If you are looking to get a piercing in Los Angeles, look no further than Ink Monkey. Their resident piercer, Jason, is a true professional. I came to Jason after my tragus piercing, which I got in Barcelona (not the best idea I've had), became infected. He helped me more than the ear, nose & throat doctor I also saw for my ear, and for that I had to write a Yelp review! Jason is incredibly experienced (see his Instagram: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iphoneogram.com%2Fu%2F49913240&s=3ed5336d1cdbb4a16635ff92ffc72cf3da43da78f920242577049cd46a576ffa" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.iphoneogram.c…</a>), super knowledgable (answered all my questions (I had a lot) and sent me home with printed-out, clear instructions), and has a great disposition (the most important quality for anyone working with your physical body). The next time I get a piercing, I will only go to Jason.
Review Source:Been wanting to get my first tattoo for a while now, ive been to at least five different shops in the west LA area and settled on Ink Monkey. My artist Pedro was super freindly as was all the staff there. Pedro made sure the tattoo was exactly what i had invisioned in my head and placed exactly how i wanted it befor he started, I felt totally comfortable talking with him and telling what i did and didn't want. all in all the tattoo took about 2 1/2 hours and i couldnt be happier with it.
 Price wise Ink Monkey wasnt the cheapest (i paid 200 flat) but they definatly werent the most expensive ( i had been quoted at 350 at other places) Pedro stuck with his quote spot on and i really appreciated that. I'll definatley be going back for my next ink.
They also offer a free touch up after the first month if you need/ want one!!
Thanks Ink Monkey & Pedro!!!!
I'll make this short and sweet. I'm 33 years old and I let my ear piercings from 4th grade heal up. I was so intimidated to go to a piercing shop because I felt so juvenile, but after ready reviews on yelp I took a deep breath and walked inside the handsome brick building. Jason was awesome. Informed me of how relieved he was that I didn't go back to the mall or let some one use the gun on me, and busted all these myths about how to care for something as simple as an ear piercing. I have to admit, I've tried a few times over the years to repierce my ears at home and it always need up infected and ultimately I'd let it heal again. This time, no pain, no swelling, no nothing! It's incredible. I'm so happy I went to Jason at ink Monkey!
Review Source:My friend decided she was ready for her first tattoo, and wanted me to find the best place for her. And I certainly did! I called a few days in advance, and found that they only take reservations or appointments with a cash deposit and in-person. Kinda lame, but with everything else was so on point, I don't mind. The guy I talked to suggested we just show up at opening and pretty much guaranteed we'd get in.
With her tattoo, I decided I wanted to get my nose pieced. So we drove down together and walked in together.
Let me just say, this is one of the best decorated tattoo shops I've seen. No cheesy flash on the walls, clean, and comfortable.
I got my nose pierced while she worked with her artist, all-in-all we made it out about an hour and a half after we walked in.
Both gentlemen were very clear about the care instructions and were completely professional.
Bottom line:
I think it would be cool to have a better appointment system. Also, an official greeter. We felt a little lost and it would have been nice to have someone approach us.
But seriously, they were perfect. The piercer was amazing - a true artist. The tattoo artist was awesome, and when I get work done in the future, I will definitely call him first.
My girlfriend and I spend the day getting tattoos from Saul. My piece was a big one and my girlfriend got two smaller pieces. When we first met Saul I could tell he was confident in his abilities. I gave him the ideas of what we wanted and he sketched it up in no time.
I gave Soul a photo of what I would like and asked him to do something with it, what came out to my surprise was a work of art. Well done mate and thanks for doing it on what was supposed to be your day off. I would recommend with ease and will go back for more..
TALENT TALENT TALENT. Â I've had two great experiences here. Â The first time I came for a nose piercing. JASON was awesome. Very skilled and professional! Â He takes his work seriously and I'm grateful for that! Â I love the nose piercing he did for me. Â The second time I came in, I came in to get a whack tattoo fixed. Â The previous artist from another shop had pretty much destroyed my skin, and the vision I had for my tattoo on my skin. Â Enter SAUL, SAUL SAVED the day! Â I let my crappy tattoo heal up from the idiot monster who had gotten to it first. Â I wasn't sure it could be saved...but SAUL made it look AMAZING!!!!! Â I wish I would have come to him first! Â Now, I KNOW BETTER!! Â Thanks guys! You ROCK. Â So grateful!
Review Source:Just needed somewhere to get my navel ring taken out. I had tried a couple times myself and had my cousin try with pliers to no avail. The place was clean and they made me feel comfortable. Jason was awesome and it took mere seconds! No pain, and I was out of there in just a couple minutes. He refused the tip I wanted to give him at first, but I insisted. Great place!
Review Source:I waited a few days to write this review, so that it stands a little stronger behind what I write.
Firstly, this is what I proudly wear now: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lpassociation.com%2Farticleimages%2F081410-084233_ATS3.jpeg&s=15b6becff5c27daa33e68102ecdf1f7ab90c06e8642b39ac655cdb1e7b4c1aad" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.lpassociation…</a>
1) The back story: I went through --twenty-six-- different artists before I went into Justin Coppolino and Saul Vargas' original shop in Sherman Oaks, asking "Can you do this?"
