Gosh this review is super duper overdue!
I came to Humble Beginnings from a artist friend that referred Tobias!
2 sessions and bravery later I got a great tattoo! Even years later I got compliments on it. I think I'm going to come back and extend it.
The shop is staffed with other talented artists  I've seen the other guys do the Tribal tats quick and awesome!
Came here to get a tree done on my back in March of 2012, I made the appointment two weeks in advance and paid a $60 deposit that I was told would go towards my tattoo. When I arrived that day at 12:30 PM my artist wasn't even there. I had to be the one to call him and he told me to come back in at 4:30 that same day. When I came back, he was working on another female's tattoo and I had to wait an hour before I could get tatted. Before I came in I had sent Jesico an email of what I wanted, but because he double booked that day he didn't even have the outline ready. He freehandedly drew on my back and started tattooing me. Noted that I was uncomfortably seat in a computer chair to get my back done for three and a half almost close to four hours. He was talking to other customers in the store while he was tattooing me and at one point he even stopped to go talk to him. Being that I was paying by the hour I was pretty frustrated. He didn't take into consideration me having to drive back and forth that day. After he was done with the tat, he charged me more than I was expecting the tattoo to be, being that I had already given a $60 deposit when I came in for the appointment. The tattoo came out nice, but because he pretty much rushed it cause he was tired from the tattoo before me, he didn't do a very thorough job at shading my tattoo, and it started fading soon after my tattoo healed.
If you plan on coming in, make sure your tattoo artist is there and is prepped to work on the tattoo you had asked. It'll save you the drive to the studio and time spent looking for parking.
My brother came to this place when he got his piece done by Sefa. I liked it so when I decided what I wanted to get done, I knew exactly where to go and who to book. Sefa is a cool dude and he free hands everything so none of his art work is the same. You tell him what you want and he'll do it for you.
He gets booked fast. So if you want a tattoo done on time, try to book with him at least 3 months in advance. Usually you have to put a down payment when you go see him for the consultation. But for me, he let me pay the day I was going to get tatted. $300 for my piece wasn't bad at all. I expected it to be much more that considering the detail and the size I wanted.
Anyway, if I ever decide to get another tattoo, especially a tribal one, I am most definitely going back to Humble Beginnings for Sefa.
I WOULD NEVER EVER RECOMMEND this place. I should have YELPED it 1st! This Matthew Hamlet is a professional disgrace. Took my money but never provided anything except a few text messages with lame excuses and a date to have the sketch by which has now come and gone several times, still no word. Went to the shop twice already to be told that there is NO ACCOUNTABILITY for people that work there, so it is MY PROBLEM. Although they were nice enough to give us suggestions on how we could go about trying to "show up" on this idiot by surprise. Well he has been a no show for 2 weeks. But we were there just a few days ago and no mention of him not being seen or heard from. I am sorry, but this is not a business, highly unprofessional. Go to a reputable shop! Sorry I ever walked through the door!
Review Source:Mel is a GENIUS! I got my first tattoo here three years ago, and I couldn't have been, and still can't be, be more happy with it. I had to wait two and a half weeks for my appointment with Mel since she's so busy with her other bookings. I told her over the phone I wanted a tribal piece with some symbolism (family, strength, wisdom) and she told me when to come in. I asked her if we were just going to do it that day, and she said, "yeah, it's just tribal." I was a little scared that she was so casual about it, but holy crap, she is some sort of tribal tattoo Savant.
The day of my appointment, Mel called and said she was running a bit late and asked if it was okay to push my appointment back two and a half hours. No big for me, she seemed super stressed and was insanely grateful-- if she pushes your appointment back, just bite the bullet, she's worth it! When I got there, I told her I wanted the tattoo on my side, really close to my chest, so she set up a bunch of room dividers to give me privacy. She drew the tattoo right on me with markers first, and gladly made any changes that I requested. Once I was happy, we started and good Lord, it was painful. She ensured me that we could stop any time I needed to, but I gritted my teeth and tensed my body the entire two hours. Mel is super easy to talk to, and she's hilarious! She was very easy going, conversational, but professional. My piece is pretty sizeable (6"x3, approx), and it came out to only $250, but I think she gave me a discount for pushing my appointment back. Three years later, I still love my piece and definitely want to go back to her for another the next time I'm in the Bay.
Their new (well not so new anymore) location is in the back of the second story of a building, so it's kind of hard to find from the street. Trust Google maps!
I too had similar experiences with poor communication and customer service. The first time I entered I was never greeted or asked if I wanted to look at any portfolios. I finally picked an artist and the day of the session the sketch looked nothing like I had described. I asked if he could make some minor changes but was told that I would have to come back in a couple months for another consultation. He couldn't even make the changes there with the 4 hours I had already booked. I had already waiting 6 months for this artist with 2 previous cancellations by him so I didn't want to wait another couple of months. Won't be returning nor will I recommend this shop. Decided to go to a sick shop in SF.
Review Source:I went to humble beginnings because I ran into Orly while working at the surplus store down the street.
The shop is really clean and classy, not like the stereotypical shop. The staff is overall very friendly and super talented.
My boyfriend had his tattoo done by Jusico and it looked great. I went in a few weeks later and an artist named Clay did a creative variation of a tattoo I wanted.
Great shop! The only reason i dont give it five stars is because its communication between staff and client is a little unorganized.
I'd recommend it to anyone (:
should have read the reviews about customer service being bad over here.
I call ahead of time to confirm that an artist is free and tell them that i will be in the shop in 60 min. 40 minutes from then I reach and both the artists who said they would be there are gone.
And a guy gives me crap about this is how things work in tattooing.
Well I agree you do not run a barber shop, but man if you say you will do a walk in and then vanish just before the customer reaches, it is just bad points for you.
I wanted to get my old tattoo covered up but given the experience I had here, I decided to go somewhere else. I don't want to put anyone on blast but the artist I chose was very flaky, had horrible communication skills and sketched out a tattoo that was completely different than what we talked about and the pictures I showed him. Some of the days I arrived there, I was not greeted even when other artists made eye contact, not so great customer service. The times my artist told me to come in, he was not there, he could of at most sent me a quick text that he was leaving for the day. I don't like driving half way across town then getting flaked on. I finally got frustrated after 3 weeks of on and off appointments and bad communication, therefore I told him to keep the deposit and I'm going to go somewhere else. I would rather go to a place that actually wants my business and respects my time and money. Â I'm sure the other artists are great, I just had an overall disappointing experience. Definitely would not tell my friends to go here.
Review Source:One of the two best shops in San Jose (the other is State of Grace), and one of the best in the entire Bay Area. I have two pieces from the owner, Orly, but every single piece I've seen some out of this shop is great, and every single person I've met who works there is friendly and talented. I love this place so much.
Review Source:I first saw Sefa's work on Instagram - pretty much every single one of the pieces he posts pictures of blow me away. Â I've been wanting more ink for about two years now and as soon as I saw his work, I knew he would be my next tat artist. Â After a couple of e-mails and texts, I had my appointment set at the shop he works out of - Humble Beginnings Tattoo in San Jose. Â They do have a website, and all of the artists there (who are all AMAZING) have a sampling of their work on it. Â They all have their own styles so check them out. Oh and remember, it's CASH ONLY at this shop. Â
Sefa is booked about 2-3 months out so don't expect to get an appointment right away. Â With what I wanted, he said it would take two sessions so I booked them back to back over two days. Â All of you with tats know that booking a second day session is not the brightest decision. Â But 1) I'm dumb and 2) I had to because I don't live in San Jose. Â Â Needless to say, the second session on the next day was pretty miserable. Â I know that women definitely have a higher tolerance for pain than men (hey, you all have babies), so second day tats may not be as bad for you girls. Â
Sefa as an artist is truly AMAZING. Â Sefa as a man is even better. Â When I first got to the shop, he didn't treat me as a new client. Â He treated me as an old friend; a cousin even. Â We just sat and chatted it up about all of the people we know in common and had some good laughs. Â I believe that is one good trait about tat artists...they feel that they have to get to know you before they put art on your body that you will die with. Â Sefa definitely has that trait.
