give Cirque a chance. You will not be disappointed.
I'm pretty much just going to start throwing my paychecks at this place every month. Friendly, professional staff, fastest walk-in I have ever had and amazing work. I'd been tattooed by Liaa before she moved to Cirque and I always sing her praises and everyone loves the piece she did. Shannon whipped up a great custom tattoo in a jiffy. Prices are great for the amazing quality of service. Location is also much easier to get to than, say, Adam's Morgan or Georgetown.
Review Source:When doing my research on potential artists, naturally I came across Cirque Du Rouge's Cynthia and Robbie. Â This review is about neither, though. Â This one is about the artist I chose, which has proved to be nothing short of awesome: Robyn Joy. Â I chose her because her style and work seemed to best resemble my own, and I'm glad I did. She was quick to respond to my inquiries, and was extremely professional in her demeanor. Â I had an idea of the things I wanted, and Robyn was able to get all of it down into an awesome sketch, and I am gladly wearing those pieces now for the rest of my life. Â I look forward to displaying more of her work on my body in the very near future. Cheers.
Review Source:Granted, my work was done in November and February, huge time lapse between writing this review; but Liaa Walter is no less amazing and I plan on seeing her again very soon. She took the ideas I had and turned them into beautiful, custom pieces. Although there was quite a bit of time between our consultation and when the work was done, it was MORE than worth the wait. She couldn't control contractors schedules and when Cirque would be open for business. Because she was operating out of another shop due to renovations at Cirque, I've never had any contact with any of the staff there and can only attest to how awesome Liaa and her capabilities are. My husband also got an extensive piece from her and he's in love with her work. Forever clients.
Review Source:It seems as though one more five-star review will be superfluous, but I just wanted to add to the chorus of praise for Cirque Du Rouge. Â I e-mailed Shannon inquiring about the possibility of coming in to have a piece done on my chest. Â She got back to me on the same day, and we set up the appointment for later in the week. Â During our correspondence she was prompt and polite, and when I walked into my appointment she was ready to rock.
I've spent a lot of time being tattooed, and my session at Cirque Du Rouge was one of the best. Â It's such a great atmosphere, and everyone there is laid-back, professional, and genuinely nice. Â If you're a first-timer, I wouldn't even hesitate when recommending CDR,as the environment is the most welcoming and comforting I've come across in a tattoo shop.
As for the quality of the work, I am in love with my piece, and I'm proud to wear Shannon's artwork on my chest. Â Since moving to the area from California, I've been looking for a new shop to call my "go-to," and I definitely found it in Cirque Du Rouge.
I want to get another rather extensive tattoo done, and based on the Yelp reviews, I was sure that Cirque Du Rouge was going to be the studio for me. Â I could not have been more disappointed with my experience.
I went to the studio on Saturday, July 13th at around 1pm and it was predictably crowded. Â No worries. Â I'll just put my name on the waiting list and talk to an artist whenever they are available. Â I walked around H St. for a while and came back an hour later. Â I wanted to ask the receptionist where I was on the waiting list, but she was off in the corner chatting and laughing with another employee. Â I tried to make eye contact with her to get her attention, but to no avail. Â Luckily, I found the clipboard with the waiting list, so I picked it up and looked at it. Â That got the receptionist's attention. "Uhhh, can you NOT mess with my stuff? Â Thanks." Â She didn't come over to help. Â She didn't ask what I was looking for. Â She just made that snarky and immature comment and went back to her conversation. Â Strange. Â Well maybe the artist I talk to will be more professional.
An artist named Robyn comes out and looks at the list and calls my name. Â I wave and she comes over and asks what it is I want. Â I say that I would like to discuss the design and inking of a fairly substantial tattoo. Â She nods. Â I ask if there's someplace we could go so that we weren't having our conversation in a crowded waiting area. Â She says that we can talk in the waiting area. Â Okay, fine. Â I explain that I have a lot of ideas and symbolism, but I don't have an actual design. Â I explain that what I want to do is pay a few different artists to come up with a design, and then select the artist I want to ink the tattoo based on who has the best design. Â She scoffed dismissively and said "Well, that's not really how tattoos work. Â You pick one artist and then you just work with them." Â I did not appreciate her rude and condescending attitude, especially considering that I have several friends who have gotten tattoos designed and inked in exactly the way I just described. Â Oh well. Â Maybe if I actually select an artist and start working with them individually, I will see the appeal of this studio.
I looked through the portfolios and selected Kimberly Ewell.  I sent her an e-mail that day and asked if she would be interested in helping me with my design.  She replied back, saying that she was.  I sent her an e-mail on the 16th asking if I should just send her an e-mail of my ideas or if it would be better if I came into the studio.  She e-mailed me back a week later and told me to send her an e-mail of the ideas and we could go from there.  I immediately replied with my ideas.  I got no response.  Several days later, I asked  when she would like for me to come in.  I got no response.  I still have not heard back from her over 2 weeks later.
I think the best way to describe my experience is that I was made to feel like an imposition at every step of the process. Â No one really cared why I was there or what I wanted. Â No one wanted to help and no one wanted to work. Â Based on the high praise everyone else has for this establishment, my guess is that I just caught people on a bad day, and the shabby treatment I received really isn't the norm. Â That said, I felt like I would be doing customers a disservice if I didn't give an honest review.
You know those typical tattoo parlors with angry, chain smoking, tough, trucker dudes that you see on TV? Cirque Du Rouge is nothing like that. Far from it in fact.
Which means that you're not going to find cheesy neon signs pointing out to the entrance, in fact there is no sign at all, making it almost difficult to spot. You won't find walls covered with pre-designed butterflies or doves that you and your posse can pick from, and you're certainly not going to get a devil-may-care kind of attitude. This place is artistic and so effortlessly funky that I could spend hours just hanging out in the studio if they'd let me. The folks at Cirque really, really give a shit about your design and will make sure that you love it (well you have to since you're stuck with it for pretty much forever) before you take the plunge.
Cyn, who runs this wonderful place, comes off as an artist - which is how it should be. Â Meredith, at the front desk, is adorable and incredibly helpful when it comes to offering to pick up snacks if you need a break. And the artists here are genuinely friendly, laid back and put in a ton of effort in creating customized art work that you most certainly can't pick out of a tattoo catalogue (although if that's what you want, I'm sure you could have that done too).
I recently got a tattoo done by Kim, who is a visiting artist from Florida and runs her own studio there. I'd seen her portfolio online and was thrilled to see that she'd done work that was similar to what I had in mind. After a brief initial consultation; which in retrospect I should have perhaps spent more time explaining what I was looking for; Kim had a design ready and a few designing tweaks and two hours later I had yet another peice of art that I am absolutely thrilled with.
Getting an appointment here can be tough; these guys are in demand and you may have to wait a considerable amount of time, unless you get really lucky and they have visiting artists/cancellations. Â They do accept walk-ins but of course, that's not really a guarantee because they're so busy all the time.