Saul said yes, and told me why, gave me an estimate of time needed to execute, and an estimate of cost. He also told me right off the bat the minimum size it needed to be to have the details and also what he saw to be necessary to make it stand out.
From the very beginning, I felt pretty solid in making him my last artist to ask.
Then he moves to Ink Monkey a little after Justin did and I flipped out thinking I lost my artist! But he took my OCD and freak-fest moments and kept in touch. August I decided on December. November I confirmed. December 17th was my day.
2) The shop: I will be honest and say I immediately thought of a dirty, shady, weed-filled shop somewhere amongst other shady shops when I learned he moved to Venice.
But Ink Monkey is nothing of that. It is right on the corner by Venice and Lincoln, great view to people-watch while you wait or have work done. It is large and spacious and the walls and ceilings and structure is nice.
Inside the shop as well, is a good space to wait, a clear separation from the work stations with well displayed jewelry/shirts, and their portfolios are laid out for you to look at without needing to ask.
Their art is all over the wall for you to have an idea of their style right off the bat.
Their work stations are clear to see who is where, no dirty surfaces seen, and they have a computer set up and ready to get ideas for designs if needed.
Then most importantly, the bathroom was clean! I went in twice DURING my tattoo and I did not think twice about being in there with a fresh tattoo. It also didn't smell.
3) The staff: I rudely did not ask or retain any names, and I need to. Every artist and the owner I met were extremely nice, and easy to talk to. This was my first tattoo, and so she kept checking on how I was doing.
Also, they made sure I got food and a soft drink before starting. It definitely helped. They asked about my shameless obsession for LP, took interest, joked, gave my friend candy-- any nerves I had before I started, were easily calmed by them.
4) My artist: Saul Vargas: I, am so happy I found and trusted Saul with my tattoo. The band it represents means the world to me, and he took care to show that love by putting in every single detail possible.
He made sure I was comfortable before I started, and had everything near me clean. I myself have a borderline phobia of needles and I don't know if this applies- but the pressure he used and the pace he had may have very well made this experience a lot smoother and easier to face.
Speaking of pace, he did not rush my piece, but he didn't drag it out either. He stopped after the dark grey hues were applied, and explained why he stopped at the stage he did and why we were splitting this into another appointment after what I have heals. So- all answers and then some, were answered.
5) The cost: The cost was actually a caress to my abused bank account, and the work definitely reflects beyond it. Other places told me it'd be minimum $1,000.00 and I think Saul's work is exactly that worth.
ATM machine is available, they take credit/debit with a small fee, or good ol' cash.
----------------
Clean. Friendly. Hysterical. Professional. Great artists. Great care. Great work for a great cost.
My tattoo is not even done, and it's beautiful as it is. I see every piece I want being done by Saul- or maybe even someone else there- and I cannot even express how happy I am that he is such a nicer, more welcoming shop with talent.
On a scale of one to Mike Shinoda, Ink Monkey and Saul are a solid Mike Shinoda.
I was referred to Ink Monkey by a friend, though the artists she had work done by are no longer there. Â I think it had been a while. Â I checked the shop's website and was most impressed with Justin's work. Â I had a caricature of my daughter created with her as the villain in Men in Black 2 that I wanted to get as my next tattoo. Â I made all the arrangements with Justin and scheduled my appointment.
I was really impressed with how clean and well-lit the shop was. Â Each station is quite professional looking (I've been in shops were you sit in those folding metal chairs) with only the necessary equipment needed in each station. Â There are artistic creations on the wall which are nice to look at when you're under the needle. Â I read a review where someone was complaining of the place reeking of smoke. Â I was there for about 5 or 6 hours and NO ONE smoked inside. Â Anyone who needed a smoke got up and went outside. Â I really appreciate that because cigarette smoke sets off my allergies and I did not sneeze or cough the entire time (which is rare living in CA).
The artists all seemed to be very nice (off key singing and all) and I liked that I was able to see some of the pieces from beginning to end. Â There's a lot of talent and creativity at that shop. Â The owner is super nice and very personable. Â You can tell that it's a pretty decent place to work.
On to Justin - he is probably the kindest and most genuine person I have met in a while. Â He is very humble. Â He was confident in his approach, and I knew right off that he knew what he was doing. Â He talked me through the entire process and really took pride in the work that he was doing. Â He did not answer the phone when it rang, and he kept his focus on me the entire time. Â I have had artists chat on their cell phones while doing work, so I truly appreciate his professionalism. Â When I'm ready for my next tattoo I will definitely go back to Justin. Â His work speaks for itself.
Justin is amazing! Since my mom and I discovered him a few years ago we don't let anyone else tat us. He always makes my visions come to life. From the smallest letters to the big art pieces, He is the guy to go to. He is gentle and also one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet. Every time I have gone to him, he exceeds my expectations. Literally every time I leave my house I am complimented on an owl Justin did for me. I get stopped at red lights with people waving me down asking who is my tattoo artist. If you are looking to get tatted and not only don't want to be disappointed but you want to be utterly AMAZED than I highly suggest getting tatted by Justin.