I told him exactly what I wanted - I wanted to honor my Dad. Â I told him that he's sick, and Sefa said that he'll do a tiki for my Dad and surround him with strength and family. Â So over the span of about six hours over two days, that's exactly what Sefa did on my right shoulder. Â I couldn't be any more pleased about this piece. Â One thing he said to me stuck. Â He said that when people ask him if tattooing is his passion, he says that tattooing is actually NOT his passion. Â His passion is seeing people happy. Â He made me happy. Â And he will make me have at least two more times when I go back to expand this piece. Â Â Mahalo nui loa Braddah Sef!
Humble Beginnings is for families! What? Yeah, never really hear that about tattoo shops, but Orly had three families getting their tatts done the day we were there. A dad and his two sons, some other family, and my daughter and cousin. Just shows you how much people trust Orly. Â
A little over a year ago Orly tattooed my eldest daughter's tattoo and did a great job on her tatt, as well as dealing w/ her and our family. Since then we knew that Orly was going to tattoo my other daughter once she turned 18 (Dec 1st). Once again, made the appointment a few months ago and drove the 6 hr drive from Orange County to San Jose to get our family name tattooed on my daughter. Yeah, there's tons of great artists and shops in So Cal, but when you find an artist that treats you like family and does great work, you gotta stick w/ that person because they're hard to find. Not to mention you wanna support great artists and shops like this. My in-law actually booked an appointment (without my knowledge) w/ his friend who is a well-known OC tattoo artist that was booked for months, but I had to decline because I only trust Orly w/ my family.
So if you're looking for a spot that you'd only send your loved ones to...hit up Orly and Humble Beginnings.
Helpful tip: If people are gonna go w/ you, not only is there a Starbucks downstairs, there's places to grab food around the area and a pool table, lounge chairs, and tables to eat on in their "lobby" area to keep them busy while they wait for you.
came in to this tattoo parlor expecting some help, since i actually called and asked if i can come in to have a tattoo re done (basically just do the outline and fill it in) which would take an artist about 40 mins to do since no drawing or designing is necessary,
iv been looking for a good tattoo shop i can trust so i can my whole sleeve done, and i was testing it out by having that one redone, anyways after me calling and them telling me of course come in anytime well take care of it for you. I go in and of course no one even looks at me to help, i went up to one of the artists after waiting for 5 mins at the door cuz i didnt want to intrude. i talk to the guy and he goes oh were all busy now i dont have anybody even tho he was sittin there and there were other artists not doing anything. then he offers me to refer me to other tattoo shops around them, im like no im good, even tho i called and you guys said come in but whatever i guess. so  just rude and dont care about all customers equally. its hard to find a tattoo shop to be fully professional, i have more than 10 tattoo done all over the world at a lot of different tattoo shops and so far its hard to find a professional and friendly place but HUMBLE BEGINNINGS ISNT THAT PLACE ( GOOD TATTOO ARTISTS ISNT ENOUGH TO MAKE A GOOD TATTOO PARLOR )
I followed my tattoo artist Matt Hamlet to Humble Beginnings. I was a little hesitant due to the fact that I live in San Mateo and he is now in San Jose. The shop was pretty easy to find and didn't take too long to get there. The shop is on the second floor and takes up the whole floor. Before you walk in they have a pool table and some chilling areas. The shop is very clean and nice. I was there to see Matt and he got to work on my arm. It is a cover up and so far I have about 5-6 hours worked on it already. I freaking love it so far and I am actually in talks with him to design some art for my shins.
So of course Matt is very friendly and very artistic. Although I get shy around him, he makes me feel at ease while tattooing. The other artists at the shop are very nice as well. They get along with each other as well as their victims * cough*, I mean clients LOL. They are good conversationalist and made me laugh. I looked at some of the portfolios of the other artist and they are pretty bad ass, although I will be sticking with Matt. It is hard to find tattoo artist that you're comfortable with but I was lucky enough to find him. Â Matt is very professional and great at what he does. (Side note: Chickadees, I know it doesn't matter but he is pretty hot too)
I would suggest you taking a look at Humble Beginnings if you want a good atmosphere, friendly artist and above all, wicked awesome tattoos! Duh lol. I don't mind taking the trip out at all and will continue doing so. Matt will get back to you ASAP if you have any questions or concerns. Get your butt to Humble Beginnings already!
amazing tattoo shop!
they are very professional and have excellent artist. they will even direct you to who specializes in certain drawings, but 100% of them are very good. I got 2 doves on my chest in remembrance of my father, and he did a great job of telling me where i should put it and what he would do for me. he added his only little touches to the picture i gave him and it was absolutely perfect. price was very very reasonable and i even tipped 20. definitely recommend this place to everyone in the area...or the US.
Wow! Can not say enough good things about this place. The shop is clean (and I am a clean freak) and all of the people that work there are amazing at what they do. I have been going to Chris Gonzales for the last year and doubt I will go to anyone else ever again. He is great. Super friendly. And really worked with me. I absolutely love all of the work that he has done. This is the place to get tattoos in San Jose.
Review Source:I have been here numerous times and each experience has been great. I have since referred four people to this shop all of whom were worked on by Chris G. The staff there is great and I usually end up sitting and talking with some of the artists.
Orly, Sef and Toby are both extremely cool and add to the laid back atmosphere here. If your looking for good work and great artist this is the place.
This review is long overdue. Â I have always wanted to get a Polynesian leg piece done and I've researched local tattoo artists and by word of mouth here in the Bay Area and decided to go with Sefa from Humble Beginnings Tattoo. Â His work is truly amazing and well detailed. Â He also specializes in Polynesian art/design and is well known within the Polynesian community.. Â
It gets crazy busy here! Â From what I overheard, each artist is well booked in 1-2 months in advance. Â I set my appt with Sefa back in March and the earliest he had for me was the end of May. Â Don't even bother calling for an appt either...you'll never get connected. Â The place is chill. Â Love how they have island reggae music bumpin' through the speakers! Â
One last thing....CASH ONLY!  So don't bring your atm/debit card or a credit card  because they don't take them.
I got some traditional Filipino tribal work by Orly and he did not disappoint...I specifically flew in from Houston, Texas to see him. When he found out that I was only in the Bay for a few days, he gave me some tourist tips on the area. Hell, he even gave me the keys to his Chevy to cruise to a local mall; Orly was mad cool and I will see him to complete my inner elbow. (This area is empty because I don't have any children, but I will some day.) Sefa was cool, too and he gave me a ride to the SJ airport. Â Whenever people give me compliments about the ink, I speak glowingly about Orly and Humble Beginnings. I can't wait to go back. Â All of the artists are dope, but Orly inked me, so I'm biased :)
Review Source:Toby is my tattoo artist. I have been under the needle several times here. Â I have a big piece by Toby, which he personally drew on my back first (NO STENCIL) Thats true talent! I have several older tattoos, even one I regret (not from Toby). I have had my share of experiences in tattoo shops. One shop, where the guys tatted from one stupid book, no creative aspect at all. Â Another shop, where one artist told the client they do not have time to draw. Â And another shop where women will get harrassed..