And no, this place isn't exactly cheap. But then again, this is for the most part, a one time deal - so suck it up and spend a little more for something you will have to see for a very long time. And if it helps, I'm very much in love with my newest tattoo, and I will certainly be back here for more. When and if that happens. Mostly when.
I got an amazing half sleeve by the talented Robie Sayan, he was really great, very professional, he was able to accommodate to my busy schedule and has amazing precision and detail [really great shading].
The rest of the staff is extremely friendly and down to earth. The building just got renovated and it looks fantastic, exposed brick walls, original wood beams, it definitely has a lot of personality!
If you're looking for place to get a tattoo i highly recommend Cirque Du Rouge!
Cirque Du Rouge is a relatively new establishment on H St NE. The shop was under construction for several months and has finally wrapped up. The interior is beyond adorable, intimate and filled with talented individuals...along with some furry dead animals. You'll find a humorous photo of Christopher Walken on the door stating the "Walkens welcome" policy. Get it?!
I recently had my second sitting with Cynthia Rudzis. Cyn is a truly amazing artist and all around genuinely nice person. Due to the construction and prior engagements, I was on her wait list for several months. Trust me...it was well worth the wait.
We met back in December to discuss ideas for my tattoo. As the shop was under construction at the time, we met over hot chocolates at Sydamo. The actual tattoo discussion was brief and to the point. We spent the next 20 minutes discussing our lives. It was a lovely opportunity to get a chance to know more about the woman behind the art.
My first sitting for my thigh piece was in March. It was a four hour session that felt like I was simply spending an afternoon with an old friend. Cyn is incredibly easy going and has a wickedly dirty sense of humor. My kind of lady. During that time, Cyn regularly checked to make sure I was comfortable or as comfortable as one can be. We took a break when I needed one, Meredith kindly bought me a Diet Coke when I needed the caffeine, and everyone kept me laughing.
If you are in the market for some custom work, I recommend Cirque Du Rouge. I know I'll return again and again.
Awesome place. The artwork on their site speaks for itself but the care and concern they show for their clientele is stellar. Definitely look through the artists portfolios and see if they resonate with what you're thinking about having done and you won't be disappointed with such a diverse range of talent. I had Robyn Joy and she was fantastic. Highly recommend her when she is in town!
Review Source:I wanted to get another tattoo, but I didn't want to go back to the shop where I got my first one. I found this place on yelp because of the ratings and the reviews. After checking out their website and then, the shop was still under construction so consultations were appointments only. The artist that I was interested in was Robie and even though the only way to contact him was via email, he responded quickly (bonus points)! Arranging a time to meet for the first consultation was difficult only because of my work schedule but he was very accommodating.
At our consultation, I gave him my idea of my next tattoo. What I loved about it was that he took my idea, told me what he wants to do with it based on what I wanted it to be and what I wanted it to look like. He drew a sketch of it and summed it up as "peacock, abstract, bold colors." Â Perfect! Booked the session a month ahead. Again, my work schedule is not very flexible and so getting a Saturday appointment was great. However, the first appointment had to be rescheduled so he tried to squeeze me in for the soonest appointment, but I couldn't take it, so we booked it out a few weeks later. However, the day of the 2nd reschedule, his daughter was sick and I got sick so he gave me the next available which was three days later. If you are not a flexible person or need to get a tattoo right away, this place probably won't work for you.
Finally, the day of my appointment, I had gotten there with 10 minutes to spare. The place looked awesome! It did not look like a tattoo shop at all. It doesn't have the walls of typical tattoo shops with generic butterflies and scripts in Old English typeface nor binders of tattoos to choose from. The lady at the desk, Meredith, was so friendly! When Robie showed me the final design, it wasn't what I was expecting but he gave me his opinions and told me what the tattoo would look like if he gave me what I wanted. And thank god, we went with his design because the tattoo came out amazing. It is exactly what I wanted and the entire time, he was so professional. He and Liaa were cracking jokes and both asked me how I was doing and if I wanted a lollipop or take a break! It was an awesome experience!
Long review, but the shop and the people here are so great! Friendly, funny, welcoming and of course their works are fantastic! Definitely want to get another tattoo done by Robie!
Got my first tattoo there with Robie SAYAN. Amazing experience, great artist and nice tattoo parlor. I spent a lot of time online searching for the ''best'' artist in DC. Robie's portfolio and reviews caught my attention. I emailed him and he scheduled a free consult to discuss the design etc, I showed him some pictures of what I wanted and didn't want, etc. He is a great listener and he has a lot of positive energy and creativity. On the ' Ink day' a few weeks later he showed me a sketch, it was perfect ! He is very gentle and patient. The result is awesome, the tattoo is healing beautifully. I def' recommend Robie !
Review Source:Cirque du Rouge is a fantastic shop with great service. I put a lot of thought into my tattoo and did a lot of research before contacting them. I noticed someone had posted that they were not responsive to phone calls, but I've always contacted them via email and never had an issue with communication. Perhaps this was when their shop was going through renovations...
I worked with Liaa to get a cover-up of an upper back tattoo that was about 10 years old. She met with me several months in advance to sit down and talked with me about what I wanted. Right there she sketched what we discussed. It ended up being a fairly large tattoo (my biggest so far), and I love it. She was very professional the entire time. I really enjoyed the camaraderie among her colleagues (particularly Cyn and Robie). They were also giving tattoos while I was there, which also looked fantastic. It makes me want another one already! :-)
As it was a cover-up, I needed to go back for a bit of a touch-up (only took an hour or less), but Liaa was happy to schedule this with me and told me to come back if there was anything else that needed to be touched up. Â I've already recommended them to several people, and I look forward to going back with my next tattoo idea. Definitely check out their portfolios to see which style works best for what you want (or think you want). You will not be disappointed.
This was my first experience getting a tattoo, so I'm probably ruined for all other tattoo places. Also went to Robie, he was awesome, super informative and professional, but genuinely nice and you can tell he's passionate not only about tattooing but about you as a customer getting the best experience, and the best possible tattoo. Scheduling was mildly annoying, but they've been under construction for a while so I imagine that that's something that's going to get sorted once all that's done. I figured, it's a tattoo I'll have for the rest of my life, so I don't mind waiting a little longer so that I get the guy I want. So yeah, if you want to roll up last minute into any random old place to get whatever character of a foreign alphabet you're into, this might not be the place for you. If you're looking for an actual artist to permanently draw something on your body, you might want to exercise some patience and go here.
ALSO YOU GET LOLLIPOPS WHO DOES NOT LOVE THAT.
My sister-in-law and I both got tattoos yesterday from Robie. Â We already had an exact picture of what we wanted, so we didn't have to schedule a consultation. Â With the construction and renovation of the shop, it took a few months to finally get in to see him. Â But we knew we wanted Robie to do our tattoos, so it was totally worth the wait.
