Goose Tattoo is an incredible tattoo shop! Not only does Nalla Smith do incredible pieces of art, but he's an overall awesome and very nice person to work with. He is currently doing an extensive and large tattoo on my upper back, which looks just like the picture i brought him, and i couldn't have felt more comfortable knowing he was doing it. He has been tattooing since 1991 and has mastered every aspect there is to tattooing. From color to black and white, portraits, large and small pieces, etc. He is the Michelangelo of tattoo artists, and thats not even a remote exaggeration. Cannot wait to see my finished tattoo!
Review Source:Goose is the best tattoo parlor in NYC, hands down. Â Where to begin? Â First, Nalla is amazing. Â In addition to being a great guy, he is a gifted artist and well able to tackle any project you throw at him. Â For my last tat I went in with a very loose idea (i.e., "I want something that fits in this space, brings everything already there together, is sort of feminine, but not too girlie...") and he came up with magic, a piece that truly exceeded any expectations. Â He also got it on me relatively quickly for such a giant and colorful piece -- he doesn't dilly dally, but does take the time required to get it just so (perfectionism is what you want in a tattoo artist!). Â The shop itself is a warm and welcoming place full of genuinely kind people. Â If you're thinking about your first tattoo, or your hundred-and-first tattoo, you will be treated with respect and made to feel at home and well cared for. Â There is no pretense of cooler-than-thou that I've seen in other shops; this place is laid back and inviting for all who walk in. Â They also take cleanliness very seriously, another quality you certainly want to look for in a tattoo parlor! Â Watching them set up is like seeing a doctor at work: Â tools are unwrapped from their sterile encasings, bottles are wrapped in plastic, gloves are worn and changed often as they prepare the space. Â I have had nothing but great experiences here; each tattoo I've gotten from Goose (and I've had a bunch now) has been superlative, and has healed crazy fast. Â This is the place for you. Â What are you waiting for? Â Go get inked!
Review Source:Nalla is, in a word, the guy. While I may be, by "the scene's" terms, an old man -- no, let's say a lifer; that sounds more flattering -- I never had an urge to get a tattoo until recently, and when I finally did, I wanted to make sure the artist could hit the ball out of the park. I did a healthy amount of research around the neighborhood (and there are a LOT of tattoo parlors in this neighborhood), and while there were certainly cheaper shops around, I was very impressed by the professionalism all around at Goose and decided that if I received this level of attention and courtesy from Diana, the young woman at the front desk, and artist Nalla just when I walked in off the street to ask a few questions, then I could feel very confident about the actual process of getting the tattoo. And I was right. Even though I dropped the ball and missed my appointment by writing it on the wrong date on my calendar, they were able to fit me in the very next day. Nalla explained everything he was doing or going to do (again, I was a n00b), and he and everyone else at the shop were super-friendly, welcoming and supportive. The piece I wanted was not large, but I demanded geometric precision, and that's what Nalla delivered. Efficient, too -- including set-up, I was in and out in about an hour and 15 minutes. Nalla was also very informative about what I needed to do over the next few weeks to care for my tattoo. An ideal experience, really. If you're looking for a tattoo that you want to be particularly precise or beautiful, or that means something to you on a personal level and isn't some generic design, Goose is a great place to check out before you make a decision.
Review Source:A little over a week ago, my partner got a tattoo here from Nalla. He was great! Incredibly friendly, patient, and easy-going. Even offered us some homemade iced tea. Seems like everyone else who works there is very chill as well.
My partner's tattoo was a fairly simply piece and looks wonderful. Every example I've seen of Nalla's work on larger/more complicated pieces has been great as well.
HIGHLY recommended.
Ask for an anchor, you get a gorgeous anchor. Ask for a mermaid, you get the Katniss Everdeen of mermaids. Yeah, they're that good. First rate experience from the moment I walked through the door without an appointment. The artist (cant remember his name) even entertained my genius idea of scratch and sniff inks. You're welcome.
Review Source:Not the place to go for anything resembling prompt service. Â Nalla does do great work, but after him completely blowing a time slot I had scheduled a month in advance with several reminders prior I have lost faith in him. Â A group appt at 1pm was greeted with the aftermath of a late night party. Â After over an hour of them ignoring us and cleaning up we walked out. Â When confronted with this over email, the owner did not take any responsibility and put the blame on me. Â tis a shame, as he does do good work and considered him a solid guy and friend.