Toby has always respected me, even helps me cover myself when I get up from the table (hence I am half naked with a room full of men), and lets me take a break when requested. Â Everytime I get inked, I chat with the other artists, other clients, and Toby sometimes offers me food when its there. Â As for him being busy, he has many clients... a fulltime artist, fulltime father as well. Â Appointments can last 3 hours or more. Â SO WITH MATH SKILLS.... 2-3 APPOINTMENTS WILL BE A WHOLE DAY'S WORK. Â Be patient. Â Tattoo artists are not hairdressers, where you are in and out.
This place is not Nordstrom, sales people at your becking call, telling you anything looks hella beautiful on you. This place has a bunch of talent who have been in the game long enough to be legit.
As for the one star reviews......IT'S A TATTOO. FOR LIFE. ON YOUR BODY. Â ARTISTS DO NOT WANT YOU TO REGRET IT. KEEP IT REAL WITH THEM, THEY WILL KEEP IT REAL WITH YOU. I waited a long time to get an appointment with Toby, but it was only bc I was so goddamn picky with who I personally wanted to work with. Â He keeps my tattoo looking clean, fresh, and sexy. Â
If you feel uncomfortable in this place to begin with, then leave. ITS A TATTOO, why go through with it if the artist is not agreeing with your requests. Theres plenty of tattoo artists out there who will probably do it with no questions asked. And you will not hurt Toby's feelings or any of the other talented artists in HB. Would you rather get a tattoo artist who rushes through all his/her work, or an artist who tries to take dedication and time with each client??
True artists here.
Like any really good tattoo shop, all the artists are insanely busy here. What really sets them apart for me is the fact that they are like a family in there and they treat their clients as such as well. As an added bonus the art is amazing. We had an idea of an idea and brought in pictures in a hope to further explain the tattoo wanted. The drawing that Chris came up with was amazing, like he read our mind. And the tattoo itself is even more amazing. So happy with this place I have a slew of work lined up to do here.
All in all I highly recommend this place to anyone looking to get that one of a kind tattoo put on that one of a kind body.
I finally got the chance to get a tattoo from humble beginnings and all i gotta say is im very satisfied.
The shop is nice and clean, very roomy.
 I set my appt with Orly which is best on tribal tattoos!!! So i advice to set your appt asap cause this guy gets very busy. Â
Im getting a half sleeve done of Filipino/poly tribal.  Orly free-handed  the design to work with my existing tattoo.  So after 2 hours of pain, i gotta say is that im very happy with the result so far.  I had to schedule another session to finish the sleeve up.  I cant wait to go back and finish it so i can post pics.
I really wanted to give them 5 stars but I am so disappointed that I can't. It's a long story and if you care please read.
I came here because of the great reviews and a couple of my friends got awesome tattoos as well. I had a quick consultation with Swype because he was the only available artist at the time. We talked about my ideas for my tattoo and agreed to put $100 deposit and set an appointment. After spending more time looking at their portfolios online, I decided that I wanted to work with Toby instead because his style seemed more suitable for what I was planning to get. Don't get me wrong I thought both Swype and Toby are equally talented. I called the shop a few times to talk to Toby but I was not able to because he was with a client.
A week later (7/15/11) I emailed Toby and he replied quickly that it would be okay to do the switch and have the $100 deposit transferred over. He said he would talk to Sywpe about it. I emailed back with my ideas and asked Toby if I could come in to schedule and appointment bc they don't take appts by phone. I didn't get a response so I decided to drive from SF to San Jose just to talk to Toby, but he was busy and he said he'd talk to me during his break. After waiting for about 1.5 hours he told me to come back at a later time when he's done with his client. I CAME BACK AND THEY SAID HE HAD ALREADY LEFT FOR THE DAY. I was a little upset because I got nothing out of my visit and he knew I came from SF. I wanted to be patient with them because I knew that in the end, I'll have a great tattoo.
So, a couple of days later (7/26/11) I emailed to tell Toby that he had forgotten about me and had left the shop without even letting me know. I didn't get a response so again, I drove down to San Jose again and I was able to talk to him for 15 minutes and scheduled an appointment to come in on 9/3/11 (When he returned from Hawaii) to see to see the drawing. I was really excited about it but when I drove down to San Jose on the appointment date, I found out that he was not coming in that day. I was FLAKED ON AGAIN. My actual session was scheduled for 9/10/11.
At this point I should be furious and burning up in flames but I nicely emailed Toby on (9/7/11) about everything and asked for my deposit back. He wrote back apologizing for being busy and said that he'd still love to work on my tattoo if I can still hang on. At this point, I felt bad for calling him out because he was so apologetic. SO, I DECIDED TO BE PATIENT AGAIN.
09/13/11 I emailed back saying that I had some time to think about it and decided that I'm willing to meet with him again to review the drawing. By, 09/21/11 I still had no response. SO IRRESPONSIBLE!
I drove down to San Jose one more time to talk to Toby in person because it's impossible to get a hold of him by phone. He was busy and told me to wait. I waited for almost 2 hours this time and Swype finally came up to me and asked me what's going on. HE SAID THAT TOBY DIDN'T WANT TO DO MY TATTOO ANYMORE BECAUSE HE FELT AWKWARD. He had no guts to call, email, or even talk to me in person? What kind of business is this? They are just driving their customers away. I was feeling terrible and Swype said that he can still do my tattoo if I wanted to. I thought fine, I'm probably not going to get my deposit back anyways and I was decided to work with him. Â I got an Appointment with Swype for 10/25/11.
10/25/11: Came in at appt time and drawing was not ready. I went in and waited about 45 minutes and it was done. It was not what I had imagined at all. I had shown him pictures before of what I wanted and how I wanted it to look. What he drew out for me wasn't even close. I had no choice but to have him just litterally trace out the drawing I originally showed him. After another 30 minutes of tracing, I said cool! I'm FINALLY getting my tattoo even though I had to go through so much sh*t for it. Â 2.5-3 hours later I had the outlines and some shading done.
TATTOO: the line quality was okay and it was super duper light. I thought to myself. I'm sure he knows what he's doing so I just waited for my 2nd session appointment to come. I never had my 2nd session done with Swype because I was out of town and I notified him about it.
During this time, I wanted to finish my tattoo in SF because it's more convenient for me. Â I visited a tattoo shop here in SF that my friend referred me to and the artist said that if I wanted me tattoo to hold up for many years to come, I would need the entire tattoo gone over because the lines were way too light. :( WOW I BASICALLY GOT TATTOOED FOR 2.5 HOURS WITH SWYPE FOR NO REASON. =/
01/8/12 I went in to the SF tattoo shop and had my tattoo outline completely re-done with some adjustments to make it look better. It's beautiful! I am sticking with my new artist and NEVER RETURNING TO HUMBLE BEGINNINGS. I realized that wasted so much time and money with them. This place is a hit or miss. 0 STARS from me.
I went in for my first session almost a week ago, and I am so pleased! (No photo yet, though, not until it's done and healed!)
I was a bit nervous the day leading up to it because Blake hadn't sent me his design sketch yet. I wish I had gotten in earlier because it would have given me some time with it and I would have been so much less anxious! But when I did get it at about 11:30 the night before, I just about swooned. It was so pretty! And Blake assured me the final drawing would be a hundred times better.
It was. It was also BIG. I was nervous about that and a bit unsure, but my friend whom I'd brought for moral support, whose taste I trust, assured me it was beautiful. I thought that this is most likely the only tattoo I will get, so I don't want to get less than what is the best design just because a moment's nerves. Blake agreed with this, and he was very patient as I worked through the decision. Finally, he placed the stencil on my arm/shoulder and got to working.
My friend and I chatted through the whole thing, and I used my Lamaze breathing in difficult spots -- over the bones on my shoulder and near the armpit. Blake was counseling a friend of his who had love troubles as he worked, and his voice, low and calm in my right ear as we talked, was actually very soothing. It was better than if he had been absolutely silent, which just would have been awkward. He even chimed in our conversation a couple of times, offering some interesting input.
