my review is based on one artist not the entire shop... Raul is the worst!! I had a cherry blossom done on my leg and it's hideous!! I brought in a pic to my consultation... he said ok and made my appt with no problem  ... he emails me a different pic that he drew up... so  what was the consultation for then? I gave him a pic of a cherry blossom tree and he emailed me branches with blossoms .. I was thinking he was just showing me what the flowers looked like... the day of my tattoo after being stuck in traffic for two hrs and finally getting there ... he brings out the sketch of the branch and not the cherry blossom tree I brought to my consultation.. with attitude he proceeds to tell me that what I brought to him was not a real cherry blossom tree ( shouldnt he have mentioned that to me at the consultation) and that he knew what he was doing.. so he convinced me that it would be beautiful ... so against my better judgment and since I made the two hr trip I decided to trust him and let him do it!!! the biggest mistake of my life!! he had an attitude through out the entire session he took like 3 cig breaks on my time!!  he was rude to other customers that walked in asking questions.. the worst tattoo experience of my life! the tattoo was ugly nothing natural about it... it actually looked like I had a disease on my leg .. there was no depth to the flowers just a bunch of pink circles with yellow spots in the middle!! I've prob spent another 5 hundred just trying to fix it but its still horrible...my next plan is to start removing it little by little... so basically he put on me what he thought I should have rather then letting the customer decide... and now I'm paying the price!!! if you still decide to go here dont go to Raul!!!!
Review Source:I came into Inkstop for a consult for a simple script tattoo on my side. It was going to be my first tattoo, so naturally going in for my first consult I was super nervous, but gimme a break I'm a shy young girl going into a tattoo shop all by my lonesome.
Not sure who the artist I sat down with was, but he took me in the back and we started discussing what I was looking for (all the while he was slurping on some soup while we were trying to talk, but I let it slide...). He started sketching and I was totally happy with how it was coming out. But before he got too into detail, since this was just a consult and I wasn't going to be getting the tat that day, I wanted to ask about the price. My jaw dropped when he said this simple, small script was going to be over $220, and in his words most likely more depending on how long it took him. When I asked him how long he thought it would take, he said an hour, maybe longer... Now, I'm a tiny girl with a tiny ribcage, there's no way it should take OVER AN HOUR to do a script tattoo... When I expressed this to him and said I was looking for something more in the $150 range, he basically threw his pencil down, scoffed at me, and shook his head. Obviously I was taken aback by this attitude he was giving me, but I tried to keep up a positive demeanor. I asked if I were to decide to schedule my tat appointment here would he keep the script sketch or should I take it with me and come back with it. He just basically laughed at me and said "Why would I give it to you? Who knows, you could run off with it and show it to another artist instead. No, I keep it" Yeah, cuz I look like the kind of girl to go out of my way  to ruin your career and steal away your business. No sir, it's you who ruin your own business by treating potential customers this way.
Needless to say I took my business elsewhere. I ended up going to Fun City Tattoo on St Marks, and they did a phenomenal job for the exact price I was looking for. Oh and guess what, it only took the guy 20 minutes NOT AN HOUR+ and it looks great. See my review on their page.
In short, don't stop at Inkstop.
Eddie at Inkstop is amazing. Best artist in the shop. I have had 5+ pieces done by him over the last several years. Every tattoo he does is a true work of art. He is able to capture exactly what you want as if he is inside your head. I have pieces both big and small (including a sleeve) and each one he does is better than the last. He is not a tattoo artist, he is an artist in general who incorporates his multimedia skills into each tattoo. He is excellent at both color tattoosand black and grey. He has tattooed both family and friends who are always extremely satisfied. I get stopped on the street by strangers who want to compliment the work have had done by him.
At this rate, I'm probably going to run out of space soon...
Customer Service Sucks! Yesterday, I decided to stop into Inkstop Tattoo inquiring a about Tattoo and pricing. Whoever was the Tattoo Artist who assisted me was more concern about his lunch then his business and exceptional Customer Service. His rude and arrogant attitude lead me to Thicker Than Water Tattoo Store just a block away. Their service and quality of Tattoo work is awesome and professional! Inkstop Tattoo go fuck yourself!
Review Source:I got my first tattoo there and it's big one LOL it take me almost 6hour  to finish but in 2section to finish first time is the outline 2hr and 4hr to shade it . IT HURT LIKE HELL BUT IT FELT GOOD AT THE SAME TIME LMAO. RAUL did my tattoo He is really good if i want a second tattooo i will want him to do my again.. If u want to see my tattoo go to my profile..... xD
Review Source:After a less than savory experience with another shop in town, a friend suggested checking out Inkstop and I couldn't be happier that I did.