We both were getting our first tattoos, so Robie scheduled us for the whole afternoon. Â It was really relaxing and helped cure any nervousness we had. Â He was incredibly friendly and walked through every stage of the process with us, so that we felt as comfortable as possible. Â We both changed the sizing of our original picture and my sister-in-law had to change the placement of the tattoo once, and at no time did he ever act impatient with us. Â During the actual tattoo, he kept checking in to make sure we were doing okay, pain and comfort-wise. Â After it was finished, he reviewed the after-care instructions again, and said to contact him after it healed to let him know how everything went. Â He mentioned touch ups were free if needed.
Robie was incredibly professional and not only cared about the final product but also about the customer's experience. Â Because of this, I fully trusted him. Â Both of our tattoos were straightforward line drawings, but involved a lot of straight lines, which can be complicated. Â We are both really satisfied with how the tattoos turned out - the line work is impressive. Â I would recommend Robie to anyone - as well as the shop in general. Â Be patient with the scheduling process - they are good at what they do; therefore, they are busy. Â That's a good thing. Â Also now that the shop is open again (although still under construction), I think things will move along quicker for a new appointment than it did for us.
I originally went to Liaa W when she was at British Ink. I followed her when she left, for good reason. I came to her at the beginning of the year because I wanted a piece to incorporate into an existing tattoo on my wrist that was about 5 years old.
It was a small black/grey basic skeleton key. I didn't want to cover it, but I wanted to take the focus away from it (frankly, it got really old having people ask me if it was "the key to my heart"). I knew I wanted something really bright and flow-y and I wanted a bird to be involved, either a Peacock or a Lyre Bird - I sent her some ideas, and she came up with a design that I loved.
(I posted photos I took today to the site page)
Always a pleasure chatting with her and I love the way it came out.
Appointments only, and yes, it might be "pricey" compared to other places but you get what you pay for. If you're comfortable paying $30 for something you're going to live with for the rest of your life that's your prerogative!
Thanks!
I've always wanted a tattoo and simply couldn't decide what I wanted there "forever". Once the design came to me, I wanted it right away. I messaged Cyn on FB and described to her what I was looking for and she pointed me in the direction of Allen McFadden. (perfect call) A quick email to him and a consultation appt was set up. I was able to decsribe to him what I was looking for and he emailed a "rough draft" not long after. Even the draft was art in itself. The whole process has been about as positive and professional as it gets. The actual tattoo experience was great. Yes, it hurt...but not unbearably so. (covers most of the outside of my right calf) Â I don't recall seeing any blood (I was comfortable enough to be able to watch the tattooing being done.) It's been 5 days....there's been no after pain, no tenderness and not a single bit of redness or scabs. The tattoo itself (still in its b&w stage) is GORGEOUS. It's a Celtic design with a lot of intricate knotwork and detailing. I've had people walk up to me in coffee shops asking if they can get a closer look. I cannot WAIT to see the finished product in full color. Now I just need to stop trying to look at it as I walk down the sidewalk. Everyone at the shop is super friendly and really funny. True artist. Highly recommend.
Review Source:I recently got my first tattoo from Liaa, and it was an amazing experience. She is insanely talented, made me feel comfortable through the whole process (I was worried about the pain but it was minimal!), and was readily accessible to make appointments. From what I observed of the other artists, this seemed to be the norm - highly recommend Cirque for your first or twentieth tattoo!
Review Source:More than a year passed after I got my first tattoo from Liia Walter here. It is still amazing, the colors look superb and people can't stop telling me how good it looks. I love it!! If I was back in the States (I'm in Turkey now) I would have gotten my second one from her as well.. Great shop, great people. Thanks again!
Review Source:Just had the first portion of a 2 part piece done on my ribcage (color to come). Â Liaa was top notch: talented, professional, and personable! Â I initially went to her for consultation with a vague idea of something I wanted involving my wife and kids. Â When I arrived to my appointment to have the piece started, I was amazed to see what she had come up with from our brief discussion and a few pictures I had sent her. Â She is truly a rare talent! Â Not only that but she had the ability to keep my mind off of what was going on throughout the work. Â Can't wait to have it completed. Â If you are looking to have a masterpiece put on your body, and do so in a calm friendly atmosphere, Â check out Cirque Du Rouge!
Review Source:I went here and got a tattoo from Liaa W. She was great! I needed a cover up pretty badly and they hooked it up! After 2.5 hours, I had an amazing piece of art on my back! It hurt like hell, but only towards the end. Liaa and all the other patrons and artists were so personable and we talked throughout the experience. Â There are no partitions between tattoo artists, but if you are getting a private parts tatoo, I believe they do have an upstairs area. If you get light-headed or need a break, there is lots of food around the way.
Touch ups are free and you get a life-long guarantee, so use it if you need to. I plan on returning rather soon and when I do, Liaa is my girl!
Firstly, I love me Cyn Rudzis as a tattooer. She is imaginative, talented, and dedicated to giving her clients the best art she can. I came to her with a general idea of a woman and a whale and walked away with a flapper swimsuit lady swimming with an ocean pal. I can't leave my house without someone commenting on its awesomeness. Oh, and the pricing was totally fair for the job.
Secondly, I love me some Cyn Rudzis as a person. She is a kick-ass broad who has now opened her own shop full of amazing tattooers. She is caring, supportive, and really hilarious. Her creative mind knows know limits. Nor her decorating tastes.
Thirdly, well, I just love me some Cyn Rudzis because she's Cyn! So go get a tattoo from her or her team. You will not be disappointed.
Thank god I never have to work with Robie again. Â He WAS working for a VERY reputable shop and then he LEFT - he left the shop and left me and left my tattoo unfinished. Â The work that he did had no life to it. Â AND HE STILL HAS IT IN HIS PORTFOLIO as IF it were a COMPLETED WORK!!! Â Be VERY careful when going to this shop. Â Its true what they say - you get what you pay for.
Review Source:I am a repeat customer of the very talented Cyn. Â I love every piece she has created for me and look forward to more. In addition, all the folks at the shop are an amazing bunch. Â Warm, friendly, funny and have been helpful with everything from answering questions, accommodating last minute schedule changes, and helping work out what it is I truly want in a tattoo.
Review Source:I'll keep it simple
-Shop does great work and is dedicate to the art of tattooing.
-Fair priced.
-Artists are experienced, creative, knowledgable, and friendly.
-Animal heads on walls.
My wife has had a lot of work done here and I am scheduled here in the future. One of the best in DC.
The shop and the Staff are amazing. I have had work done by both Robbie and Liaa and every single time it is a better experience. Â I have had nothing but positive experiences even the owner of the shop which can be iffy when it comes to tattoo shops is super down to earth and fun!!!!!!!