Review Source:If I could this place no stars I would!! I walked in because one of the tops to my dermal piercing had fallen out. Jason walks in carrying food. Looks at my piecing & tells me I should go back to where I originally got it done, because he's not sure what size it is? & if he tries one on & doesn't fit, he'll still charge me for it!! Wtf. Also he said he charges $25 for the top & $10 to put it in. Where everywhere else including the amazing shop named velvet grip off sunset only charged $10 total!! Also good piercer doesn't know what size a dermal is by looking at it!! Plus the place reeks of smoke!!!
Review Source:Went in on a Sunday evening with my beat friend to get tattoos together since she is leaving. We were greeting with smiles and kindness. Everyone in the shop is great. Im also happy to have found a American Traditional artist by the name of Amanda. We had our tattoos created and drawn up. Everything went smooth and was great. They were extremely reasonable on the prices. I would recommend and also become a repeat customer
Review Source:Got my nose pierced today by Jason. He did a fantastic job. One could not ask for a better piercer. He is skilled, knowledgable, calm, and kind. He talked me through everything including the piercing process itself, the procedures that  they use for sterilization (offered to show me documentation of said procedures as well), and aftercare. The price was 45 dollars including the price of jewelry. I would highly recommend getting a piercing from Jason.
Review Source:Went in on Easter with NO idea what I wanted at all, Daniel Thomas Chambers listened to all my ideas, then helped me decide on a snake in the shape of an old-school medical symbol with a hidden "G" for my grandmother. Maybe took 45 minutes to do, and it came out awesome! He's an awesome artist, extremely light-handed, and an overall awesome person. That was my second time getting tattooed by him, and I came all the way from Vegas for him to do it!
Review Source:I had a terrific tattoo experience last Saturday at Ink Monkey.  I had a pretty specific idea of what I wanted (two words,  above a small iconic drawing), and Amanda did a wonderful job working w/ me to design the tattoo.  Not counting the consultation, and various drawings Amanda made, the tattoo itself only took about 20 minutes, was almost painless (barely uncomfortable), and  I've had no issues since then with pain, irritation, etc.  Amanda is young, but is extremely professional, kind, and patient.  I also met one of the two owners (I think her name is Sue) who runs a clean, friendly, well-organized shop.  By the way, I am a 67 year old grandmother, never tattooed before, and, as one might expect, concerned with all kinds of aspects of this process that a twenty year old might not be!  This will be my one and only tattoo, but I couldn't be more glad that I had it done at Ink Monkey.
Review Source:I have gotten two piercings here...a dermal and an ear piercing. Jason did such a great job! He makes sure you know about the procedures, risks, alternatives and anything else you might need to know. The place is clean the tools are sterile and there's nothing sketch about this place. Check the dates on all negative reviews I can assure you all the issues have been addressed. The staff is very friendly and helpful especially Jason ask for him if you can ;)
Students get really good deals so bring your school IDs!!
If you're up for a good, stress free procedure with good conversations and candy this is the place! You'll walk out wanting to come back ;)
Went here for the first yesterday. Got a Microdermal piercing on my cheekbone by Jason. Awesome! Nice shop, super friendly. Jason was fantastic I felt really comfortable the entire time. He explained everything in detail and made sure to explain the aftercare thoroughly. Much less painful than I thought it would be and It looks beautiful! Highly recommend
Review Source:I got my third tattoo from Ryan. He is amazing! My husband was with me when I got mine done, he was so impressed that he came back and got two from him. And my husband was a tattoo virgin.
The place is super clean. The owner and her daughter are more than nice.
This is not your typical tattoo shop!
I also got my nose piercing changed out here, the piercing dude is awesome. Didn't hurt at all.
My husband will be coming back for his third tattoo in March.
I went in without a clear thought of what I would be getting but Daniel Thomas Chambers (tattoo artist/souleather crafter) helped me figure it out. Â When I walked in I immediately noticed how clean and sterile it was which automatically put me at ease. Â The music playing were oldies but goodies and it was at a calming level, not blaring rock music like most other places. Â I saw that there were two people getting tattoos and figured that it would be a while before I got in the chair. Â To my surprise it didn't take that long. Â It gave me just enough time to figure out what I wanted.
I wanted a tiny heart on my wrist with color. Â However, everybody and their momma has one of those so I decided to go a different route. Â I looked through all of the picture books of previous tattoos and the ones on the wall which are common in all tattoo shops. Â I did not choose anything from those but it stimulated my mind with ideas. Â I started googling images and found what I was looking for. Â I ended up settling on a picture of an actual heart (the organ image) that was slashed and squirting blood. Â Daniel my artist helped me settle on colors and specifics on where to put it and how big to get it.
I must admit that spending $120 on this small tattoo seemed a bit steep but after getting shitty tattoos from other places that charged me $50-$80 I quickly realized that you get what you pay for. Â Let me tell you, this $120 was the best money I ever spent. Â My tattoo looks so fresh. Â The colors pop and the image is perfect. Â I have never had a tattoo heal so quickly.
Daniel Thomas Chambers knew EXACTLY what he was doing. Â He is very witty and engaging. Â He lets you know what he is going to do before he does it. Â So refreshing to be completely at ease in a situation like this. Â I will definitely go back for more ink and DANIEL THOMAS CHAMBERS WILL BE MY ARTIST.
I'm a TRUE FAN of this place now!!!!