I went in at 3 on a Saturday afternoon, checked in with the receptionist-person and was told to come back in about an hour. Wandered around the hood (shout out to liqueteria and that cool stamp shop) and came back and was quickly greeted by an artist ready to help. I was looking for a simple, one-word, wrist tattoo and Raul helped me pick out the font that would look best/last longest. The tattoo itself took all of 12 minutes and Raul was friendly and professional the whole time.
All in all, it was an awesome experience. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a tattoo in the area.
I came here for my very first tattoo and it was upon a recommendation from a friend. He even made the appointment for me. It was for July 2011
I came 15 minutes early and Raul, my artist, was professional and met with me for our consultation immediately. I wanted a single Chinese word for "loyalty" and I gave him the design I wanted and I also informed him that I do respect if he needed to alter it to his own artistic touch.
He told me he would normally change it a bit but since it was a Chinese word, he would respect the design I brought and not change it.
Fast forward to the following Monday and I came in for the tattoo. He followed all the steps and when I was ready, he asked me to sit down. I sat and he asked if I was ready. I told him I was nervous and he gave me some good advice. He said to remember to breathe and to do whatever necessary to relax. So, I put on my headphones and listened to my Iphone.
45 minutes later, the tattoo was done and he gave me clear instructions as to how I should take care of my new tat. He even handed me some A & D and told me to call him if I needed anything.
It's been a month now and the tattoo has healed nicely and the artwork was done with perfection. I am completely happy with my ink and I couldn't thank Raul enough.
Look for Raul Suarez at Ink Stop if you need a tattoo.
I got my tattoo at Inkstop back in April. I waited this long to review the place because I wanted to see how the tattoo would appear after it was fully healed. I can honestly say I am a hundred percent satisfied with my tattoo. Raul, the artist, was more accommodating than anybody I'd previously worked with. He was friendly and  knowledgeable and completely made up for the headache that I received at this location prior to actually sitting down at the chair.
The only reason why I refuse to give Inkstop tattoo a higher rating is because of their front desk staff's incompetence with customer service. The receptionists would not conform with my tattoo requests claiming that the artists would be unable to do it. He went from the size of my tattoo, the color I wanted to use, and the font. I was fuming by the third time he forced me to change the font. I was just about ready to leave having burned down their storefront when Raul walked out and spoke to me directly, he told me not to listen to anybody else and that he would be able to get everything I wanted done smoothly.
I would highly recommend getting your tattoo at inkstop because all of their artists seem exceptionally gifted and very capable of great work. I would suggest however that if you do visit inkstop COMPLETELY IGNORE THE RECEPTIONIST.
I came here two weeks ago to get my first tattoo, which I have been wanting for a few years now. I got three Chinese characters on my left shoulder blade.
PROS:
-When I walked in the day before I got it to check the place out, there was immediately someone to help me, Raul. He gave me an estimation of the time it would take and patiently answered my questions about the rates and such.
-The staff there are really friendly.
-Although Raul lacked creativity (well, when it came to my tattoo, at least), he was experienced and knew how to use the needle.
-Raul made me feel a little easy about the needle. It didn't hurt!
-I purposely waited a few weeks before writing this review because I wanted to see how it healed up according to the care instructions they give. Oh, by the way, they give you free A&D ointment and a paper to tell you how to care for your tattoo..very informative. My tat healed up pretty nice, although I don't think it looks as sharp as I wanted it to. I followed the instructions on the paper too.. but it doesn't look faded or vague or anything, so I have to say it's a plus that it healed up great.
-CLEAN. New needle (sterile standard!) and gloves and everything. The place was really clean as well.
-Prices are very reasonable! I paid $75 + tip for my tattoo.
CONS:
- In a way, I don't really blame Raul for not being able to tailor my tattoo to how I wanted it (more tapered at the ends of the strokes of the Chinese characters), but I feel like he didn't really try either. He did taper it a little bit but it looked almost the same as the print-out I gave him.
-It's cramped.
-No privacy. The artists are in one big room. There were two other people there getting their tats done, so if you're shy and getting it in an area that may require you to strip down, this is not the place for you!
VERDICT:
If your'e shy and getting a tat done in an area that may require you to strip down, this wouldn't be the place for you. If you do decide to come here, it's not a bad decision because of the fair-pricing and the friendly staff. However, if the artist you consult with can't be creative with what you want, consult another artist in the same shop.. if not, then take it to another shop because it's up to par with some other tattoo parlors in the neighborhood. This is a decent place to get your tat done, no regrets.
Five years ago i came to inkstop tattoo on a last minute impulse while on my college spring break.. I had thought about the tats i wanted for maybe 3 years, but had never grown the pair i needed to actually get it done. 1 1/2 hours later i walked out with an even better version of what I had pictured.