Review Source:The atmosphere and people at Cirque are top notch. Â It wasn't my first rodeo walking in there and I've visited a lot of parlors from the West to East Coast. Â As soon as you walk in the door you feel welcome and at peace. Â The staff is very accomodating to whatever your tattoo, schedule, or styling needs are. Â This is not a stuck up tattoo shop and they are accomadating to all types. Â
Robby Sayan is the man with the plan.  I've gone to him for a homeward bound ship on my side and a cover up chest piece (anchor and flower) on my chest.  Both big pieces and he did a fantastic job from start to finish.  He worked with me on the sketches and we bounced around ideas.  In the end I was super happy with the Traditional American pieces he created and he added some awesome new age color and flair.  I'll post some pics of the pieces he's done for  me on here.  I'll continue to go back and rest assured that all the Artisits in this shop are top notch, very professional, not flakey, and you get everything you pay for.
Lets see, where do I start? The beginning should do.
Allow me to also preface this review by saying this review is about Robie Sayan, not Cirque Du Rogue. Since the shop was under construction Robie was a guest artist at Rick's in Arlington.
I'm new to the tattoo game so how the heck do I find the best artist in the DC Metro area? Easy. I go to good ol' Google. After running a basic search for "The best tattoo shop in the DC Metro area" I landed on Cirque du Rogue's Yelp account and found that they not only had the highest rated score in the Beltway area, they also had the most reviews. I read them, knew I found the best place to get my sleeve done, and headed strait for their website (allow me to save you some time - just go to <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cirquedurouge.com&s=e20716b102570a7853acf3b187e6696dad35e91fa6b962603ada0b7cd27b6d7e" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.cirquedurouge…</a>). After checking out their artist's portfolio I saw that Robie's artistic expertise fit what I wanted in my design most appropriately. I sent him an email before I headed off to bed and by the time I was up and moving in the morning he already emailed me back notifying me that he was very excited for my piece and to give him a call at my earliest convenience to set up a consult. I called him that afternoon and he got me in the next day right at opening for my consult. I met Robie, showed him some pictures of what I wanted and didn't want, told him some elements that were important to me to be included in the sleeve, and made sure he knew that he had all the artistic liberties he wanted in this one. His artwork spoke for itself and I trusted he would arrive to our first sitting with an awesome design. We scheduled a sitting right then and there for just after the holidays.
The day of the sitting Robie was prompt for the appointment and showed up with this awesome positive energy that you want brought into the sitting. He sat me down at Rick's tattoo and unveiled his design. It was better than perfect How the heck did he do that? I told him a few vague aspects that I want incorporated with the sleeve and somehow he read my subconscious, extrapolated it into art, and designed this amazing tattoo that I had no idea could be done. The detail, the intricacy, the symbolism - everything melded together into a tattoo stencil that oozed artistic expertise. I swear this guy could read minds. I knew I was in good hands.
He sat me down, prepped his work station like a surgeon undergoing a routine appendectomy, applied the stencil perfectly the first time (this was a half sleeve mind you!), checked his work station like a fighter pilot prepping for takeoff, and off we went on our marathon of a sitting: Eight full hours under the needle. Robie was nice enough to trust my request to knock it out in one day and he got it all done in one sitting. With the Pandora music playing in the room the time flew by. During the sitting I got a chance to really get to know Robie. We talked of family, travels, and general life issues. He told me about his tattoo machines (seriously, check them out) and he even used his handmade machines on my tattoo. These things are works of art - incredibly detailed machines that all the other artists in the shop clearly lusted after. I quickly learned that Robie Sayan is the type of guy who not only is really passionate about his work, the best on the east coast at what he does, and a genuinely nice guy, he's the kind of guy you want to grab a fist full of beers with.
His detail and artistic professionalism starting brining the tattoo to life. He was quickly able to add things as we went on and starting talking about the tattoo. I'd point out something I thought would be cool if we added, he'd say "no problem" and 90 seconds later it was done and done perfectly.
At the end of the sitting he told me to grab a steak and a beer (amazing advice by the way) and sent me on my way. The tattoo is healing very nicely and didn't scab up at all (great tattoos are not supposed to). When I show people my tattoo they are not only surprised, excited, and pleased - they are in shock. They are sincerely stunned at the level of detail and the quality that was put into this design. I've gotten that reaction every time.
Robie continues to stay in touch with me, just asking how my tattoo is healing. How awesome is that? After my experience with Robie I can certainly say I fully intend on ensuring he does every single tattoo I get in the future.
Do yourself a favor: Check out his website (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.robiesayan.com&s=6973862e7745d1bf8b85c5323b0c804a0f959e720a505da943675893ffde7b1e" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.robiesayan.com</a>) even if you're not planning on getting a tattoo. Enjoy his artwork, check out his machines, and then shoot him an email. Tell him about your tattoo idea and go from there. You will not be disappointed.
Lack of Professionalism. Calls go unanswered and messages go unreturned. Setup an appointment twice in Arlington because his shop is under repair. NO SHOWS twice! Nice. Glad to know you don't want my business as well as the business of my friends.
Save yourself the trouble and look elsewhere. Website looks professional, but he is far from it. If you want to waste your time and drive around waiting for a no show, then go with Robbie. Otherwise, GO ELSEWHERE!
So this was my first tattoo shop experience, and there was no experience at all...
I set up a consultation with Robie Sayan. He told me that the shop was under construction so we were to meet at Rick's Tattoo in Arlington which I agreed to. We set up a date and time. When I get there, I ask for Robie and a lady informs me that he had left to pick up his daughter and isn't coming back, and she doesn't know why he didn't e-mail or call me to tell me so.
I understand if you have to leave for personal issues, but atleast be courteous and professional and inform your client that you need to reschedule. I am a fairly easy-going guy, but for an industry with a service that lasts forever, show some professionalism. Needless to say I am disappointed as this shop got the best and most positive reviews.
::EDIT::
I'm editing this review after Robie had e-mailed me back explaining the situation he was in. His daughter was sick and had to leave right away. I thank him for apologizing and taking the time to let me know what was going on. I hope my review didn't deter anyone from going to Robie. He is a good guy.
I've been to Cirque du Rouge for one piece, have an appointment to go back for a second, and will happily keep going back until I have no blank skin left. Â The artists here are wonderful. Â They are friendly, professional, lots of fun to sit with, and amazingly talented. Â
I learned about the shop after a friend got a small piece from Cyn. Â Even amongst all of my friend's other pieces, Cyn's wee bit of vegetation stood out. Â I was completely taken with its coloring, went on to check out her portfolio, and it was love. Â Cyn, like all of the artists here, will only do custom work, and they'll work with you to get the best possible piece. Â They won't set a shitty design decision into your skin just because you ask for it.
The artists here are very patient and accommodating when scheduling and working out your ideas, even when you accidentally call them at home while they're making dinner (whoops!). Â I don't know what shop minimum is, but their rates are INCREDIBLY affordable, given the caliber and individuality of their work. Â They could charge so much more in NY or LA.
The cherry on top was that Cyn gave me a ride to the train station, because I was her last client and she doesn't want endorphin-addled clients wandering bleeding through the dark by themselves. Â Is that service or is that service?