Everyone in the shop is so nice and laid back, even the other clients -- perfect for putting you at ease. They were even playing music I like during the session -- at one point my friend and I stopped talking just to listen to The The's "This Is the Day."
It took two and a half hours to do the outline and a little shading. The result is so striking. I can't wait to get it shaded.
Very clean shop, very nice people. I got an old tattoo I got done somewhere else fixed/added on to by Tobias and I'm so glad he was willing to do it. He's super chill and an amazing artist. I'm not quite artistic myself and have a hard time articulating what's on my mind, but after briefly trying to describe what I wanted, he knew exactly what I meant and how to go about doing it. I had some suggestions and he politely gave input. He's extremely knowledgeable so I put 100% faith in him. He also did gorgeous cherry blossoms on my sister and they turned out so beautiful, I wish I had gone to him earlier!
I do wish they were a little more organized in their scheduling, but I guess every artist as his/her own preferences...
Anyway, San Jose is full of tattoo shops, so look around before you decide; I just personally highly recommend HB. After having gone to a few others, they are still my favorite.
Every experience here has been a good experience.
The guys here are nice, knowledgeable, and they make the art of tattooing approachable. I've had two tattoos from Swype now and he doesn't disappoint. He's able to take my ideas and craft them into something spectacular of having permanently on your body.
The secret to getting a great tattoo is not being afraid to ask questions. Or for me, you become trusting of your artist and at some point you let them run with it.
Definitely a place to keep in your book, when I went to do research and it was hard. A lot of the tattoo places were stuffy, made it hard to get an appointment or weren't willing to help me out at all.
Little did I know that, when you choose to begin--you should always (keep it) humble.
Trust.
One of the worst places I have ever been.
As a girl of many tattoo's I know what I want when it comes to body art, and I have been going to two people for all of my work. When I get work done, I expect a clean sterile and professional work environment.
I checked out their website which looked professional so I decided to check it out. We walk in and are greeted by a very relaxed kind of dude playing black ops in the front and blasting music to the point we couldn't talk. He tossed us the artwork books of the two guys available and said the first one done would help us out. We waited for 20 mins, with my decided tattoo in mind.
He doesn't even introduce himself to us, and we show him what I'd like. He gave me a very odd look (I wanted a napoleonic style bee) and he said he would rather do a realistic bee. I explained to him that this was the style I wanted, and if he would draw his interpretation of it I would take a look. He said he would be right back because he was going to search google. He couldn't find it so he asked us to email him a link of a picture. We did and he laughed at my request. He was rude, inconsiderate and said he only would do a realistic style bee, and pulled up what looked like a cartoon bee.
No thanks.....
I'll go to RWC instead at Homeward Bound and see Luis. He's been good to me for years and don't know why I even attempted to look elsewhere.
A very late review indeed.
I got my very first tattoo here. A big back piece of two lilys and an orchid. I researched the website and read reviews on Yelp and ultimately decided to book my appointment here. The place isn't hard to find as it is on the top story of a tan orange building on the corner of San Carlos and Race street.
The shop is full of guys talented in different ways. Being this 18-year old college kid with glasses and in complete workout gear I was a bit intimidated. It took about a half hour for anyone to notice that I was there. I asked for Tobias. He is very professional I gave him a couple of photos of what I wanted and gave him a  $60 deposit.
His first available appointment was in 6 weeks! Definitely worth the wait. On the day of getting my tattoo. He was an hour late and took another hour to sketch. It did take awhile but again it was definitely worth it. 4 hours later I had a beautiful black and white back piece and he said that touch-ups were free.
I had such a great first experience I went in again to get a foot tattoo of some waves on the arc of my foot. Tobias was away because I believe him and his wife had a baby. I had a short consultation with Roberto. He was great with consultation and told me where things could fade and not come out as expected. His style was great but didn't compare to Tobias'. I love my foot tattoo but it is a tad dark and thick which I hope will fade. He also charged quite a bit for such a small piece.
All in all this place is great... just make sure to research your artist and look thoroughly through their books on the front desk. This place is clean and amazingly decorated with all their artwork. Customer service is the only aspect where they kind of fall behind in regards to satisfying their clientele as it does seem a bit intimidating going in.
I know this review is a little late, but I got my tattoo about a month ago by Mel!
Beforehand, I had checked out their website and heard so much about Orly's and Sefa's work. With that, I definitely had an idea of having my first tattoo done by one of the two phenomenal artists, either Sefa or Orly, until I looked up a youtube video of Humble Beginnings and came across Mel's work! After a couple of weeks, I stopped by the shop and looked through their portfolios and knew I was set on having Mel tatt me up.
Lucky for me, she was at the shop that day and we were able to talk about what I had in mind. She was very friendly, easy to talk to, showed me the differences between hawaiian and tahitian tribal, and was able to quote me an estimated price for the size and positioning of my tattoo. She told me to just have a story in mind when I came in for my appointment :) I went back to the shop for my consultation, set up the date, and was well on my way for my first tattoo!
A couple of days before my appointment, Mel was kind enough to text me to let me know her client before me would be running late, so we pushed back my appointment a little while.
When I got there the day of my appointment, she was still working with her other client but I didn't mind because of course, her piece was gorgeous and I appreciate how Mel would take her time to ensure that she and the client would be very happy! About an 1.5 hours later, she cleaned up, set up, and was quick to start on me after having a long session before mine! Yet, she was full of positive energy and took just as much time on my piece. I told her what I had in mind as far as positioning and we had mutual conversation about our lives and from there, she just drew my piece on my hip to a little up my back naturally. I was speechless as to how the exchange of a summed up life was then beyond perfectly put into the piece she free-styled on my hip. She did neo-tribal with a mix of filipino and tahitian tribal which was done so beautifully.
Being that it was my first tattoo, she did a great job walking me through where it would probably hurt more than other spots and let me know when I wanted to take a break.
Two and a half hours later with 2 short breaks to sip on some gatorade, & another for swapping tools out for shading + so many good, chill, and funny talks and laughs with Mel and my bf, my tattoo was complete. My first tattoo experience was one that I'll never forget and it really wasn't as painful as I thought it would be (until the shading, lol).
Mel and Orly were also very helpful even after I got my tattoo because I guess I had some sort of reaction to something I put on my tattoo (probably aquaphor -_-) because I have very sensitive skin & now my tattoo is looking absolutely beautiful just like the day I got it!
I'm looking forward to adding on to my hip piece with Mel and getting other tahitian tribal tattoo done by both Mel and Orly in the near future! Humble Beginnings' name says it all about the shop, your experience, and the artists there + my tattoo's meaning only continues to grow with me each day!
Sef was freaking awesome!
Got my tatt this morning and was very happy with how it turned out! Sef did an awesome job and would definitely go back for more! The wait was worth it, it gave some time to save up and think what I want for my arm. Sef took good care of me as his customer, he made sure I was comfortable through out the session. He gave me a couple of brakes to grab a smoke (a plus!) I appreciate how these guys keep the place nice and clean. I have to say, Orley, that freaking Clorox was pretty strong! LOL! All in all, it was great experience! Keep up the good work guys!
Woohoo! Got my tattoo yesterday!
Mel had drawn up something, but it was a little bit too big for my foot so she shrunk it no questions asked.
I had no idea what to expect because it was my first tattoo so she walked me through everything and was actually pretty calming. She was funny and sarcastic which really put me at ease.
Like 5 minutes in I began to feel like I was going to pass out, so she stopped right away, got me a glass of water and gave me some gum  (also had the smelling salts ready, just in case. lol)
She was very attentive and periodically asked me if I was ok, and said that she could stop whenever I needed. I really appreciated that.