I have been wanting my belly button pierced for a long time now and have heard good things about this place. I went in today and they gave me a great price! If you are a college student at LMU or Santa Monica College they give you discounts on piercings.
Jason pierced my belly and it was a great experience. He is super friendly and sociable and the place is really really clean. I highly recommend him for piercings and tattoos as well. You can check out his artwork on their FB page. He made me comfortable and explained the procedure/after care thoroughly.
I'm definitely going back there to get my tattoos done!
I initially took my friend here for her birthday to get her nose pierced with my other friend/coworker who also ended up getting pierced. I didn't because i was a wimp, but i went back the next morning and walked in with Jason, the piercer. He was really chill and funny, and didn't let me wimp out a second time. It didn't hurt at all, i didn't bleed and my eyes didn't water. I felt pretty bad ass. Definitely appreciated the cleanliness and informative after care. He pierced my nose so well that it hasn't really swelled up at all, and ill be going back in a couple of days to get my ring readjusted to a better fit. Thanks Jason! See you soon. :)
Review Source:Just got a tattoo from Ryan Murphy. He did an excellent job. He was very professional and the place was nice and clean, even the bathroom.
The corner where it is located is crazy busy, so be patient with the traffic.
I will definitely be back and will recommend this place to all my friends.
I was rather nervous - it was my first piercing of any sort and I'm already 29. Jason made me feel completely at ease. He was extremely professional and was very meticulous about cleanliness...both pluses in my book. I have no regrets and would recommend anyone to see Jason for their piercing needs. I didn't realize how addicting piercing could be! I just got this first piercing yesterday, and I'm already thinking about my next one.
Review Source:Got my ear piercings re-pierced since the holes decided to heal up on me. Â This place is clean, very nice looking on the inside, and very friendly. Â Jason was very professional and funny too. Â He straightened & evened out my piercing holes that some other place had made crooked. Â And he made sure that I knew how to clean my piercings before I left. Â There is also ample parking in the back or on the street. Â Next time I need a piercing, I'm comin' here!
Review Source:I love this place!!
friendly. clean. the tattoo artists are professional & curteous. the piercer is amazing! very professional & knowledgable  takes his time to go over any questions or concerns you have before the piercing takes place & after on how to take care of it. never rushed
over all a wonderful experince. wonderful management/owners. so friendly
Wanted to put in print how ez and pleasant it was for me ...a Mom who has no history or comfort level with tattoo's - to walk in here with my  daughter who has been begging for a tattoo for several years, my promise was if she wanted the same thing at 18 I would go with her and do it.  She turned 18 just this past month so we made our way to Ink Monkey Tattoo. There we were greeted by a really nice guy with beautiful eyes named Tommy + and he spent an inordinate amount of time being patient with me, my daughter and her idea for her tattoo, we never felt pressured and were clearly in the hands of a wonderful artist which made me feel even more confident.  The place is open, airy and super clean....we were in and out in less than 2 hours, tattoo is better than she had envisioned and placement perfect. Tommy is not just a nice human being he is a pro from start to finish.
Review Source:JASON is the best!!! Â My two daughters went in to have their belly buttons pierced. Â Jason was a true professional, went over different options of piercings and gave them the pros and cons. Â He was incredibly thorough with how your body reacts to different types of piercings. Â As a mother, I was very thankful he gave my daughters his professional opinion about what would happen and didn't just do whatever they wanted just to make a buck. Â Can I just say he was incredibly knowledgeable, personable, and caring. Â I was very impressed. Â He took quite a bit of time making sure his marking of where the piercing was going to be and then had my daughters look to make sure it was what they wanted. Â Jason has the best personality.... calm, funny, very cool guy. Â He put my daughters completely at ease....they thought he was awesome! Â He really took his time to make sure everything went smoothly and we never felt rushed. Â Everything was incredibly sterile. Jason changed his gloves numerous times and everything was sterilized. Â His aftercare instructions were very thorough. Â I can't say enough about how much care and time Jason gave to my daughters. Â It was a great experience. Â I highly recommend going to Ink Monkey Tattoo. Â The whole vibe of the store was calm, professional, clean, and fun.
Review Source:Very professional work by these guys. Came in to get a tat of my daughters name and Jason was very patient even when I asked him to change a few things to the final design.
Helped me out with a couple of ideas and the environment was very cool as well. Very talented people, am looking forward to coming back again soon.
I just received a note from a new owner saying they have new artists and staff there. Â I cant write an accurate review since I havent gone and checked it out personally, but if the old artists are gone i think they deserve a fair shake. Â Oh and I JUST saw the note from shaun. Â Im going to leave it up because he is such a DB as you can see for yourself. Â below is a personal note to him.
oh shaun.... were you so oblivious that you didnt realize how fucking drunk those girls were or did you really just want to take advantage? Either way you lose.
Little did you know that they sat with me and said "i dont want a tattoo right now from THEM!"
who the hell are you to tell me that i was interefering with your precious bff ashely? Â
apparantely you never saved a friend from making a horrible mistake.