The only down side is that can take a while to get in touch by e-mail, but if you don't hear back within a week or so, just send another note or call the shop. Â If you absolutely MUST get your piece done within the next week, you'll probably want a different shop. Â They've been pretty backed up for a while and you will have to wait for your appointment. Â
I know I must sound like I'm getting commission, but I mean it. Â I totally trust these guys and recommend them whole-heartedly to anyone thinking about paying them a visit. Â They will take good care of you.
The shop is currently undergoing renovation, so a couple of months from now, it should be much easier to see from the outside (it has been intentionally dark looking to discourage walk-ins). Â The place is currently decorated in a variety of taxidermy critters and quirky turn-of-the-century circus odds and ends. Â I thought it looked pretty great already, but once the renovations are done, the place will be very spacious (expanding from 1 floor to 3), afford more privacy to its clients, and generally be rad. Â (I just hope that the bathroom still has its mustache theme!)
P.S. Â there is a huge, framed tarantula on the wall. Â If you're an enormously arachnophobic wuss like I am, they'll tape a towel over it to spare you the heebie-jeebies, and they won't even laugh at you.
I found Robbie just before he moved over to the Cirque du Rouge and it was a great experience. I needed an old tattoo covered and another piece completed to look like one large piece. Robbie's work was brilliant, it blended perfectly with the original tattoo, very detailed with crisp-clean lines !! Months after getting it done a friend's kid ask if it was real cause it looked new and freshly drawn. I opted to do a marathon session of a few hours cause I was driving in from Baltimore but he's got a light hand so I didn't have any bleeding and minimal pain just felt a little sore afterwards. Totally worth the trip for a permanent piece of artwork.
Review Source:I worked with Robie Sayan to have some work done and I'm highly pleased. i plan on using him in the future. If your desire is to have Polynesian work done, Robie is your guy. I went to him with my design already but he is talented and can create work for you after consulting with him and letting him know what you what.
The shop is warm and inviting and all the people that work there are friendly and ready to help.
Go check them out!
Being my first time ever to get a tattoo, needless to say I was pretty nervous. It wasn't easy finding Cirque du Rouge since the store does not have a huge sign or anything, and from the outside when I saw it the place looked like it was closed. It was open however, and the moment I entered to the moment I left the door, I was greeted and spoken to with nothing but warmth and friendliness. I had a negative image of a tattoo parlor being a bit intimidating and scary, and a person like me who looks like your typical goody-two-shoes kinda girl, I half expected to be looked at with a look that says something like "what the hell is this ordinary kid doing here??". But nope. My stereotype is completely gone.
My artist was Liaa. I had wanted a tattoo from her for some time, ever since I saw her portfolio online and fell in love with the color works she does. I got a simple text tattoo this time since it was my first, but I am itching to come back again for my more complicated piece, which has been on my mind for some time now.
I was able to book Liaa on the weekend while I was here in DC. Miraculously her previous appointment was canceled so she was able to put me in.
The whole experience was amazing. She was very comforting, and gave me all the information I needed. That it's important for me to breathe, stay relaxed, and focus on something else than the pain. She talked to me, asked questions to keep me distracted, and basically was just the friendliest and nicest artist I could have possibly gotten. Seriously, she's amazing. Not to mention absolutely beautiful.
Very very satisfied with her work. She did exactly as I wanted, but better than I imagined. I recommend her and Cirque du Rouge 100%.
I found this place thanks to Yelp and after so many good reviews, I had to check it out. The tattoo was not for me but for my husband. I myself am too much of a wuss to get one but he loves them.
We went for a consult with Robbie Sayan. You can't see the shop when you are driving but they have a small sign on the door letting you know its there. The person at the front was very nice and got Robbie for us. Robbie was easy to talk to and very personable. We explained that the tattoo was going to be our daughter's name. My husband described where he wanted it and what he was thinking. He even brought a picture of the type of design he wanted. Robbie said he would love to do it and would draw something up.
The tattoo was our daughter's name in graffiti tag. We were very nervous about it since he had not gotten a tattoo from Robbie before and we wanted it to be perfect. Now I cant speak from a first hand experience, but since my husband does not have yelp account and I am his personal secretary, he said Robbie was AWESOME! When he got there Robbie had the tattoo drawn out just as he had imagined it. My husband didn't know exactly what he wanted but had ideas of what he wanted. Robbie somehow picked his brain and came up with something even better than expected. We would definitely recommend Cirque Du Rouge. My husband is already talking about making an appointment with Robbie to get his entire arm done.
The place is very clean and has a very chill feel to it. Robbie was very professional and very helpful. He has great ideas for tattoos and a great vision. He can come up with something from just bouncing ideas around. A true artist.
I am more comfortable with my tattoo artist than my doctor.
Came into the shop back in June for a consultation about my wedding tattoo - a fairly big chest and shoulder piece that would be my first ink. The shop was designed by Theodore Roosevelt and the set designer for Hellboy*, and I mean that in a good way... there is no shortage of incredibly interesting shit to look at in this place.
The shop is very clean and well put-together, but it's the artists that make the place wonderful. I didn't get to talk much with Cyn, but she reads Garden & Gun magazine so she's obviously a winner. Robie, who was my artist, is the cool and mellow tattoo guy who isn't actually trying to be the cool and mellow tattoo guy, which is just perfect. Â Charon enjoyed The Dictator as much as I did and seems to have a brand new tattoo on her neck every single day. Liaa, who may be more Pixie than human, is the happiest, laughingest thing on the whole entire planet. Everyone in this shop is a gem.
I spoke with Robie and was expecting to wait 3 or 4 months for the first session, but he was able to book me as early as two weeks out. He's a very patient guy and talks you through the entire process and your design idea without being in a hurry or insistent about doing the designs his way. A month later I was in the chair, and oh boy did things get interesting from there.
Chest tattoos, I discovered, hurt. It helped that they were playing Pixar movies throughout my four-hour appointment; the distraction was the only thing that kept me from lighting myself or Robie on fire. Robie does truly excellent work. My piece runs from the collarbone down the chest and onto the stomach, needing to keep the appearance of a perfectly straight line where it runs over the contours of the body. He absolutely nailed it, and I couldn't be happier.
The first time I left the shop, I couldn't get my shirt back on (seriously, chest tattoos f***ing hurt). So I left the place shirtless, covered in plastic bandages, and walked the five blocks to my car looking like I'd just had my organs illegally harvested. The piece healed nicely in three weeks and, with a second appointment and some minor touchups, it's absolutely perfect. I'll try to post some pics on my profile.
I couldn't recommend this place more. Get your tattoos at Cirque du Rouge or go to Hell.
*No. But seriously...
There are no words for how awesome Cirque du Rouge is. My fiancee and I have gotten a total of four tattoos from Liaa, including a half sleeve with all Audubon print birds that involved an expert cover-up. This is an oasis of artistry and awesome in DC. Cyn runs a tight ship -- there are no better artists, and no better shop. Go. Go now.