The tattoo took about an hour to complete and it looks amazing (hurt like hell, but looks amazing)
She said that because she had quoted me $180, she would only charge $140.
She walked me through the after-care and said that if I should feel free to come in if I noticed anything unusual. She gave me her personal number if I had any questions and sent me on my way.
Let me just say, that I've had my tattoo for less than 24 hours, and I've already gotten a ton of compliments.
If you are looking for a quality establishment with quality artists, this is the place for you. Thanks Mel, I'm officially part of the club! :)
I'm still bleeding. I had such an awesome experience I just had to hop on Yelp and leave a review. Mel was rad as hell. She was super patient while we were working out the fine details on the tattoo, she picked up on any suggestion or change I gave her really quickly. She was fast, pleasant, and did an awesome job. What else can you ask for? She even got me in on the same day, and I'm assuming Saturdays are somewhat busy.
Overall, super awesome experience. This was my first tattoo but Mel made me feel so comfortable I could've sworn I had a few tattoos I must've forgotten about.
So...
When it comes to a tattoo, I'm one of those people who know just what I want, but have no idea what it looks like (so to speak). Â I mean I'm not a complete idiot when it comes down to it... but I am rather vague. Â
I came into the shop wanting a mirrored phrase tattoed to a very sensitive area. Â I just came up with this brilliant idea, despite the fact I have not gotten a tattoo that I've been wanting for some 5 years or so now. Â Anyhow the point is, my showing up for this genius idea of mine was very very spur of the moment. Â
I knew I wanted mirroring but had no idea what font, and knew that both the sort of tattoo I wanted and the place in which I wanted it, were very fragile. Â I was really worried, and had my fears settled by Mel. Â
The other guys at the shop sort of blew me off. Â Perhaps it's because I had a huge red post-it on my forehead that said "I don't know what the f*&^k I want"? Â Perhaps?
Anyway, Mel was awesome. Â She really took the time to baby me through a whole speech about what colors would show well on my skin (black, black, black, and well... black), the level of difficulty involved in mirroring, and the sort of risk I would be exposing myself to if I got a tattoo in said sensitive area. Â She made me feel super comfortable about getting a De Vinci style mirrored design, that she was completely new to. Â
That being said... I still haven't gotten the work done, yet. Â No. What can I say... I'm a pussycat.
:l
I got my first tattoo here and my artist was Drew. I should've waited for Mel to do it. Ayeeee, my lines and corners on my tribal isn't as smooth and sharp as they should be. There's even a corner with two lines that doesn't connect.
I also got my Chinese name with it, and there's a wrong stroke on it.
Nonetheless, I still love my tattoo and  no one knows it's wrong...except me. Fuhhhh.
Got my first Tattoo today!....took me forever like years to decide what I wanted and finally got what I wanted. I had to say my experience here was "exciting, stressful, anxious and great in the end"
I had to give 4 star because on the day on my session I was originally suppose to come in at 6pm but was told to come in an 1hr later. So when I arrived I felt a little uncomfortable waiting and more waiting, I almost felt like my artist wasn't fully prepared to take me in...mind you...I am a little bit nervous because this is my first tat! and I'm all a lone, wish I would have brought a friend for moral support ....but the part that was stressful for me was trying to get the tattoo positioning on my shoulder...it was a small piece but I am going to be precise, so of course the first try wasn't done the way I wanted by my artist so he had Mel--Thankfully, was really patient with me. I know she wiped and paste that ink copy on me like 5x....but in the end I was really really HAPPY with it....I wish I would had tip her though.... Regardless Thanks Mel you're great!!
But getting the tattoo was cake, I hear all these stories how painful it could be but I guess it's different for everyone....everything went well, I like the fact that this was a clean place....all in all I liked the outcome, I'm really liking my new tattoo and i'm already thinking about getting more! I would recommend HB...but I say shop around, get to know your artist more and build a connection with him/her
Good Luck.
Went back again in November and decided to add more to my already beautiful TAT!! Â Mel hooked it up AGAIN!! Â She will not fail you. Â I now have a quarter sleeve that looks great!! Â The lines are nice and bold where they are suppose to be. Â The curves are sexy and clearly defined! Â I brought a friend with me and she was talking about what kind of tat she wanted...blah blah blah....and when Mel was finished with me, my friend found herself in the chair getting the tat she was talking about. Â It was GREAT!! Â My friend loves it and very satisfied!! Â As you can see from the reviews, this is the place to get tatted. Â
Taking my nephew to Mel in March for his first tat (awww *tear*). Â I trust her completely that she will make his visit a very great experience. Â You never know...I may leave with another tat....hehehehe
Yeah I am totally not surprised this place has five stars and 106 reviews - it's one of the best tattoo studios I have ever seen. Â Not only is it completely sanitary, organized and clean smelling, but the art is top notch. Â
I have been getting ink from Swype since the last shop he was at and let me just say - huuuuuge improvement on the location. Â It's nice to walk in and see everything going on, but still have a ton of room to move around. Â Playing ping pong or pool outside is also a blast. Â
Also, they are constantly hosting guest artists from all over the world, so if you are looking for something a little different, they offer that too. Â Their pricing is also very reasonable, especially compared to other shops of this quality in the area. Â
I recommend this place whenever I hear someone is looking for a new piece, and between the array of artists there they can do pretty much any kind/style. Â Check it out if you are looking for something that's going to be with you for life!
When my sister and I wanted to get our next tattoo done together, I googled and researched of the different tattoo shops within San Jose. Â I came upon Humble Beginnings and loved it b/c I was able to see profiles of the tattoo artists and their work. Â All the profiles looked amazing! Â I asked my sister to look at the profiles to choose the tattoo artist and we both chose the same guy. :)
My sister flew from Boston to have her tattoo done by Toby. Â The geisha warrior he drew up for her was awesome and it took her two trips to have her tattoo done. Â I also had my 3rd, 4th tattoo and touch-up on a previous tattoo done by Toby. Â Although I brought in my own design for Toby to tatt, his coloring/shading skills was over the top. Â I loved it and so does all the ppl who have seen it! Â
The shop is full of guys, but they are funny, easy-going and very friendly... All are very creative and passionate with what they do per my observation and of course, being tatted by one of them. Â The setting is comfortable and music is always playing. Â Have one more tattoo to go and look forward to coming back to Toby to have it done. :)
The only downside of this location is parking. Â Either get drop off or get there early before your appointment to find parking.
You looking for a great bunch of guys that just so happen to Tattoo? Then this is the place to go.
I'm currently in the process of finishing a half arm sleeve with Sefa. He is way down to earth, easy to talk to and a very clean artist.
I will say that if you are looking to get a tat here, make sure you stop by & visit. Â Its good to go through their photo albums & talk to who suits you.
And they do everything...well except for a "running Felix the Cat". That was a funny story.
I will update my review once my piece is finished.
**UPDATE**
Just finished my left shoulder 1/2 sleeve with Sefa. As Black Rob said it in his song...."It's like WHOA!"
Sefa & Orly are too cool. My style of tattoo is a Polynesian Tribal design. If you are looking for this style, there is no other noted and most talk about Tattoo artists here at HB. (Did I mention their line of clothing .....cukui.com. check it!) They also have other artist whom I havent met yet that do all other genres of tattoo. So you cant go wrong here.
This place is legit. If you want a quality tribal piece done ANYWHERE in Northern California, or even ALL of California, this is where you have to go. Their artists are trained to pay the closest attention to detail and to always make sure their art sticks to traditional tribal designs. They incorporate your ideas and materialize it with passion and professionalism.