Fast forward to this past weekend for round 2 of tattooing! I, as well as my boyfriend, sat with Eddie for what was to be my second set of tattoos and my boyfriend's first. Eddie is a no-nonsense, to the point artist who will by no means hold your hand or tell you things will be ok...But if what you're looking for is professionalism, cleanliness and a bad-ass art piece on your body, definitely come here and get to work.
I am absolutely in LOVE with my new additions and am now convinced this is the only place i will come to when i decide to get more. Â So please do yourself a favor and talk to these guys for your next piece.
Again, if you're looking for the new tattoo-shop hype of "cool" crap hanging on the walls and fuzzy, goth chairs to sit on while a hipster artists is working on you then this is not the place..
Hate to be the downer of the party, but there really are much better tattoo shops in the city. As my experience here was overly extensive (took months to finally get my tattoo done), I will break it down to the good and the bad.
Good:
- Talented artists. Great books, detailed work.
- Good music. Just saying, it helps.
- Unassuming, which I think is a good thing.
Bad:
- Cramped, not really comfortable quarters.
- Depending on who you get the wait can be long.
- Most importantly: do NOT go here if you need something designed, or any assistance with making your tattoo exactly what you want. It's simply not worth the time & money, not to mention the impatience you might well receive. There are other much better and friendlier shops and artists that do great design work.
Do go here if you know exactly what you want and are willing to wait to get it.
I walked into the shop frustrated that I couldn't find a leather jacket that I set out to find that day, Looking like a crazy person, I ran out towards the first artist that came out to me and asked if there was an artist available for walk in now or within an hour. The artist, who ended up working with me, said that he has an opening in one hour. Before I left, I told him what I wanted. An hour later, I came in, and Nalla had a book on trees and leaves, trying to find the perfect design that I would enjoy. When we agreed on one, he drew it right on my arm and filled in the only empty spot left on it (and the most painful one- the elbow, yeeshk!). He made the experience not too horrible, was able to talk me through the piercing pain of tattoo machine on bone, and laughed at all of my terrible jokes. I cannot wait to go back so we can discuss my fill in work!!!
I have gotten tattooed in a lot of places, and by far, in NYC, this place is the best I've tried.
Don't be a pansy. Get tattooed at Ink Stop. My friend gets work done there. He has his fucking head tattooed, for crying out loud.
Procrastination is my middle name - maybe my first name when it involves needles. I've been wanting a tattoo for at least three years and settled on the design that I wanted about two years ago. Finally got it this year when I made my NYE resolution.
Seeing as how it was my first tattoo, I consulted Yelp for good shops. I went through pages and pages of reviews while asking for opinions on the boards as well. Another Yelper PMed Inkstop to me and it really spoke to me when I checked their website and artists.
I walked into the seemingly dingy place on a Friday night to make an appointment, but my design was simple enough that they were able to take me as a walk in. Yay!
My assigned artist was an amazing guy, Nalla, with 20 years of inking experience. He sketched my design down and got me situated, warning me when to turn away if I had a fear of needles. It was practically fate that he ended up inking me as he had just been admiring the particular symbol that I had chosen - a power button on the back of my neck. (Yes, I'm a semi-nerd. Deal with it!) All in all, I was in and out in about an hour. Nalla instructed me on how to care for the tattoo and gave me enough packets of Vitamins A&D Ointment to last through the healing process.
The pain wasn't as bad as I had feared, and Nalla noted that I was taking it really well. It grew worse as it got higher on my neck because it felt like it was rattling around inside my skull. But as I've said before, I'm a bit of an anguisette (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FAnguissette&s=0460a65cb4509a9a9bf65b9655db481767c1d827b085822c849977fb10300be9" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/…</a>) when it comes to pain. If I decide to get another tattoo, I wouldn't hesitate to go back to Inkstop.
I've had two pieces done at Inkstop tattoo, both with excellent results.
I shopped around quite a bit before choosing a shop, as I don't care as much about what a shop looks like as much as I care about the work it produces. Â I've seen many shops put more into the design of the shops than the quality of their work.
I had my work done with Eric, there was a month wait for him, ( i hear it's longer now) Â but it was worth the wait. Â What I like about the shop is they will make suggestions and will discourage you if they think something won't work or look right, which shows they care about what goes out the door when they're finished. Â
The work was top notch, better than I had imagined.
I've sent three others to Inkstop and all 3 share the same great results.
The shop isn't flashy, they're there to do high quality tattoos, not show off their shop. When I was overseas visiting family, we had this bottle of wine with no label, it was one of the best wines I've had in years, and it apparently won all the regional awards, without and label, and that's kind of how I see Inkstop  one of those spots where people who know what good tattooing is get their tats done.
I got my first tattoo done here by Eric in 2003. Â He's my favorite and has done 4 out of 5 of my tattoos. Â If you want an elaborate piece done... suck it up, make the appointment, and be prepared to wait 6-9 months for Eric. Â Trust me, the wait is well worth it.
