I had a negative experience at this establishment on 5/19/18 and wrote a negative review. The bottom line was that this establishment failed to meet their obligation to a customer. As the design was specific the offer to "redraw as I waited" wasn't practical. As I understand that things happen my response was not angry or abusive but was very measured. Upon hearing that a customer had a negative experience at his establishment and after admitting that, "a mistake was made", the owner decided to reply on-line with a nasty diatribe that was defensive and hostile. What the owner DIDN'T do was apologize for my wasted time, attempt to rectify the issue with a discount or any other compensatory action, or seek to improve the customer service at his establishment. Seems that any lack of professionalism at this establishment comes from the top which is why I never mentioned the artists name. O.K.Paul C., NOW I've got my warpaint on.
I had a negative experience at this establishment on 5/19/18 and wrote a negative review. The bottom line was that this establishment failed to meet their obligation to a customer. As the design was specific the offer to "redraw as I waited" wasn't practical. As I understand that things happen my response was not angry or abusive but was very measured. Upon hearing that a customer had a negative experience at his establishment and after admitting that, "a mistake was made", the owner decided to reply on-line with a nasty diatribe that was defensive and hostile. What the owner DIDN'T do was apologize for my wasted time, attempt to rectify the issue with a discount or any other compensatory action, or seek to improve the customer service at his establishment. Seems that any lack of professionalism at this establishment comes from the top which is why I never mentioned the artists name. O.K.Paul C., NOW I've got my warpaint on.
I had a negative experience at this establishment on 5/19/18 and wrote a negative review. The bottom line was that this establishment failed to meet their obligation to a customer. As the design was specific the offer to "redraw as I waited" wasn't practical. As I understand that things happen my response was not angry or abusive but was very measured. Upon hearing that a customer had a negative experience at his establishment and after admitting that, "a mistake was made", the owner decided to reply on-line with a nasty diatribe that was defensive and hostile. What the owner DIDN'T do was apologize for my wasted time, attempt to rectify the issue with a discount or any other compensatory action, or seek to improve the customer service at his establishment. Seems that any lack of professionalism at this establishment comes from the top which is why I never mentioned the artists name. O.K.Paul C., NOW I've got my warpaint on.
I had a negative experience at this establishment on 5/19/18 and wrote a negative review. The bottom line was that this establishment failed to meet their obligation to a customer. As the design was specific the offer to "redraw as I waited" wasn't practical. As I understand that things happen my response was not angry or abusive but was very measured. Upon hearing that a customer had a negative experience at his establishment and after admitting that, "a mistake was made", the owner decided to reply on-line with a nasty diatribe that was defensive and hostile. What the owner DIDN'T do was apologize for my wasted time, attempt to rectify the issue with a discount or any other compensatory action, or seek to improve the customer service at his establishment. Seems that any lack of professionalism at this establishment comes from the top which is why I never mentioned the artists name. O.K.Paul C., NOW I've got my warpaint on.
I had a negative experience at this establishment on 5/19/18 and wrote a negative review. The bottom line was that this establishment failed to meet their obligation to a customer. As the design was specific the offer to "redraw as I waited" wasn't practical. As I understand that things happen my response was not angry or abusive but was very measured. Upon hearing that a customer had a negative experience at his establishment and after admitting that, "a mistake was made", the owner decided to reply on-line with a nasty diatribe that was defensive and hostile. What the owner DIDN'T do was apologize for my wasted time, attempt to rectify the issue with a discount or any other compensatory action, or seek to improve the customer service at his establishment. Seems that any lack of professionalism at this establishment comes from the top which is why I never mentioned the artists name. O.K.Paul C., NOW I've got my warpaint on.
I had a negative experience at this establishment on 5/19/18 and wrote a negative review. The bottom line was that this establishment failed to meet their obligation to a customer. As the design was specific the offer to "redraw as I waited" wasn't practical. As I understand that things happen my response was not angry or abusive but was very measured. Upon hearing that a customer had a negative experience at his establishment and after admitting that, "a mistake was made", the owner decided to reply on-line with a nasty diatribe that was defensive and hostile. What the owner DIDN'T do was apologize for my wasted time, attempt to rectify the issue with a discount or any other compensatory action, or seek to improve the customer service at his establishment. Seems that any lack of professionalism at this establishment comes from the top which is why I never mentioned the artists name. O.K.Paul C., NOW I've got my warpaint on.