Review Source:I can't say enough good things about this shop. The owner, Nalla is incredible. He has a superb bedside manner and makes you feel completely at ease from the consultation to the tattoo itself. I had a mandala placed on my forearm and the piece required extreme precision with a very small needle. He was amazingly careful and patient.
The shop itself has an awesome vibe. From the rustic flooring, to the tin wall treatments, to the artwork - it's great.
I'm also really happy with the price. $160 an hour for Nalla's skill is a bargain.
If you're looking to have a piece done, go here. you'll leave a believer.
I brought one of my girlfriends here to get a small tatt by John Poverty, and it turned out pretty spectacularly. Â What's really worth noting is how awesome he was with her during the whole process. Â She got something pretty small on her wrist, but was more than a little nervous (homegirl hates needles) and John, being the patient dreamboat that he is, was great about the whole thing. Â He and I tried to work out something afterwards for myself for a while that didn't quite pan out (YET!), but again, he was super patient about the whole thing. Â
The shop is clean as hell, a few blocks from the subway, and they played Minus the Bear while we were there. Â Sexy tattoo jams if I do say so myself.
East Williamsburg? Don't you mean Bushwick? Anyway, I always go to John Poverty. He did two of my tattoos.....he is very patient and kind. Goose prices are affordable, the artists are highly talented, and they practice extremely good hygiene. Trust me this is an excellent tattoo shop, here is how my latest one came out: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbeautyandthestreetmag.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F07%2Fwhen-life-gives-you-lemons.html&s=40a6f5878d04dc9bafe0e7fe5801706aa6a3338e30ed1ac96bfb20d063556067" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://beautyandthestree…</a>
Def check em out!
came here on a saturday night with 2 friends after making an appointment the day before. the tattoo artists are all very friendly and made us feel welcome from the beginning.
i got my first ever tattoo from nalla. even though i wasn't particularly picky, he made sure i got what i wanted and and felt comfortable the whole time. i love the tattoo and i think we all had a fun time getting 'scratched with color...forever,' as nalla reminded us. very good pricing. i would definitely come back for more whenever i'm in town.
I went to goose tattoo on a recommendation from a friend. My two friends and I each got tattoos. Nalla, a resident tattoo artist there, was extremely patient and friendly with us, as for me and my friend, it was our first time.
I never felt pressured or uncomfortable, I left totally happy with what I got, as did my friends.
I highly recommend this place. The artists there all seemed great, but I recommend Nalla who worked with me. I'll be back in the future. The work is good, the artists are friendly, easy-going, and skilled.
John did an amazing job on an intricate piece with tiny line work and color as well as fixing  a pre-existing tattoo that was given to me poorly by someone else. John is a very talented artist and made the experience a pleasant one.
This shop is clean and has a homey comfortable vibe. The prices are fair and the work is praiseworthy.
This shop exudes beauty and talent everytime I walk in or by. I was able to get a gorgeous tattoo by John who was patient and kind during the whole process and made me feel at home. He even had his shop worker walk me to the train stop. A true gentleman and extremely talented artist. Best of luck to that shop
Review Source:What a great shop. First off, maybe it was just that I a little boy crazy that week, but holy moly... can you say eye candy?! HAHA.
Ok, now that I got that out of the way. I was really impressed with the shop. The decor, atmosphere and personnel were great.
I went by recommendation to see John for a touch up on existing tattoos I'd gotten a few years ago from another artist (who I couldn't get in contact with). He did a great job and all the colors have blended and filled in nicely. I was charged a very fair price.
I'd love to come back here another time (when visiting the city) to do some new/custom work. :D
"Life IS pain. Â Anyone who tells you different, is selling you something."
Nalla Smith, the owner of the fresh & perky Goose Tattoo, has proven to me, for over 20 years, that after the pain, all that remains is the  BEAUTY.
He has established reknown shops from coast to coast, as well as having studied and worked beside, some of the best in the industry. Â He embodies the definition of the difference between a tattooist and a tattoo ARTIST.
Personally, I can't wait to book my ticket to come up to Brooklyn to hurry up and get scheduled. Â I hear they're beside the lovely local DuckDuck pub. Â So, get ready Goose, cause you are IT.
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