Review Source:Writing about Cyn and the wonderful Cirque Du Rouge is long, long overdue. Â Cyn combines the talent of a true artist with an amazing bedside manner. Â Cyn has done two large pieces for me and I love both of them. Â The best part of working with Cyn is the discussion and planning of the tattoo. Â She patiently walks you through the process, makes herself available for questions and makes sure that you are completely happy with the design for needle ever touches skin. Â The design of the tattoo is collaborative, and one of my favorite things about Cyn is that she is not afraid to offer honest opinions and feedback about your tattoo idea. Â People ask about my tattoos all the time. Â I should start carrying business Cyn's business cards to hand out. Â
If you want a shop where you can pick a predictable tattoo from a board on the wall, go somewhere else. Â If you want a truly original piece of body art, go see Cyn and the amazing folks at Cirque Du Rouge.
I just got a beautiful tattoo done by Liaa this past June. As this was my first tattoo, she was sure to ease me through the process and made sure I was OK each step of the way, from consult and design to the actual inking. While I was 90% sure of what I wanted and where, she had some great suggestions as to the final size and placement of the tattoo, and was realistic about what would work best for my complexion. The final result is stunning and turned out better than I had pictured it in my head!
Review Source:I've gotten two tattoos from Liaa this summer. The whole experience was fantastic from consulatation to execution to touch ups. Liaa's work is top notch and I fully trust her recommendations and skill and will get any further tattoos from her.
All the other staff that I've met on my visits have been friendly and professional. The store is clean and has a funky vibe (stuffed dear heads on the wall and what not -- which actually comes in handy if you need stuff to look at to keep your mind occupied during the tattoo).
I had to book both my consultations and sessions about a month out, but it was well worth the wait.
I got my second, and most elaborate tattoo, a couple of months ago, and all I have to say is, Robie Sayan is an amazing artist! Â The process starts off with an initial consultation where I bounced a few ideas off him. Â I had a couple of ideas and he was able to put them together into one amazing vision.
My next visit consisted of a marathon 3-hour session to get all the work done in one sitting. Â We passed the time singing to 80s Rock with Liaa and Cynthia, and just having an awesome time. Â I felt like I was just hanging out with good friends. Â
Meanwhile, Robie was far exceeding my expectations. Â Not only did he get my vision. Â He also took it to the next level. Â The shading was superb. Â The thin lines were dead on. Â In short, my tattoo looks sick!!
Cirque du Rouge is an awesome shop with a cool vibe. Â The people there are so welcoming and fun to talk to. Â You can tell they enjoy what they do and take pride in their work. Â This is the kind of place I want to go to get something permanent on my skin.
High praise for Allen at Cirque! I recently got my first tattoo, a line of text that runs from my neck down my arm. I spent a good while nitpicking about the font/handwriting, placement of the tattoo, whether to include this or that. Allen was patient with all my changes, and when I asked, was able to fit me in for the actual tattoo on the day that was supposed to be just a final design review. I am so pleased with the final result- it looks exactly as I'd hoped it would, if not better. I used Tom Waits' handwriting and worried that somehow the essence of it would get lost in the tattooing, but it didn't at all. I also really like the space at Cirque du Rouge, which will be getting bigger and better when they open for walk-ins. So yes- absolutely recommend Allen at Cirque.
Review Source:I got my first tattoo here with Robie a couple of weeks ago. It went really well and is healing nicely.
First you go in to have a consultation. Mine was pretty simple, just some script down my left side seam, and Robie's script work is impeccable. The parlor is really cool inside and everyone was friendly and welcoming.
I brought a friend with me to ease the stress and pain, and was fairly nervous although really excited. Before starting the tattoo, first Robie printed out a stencil and printed the text on my side. It wasn't quite right, so we redid it so the positioning was perfect. What I wanted was smaller than he had originally thought, so he dropped the price as well!
The tattoo was actually a lot less painful than I thought! It definitely was uncomfortable and was pretty bad at times, but nothing to balk at. It was good to chat with Robie and my friend during the process to keep my mind off the pain.
It looks really fantastic, and I am really happy with my choice to come here. Definitely would recommend it.
This will be my first review on Yelp, and I couldn't be happier that it is for Cirque Du Rouge. Â Let me begin by saying that each of the artists are phenomenal, but Robie is my artist of choice. Â I went to Robie to get fairly large piece on my ribs (note: the pain was something else, but worth it). Â When it comes to line work, Robie is the man! Â His lines were so crisp and clean that I could hardly believe that they were done by hand. Â Once the line work was completed, we moved on to the shading, which is never fun. Â Robie was great about talking me through it though, and stopping for quick breaks here and there when the pain became too unbearable. Â At the end of a 4 hour session I had a what is easily my favorite tattoo (I have 5 btw). Â Anyone who is looking for a great tattoo artist should check out Robie and Cirque Du Rouge!
Review Source:I had my first tattoo ever done by Robyn a few weeks ago. I knew what I wanted, where and the approximate size so I did a lot of calling around. Robyn/Cirque were the quickest to respond to my emails and set up an appointment. I also appreciated the humor she had. I already can't wait to get my next one done and I'm definitely having it done here.
Review Source:I recently completed my first tattoo and am already craving and itching for more!
As a first-timer, virgin skin customer, everyone that works at Cirque Du Rouge is extremely welcoming! My artist was Liaa and she is seriously one of the nicest and comforting individuals I have met, not to mention extremely talented. I have been working on a concept for 5 years, but I'm artistically challenged and could never put in down on paper. During our consultation, I never felt rushed or persuaded by her ideas. She is a beautiful artist and she helped me put my vision on paper and on ME!
I was nervous and excited before we started and Liaa went over all the steps, the sounds, when she was going to start, reminding me to breathe... I was lucky to have both Cyn and Robbie at the parlor and everyone was excited for me to have my first tattoo and really nice.
My tattoo as fully healed and it looks amazing. All I have to say is... i'm already looking for another new concept. I think i'll be back sooner to Cirque Du Rouge than expected! Thank Liaa, my tattoo is beautiful and so are you!
I got my first tattoo here 2 weeks ago by Robie. Â The whole experience was great. This place came highly recommended by a friend of mine so I went to their sight and looked through the artists portfolios. Â These are some really talented people! Â I emailed Robie and we set up a consultation. Â The consultation was great because aside from going over the design I got to meet him and he's super easy going and friendly so I walked in nervous and walked out excited to get my new tattoo. Â He was able to schedule me two weeks out which was awesome. Â The day of the tattoo I was a bit nervous again but Robie talked me through the whole thing, I was stenciled and he was fine with making an adjustment to the stencil. Â I was tattooed on my ribs and I thought the pain was going to be intense but it was WAY better than I thought it was going to be...not that I didn't feel anything...it was just not as bad as I expected. Â Robie talked through the whole thing which helped me take my mind of things. Â The ladies in the shop were very cool and friendly too and there's tons of stuff all over the walls to keep you occupied while you sit/lay there if you're not much for conversation.