I had a negative experience at this establishment on 5/19/18 and wrote a negative review. The bottom line was that this establishment failed to meet their obligation to a customer. As the design was specific the offer to "redraw as I waited" wasn't practical. As I understand that things happen my response was not angry or abusive but was very measured. Upon hearing that a customer had a negative experience at his establishment and after admitting that, "a mistake was made", the owner decided to reply on-line with a nasty diatribe that was defensive and hostile. What the owner DIDN'T do was apologize for my wasted time, attempt to rectify the issue with a discount or any other compensatory action, or seek to improve the customer service at his establishment. Seems that any lack of professionalism at this establishment comes from the top which is why I never mentioned the artists name. O.K.Paul C., NOW I've got my warpaint on.
I had a negative experience at this establishment on 5/19/18 and wrote a negative review. The bottom line was that this establishment failed to meet their obligation to a customer. As the design was specific the offer to "redraw as I waited" wasn't practical. As I understand that things happen my response was not angry or abusive but was very measured. Upon hearing that a customer had a negative experience at his establishment and after admitting that, "a mistake was made", the owner decided to reply on-line with a nasty diatribe that was defensive and hostile. What the owner DIDN'T do was apologize for my wasted time, attempt to rectify the issue with a discount or any other compensatory action, or seek to improve the customer service at his establishment. Seems that any lack of professionalism at this establishment comes from the top which is why I never mentioned the artists name. O.K.Paul C., NOW I've got my warpaint on.
I had a negative experience at this establishment on 5/19/18 and wrote a negative review. The bottom line was that this establishment failed to meet their obligation to a customer. As the design was specific the offer to "redraw as I waited" wasn't practical. As I understand that things happen my response was not angry or abusive but was very measured. Upon hearing that a customer had a negative experience at his establishment and after admitting that, "a mistake was made", the owner decided to reply on-line with a nasty diatribe that was defensive and hostile. What the owner DIDN'T do was apologize for my wasted time, attempt to rectify the issue with a discount or any other compensatory action, or seek to improve the customer service at his establishment. Seems that any lack of professionalism at this establishment comes from the top which is why I never mentioned the artists name. O.K.Paul C., NOW I've got my warpaint on.
The Tattoo Factory itself seemed clean, friendly, accommodating, etc.
My review is more specifically about Crystal Martinez, who I would give a million stars to if I could.
I trusted Crystal to take some abstract ideas that I had about what I wanted for my first tattoo and create something custom. I'm so glad I did. She is extremely talented and produced a finished product that I am really happy with and really proud of. I've already gotten tons of compliments on her color choices and shading!
She was also extremely outgoing and friendly, and took her time tattooing, giving me breaks anytime the pain made me a little uncomfortable.
My experience with Crystal seriously couldn't have gone any better and I would definitely recommend her to anyone looking for a tattoo artist. I'm already starting to think about what I want her to give me next.
Was referred to Crystal Martinez by some friends months ago. Â Came in on Saturday for a small tattoo on my forearm. Â Crystal is amazing. Â Friendly, patient, and excellent at what she does. Â I'm already think of what I want next! Â Couldn't recommend Tattoo Factory & Crystal Martinez more.
Review Source:I had a bad experience with one of the tattoo artists (Josh I think?) but I'm giving them a high rating because their piercer Jenny is awesome. I always have issues with my nose ring and I can trust her to be as gentle as possible and not cause more unnecessary issues. When I wanted a different type and size nose hoop that they didn't have, she was very helpful about telling me where I might find it. She's always polite and really helpful, which makes me trust her with my nose piercing - that's important because it always hurts a lot to handle! One time my friend and I were there right at the end of her shift when she was very tired but she was still bending over backwards to make sure my friend's piercings were all as my friend wanted them. The other employees there are also very friendly and courteous. The tattoo artist I had - I don't see him on their website - was in a cranky mood and getting annoyed because he kept printed my tattoo backwards and I was pointing it out. My tattoo is words (in another language) so obviously I don't want it to be backwards... tattoos are permanent!