I got a couple pieces done here by Mel. I've known her forever and she is good friend of mine, so I am glad I was able to share that experience with her. Even before she joined the humble family, this shop was renowned around the bay area. Everyone whose everyone went here. To top it all off, it is a real chill and friendly environment. You can lounge around, play pool, or just sit and chat.
Here's a tip: try to have a concrete idea of what you want, if you're not sure, be real about it, they will help you out. Also, parking can get scarce so you may want to consider either being dropped off or parking at Walgreens across the street.
Hats off the the humble family! Enjoy!
I got my first piece by Mel at HB and it was an awesome experience. I was thinking of getting some work done for quite some time but nothing ever materialized. A close friend was getting work done by Blake (who is also an amazing artist) and was in for his second session so I went in with him to speak to Orly and set up a time for a consultation. I guess this is where the saying "If you hang out at the beach you're gonna get wet" starts to become true.
So, long story short Mel walks in and has 2 cancellations and decides she could take me right then and there. After a quick consultation I'm getting tattooed.
I couldn't be happier with the work and professionalism I received. Definitely a classy place with top-notch artists. I'll be returning for #2.
I came here last year to get my 4th tattoo done on my left arm. I always hear and know that Orly is the guy to go to for tribal work amongst others. However, I came here to get work done by Mel after being referred to her by a friend.
I got the Philippine Sun and Stars from the flag but had changed the stars to "norcal stars" to make it look different from the sun and stars everyone else has. She did a great job and I get plenty of compliments on the tattoo all the time.
I know that they recently moved locations and have never been to their old one, but the newer location they have is really clean and spacious and not all junky and run down like alot of tattoo shops you normally see. The hospitality Mel and the staff here was excellent as well being that my piece kept them there past closing time. They weren't rushed or irritated that my piece was taking long and even took my song requests on their stereo and even offered me beer while I was getting my work done.
The reviews are true people, HB is truly legit!
Very talented artists..
I personally get my tattoos done by Orly who is a master at tribal..
I've yet to come back home and finish my piece .. but it's always a good vibe coming into the shop.
I got my second tattoo, [first tattoo with orly] in the old shop on 1st street.. which was the start of my body piece... Â and it's been a cool experience for years after adding on slowly. Â i think i've been tattooed in each shop downtown.
It's comfortable.. clean.. the environment is very artsy fartsy and fun. Â kind of an island eclectic feel...
I'm not sure how great walk ins go, but it's probably not a good idea to expect that someones available as a walk in. Â it's probably a good idea to come in, meet the guys.... get a feel of what you want and let them know what you want so they can set you up with the perfect person. Â I know they have a lot of artists who have specific specialties, so it's best to choose accordingly and do not be afraid to ask questions. Â Everyone in the shop is friendly and inviting so don't be intimidated by the guys and their tattoos... they're all pretty goofy and easy going guys.
If you bring the homies for support during your tattoo.. they have a pool table and lots of books and art to look at while they wait. Â
Chances are, if you see tribal in the streets, it's most likely done by the master of tribal himself.. mr. orly! Â he's a primo artist and just all around good guy.
ps:  here's the actual website.. i don't think link provided is the right one:  <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.humblebeginningstattoo.com%2Fhbhome.html&s=6c9de94fb5f5d67824c0be95c36092ba57ada4b5738a1b02339e16f2f2ea2c3b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.humblebeginni…</a>
Clearly this place is legit. Amongst all of the reviews posted for this tattoo studio, they still have a 5 star rating. I would say "nuff said" and not write the rest of my review however I would like to give credit where it is due.
Quite a few of my friends have gotten work done by either Toby,Swype or the man Orly. After much consideration I had finally made the commitment in getting a half sleeve and I went to toby for the piece of art I wanted forever on my body ha ha. I booked my appointment and impatiently waited for it . When I finally saw my stencil from Toby I was in complete love and thankful I went to a reputable place for my tattoo. Although it is not finished I cannot wait to go back and gain all the great service and artwork this place has to offer.
Thank you Toby you created an amazing piece ( I have a picture posted if anyone wants to check it out)
The vibe you get here is great. Everyone is nice and easy-going. It makes it a better experience while having a needle jabbing at you for hours.
Toby is the best!! He have done many of my friends' sleeves as well as my boyfriend's sleeve. My boyf always get questioned where he gets his sleeve done.
Toby did my ribcage, and a cover-up on my foot. I went to several tattoo parlors in SJ for the cover-up (even the ones with highest and most ratings on yelp), and no one really helped me out, or gave me a solution. I was given a few suggestions of water waves or unbloomed lotus in blue. I didn't like the tattoo on my foot, but I would rather have that than a piece of crap glob on me. While I was getting my ribcage finished up, I asked Toby about my foot, even though he was booked solid. He said I can do about anything on my foot, but just in darker colors. So I google'd flowers and things that I liked and MMS it to him. He texted me when he had an opening. My coverup was done in one session. I adore it.
Toby pays a lot of attention to details and color, which I appreciate. Come here if you like detailed and quality work.
OK. so my very first yelp will be on Humble Beginnings. Yay, a little delayed getting an account..
I walked in to Humble Beginnings in either late February or early March. It's been maybe just a month.
The place was nice well ventilated, clean, roomy and everyone was real nice.. making eye contact and making sure I was being helped. So I immediately got a good vibe from this spot.
I had an idea of what I wanted but I needed some help with execution.
This cool cat was like "well take a look at our portfolios and tell me if a certain style catches your eye".
Once I had a style to play off of dude was like yeah, I can do that no problem..
He offered to go on line and get some general images.. made my appointment and I was stoked. I ended up bringing in some of my own images the next day though just to be sure there wasn't any time wasted mine or his' better to be positive on the details right.
The day of my appointment I came in my artist was on time and I had no problems he made sure the art was exactly what I wanted and that I liked the position as well as taking time to make sure I was comfortable. He had a light hand and it went by quick, I was done in an hour and a half.
I wish I could remember his name... so I could give him some props. I checked the website and I think I know who it is but I'm not positive.. so I don't want to throw it out randomly..
So yeah, the tattoo session went by fine... however the next day I started having some sort of reaction and was kinda freaking out.. so I called and spoke with Jeff he was like come on in so we can see what's going on with it.
Turns out I was having an allergic reaction to Aquaphor... but Jeff recommended an alternate product and made me feel real comfortable that he was confident there weren't any signs of infection.
And tattoo is perfect in my opinion.. healed nicely and no more problems the Aquaphor was defiantly the culprit in the temporary "freak out"
Thank goodness!!!!
So totally recommend this place!
LEGIT.
Is really the only word to describe this place. GF and I decided to get tats together here and after a month of waiting, we met up with Toby again to do the damn thang.
Some facts:
-Right above Starbucks - near McD's and Walgreens, convenient
-Parking is limited but there's a safeway across the street you can park at np
-Big spot, clean shop, awesome vibe
-Cash only
Even though Toby pushed our appointment back about 2hrs, we're still givin' him big big love -- both of our tatts [my first] came out absolutely fantastic and it was so much greater than we expected!! My GF got a phoenix for a sleeve and I got a quote on my right forearm.
Toby was considerate enough to let us know about the change of plans way ahead of time and we really appreciated that.. he was a funny guy and made us both feel very comfortable on the chair. You know that your tattoo artist is good if they're intuitive to your needs, even before any words are spoken. Toby was designing my GF's sleeve til 3 in the morning the night before just trying to get everything perfect -- and it truly shows in his work. My draft turned out a little big for my small forearm [haha] but he shrunk it a little and even helped me with placement..