The very best part, THE TATTOO CAME OUT BEAUTIFULLY. Â Even better than expected. Â Actually, sometimes I can't help but pop into the bathroom in the middle of the day to lift up my shirt and admire it.
Just had some work done by Robie of the Cirque crew! Most professional shop i've experienced so far. The shop is fun and comfortable, a hybrid hunters cabin/ny underground bar. Check out the mustache room bathroom! My favorite. All the artists and staff were fun and sociable, please be ready to laugh at the numerous topics circulating around the shop (especially the weird noises coming from the walls) Robie is the man! Amazing work a true professional and I couldnt be happier with my new ink. Already planning my next one! Stop by the shop and visit the artists, best ink crew in the District.
Review Source:A friend had originally had highly recommended Cyn, Liaa, and Robie before they opened Cirque du Rouge. I looked at their portfolio on line and was completely impressed by their work.
The shop: I love the atmosphere of Cirque du Rouge. I have gone in to do several sessions for a half-sleeve and a calf piece and every time I am greeted not only professionally, but as a friend. I feel very "at home" here and thoroughly enjoy the atmosphere and the people!
Robie: I first met with Robie last August (2011) to discuss a tattoo I wanted done. Robie was very friendly and knowledgeable. When I described what I wanted done and where. He was very excited about the piece and asked if I minded having it done as a half sleeve so as to have more space to work. I quickly agreed. We met again a month later and I was beyond amazed at what Robie had designed! He obviously had done his research. He took the research, the elements that I had brought in, and what I had described and made the piece his own. And what a beautiful piece it is!! Since then, we have met several times over the last few months and the piece has become even more beautiful than I had imagined. He is obviously very talented and you can see the excitement on his face when he is working on my arm. I am very pleased with the work he has done on my arm and calf!! And I plan to go back to get the rest of my pieces done by Robie (atleast four more). I highly recommend Robie and Cirque du Rouge!
Robie Sayan is the man. Super professional and he was very patient with me and my first tattoo. I can't recommend this place enough. Robie created what I had in mind and I had no changes. I was pretty worried about getting it, but the staff allayed all fears and shored up my confidence in my choice in. tattoo and artist. Highly recommended! Price really depends on what you want. Remember, you get what you pay for.
Review Source:Love Liaa Walter and Cirque Du Rouge! Liaa was recommended by a friend who has been going to her for a while. I had a small tattoo that I wanted touched up and added to. Liaa did an amazing job. She spent about 20 minutes with me doing a really detailed, in-person consultation (free). My session (last November) took about an hour and a half and was the most relaxing tattoo session I've had. I brought along a friend who was considering her first tattoo so she could see what it was like. Liaa was totally cool and answered all of her questions. I'm definitely going back later this spring, and my friend made an appointment for her consultation earlier this month.
One note - last I heard from Liaa, the shop is not taking walk-ins yet, so be sure to call ahead.
Different space. Same great artists! Â I am a Liaa groupie. Â I admit this. Â It has a lot to do with her skill and her personality. Â When you first walk you aren't sure if it's a tattoo parlor or a place you bring your animals to be stuffed and displayed. Â Luckily, upon further glance you discover you are in the correct place. Â It's kinda easy to miss if you are driving. Â The gate is a clue that you are in the right spot. Â
Liaa I can rave about all day because I have been using her for quite some time now. Â I have never experienced such comfort when I'm under the gun. Â Extremely professional and great bedside manners. Â The awesome plus about Cirque Du Rouge is that I feel absolutely confident in all of the artists skills. Â So if ever there was some freak of nature reason why I can't see Liaa, I am at ease knowing I can see Robie or Cyn. Â
You know that saying. Â "Cheap tattoos aren't good and good tattoos aren't cheap". Â Keep that in mind when you go in for your consultation. Â I would never squawk or try to negotiate a price when it comes to being inked. Â
I will follow Liaa wherever she goes. Â That is if she takes me. Â She's done so many hours of work on my now that I've lost track. Â Folk if you want top notch, custom work, then this is your place. Â You won't regret it
Rilke perhaps says it best... "For beauty is nothing but the beginning of terror
which we are barely able to endure, and it amazes us so, because it serenely disdains to destroy us"
Can there be such a more distinguishable eloquence of our progress through the work of tattoo ... My back piece has been a labor of love but made an enjoyable ride through conversation with Liaa (artist extraordinaire), Cynthia and Robbie.. The feel of the place is cozy, which is a change from BristishInk, but my last appt (5hrs) was pretty great- I chatted up 5-6 people while enduring my work so it mediated the pain! All in all I love the set up... I am stoked for the ladies and gentleman that are developing Cirque~
What else to say... so much! Cirque is only opening their first doors.. establishing themselves within a whole row home leaves future plans for additional tattoo artists as well as a potential studio.. Â The Cirque will leave many o many of folks smiling... ;)
I have two tattoos (so far!) and they were both done by Robie Sayan. I was very nervous about the first one and ended up pushing it back by several months. Eventually though, it worked out and I was very happy with it. It's a great move to accept paypal, because I do not want to be walking around NE with 200 in cash on me. Robie made me feel vey comfortable with the whole experience. My second tattoo, on the side of my lower back, was much more complex and painful. Robie talked me through it and was very encouraging.
One other reviewer said that Robie's talent would be irrelevant if the energy was bad. I totally agree. Although I have never gotten tattooed by either of the two women in shop, they have always been pleasant and wonderful to talk to.
The only weird thing, to me, is that I cannot figure out what the system for pricing is. My first tattoo was small, black and white, and basically a copy of a signature. My second tattoo was a custom piece I asked Robie to design (he did a wonderful job), larger and in color. The difference between the two was something like $50. When I told my more heavily tattooed friends how much I paid for the first tattoo, they were shocked and said I definitely overpaid. The second tattoo, they claimed, was priced much more reasonably. Anyway, Robie did a great a job on both, and he did touch up my first one for free, so I'm not really complaining, just confused.
Excellent experience with Cyn at her new shop Cirque Du Rouge - I highly recommend her, esp if you are looking for color work.
Appointment only at the moment (feb 2012)
First meeting - discuss the design, take measurements, I give her reference material.
2nd meeting - got the design, and I feel awful because I'm not 100% into it - don't want to insult a tattoo artist by not liking the work, esp since I know she spent a lot of time on it but Cyn was really cool about it, and set to work on reworking the design until I was completely happy with it. Inked the outlines.
3rd & 4th appointments were for the color work (a big tattoo, 12 hours total time on the table) Â and I'm really going to miss hanging out with her in the shop, it was fun. Yes, paying someone to stab me with needles for hours was fun!
After the 3rd appointment when the tattoo was only 1/2 colored my husband was already asking when was I going to get another one as he liked this one so much.
I love my piece, it turned out beautifully, the colors are so bold and really pop and it is everything I was hoping for.
Professional, clean, no work was done without talking it through and making sure I was completely happy with it, took breaks when needed - I have no complaints at all about the shop or how Cyn does business. Everyone in the shop is very friendly and makes you feel comfortable - if you want to chat there will be plenty to talk about (ask about bagpipes. really) or if you prefer to zen out and try to ignore the needles that's okay too.