Review Source:If there was an option for no stars I would have chosen that option. Went in for 3 people to get tattoos. Only 2 of the 3 got done. The 2nd person and the 3rd person had a tattoo drawn out for the both of them to have which would only make sense if they both had them. When the artist started on the last person (shaved arm and applied the outline) we noticed a bad drawing in the first letter of her saying. He then said that he would have to reschedule her to finish the tattoo. It was only 4pm in the afternoon and even after we argued with him he didnt give a rats ass and let us go. So as were driving home we realize that he didnt tell us how to care for the first 2 peoples tattoos and they didnt give us anything to put on them(they did for everyone else) so I called there and "Jenny" answered the phone and I explained what happened and she said just go to walgreens and buy the stuff. What a shithole. No wonder they have to advertise all over the radio, they suck and they wanna sucker you into coming in. Dont go here.
Review Source:I came here over 10 years ago for my first tattoo and had a good experience. In fact, I still have the tattoo!
I came here this past Sunday in a panic wanting a tattoo in memory of someone who recently passed away. I had a basic idea of what I wanted but I hadn't really planned it out. The place was pretty busy (I'm assuming because people were trying to squeeze in their 2012 resolutions to get tattoos before the new year) but Hank came up to me and helped me immediately. I told him what I wanted and he helped me design it. I had a generic picture but he found what I wanted online and shrank it down to fit my wrist. He also printed out a variety of fonts for me to pick from. Once I settled on what I wanted, he went to Jerry for a price. The price that I was quoted was reasonable for what I wanted. I also want to stress how incredibly friendly and funny Hank was. Hank is the piercing guy so he handed the design off to Jerry who made a couple small edits to the design to make it better and he went to town. He said it would be a little less than the original quote because it was a little smaller than he thought it would be.
The tattoo turned out perfectly - much better than I had envisioned it. Much like Hank, Jerry was also incredibly friendly and funny. After finding out the reason for the tattoo, he went out of his way to make me laugh. And he charged me only half of the original quote. Between the quality of the tattoo, the INCREDIBLE people who work there, and the price, I can't imagine a better experience. I left feeling better than I had in days.
So I came here on Dec. 4th...my birthday...as a TOTAL surprise present from Fred! Â YAY!! Â And he couldn't have found a better place! Â It's so clean and funky inside, just what I want out of a tattoo place. Â The guys that works there were tatted up, funny, sarcastic...again...everything I love. Â I had Salvatore as my tattoo artist and he was such an a-hole, but in a great way. Â Fred had brought in pictures of keys and keyholes for us to get and he used the key and I had mine drawn, of course! Â So Sal helped me search for design work that I liked, which was a long tedious task because I am one picky bitch! Â And he let me know it! Â HA! Â It was seriously such a fun night! Â
Both guys did a great job on our tattoos and telling us how to care for them. Â The tattoos look great and I am in the works of convincing Fred to go back to get another one since we had such a great experience! Â If you are in the market for a new tat...check them out!
I finally made my best choice by getting my fourth tattoo at this place! Sox did an awesome job covering up an old tattoo with a classic americana bird & rose. He was fast, clean, and really good at what he does. I came in with an idea in my  head, described it to him, and he drew up EXACTLY what I had in  mind. It was awesome, and also pretty inexpensive.
I would also like to add that I think it's kinda funny how people are saying things about bad customer service. It's a tattoo and piercing shop, not your grandma's hair salon. They will take care of you but they're not going to treat you like the princess that you think you are.
Totally and utterly ambivalent towards this joint because i've had an equal amount of good experiences and an equal amount of wacky experiences.
Hank the piercer is awesome. He is super quirky and bubbly and has pierced me three different times. He's got the touch because those piercings healed beautifully on my sensitive skin and they were almost painless and precise. Only thing is that piercings range to be around $70 and that's a bit pricey. The piercing staff in general are good and have saved me countless times after those libertville's neo-nazi piercers turned me down time after time.