Im proud that i did and they thank me for it. Â Ashely finally did get a fantastic tattoo, while sober, and from someone who deserved her money. Â I got two middle fingers for you buddy
Maybe some of you went when Jason wasn't there yet, but Jason was great! Â Def. ask for him when you get there, he's totally chill. Â I came here to get my nose pierced and he took his time making sure everything and everywhere was clean. Â It was my third time getting it done and i can tell that we was the best out of the others. Â Will prob go back :) Â Thanks Jason!
Review Source:Super clean and mellow shop. My fiance randomly stopped here for plugs and ended up knowing one of the artists/piercers; Jason Xpokes who did a great job doing his piercings about a year ago. Jason solved my naval ring dilemma and helped my fiance get some new plugs for a great price. Thanks Jason, we'll be back! :)
Review Source:I've thinking about this place lately because some people I know got tattoos...
Piercing Review:
I went here back in 2007 to for a nasal septum piercing. Â I have a VERY HIGH tolerance for pain. Â I picked a 14 or 12 g because I wanted it the ring bigger, faster. Â Hispanic guy takes me to a private room. Â He seemed nervous. Â Hmm. Â So he does the job...and it comes out CROOKED!
Me: S***! Do it again.
Guy: No, its free.
Me: No, I came in here for this.
Guy: Its going to hurt.
My thoughts: LOADS of sarcasm: WTF?! No way! A huge needle going through the middle of my face TWICE next to a fresh hole is going to hurt?! Thank God this guy warned me.
Me: Â This is your first time, isn't it? Â You've never pierced a nasal septum before.
Guy: (Ignores my question for awhile after I get angry he finally answers) yes.
Me: I'll give you half of what you charge and you're going to do it right this time.
Guy: Ok but can I get a picture when I'm done for the portfolio?
Me: sure.
It looked great the second time. Â Not perfect but great for his second time. Â I may still even be in their portfolio. Â Who knows. Â I would considering go back here for another piecing because of their clean facilities and chill employees. Â They guy didn't have to hook me up with discount, in truth.
They lose a star for not being straight forward from the beginning and having to pry the truth from their employee.
They lose another star for the fact that I've gotten great piecings done for less money, less time and less pain.
Everyone is extemely nice and welcoming. Other shops I've been in rush you into a tattoo or piercing- however the team at Ink Monkey really took their time, and didn't pressure me. The end result was amazing and I will recommend this shop to ANYONE. I will NOT go anywhere else. Ink Monkey is THE NICEST shop in the Venice area. It is spotless and professional.
Review Source:So I'm writing this because I'm seeing the store get a pretty bad rap for it's piercer[s]?. It's September 5th, 2011 (in case you don't look at the date) so you can tell how recent (or not) this comment is.
I got my cartilage pierced in both ears over a year ago NOT HERE. It was outside of the United States. Both took a bit to heal, but I've gotten pierced 15-20 times so I knew how it goes. However one of my ears have just completely refused to heal. I went to a really high rated place in Venice Beach, and the guy barely looked at my ear and told me to just do "salt water compresses". The place was packed but I called in before going so I felt like he could've at least given me more than two seconds of his time. He was friendly, but unhelpful.
If I tried calling anywhere else, the people were not the friendliest. Then again, you don't go to a piercer (or tattooer) because of their warm and fuzzy personality, right?
I'm fed up with my piercing and decide to call ink monkey because
1) They're super close by
2) I've met people that work there and they have all been great.
I immediately say "I have questions about a piercing could I speak to someone that can answer them?"
Barely waited a second and someone is one of the phone with me. I explain my situation and he ASKS ME QUESTIONS. Good God, someone actually doing their job. He was beyond friendly, like he was really trying to do his job. Great, this just keeps getting better.
Then he tells me a possible solution (that wasn't something I had already been doing.) and says that if I wanted to go in he was free all today. Or that I could give it 4-5 days and then go in. He makes a joke about labor day, laughs, and makes me feel totally comfortable.
Then I ask him if he'd charge me if I go see him, (you never know) and he says "no no, of course not. That'd be crazy." Crazy indeed.
I ask him his name: Jason.
Jason gets 5 stars.
Other people that gave bad reviews were reviewing someone that no longer works there.
I will do the treatment but even if it starts healing, in a few days I'm gonna go visit Jason so he can check out my ear and tell me how it's doing. If it's anything less than 5 stars I'll make sure to say so. In a world where customer relations doesn't exist, it's easy to get highly-rated if you pretend to even give a little bit of a f*#k. But he was phenomenal.
If I could have a perfect piercing experience it would be by someone who was not only incredibly professional, but was also NICE. I know it's ridiculous to ask for that, but there it is.
I've gotten enough piercings, but should I decide I want any new ones, or if a friend asks for advice, I'll going to tell them to go to Ink Monkey.
i got pierced a couple of days ago. i chose ink monkey because i always passed by their shop, so it was close by and not "on the strand" of venice. most tattoo shops i called didn't do piercings, and i'd have to drive to west hollywood for the next closest parlor. prices were decent too: the piercings i got were $90, total of $99, and i gave a $10 tip.
the piercing process was fine, and i surprised myself with how well i handled the pain. the experience itself was fine.
the problem was the healing. the piercings were too small in length and gauge, which both my boyfriend and i both asked about after the piercing was done. the piercer said there was plenty of room, so we trusted him. i had to get new jewelry today because the jewelry did not allow for any swelling... and i swelled, normally, not in an infected kind of way. this is now leading to migration of one of the piercings.
also looking back, the piercer didn't even sterilize the area! this made me realize it wasn't the fault of my body, but the negligence of the piercer.
with the extra jewelry i had to purchase, i would've spent the same amount if i went to a better piercing parlor.