We're definitely going back for more tatts, if you're looking to get yours done.. Toby is your man!! Cleanest details I've ever seen on a tat and his script is flawless too!!
if you looking for tribal they got two folks that can do it here for you, for tattoo's sometimes they got a chief that comes bye from hawaii he can do regular tribal tats and other designs free hand and also he can do tatau which is traditional hand tap I dont' know if he does the hand tap tatting here but he does do it in Hawaii. His name is Chief Aisea he did my tat on my left upper arm few years back he has also done a few other tats for some of my friends, every tat he does is very detailed you can tell he loves his work.
If you looking for the regulars Orly is super helpful and does some large tribal tats you can visit there site and see each of there artist work. <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hbtat2.com%2F&s=25a054b316cf1b371f425034a2ac607159cb595e4d458194495b0d24a4b222c9" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.hbtat2.com/</a>
If I am ever to get another tat I would come here for some more tribal work
TATS ***** excellent work
price depends on what you are getting
ambiance **** second floor very large venue
service ***** excellent service
The Saints made it to the Super Bowl. OMG.
So I HAD to get my Saints tattoo.
Humble Beginnings came HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (by family and friends), so I made an appointment with Jeff.
Jeff gave me sound advice on my tattoo, discussing colors, shading, sizing, etc. He didn't want it to look "cheap" and made sure I was happy with his design before embarking with the needle.
The staff was friendly and funny. It made me feel at home. One of the staff members went on a beer run for me and I greatly appreciated that.
After 15 minutes under the needle, my tattoo came out AWESOME.
Jeff is AMAZING and I highly recommend him.
NO PAIN, NO GAIN.
WHO DAT.
I love this shop! It's clean, the artist are friendly and so are their clients. The location is easy to get to, but the parking is kind of tough because you have to fight all the coffee addicts getting their Starbucks downstairs for a parking spot.
Blake has wicked talent. He's doing a huge back piece of Kuan Yin on me. This is my 3rd tattoo done by him, and my biggest piece by far. I trust his eye for detail and imagination for putting things together. He is why I drive from Sacramento to San Jose to get my work done.
I got my first tattoo in around May of this year. I looked at about 5 other tattoo shops before I settled on this one. Â There is a clean, welcoming, and professional feel. Â Everyone there seems to be down-to-earth. Not to be stuck-up but I went to a lot of skeezy shops before I found this one. :)
I knew exactly what I wanted coming in and my artist (who was a guest artist at the shop, so... yeah) was so patient. Â I got my tattoo on the top of my foot, so of course it hurt like a bitch... but my tattoo artist was patient and allowed me to take breaks. It ended up looking beautiful and classy. Â She took her time and I don't think I will ever need it filled in.
I am writing this update for my artist Toby. Just got done with my 3rd session here at HB (one more to go). I LOVE my geisha sleeve, and the colors are beautiful. It turned out better than i imagined it and can't wait for it to be done. This tattoo shop is full of personality and talent, you wont regret going here.
BIG UPS to TOBY! highly recommend him!
Humble Beginnings is an AMAZING shop. The staff is great, all the artists are at the top of their game, great work done by all. Love the atmosphere of the shop too. It's very welcoming, great tunes playing, everyone is having a good time joking around, telling stories, just over all a great vibe. I HIGHLY recommend  getting your tattoo done here.
NOW on to my tattoo guy. BLAKE, is fantastic. Seriously. His work is phenomenal. My profile picture is proof of it too, check it out and see what I mean. BLAKE knows what needs to be done in order to have a great looking tattoo. His colors pop, and he has a great eye for detail. I gave him my idea, and after that just let him run with it. He knows what he's doing and I don't really have to say anything. He is also a great artist as well, which I think helps a lot with his color uses. It's fun to watch him work too, mixing his inks to get just the right shade. I have a few more sessions to go before my sleeve is done, and anxiously await them. On top of his professional work he is a cool guy too. Very nice, easy to talk with, and an all around good guy.
SO in closing, the shop is GREAT, BLAKE IS THE MAN, and if you want a beautiful looking tattoo, go to Humble Beginnings!!!
I got mine done at the old shop! Â Jessico did a great job; no longer with them, but Orly's crew is world class! Â When you walk in there, you automatically get a feel for the passion they put into their work and how much they take pride in it. Â The place is squeaky clean, the nicest islanders to hangout with. Â They welcome you with open arms, and make you feel like a member of their family! Â It seems like they only tattoo their own because everybody just seems to kinda know each other. Â They all share tattoo experiences and the significance of their bodyarts. Â It just has a feel good vibe! Â I could hangout there and just watch them! Â
Pay them a visit if you're thinking about gettin inked.
Came here for my first tattoo.
Being a total noob to the tattoo scene, you kind of have a stereotypical image of what these facilities must look like. Walking into H.B. was quite a surprise. Place was real bright and clean and almost homey feeling.
The guys here are all real nice, laid back and talented. I brought in a picture of what I wanted and they suggested me to one of their artists who seemed confident that he could get it done. And Roberto did good! I love it and it looks great!
Only thing though...no credit cards. But, it's definitely worth it.
Even tho I did not get work done inside Humble Begginings. I did get work done by Orly at Seventh Son in SF. I initially drove down from SF to book Orly at HB, but he told me he goes to SF once a week so I was down for that!
The shop is stacked full of the dopest artwork. I have not experienced getting a tattoo here but going into the shop looks like I'd def enjoy being here. Friendly staff, heaps of great artwork (take a look at the shoe case!), and insanely good artists!!
Orly is the man! He hooked me up with the sickest half sleeve! I'm sure the artists at HB are all on the same level of artistic craftsmanship as their shop owner!
First things first...
Tobias Torres, thank you for making my first tattoo experience an amazing one =]. If you're thinking about going to him for a tattoo, he will NOT disappoint you!
I came in about two months ago with a printout of a lotus flower I googled and a lot of ideas on my mind. He gave me his contact info and preferred we communicated via e-mail. Although it took him awhile to respond, he told me to leave everything up to him--I completely trusted him when he said this because I've seen his portfolio and it's pretty damn good =].
So, the day came and he comes waltzing in with his backback and a folded up drawing of what was going to be inked onto my skin. I loved it!!! The lotus flower was exactly what I wanted, and the words he added was a perfect addition to my new tat.
Now onto actually getting it done...
I was soooo nervous and when he told me my pants had to come down, I was thinking, "I've only seen you twice and I'm not ready to show you my undies!", but he totally made it comfortable and really fun. When things started getting painful, he would crack jokes, sing songs (off tune hehe), and everything!!!
When I saw the finished product on my hip, I almost cried. It looked so clean, nice, the shading was perfect, and it definitely had everything I wanted for my first tattoo. I left really happy and I hope to come back again soon =].
My piece is finally finished! I'll upload a pic so everyone can see Blake's radness.
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblakebrandtattoos.com%2Fartwork%2F860045.html&s=8b5171e5d030fdc9c43eb3e05343d42f6acc82c53684922eb5a16c88d53c1501" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://blakebrandtattoos…</a>
Humble Beginnings has a plethora of exceptional artist that are dedicated to their work.
I have two pieces from HB, one from Orly and one from Tobias, both are on point and exactly how I wanted my tattoos to be.
After going here, I gave the good word out to my friends and a good amount have been coming here to get work done.
So much quality work comes out this shop it's just ridiculous.
I don't know how long exactly their waiting list is but it's worth the wait.
Toby's work is precise. The shading in his artwork is super clean and detailed. He did a touch up and also worked on my ladies lower side back hibiscus's. It's been like two years but that thing is still looking as sexy and fresh as ever.
Orly has crazy mad skills. Is it even possible to literally perfect a craft? Yeah, he did when it comes to Polynesian art.