The tattoo side of this business is a whole other animal. I've heard that this place was kind of sketchy from other people, and I found out why when i went to get my first tattoo.I wanted to get a back tattoo of a book quote in solid black. It was also fairly small. The artist told me he wanted $240 for the tattoo. Now, i knew it was going to be expensive but i wasn't expecting this and brought in only $210. I told him i didn't have that much, so he put his best haggle voice on and said, "How much ya got...."
What was wacky is that throughout the session he kept lowering the price for me to the point where the tattoo ended up costing $80. Now i'm not sure if it's because that after doing the tattoo he realized it was so small and i'd have to be half-looped to consent to paying so much for something so simple. Orrr if it's because my bright orange underwear kept popping every few inches from my jeans because my dumbass forgot to wear a belt. For whichever reason, it's grandly debatable.
Will i want to get another tattoo here? No. Will i want to get pierced here again? Perhaps, except for i will definitely shop around for cheaper jobs.
I came in Tuesday to get a tattoo on my ankle to include one I already had in the spot. Â The manager asked if I could come back the next day so I could have a specific artist (Kelly). Â I can't thank him enough for that recommendation!! Â Kelly free handed the design on my ankle and it is beautiful and feminine. I think the pricing was very fair. Â I would highly recommend Kelly and will definitley be going back to him for any other work I have done. Â Thank you!
P.S. Anyone who complains about being to pricey probably complains about expensive sushi. Â Ink and raw fish are not things to go cheap on!
I came in to Tattoo Factory last Saturday to get my first tattoo and I couldn't have been more pleased. Originally, my friend and I were going to go to her friend to get our tattoos done, as his dad owns a shop, and he had done one of her tattoos in the past. At the last minute we decided to go to Tattoo Factory instead. I was pretty scared--okay, VERY scared--but I've heard good things about this place.
We got there around 12:30 and started talking to a few of the guys working. My first reaction was how clean and open the studio was. I immediately felt comfortable and could tell this place was very safe. Additionally, everyone we talked to was extremely nice and helpful.
Chris, the artist who did my tattoo, asked what I wanted. I told him I wanted a semicolon on my wrist, and he said it'd be $40, which was about what I expected. As I filled out the paperwork, he came up with a design. After showing it to me, I asked him to make it a little bit smaller and closer together. He agreed, but said any smaller or closer together probably wouldn't look very good. This made sense, as it was already a small tattoo, so I took his word for it--he is the professional, after all.
Then it was time! Chris had me come back to his station, and he let my friend and her boyfriend come back as well. After I sat down, we picked the placement for the tattoo. He was very patient with me, as I was a little picky with where the tattoo would be, and had him move it around a few times.
After Chris put the carbon copy on my wrist, he began to get everything ready. He put on gloves and opened everything up right in front of me. Then, he asked me to wait a minute because the tattoo gun felt a little shaky. He got a different one out and started from the beginning to put it all together. This made me a little nervous, but also calm (if that makes sense.) Clearly, he knew what he was doing and realized the gun wasn't up to par.
Before he started, he reminded me to take a deep breath, and informed me he would do just one line to start so I knew what it would feel like. He knew it was my first tattoo, and that I was nervous, and assured me I would be fine. After he did the first line of the tattoo, I let out a sigh of relief. It didn't hurt nearly half as bad as I thought. Chris laughed and kept working, and it was finished in less than 5 minutes.
The tattoo looked amazing, and Chris wrapped it and told me what to do for the next few days to take care of it. Then I paid and we left. When I have money to get the next tattoo I want, I'll definitely go back to Chris. He was excellent, professional, and very nice. Ask for him when you go in!
WORSE customer service ever at night time, but only for the tattoos, Hank is amazing if you were to get a piercing. He pierced my nose and I didn't feel a thing! He is extremely knowledgeable on piercings, locations, aftercare, etc. Most tattoo shops I have been in, and I have been to a lot, being a fellow tattoo artist, never truly go into detail about piercings, but he did.
The tattoo artists there are rude, unprofessional, and really don't give a damn about what you want (at night time). During the day, the service is completely different. If you were to get work done, get something done by either Dawn Grace or David Dillon, both are great people, with great work, and you can actually see and feel their passion for the art.