Research your tattoo artist, lcheck out their portfolios and see if their work & style matches what you are wanting. Cyn is mad super busy and booked up a lot because 1) her previous customers speak so highly of her so new people want in and 2) those previous customers all want more tattoos from her! But be sure to look at Liaa and Robbie's portfolios too - their styles and specialties are different and might be more what you are looking for.
Bonus points: I have *never* had to wait more than 24 hours to get a response from Cyn whether email or phone - most of the time I hear back from her in a few hours - she was really great at responding to my inquiries and I never had a problem getting a hold of her.  She's been very polite and professional and I've never talked to anyone that hasn't  liked her after meeting her.
Cynthia is absolutely AMAZING. Â My husband got his tattoo done by her last night and she was fantastic.
Service: I had to cancel on Cynthia TWICE and she was SO incredibly understanding. Â She is such a nice person and I really appreciated how she walked us through everything and explained everything as she was going along. Â They use one time needles and one time ink so there is no chance of cross contamination. Â She sends you home with detailed instructions on how to take proper care of the tattoo. Â The shop was very clean and I felt very comfortable. Â We had actually only come in for the consultation but she said it wouldn't take long and asked if he wanted it now and my husband jumped on it! Â She was also incredibly professional, it was clear that she has done this many times and didn't hesitate at all. Â As the wife, those were my main concerns ;)
Artwork: Â Before we even came in, she had already come up with a design that we LOVED. Â We barely even made any changes to it! Â Cynthia was so cooperative while we were debating exactly which angle at which it should be done and how big it should be. Â She placed the stencil on his arm and even did a small test needle without any ink so that he would know what it would feel like (this was his first tattoo). Â After the outline was done she did some shading which I felt really added a lot to the tattoo. Â My husband is thrilled with everything.
Right now the tattoo is healing well and in two to three weeks it should be completely healed!
Thank you Cynthia! Â We will be back when we have kids and he wants their name(s) on his other arm ;)
This shop is absolutely wonderful. Â It has a great atmosphere and spirit, and everyone is very welcoming, fun, and truly professional. Â Â
Cynthia created a tattoo for me that was more beautiful than anything I could have ever imagined--I'm honestly in awe of my new tattoo.   I'd been on her wait list for a long time, but throughout the whole process, the she was great at keeping me posted.  When I came in for my consultation, she listened carefully and took meticulous notes and measurements, to make sure everything was just right. She was a true professional in converting my idea into a workable (and beautiful!) tattoo, and  the art she came up with was just mindblowing! When I had my first session,  she applied the same care in getting the placement of the tattoo just right (it's on my ribcage, and I'm fairly petite, so it was a delicate process!) and she just made me feel completely at ease.  Since it was a large tattoo, it was done in 2 sessions--the first for the outline, the second for color and shading.  After my first session, I received SO MANY compliments on Cynthia's crisp, clean line work!  I had no issues scheduling my second appointment for color--she made sure to get me in as soon as possible, which I appreciated.  AND THE COLOR! OH MY GOSH.  It's insanely gorgeous. Â
While I was getting my color done, I got to see both Robie and Liaa at work too, and I was equally impressed with what they were doing! Â
I really can't speak highly enough about this place. Â It's a great shop with extremely talented, fun, friendly artists working there. Â Â I'd recommend this place to anyone looking for a great all around tattoo experience.
Robie has done work on both me and my wife. Â He designed our tattoos, ensured their perfect size and placement, and did absolutely perfect, beautiful work on both of us. Â The lines are so clean and the colors pop out. Â The work is just awesome.
Also, it's clear from spending time at the shop that he works very closely with Cynthia and Liisa, and that they share ideas and critiques to everyone's benefit. Â For all of these reasons, we give the highest and best recommendation to Robie and the Cirque Du Rouge parlor.
I recently got a tattoo from Liaa at the new location, Cirque Du Rouge. The shop is laid back and the folks here are both professional and fun at the same time. It is a nice atmosphere that helps to distract while the work is being done. I followed Liaa here from another location and love her work. It is always beyond expectation and beautiful. Having looked at a bunch of Robbie's and Cynthia's work you can't go wrong with any of these folks. If you are looking to get inked, it would be worth your while to check out Cirque Du Rouge and Liaa.
Review Source:My review is mostly about Robie Sayan, but if the energy at Cirque Du Rouge were bad his talent would be irrelevant. Luckily, his skills and personality are right at home in this quirky and welcoming space.
The shop, first: parking is pretty straight forward on H Street, lots of pay spaces as well as 2-hour stuff on the side streets. The shop doesn't really have a sign, so be sure you know where you're going; I like it -- makes me feel like I'm going to a speakeasy. Inside, the spaces are open -- think eccentric hair salon booths -- but I believe they have some private areas for those "more intimate" tattooing plans.
The man: Robie is the most-amazing, talented, and gentle soul. He clearly loves his work and is approachable but professional. I loved that he was in tune with how to translate the art to the person, as in making sure that he understood what I was trying to project in the piece and finding the right path to get there. He also tattooed a large and very complex ribcage piece on a a relative of mine, and achieved exactly what she was seeking. His patience in dealing with the details of that piece was above and beyond.
I couldn't possibly find enough accolades to express my satisfaction with Robie's work. Additionally, the heavily-inked people I work with were more than impressed with his attention to detail and his talent with the finer points. A+, Robie.
I LOVE THIS PLACE! I got my tattoo done by Cynthia, who is an amazing artist. My tattoo looks great and is exactly what I wanted. The shop is also really nice. It looks great and the atmosphere is wonderful. Robie and Liaa were also in the shop when I was getting my tattoo and they were both really nice and very funny. I haven't seen any of their work, but have no doubt that they're great. Everyone in that shop is fantastic!
Review Source:I've been going to Robie Sayan (also formerly of BritishInk) for several sessions now, and really have enjoyed following Robie and the ladies to their new shop. Robie is fantastic; very detail oriented and creative. He even makes his own brand of tattoo machines.
Cyn's new shop is beautiful; a really great, intimate space. A nice place to get tattoo'd. No 'tude here, just very fun, helpful people that like what they do.
I don't know about the piercing here, but the staff has an excellent pedigree, and are all about customer service, creativity and making the pain fun!
Nice of them to take Paypal, too!
I love Cynthia & Liaa! Â I was first tattooed by then when they worked at British Ink, just down the street, but since then Cynthia has opened up her own shop. Â The shop itself has a really cool vibe. Â The taxidermy animals you see on the website is exactly what you'll find in the shop. Â They're both fun, super sweet and talented artists that do custom work. Â They are really easy to work with and have turned my ideas into amazing tattoos. Â If you're in the market for a new tattoo, this is the place to go. Â They're located just a few blocks from Union Station, and if you drive, there's usually ample street parking. Â Check 'em out!
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