All the guys in the shop are very friendly and really make sure you get what you want out of your tattoo. Â I recommend this place to everyone, especially if you are getting your first tattoo.
I got my first (and only) tattoo here. I checked out many places and didn't like them. The staff here was unpretentious...not rude, not pushy. The studio wasn't engulfed in cigarette smoke. From the outside it looks a little rugged. Being my first tattoo, i wanted to go small. I liked Eric and Jose's work, but Eric wasn't available. I made an appointment with Jose and a week later i arrived for my permanent ink. Â I was in and out in 25 minutes (cost me $50.) Jose made numerous adjustments to the stencil for me without a problem before making it solid. I got it about a year ago and it looks beautiful. When i decide on another one i'll be going back to inkstop.
Review Source:I was at Inkstop last night for my first tattoo, which was made by Nalla.
Nalla was recommended by many friends.
I liked the fact that you first make an appointment for a consultation, when you talk with the artist, you get every question you may have out of the way, including the price, so no surprises there.
I got the appointment for a week later, and I'M SO GLAD I WAITED! Nalla is very friendly, and patient, and, most of all, he's definitely very talented. I wanted a very specific design, that included very delicate and thin lines. When he finished the first character, I was already blown away. Then he went on to do some lines, and I was looking, and thinking to myself..Oh, these look good to me. Then I would wait, he'd do some more, and then it looked even better! Perfectly even and straight lines.
I read some comments about the state of the shop, and yes, it does not look like it's brand new, fine, but it's very clean, and I felt extremely comfortable the minute I walked in. All the staff there treat you with respect, even if you're a rookie with no idea about tattoos at all, and they answer all the questions you have.
If you're thinking of getting a tattoo, I highly recommend this place, especially  Nalla of course :)
ps: It's very easy to park  and they accept credit card...What's not to love about this place? NOTHING!
I visited Inkstop based on a student's (I work at a college) experience there. Â She had beautiful pieces and told me she'd been worked on by various artists at the shop and was never disappointed. Â I checked out the website and was impressed with their work so I made an appointment for a consultation. Â I was "assigned" Jose who was booked solid for the two weeks following my initial visit but found a way to fit me in. Â Jose is a sweetheart, very soft-spoken, courteous and professional. Â He's helping correct the mistake another artist did on an existing tat (see my review of Cutting Edge) and so far it looks beautiful. Â It's a relatively large piece and I'm not as tough as I thought so it's going to be finished over two sessions but Jose is extremely patient and dedicated to doing a good job so I didn't feel too lame asking to take a break. Â I can't wait 'til it's completed and I can show it off!
Review Source:I got my first tattoo here, and the artist I had, Jose, did a great job. He knew not to treat me like a baby, but he also knew not to treat me like some tattoo pro. The pain was bearable, but still mind-numbing for 3 hours. The price was right. All the people there were very nice and not once did I feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. Jose is a real class act and an excellent artist. I highly recommend going to these guys if you're thinking of getting tatted up.
Review Source:About 3.5 years ago, I finally committed myself to getting the tattoo I'd always wanted but was afraid to get (fear of needles, fear of dealing with my mother!). Â
A friend of mine at work, who is quite well-illustrated, strongly suggested the Inkstop, and I much appreciate his having sent me there. Â
They did a fantastic job, kept me very calm, and I have a gorgeous tattoo that I much enjoy showing off!! Â I'm considering adding a new one .....
After a long and thorough sift through NYC's many tattoo parlors, I finally found what I was looking for at Inkstop. I went in here one day, despite it's janky appearance, and was amazed by the work I saw in one artist's book...crazy stonework shading. The artist in question was not there that day but when I came back to meet him and we realized we'd both skated at Derby Park in Santa Cruz, CA(of all places) it was ON!
While the place itself might not be much to look at, Regino slangs ink with the best of 'em! His work is superb...an expert on shading, color-work and comedy. All of these traits are extremely important when you're gonna spend 10+hrs in a chair putting on a hand-drawn half-sleeve. Throughout my sessions here I got to know Regino better and found him to be a real stand-up guy who cares about his work and his customer's satisfaction. They always have a mix of punk, thrash, and hip-hop bumping on the system and the jokes just flow endlessly. Ben, another artist there is also great with the needles and  has a kick-to-the-ribs comedic attitude. Regino gave me great prices and gave me a 2hr session for free once when I brought him some tequila back from Mexico...guess I plucked a heart string? This place is fantastic all around. They don't have to look pretty or charge ridiculous amounts, like NY Adorned, to be a considered one of the best shops in NYC, turning out some of the best work in the world.
-Lush Life
PS
As much as I like to drinK I would strangely, make that strongly, recommend abstaining before getting tatted...afterward it really helps to take the burn away though...Arrrre!
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