This place was great! A+ service!
I dropped in not even knowing if I was going to get ink or not. But I had a design I wanted on my mind for a long time- I really just wanted an opinion and a quote on getting an old tattoo covered up- that was my main concern. We printed out the artwork and talked about the cover up. I figured they'd schedule me in for the next day or later in the week, but I was told I could get it right then and there! Hell yes!
They got me in at midnight with no hassle, and got me out just before 2am. The art is a very colorful, traditional Sailor Jerry original "MOM" tattoo I had on my mind for a while.
Josh was my artist for this session. He was very friendly and straight forward about the artwork. I trusted him because I didn't understand the dynamics of a cover-up tattoo (the original was a black tribal piece across my outer arm) so I told him it was in his hands.
Although this place is called "Tattoo Factory", I felt as though I got the same attention and quality from an upscale tattoo parlor.
Pricing were fair. I paid $250 + a $50 tip. I figured, hey, if its going to be on my body for the rest of my life, DON'T CHEAP OUT. We even swung over to The Spot for a beer and a whiskey shot to celebrate the new artwork after it was all finished up. If I go back to Tattoo Factory, I'd definitely ask for Josh again, but all of the other people working seemed very friendly and committed to their craft. I trust this place and will probably go back.
After my date didnt show up, I decided to stop by and get a Prince Albert here last nite. It only cost $90. My piercer was Hank. This guy is AWESOME! I had spoken with him a few days earlier and he was very polite and professional. I stopped in the shop around 9 pm. We talked, he explained the procedure. He was should to make me feel comfortable and hes pretty funny. I also noticed that ALL the instruments were packaged and sterilized! If you ever get a piercing from here. Be sure to ask for Hank. Tell him that Gerry sent you. He works Wednesday-Sunday 6pm-2am.
Review Source:Jenny is AWESOME! Â Dropped in to get a tragus piercing and she was just great. Â Friendly, informative, and let me hug her! Â :) Â Piercing was quick. Â It did hurt but realistically, when someone shoves a needle into your skin it's not supposed to feel good - unless you like that kind of thing! Â It was quick and the pain went away immediately. Â She recommended the "dainty balls" and I LOVE THEM! Â :)
I can see where some of the reviews can come from. Â While I was waiting, 2 grumpy employees stood at the front, talking and dropping the F bomb every 2 minutes. Â Not professional for a bank, but this is a tattoo establishment and it is what it is. Â Regardless of the industry however, it is a business and I think they should make an effort to be be more universally client friendly. Â Grow up guys. Â The F bomb does not make you appear cool or hip. Â Just ignorant and complacent about having customers - which is ok if you won the lottery. Â Not so much if you need to pay the bills - remember that.
The price was on par with the industry in Chicago and Jenny did a great job. Â Would definitely recommend her.
This big guy that was supposed to tattoo me was talking for 40 minutes  outside with his friends while i was waiting.
The drawing i had was small because it was my first tattoo and i didn't wanted to go all crazy... so the guy got so annoyed by that. He made couple of very rude comments and walked away in the middle of making my stencil saying ''i can't deal with this today''.
I was shocked. Some girl continued and finally gave me a super cute tattoo... She was very nice and tried to compensate for that awful person.
Would i go back there to get my second tattoo, never. Would i recommend it to my friend - absolutely not.
This place is big, organized, and clean!
Came in without an appointment at 5 on a Wednesday night and Mike was very accommodating. He was quick, efficient, and had good suggestions on the placement of my friends tattoo on his arm. The tattoo took about 45 and everyone in the shop seemed competent and friendly.
His tattoo is 5x5 with colors and it was $160, we had a 10% off coupon from their website. It turned out great with clean lines.
About 40 minutes into the tattoo, my friend started feeling lightheaded. Mike immediately stopped, grabbed a wet napkin and put it on my friend's head while another tattoo artist nearby unwrapped a sucker for my friend and leaned his chair back. They definitely know what they're doing!
I like this place. I have been here 3 times and seen two different artists. The last one was my favorite. He was nice and not that creepy (the other guy was).