First of all, to the girl who wrote that review two below me, you're a dumb@ss. Â EVERYONE knows that unless its a cartilage piercing, it cant take months or years for those holes to close. Â Maybe stop spending your money on body art to distract people from your moronic, useless observations and spend a little more of it on some glasses/contacts/lasik so you can look at yourself in the mirror and tell if the holes are straight and stop wasting others' time.
Second, I was having a bad day, came into the place, and Derek was fantastic- made my afternoon much better. Â Explained to me in under five minutes what kind of ring he was going to use and why he thought it was best. Â Took me back to get the piercing done, was extremely friendly with me while also informatively teaching a trainee what he was doing.
Everything was sanitized, which he should me with each tool and it was quick and virtually pain free. Â He not only then went over cleaning and care instructions after it was over but also took the time to email me a copy of the cleaning/care instructions in case I forgot. Â Kudos, Derek!
I have to be pretty harsh on this place, because apparently the piercer that I dealt with is either an idiot, or he's just trying to make a quick buck.
For as long as I can remember, I have thought that my holes in my ear lobes were not straight. Â When I wore earrings, the studs always hung like the hole was at an angle, and my earrings were about to fall out. Â This happened with all of my earrings and people would often tell me that my earrings looked like they were about to fall out, because of the angle. Â So, I was convinced the shitty mall place that pierced my ears when I was 13 must have fucked up. Â
Fast forward to 7 months ago: Â I went into Ink Monkey and spoke with the piercer there and showed him myself. Â I showed him how the earring was not straight, and therefore the hole must not be straight, correct? Â He looked at it, and said that yes, my left ear lobe was not pierced straight and that he could fix it. Â He told me to go home, take my earrings out, wait 3-4 weeks to let them close up and then come back to him and he will re-pierce them straight.
Apparently, this guy has no idea what he's talking about. Â We get to today - 7 months since that guy told me that. Â I noticed after a month, the holes were nowhere near closed, so I waited SEVEN MONTHS, and went to Body Electric on Melrose, since they were higher rated on Yelp, I didn't want this getting messed up again. Â There, I was told that the holes in my ears would never close up, no matter how long I waited, and he was correct. Â He was able to push a stud through the holes, no problem. Â He said if the piercer here told me that, he is either an idiot, or lied to me so I would pay for him to "re-pierce" a hole that was already there. Â But here's the kicker: MY HOLES WERE EVEN! Â Brian at Body Electric told me just from looking at my ears, that not only were the holes still open, but they were perfectly straight. Â He put in a sample stud to show me that they sit perfectly even, and that it was never my holes that were at a slant - it was my jewelery. Â
So to the guy at Ink Monkey that told me my ear lobe piercing would close in a month, and that he could fix the "bad angle" of them, no thank you!
My first advice would be, DO NOT GO HERE.
Yes, their pricing may be cheaper than some other tattoo/piercing places, but in the end, you're getting what you're paying for.
Don't get me wrong, I've gotten 5 piercings here, (and was considering getting a tattoo as well) and was a fan... That was until the piercer, Paul worked there. Once he quit, the owner decided to hire some rude, irresponsible piercer (I'm not too sure if he still works there) that decided to cut my "keloid" off of my ear after my industrial got infected (I went to get it checked by Paul, but unfortunately he had quit when I went in). During the procedure, he kept on having someone take photos (without my permission), and even ended up posing with my "keloid" after it was cut off and placed in a cup. ...Later did I find out that I didn't have a "keloid", and it was most likely a hypertrophic scar that could be reversed...
Now that I've found Body Electric, I'm never going back to this place for sure!
My first experience with Ink Monkey was this past June, when i decided to get my existing tattoo fixed up and added on to. When i was 16 i got a tattoo of 3 stars on my left hip at venice beach, and always intended to make it into something bigger and better. For my 22nd birthday i decided that my gift to myself would be to finally fix my tattoo and realize my original vision. The artist who helped me was named Eno and he was really helpful and patient in helping sketch out what i had imagined, based on the pictures i brought in as examples. We came up with a cool design and went ahead with the tattoo right then. It was reasonably priced ($200 for a fix-up and add on to one side of my hip, and a new, matching tat on the other hip, color and b&w) It took about an hour, and it came out great. It healed really quick and im perfectly happy with it.
Last week i went back to ink monkey to get an industrial piercing after considering it for a few months. I dont remember the guys name who did it for me, but he was really cool, and obviously experienced. He didnt really do a lot of talking or explaining or beating around the bush, and before i knew it, he did the first piercing, which wasnt that bad at all. The second one was a little worse, because it was like cartilage and flesh, so first it was crunchy, then it was like juicy, thats the best way i can explain it. It was $63 and they took my credit card, which was super convenient. It definitely hurt, but no more than i was expecting it to. I already have my cartilage pierced on the other side, and used to have a tongue and nose piercing, so i knew what i was getting into. Its been almost a week to the day, and its still a little bit tender, but has pretty much stopped bleeding or crusting at all. It only bothers me when i or someone else accidentally bumps it. I have full confidence that its going to heal without a problem.
