Buddha is my favorite! Since the recent buyout from the former owner alot of new and improved things have occurred. The new owner, Buddha, did an overhaul of the look and feel of the shop and it made it feel more open & inviting. I suppose the shop morale has improved greatly since everytime they seem to be jam-packed with people. But down to the nitty gritty, each artist on their own is very talented, Spike Moore is known for his vibrant colors, Buddha is known for his polynesian/tribal intricacies, With these two artists your looking at well over 30 years experience combined. Kyle is another artist who is friendly and personable, making a life-changing experience a comfortable one. Caleb is very pleasant and provides top-notch quality tattoos for any type desired. My experience was with Buddha at the first Tattoo Convention held at Blaisdell, though I had to endure 5 hours straight of outlining and shading it wasn't as painful as the first time. Buddha was gentle on the gun, he didn't ride the needle like the previous artist initially did. He redid my current tattoo that I had done in 2005 that was fading and looked somewhat cartoonish. Buddha touched up all the colors, added in fantastic shading and redrew all the outlines. His expertise turned my "cartoonish" stargazer lily vine into a piece of art where I get tons of compliments now. Buddha thoroughly explained the after-care to me which I believe is the reason why the colors are so vibrant and I didn't scab at all like the first time. He was even courteous enough to check on me the day after and the week after to ensure everything was ok since it was a lot of work in a short time. Now if only I could think of something else to subject my body too then Momentum would be my #1 stop! Thank you Momentum Tattoo and Buddha!
Review Source:I took my stepmother here when she came to visit to get a tattoo. Â She wanted something to remember Hawaii by and she has a things for turtles.
We came here with an idea of what she wanted and how to piece it together. Â However, the artist decided to go a different route, which ended up like a cookie cutter type tattoo, these turtles were the basic of any tattoo a person could get. The lines came out crooked like he had too much caffeine. Â
The price was outrageous as if he was taking advantage of some tourist. Â Even my fiancee (who is local) said that this was a rip off. Â Having many tattoos myself and drawing my own, I know what can be done and the price ranges. Â
Definitely won't be coming back to this place and the only reason I'm giving 2 stars and not one is because they good people.
Spike is a color GENIUS!!!! I went in to Momentum after having my sleeve outlined at a different shop downtown...just wanted to get some info on how much it would cost to shade and color everything in. Spike was recommended (by the other artists there) for my tat b/c of his passion for color and floral, artsy pieces, Â and once I spoke to him, I realized why! He is truly an artist...does his research about what he's tattooing, and discusses everything with you before he starts. Â I'm SO incredibly happy with the work he did, love that he's a perfectionist, how laid back & easy he is to talk to, and that he even worked with me on the price. The fact that he has genuine customer service skills is another plus, as it's usually kind of hard to find to find that in the tattoo industry. TIP WELL! He deserves every penny!
 On a similar note...my husband was tattooed by Eddy, and he was thrilled with the results! He had his tribal sleeve filled in quickly and it is SOLID black...which normally takes forever.  Both Eddy and Spike use a similar technique to tattoo, and we've never healed so well and so quickly! We'll definitely be back in there again soon to indulge our tattoo addiction : )
SPIKE! He is so rad ! Real talk, he's hands down, THE SHIT! Lol. There's no words that can explain how much passion he has in art until you see all his work. He tats, paints, draws, & snaps photos. You can tell he's been doing this for a long time. He can spin you up with a lot of knowledge on why you should use this and that lotion and why things are done a certain way. All you have to do is ask. He is very thorough in all his work & made me feel very comfortable. Plus, he's hella funny!
I came in a week ahead of time to schedule an appointment and I was lucky enough to be scheduled with Spike. When it came to appt tym, he approached me n introduced himself and asked what I wanted 2 get tatted. It was a sparrow n I wanted some alibata (ancient filipino writing) writing in it. Spike was honest and had no idea about writing in alibata. I didn't provide something he could've jus copied onto my skin either so I found it very respectful that he was being completely honest about it n wouldn't want to mess up something that would be with me for the rest of my life so... I asked what he suggested. I gave him a little bit of the story behind the tattoo. He listened, went in the back, drew something & out came a picture that illustrated more than words..
So, my fellow yelpers, if you are looking to get a tattoo please do come into momentum tattoo and make an appointment with Spike. I guarantee you will not regret your decision. He is an artist with true talent. Thanks Spike, I will mos def be comin 4 more!
I went in as a walk-in with a friend of mine on a weekend. Although we had to wait a few minutes, it was no problem getting us in. There were some chairs for us to sit and some books to look through some work that's been done in the shop. It's enough to get you inspired for more ink. :)
I also saw SPIKE (someone else mentioned him in a review) and he was very chill. He fixed up a old tattoo for me, and also added some new ink. He stopped every so often to ask me if I was happy with what we had, and I appreciated how thorough he was with ensuring it was just what I wanted.
I liked not having to drive down to Waikiki or "out of the way" to get some work done. This is definitely convenient for Leeward residents that don't want to have to drive far.
Bring cash, or go by the ATM. My friend and I were both happy with their work and I plan to go back to Spike in the future for some additions to my tattoo.
I just got back from getting a tattoo from Eddy. He was fantastic, very personable, and does awesome work! He listened to what I wanted and gave his opinions, and in the end I came out with an awesome piece that i LOVE LOVE L.O.V.E!!
The staff here is very friendly. As soon as I stepped foot in the shop I was greeted. I asked if they accept walk-ins and I got my answer right away. I wanted to see Eddy because he had a special I seen on facebook. He asked what I wanted, I showed him a picture and he said to give him 30 mins and he'll draw it up. I came back in 30 and we started, and finished a little less than 2 hours.
I was lucky enough that he was available right away. If not I would've had to make an appointment. Luckily I came right at 11 when they open. If you want a guarantee spot, I highly suggest you make an appointment.
The shop is very clean. Its surrounded with restaurants, and shops in case you need to wait for your drawing to be done, or just waiting for an opening. There is lots of parking spaces available, and don't forget they ONLY accept CASH. But there is an ATM machine in the shop!
Feeling the itch? You know, that desperate need to have needle meet skin resulting in art you can admire for a lifetime? Momentum Tattoo was a good scratch baby.
I came in last tuesday just out of the blue. A friend of mine had recommended it and I went to go check it out and walked out with some new ink. I was instantly greeted, offered suggestions and help.
The shop itself is really clean. Once I got my art ready to go, I sat down with Brandon. He has been tattooing for 10+ years, so I knew I was in good hands. A quick stencil placement and off we went. Brandon has as gentle of a touch as one can when the goal is to deposit ink into several layers of skin. (Big shout out to Brandon!!)
I even got a offer for some coffee as one of the girls was making a run. I politely declined but it was super nice of her to offer! Who does that? I felt so welcome. Â
Shop minimum is $80, not to shabby but keep in mind you are not in Waikiki. Just like LA or Vegas, more tourists, the more $$! They are an all cash shop, but if you're like me and don't carry greenbacks on the reg fear not! There is a ATM right in the waiting area.
Check these guys out on the ole' book of faces too. Keep you up to date on hours and artist availability!
The shop it beautiful and clean! Â Good location with easy parking lot situation. Called ahead to make an appointment, but I noticed they'll make evory effort to take and consult with walk-ins.
I went it with my friend and her mom. We were all tattooed by Spike, who did amazing free-hand work! Our tattoos look fantastic!
We were there on a Sunday and there was constant foot traffic, lots of walk-ins... if they're this new and busy, they should maybe think about a receptionist :)
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