It's very cool to see this shop truly come out of humble beginnings. I remember their previous locations were super tiny. Now they have a ping pong table, foosball table, AND a Street Fighter 2 machine while you wait? Niiice. Everyone over here is super chill too. Yeah the wait is worth it.
Rating a Tattoo Studio is kinda lame, because really its all about the individual artist.
Yeah the shop is clean, yeah the location is chill, yeah its near Starbucks and McDonalds (which is a downer for me) ... but that is NOT why I go there. I admit, I do like the shop banter and the work that I have seen from the other artists are all uniquely outrageous...but really...its about the needle...and after twenty Five years of tattoo experience I have landed in Jeff Croci's chair.
I decided to sleeve it up full scale and had an "idea" what I wanted. I had convo'ed with Jeff when he was at that other place in Mtn View while he did an "enhancement" on an existing tattoo. Jeff has an amazing way with color and it not afraid of using it!!
I'm thinkin this and I'm kinda thinkin that was pretty much what he had to work with and I must say his interpretation of my absolute vagueness has turned into ... "that is *&%&ing SICK" Even my Mother, who wails and wallows with classic guilt over the tattoos petted my arm and said "the color is so bright and sharp"...for my Mom that is tantamount to a personal sit down with JC!!
I have about another year of appointments to go before I am done...(ha ha ... that word does NOT exist in relation to tattooing) or until Jeff says we are done...I have THAT much confidence in his discretion and frankly...his work is ... well...SICK!!
I love this place!!
I had wanted a tattoo for the longest time, and finally got one at this place. Â I visited the shop back when they were at the old location and was impressed then. Â By the time I got my bravery up to get my tattoo they moved to the San Carlos location.
The feel at this place is cool. Â It's like kicking back at your friends house. Â The people are friendly and laid back. Â I would hang out there even if I wasn't getting a tattoo.
My tattoo was done by Tobi (who by the way is great). Â Very nicely down. Â I'll download a pic soon.
i am completely satisfied and in love with my tattoo. Â Toby did a fantastic job and he's such a trooper because right before my piece, he did my friend's, which was another 2 hours.
So days before my scheduled appointment, i was getting really antsy (first timer) because i had no idea what to expect and how the art looked. so i tried to contact toby, but all you need to know is, that guy is a very busy dude. kinda reminds me of Carmen San Diego. but definitely, if it's toby, you can trust his work. i absolutely love his shading and lines he did for me. the pain is well-worth it, when it's coming from HB.
the location is roomy with cool decor & color. Parking lot is somewhat small, so i suggest parking across the street at the Safeway & McDonald plaza. if you're looking for banks, Safeway has a Wells Fargo ATM inside and driving is required for Bank of America. I think the shop is kinda hard to find on a first try basis, so just look for the Starbucks near Safeway, and the shop will be upstairs of Starbucks. Â
scheduling my appointment, i had to put down a $100 deposit, but that eventually goes to your tattoo. if i heard correctly, rates were going at $140/hr, but ask to be sure. i don't know much about rates with tattoos, but i think every penny is worth going to HB, if i know for damn sure i'm going to love my piece.
overall, ask for Toby. he will do your tattoo justice.
This is where I came w/ my cousin to get my first 2 tattoos. Â I got inked by Shortie (I think that was her name?) and my cousin got inked by ... i forgot his name but I think he was mexican. Â From the looks of their updated website, neither of the two are there anymore. Â Anyway ... all my tattoos I've designed pretty much myself so I can't really judge their designing skills (oh, but I did see Orly freehand a tribal design on someones side .. that was SICK). Â I paid $90 for a small tattoo on my wrist and something similar to a chinese symbol on the back of my neck ... not too bad I guess?
p.s. cash only and parking is a b*tch.
I recently got my tattoo finished by Toby. He is an amazing artist and he puts a lot of thought into the tattoo he does. I knew what I wanted and I gave him a couple of sketchbooks with pages tabbed. He choose the final piece and I loved it! Three cute little birds that were colored in very well. The colors were amazing on the birds, red, gold and purple. He does a wonderful job on shading!
He placed the tattoo where he thought would compliment me and it really did. Now I get complimented at least once every where I go!
I am definitely going back to him again.
So I got recommended to go to TOBY at humble beginnings by a friend.
It was my first tattoo and was nervous because i have seen some funky art and i didnt want to get stuck with a bad job because  it will be with me for life ..
I went in and Toby drew a picture of exactly what i wanted. He had to draw a bee 3 times before i really liked it! He was sooo patient the whole time and was a sweet heart!
After the pain.... I was so extremely HAPPY of the results.
EVERYONE I TALK TO.... I RECOMMEND THEM Â TO GO TO TOBY... HE IS THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
--THANKS TOBY =)
This place is legit hands down. I came here to get my very first tattoo at the studio before the one they have now. I was nervous since it was first but i was relieved to know how inviting, acknowledging and chill everyone was there. I got a filipino sun done by Jackson and i was satisfied, his hands were delicate and i didn't feel pain at all(even ask my friend Blake who witnessed my 2 hr work). I always bring up this place when i hear people talk about tattoos.
A little on the pricey side but that doesn't mean jack when this art is gonna be on you forever. I will definetly be back for more, thanks HB!
I found this place by word of mouth. Â I got my first tattoo here from Jack last summer. Â He was very helpful and professional. Â I received many nice compliments. Â I would recommend this place to anyone looking to get some ink done. Â :-) Â
(It hurt like hell because I got it on my left hip, but hey what did I expect!?)
We were referred to Humble Beginnings by my boyfriend's cousin because of their great tribal artwork, especially Orly's because of the training he has undergone...
However, I got my first tattoo done here by Corey...and it's not his fault it didnt come out exactly what I wanted....i was too anxious to have it...it's cool though, when I came back to get my second tattoo he said I could make an appt to fix it no problem...yayyy! [btw, still havent made that appt but that's my fault]
Anyways, I got my second tatto done by Orly and I love love love it!! This time, I described what i wanted, he drew a few pictures, and i picked elements that i liked from the pictures, and he drew the final sketch. I just got a tribal turtle between my shoulder blades so it took about an hour and he was pretty reasonable for the work that he did. Of course, I would highly recommend him!! He also did my boyfriend's big calf tribal that took two sessions or so and my boyfriend alwayssss gets complimented on the work.
I got three big tattoos and two small tattoos here...I will be coming back for many more!
My first tattoo was done by a special artist from Hawaii. Â Three of my tattoos were done by Cory who is very nice and down to earth! Â My last tattoo that takes up half my back and that is behind my ear is done by Orly.
The place is very cozy and the staff is very friendly and makes you feel comfortable. Â They have a few special artists come in every month, which is pretty neat.
Overall, they are just great and they don't just specialize in Asian-Poly Designs/Tribals --that's one of their specialties, but they do other styles as well.
HB has recently moved their studio over to san carlos street - a few mins away from their old location on santa clara street .orly's name comes up quite a bit for tribal and filipino pieces. probably one of the better ones to go to for folks researching ancient alibata or filipino script.
strentgh of this studio is grey and black as well as tribals. ALSO, if youre looking for script whether its filipino, chinese or kanji HB is a good place to start selecting an artist.
I got my first tattoo here, last night. Tobias is a freaking nice ass guy. Seriously, what a nice guy! When I get my tattoo finished up I'll  bring cookies or something.
Everyone I know has gotten a tattoo here, so I'm not just speaking for me. I'm speaking for like 40 other people.
Edit 8/15/07: This isn't a tacky point and pick tattoo shop. What you get here is one of a kind. Notice how Orly freehands his tattoos? That's so no one else IN THE WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD will have the same tattoo as you. But really, if you prefer to have the same barbwire dragon as the guy sitting next to you in Quizno's, go crazy with that!
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