Overall, both my experiences with Ink Monkey were great, and im probably going to go back for my next tattoo, which im planning on getting when i graduate from school in December. Mad love to Eno at Ink Monkey Tattoo.
i went into get pierced about a month or two ago. bryan had never pierced where i wanted, but i was so anxious to get it done and he appeared to very confident; he was laggin it at first but then we eventually got on with it. ink monkey is amazingly clean and the guys are pretty funny... its great that you can laugh your way thru a tattoo or piercing there.
Review Source:Dear Shamus,
Very disappointed! Had it done with the owner of the store a while back and it wasn't nicely done at all...He was very pushy and I didn't know any better because it was my first tattoo. If whoever from Ink Monkey ever read this, please go tell Shamus that I am not happy with the piece of crap on my side body. He is not a good artist at all!
I called up Ink Monkey at 7:45pm tonight (a Thursday) to see if I could come get a tattoo, and 2 hours later, I was walking out a satisfied customer. Â The shop is huge, really clean and nicely decorated; it's definitely one of the least intimidating tattoo shops I've been in. Â The guys were cool, especially my artist Jeff. Â He had a great attitude, friendly and professional, and his work was clean and efficient. Â I just got lettering done, but I would definitely come back to Jeff for artwork. Â Thumbs up, Ink Monkey. Â I'd recommend it to anyone.
Review Source:I stopped by Ink Monkey to get my nose pierced on Saturday. Â This was my first piercing since I got my cartilage done a few years ago. Â I was nervous and excited definitely. Â The piercing experience was fine but definitely felt rushed and not personal. Â I was in and out of the store within about 10 minutes. Â
I really think that doing something as momentous as getting a piercing or a tattoo, the experience itself should be a memorable one. Â But this one definitely wasn't. Â I could tell the piercer was just going through the motions. Â In fact, he barely talked to me at all the whole time, and everything he did say was to answer a direct question I asked him.
That said, the piercing itself is wonderful and I am very happy with it. Â He (the anonymous piercer who did not tell me his name) was very skillful and placed the piercing in the perfect spot on my nose. Â One quick movement and it was all over, no blood and no serious pain. Â It's now been 5 days since the piercing and it's healing perfectly. Â So all in all, I have to say it's for the best.
I've gotten 3 here, and my boyfriend's gotten 1 of his. Both of us have brought in our own designs and they just copied them, but I was really happy with the skill all of them have. Super quick, pretty helpful, and always comes out clean and slick.
Also, very clean studio. I'm a weirdo neat freak, so messy thangs gross me out (heebiejeebies!), especially in tattoo/piercing settings, but this place is dang clean and sterile feeling. But not sterile in a bad way.
Will definitely come back for all the rest of mine.
I came into Ink Monkey for a Monroe piercing, after it being recommended to me by my mom. Paul sat me down and was perfectly relaxed, which put me at ease. He used a toothpick and tattoo ink to place the mark, then clamped my lip very lightly, to prevent bruising. He explained the whole procedure to me, making the whole process clear and concise.
The piercing itself was painless, only a small amount of pressure, and then a pinch when the needle went through the top of my skin, but it was a trip to feel the layers 'pop'.
He then went through the aftercare with me, giving me sound advice and said to come back to get the longer labret replaced with a shorter one once the swelling went down. Paul is a super dope guy, I'd recommend getting a first piercing done by him.
while sadie gave my sister her first tattoo, eno (like brian, but not) fixed my 10-year-old butterfly blob and made her all bright again. after some experience with body art, i see no reason to get work done elsewhere in the city. the tattoo artists are hot and kind and care about you and their art. my friend also had an old nose piercing redone here, and she was happy. i'll be back!!
Review Source:I just (literally 10 minutes ago) got my 2nd piercing by Paul. The first experience I had with him was awesome-- he gave me a rook piercing almost exactly a year ago. I was really pleased with the whole experience last year, so I just got an orbital piercing done on my left ear today. Also, a few weeks ago an out-of-town friend came to LA and decided, rather spontaneously, to get her nose pierced, and I took her to see Paul. She loved him as much as I did and was very happy I took her to such a great place. She was well impressed with the private rooms and general clean atmosphere.
If you get a piercing, ask for Paul. He is friendly and professional, and I have total faith that the piercings he does are done as best as is possible. My friend was a little freaked at the last minute before Paul pierced her nose, and he was very kind to her and did a good job strengthening her resolve-- she even giggled a couple times!
If I ever need (need? Ok, WANT) another piercing, I'll be sure to be back and see Paul :)
Charly did an amazing job designing tattoos for my sister and me. Â Mine is 3 colorful snowflakes and his design was better than I could have imagined. Â And my sister got a simple, but beautiful compass design. Â We both love how they turned out. Â Charly was so nice and patient (it was my first tattoo) and really helped me relax. Â The salon was very clean and we were in a private room. Â The rest of the staff were also very friendly and supportive of each other. Â I highly recommend Charly at Ink Monkey!!!
Review Source:so ive always passed this place and wanted to get some work done. i went in and i talked to Sadie. she really likes drawing roses so since i was getting a sugar skull with roses around it, we got along great. They do ask for a deposit which makes sense considering they do get really crowded during the weekends. I scheduled my appointment during the week after work, and it was pretty empty. Sadie did an awesome job. I gave a her a so-so composite of what I wanted but she turned the weak drawing into a great sketch. I went in two times, one for the outline and the other for the color. She had her own room in the back so there were no distractions, she also played some cool music so it was more comfortable. Once my new tattoo heals Im probably going back to get more work from her
Review Source:A+++, Cort (the artist) did an amazing job on my husband. (See picture). It was his first tattoo, and he was so gentle! He sketched out the lettering and the lips from a lipstick kiss I did on a piece of paper. He was amazing. Less than 2 hours we were done! Mind you we DID have an appointment. Cort was super friendly and the place was super clean. We are going back on March 2nd to finish the tattoo. After debating many salons, I'm glad we chose Ink Monkey!
Review Source:I'd love to give this place 5 stars but I have to wonder what kind of background checking/calling of references they do if their employees make a habit of skipping town.
I had a piece done here on my ribcage about a year ago, and it was the only place I could find that would do the tattoo in flesh tones and brown without an outline, but I knew what my vision was (and I'm really glad I stuck with it). So I saw "Jonesy", we talked and he sketched and we went for it. The first time around, the coloring wasn't perfect but he redid essentially the whole thing for me at no charge a month later. He was so cool and nice, and we were getting stoked about designing a whole back piece for me. He took a bunch of pictures of my back and side so he could sketch right onto them, and we were ready to start throwing ideas around.
Lo and Behold: I go back a little while later to see how the design is coming and to make an appointment to start outlining, and the guy is MIA. So I call before I come next time and this is the conversation:
Me: "Hey, is Ian "Jonesy" Jones in today?"
Guy: "Uh.... no."
Me: "Okay, well, will he be in later or another day this week when I can come in and talk to him?"
Guy: "What do you need?"
Me: "He was designing a piece for me and I wanted to get started."
Guy: "Oh. Had he already started it on you?"
Me: "No, but he'd been sketching it so I wanted to come in and..."
Guy: "He's not working here anymore."
Me: "well, do you know if he's at another shop in town?"
Guy: "No. Actually, no one knows where he went. He just stopped showing up. He doesn't answer his phone or anything. Nobody knows what happened to him, but we know he skipped town."
CUT TO: months later at Studio City Tattoo
Scene: Meg is chilling talking to an artist who will potentially design aforementioned back piece for her, since the former artist skipped town.
Guy: "Wait, your other guy just left town? He didn't even let you know?"
Me: "Nope. Just left, I guess. The guys at the shop sounded pretty confused about it themselves. Said he just stopped showing up."
Guy: "What shop was that?"
Me: "Ink Monkey. It's new in Venice."
Guy: "VENICE! That's tourist territory - don't get tattooed there. Do you know the guy's name?"
Me: "yeah. Jonesy"
Guy: "SHIT! He worked here and did the same thing!!!!"
The moral of the story here is: check up on your dudes.
So far, so good. The place is clean, the staff is nice.
Met with Cort the other day about my design. He's sketching it out, and I should be getting the tattoo this weekend, so I'll update after the fact.
Edit: Awesome! I got my outlining finished, and coloring will happen next week. I love the tattoo so much with just the outline, I know it's going to be excellent when finished.
Don't expect to go in and necessarily get tattooed right away, a good design and good artist take time. Something small and simple they can do right away, but if you want major work or custom, expect to wait. But it's worth it.
You get what you pay for, and with a tattoo, wouldn't you rather wait and get it perfect than rush into it?
The place isn't called Ink Monkey Tattoo and Piercing for a reason. Â I went there today to get my cartilage pierced, and the guy who was answering my questions was rude from the start. Â He had no customer service abilities at all. Â When it came down to getting my ear pierced, another girl (who was waay nicer than the other guy) did it...then the guy took over and repierced me THREE TIMES! Â the whole time, he was saying "calm down, stop moving, i'm going to poke you with the needle if you don't stop moving". Â i would have been understanding if i would have been moving a lot, but i wasnt...if anything i was squeezing my hands together, but that's it. Â finally, i told him to stop more than once, and he finally did while throwing down the needle and dramatically taking his gloves off while saying "YOU forget it! come back when you're calm!"
the place smells like a hospital...which is  a quality i look for in a tattoo/piercing place...and all of the other workers are funny and kind...but this guy is an ass.  i would never go back to get a piercing.
I popped in here at lunch time to get a small tattoo on my wrist that I have been jonesing for a while. Normally I would go to see Dan at Prix on Sunset but Dan tends to specialise in big pieces, and is kind of far away from my work in Venice.
I am a firm believer that the person who marks you for life should connect with you in some (even small) way - no grumpy ass hole is going to tattoo me thank you very much. So I was glad to see Jacob - all smiles and happy to draw out what I wanted several times. He didn't even laugh when I was wincing in pain (wrist tattoos REALLY hurt FYI).
I would recommend this for place for people who like traditional American tattoos or Mexican day of the dead themed tattoos - some of the work I saw in that style was fantastic. Oh and I am pretty happy (little sore) with my new tattoo too.
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