I have met some rude staff members and some very nice and friendly. The place is clean and if you know how to ask nicely, you can have your friend sit with you while you are getting inked.
Note: You can negotiate and there is a coupon on their website.
This review is long overdue as I had my tat done about 2.5 years ago! Â Dawn Grace was my artist and she came HIGHLY recommended. Â Her style is very unique and not something you see everyday. Â I had to wait 3 months to get an appointment (she's POPULAR!) but it was well worth it. Â
I was blown away by the arm piece she did for me (it's darn near a half-sleeve). Â I'm very picky when it comes to tattoos and artists. Â All my work is custom (often incorporating some of my own design) and it takes me months upon months to settle on a design and an artist-- I'm pretty neurotic when it comes to the whole process! Â I micro-manage everything down to the last teensy detail, LOL (hey, it's going to be with me FOREVER, right!?).
When I saw her, she had a basic idea for part of the design (the part I e-mailed to her ahead of time that I drew up myself) but she didn't settle on the rest of it until I was in the shop. Â She drew it on me freehand so it would compliment the lines and curves of my body. Â You can't do that ahead of time on paper. Â Then she tattooed me and it was PERFECT! Â
Dawn is hands down the only tattoo artist I feel comfortable enough with to just say "go ahead and put something along the lines of XYZ on me, I trust you'll make the fine details look good" - and that's saying A LOT. Â And I also have quite a few large pieces from various artists - so I've been around the block. Â
I get so many compliments on the upper arm piece she did for me. Â Often times it's when I'm in conservative professional environments too. Â They tell me it's "classy" and suits me very well. Â I also hear quite a bit: "I'm normally not a big fan of tattoos but that one is GORGEOUS!"
Many of my friends have visited Tattoo Factory for all sorts of tattoos. Â One thing that strikes me about the shop is they are very comprehensive. You can opt seek out the custom services of a gold-star tattoo artist or if you're feeling spontaneous, you can pop in and be seen by your choice of talented artists with little or no wait. Â
Good job, Tattoo Factory!
I came back to get another design on my other shoulder, with a similar theme (vine work) but instead of a lotus, I got the design on the back of the British 20 pence coin. Â
The problem was, because I don't have a printer at home, all I had was the coin itself! *lol* No worries... they had a scanner on site and were able to take care of me.
Mike did my tattoo again, and did just as good of a job as he did last time. It's very detailed and intricate and the shading is the same great quality. Â
I absolutely love this tattoo, get tons of compliments on it from everyone, and the price was really, really low. Â
So long as I live in Illinois, Tattoo Factory is my tattoo parlor, and Mike is my artist. Â I will not go anywhere else!
Awesome. Huge. Clean. Â I went last night (a Sunday) with my buddy for his birthday and we all got some work done. Â
I went in with what I'll call a "stick figure" version of what I wanted, and Noah turned it into a Sistine ceiling. Â
I couldn't be happier with my results and I feel that the pricing was more than fair. Â
Thanks, Tattoo Factory!
I have nothing but good things to say about this place. Super clean, super friendly, and very professional. Sal did my tattoo and it is perfect. He took the time to make sure that it was the right size, color, etc.
I will recommend them to everyone I know. I have found my new tattoo home!!!
I've had three tattoos done at this place. Two when they were at their old location and one cover-up.
I saw Christopher for my cover up and told him to draw me something to cover it. I had a couple ideas and threw it at him and 45 minutes he had a beautiful  outline. My tattoo took 5  hours and I couldn't be any happier. I was in extreme pain at some points and he was extremely patient with me and it came out so beautiful. I'm very pleased with his work. I had my other phoenix tribal tattoos custom made here as well (not by the same artist).
I'd definitely come here if you're looking for custom work and you don't want to wait forever for someone to draw something for you.
They are very decently priced too.
My first time at Tattoo Factory.  First impression? Awesome! Clean, professional, and friendly.  Very convenient hours. I was taken care of as a walk in in a short amount of time, by Dave.  I explained what I had in mind, showed  him a picture or two, and within 30 minutes he had a sketch done. Â
Dave works quick and efficient but not so fast that he is rushed or sloppy. Some of the best work I've had done so far. He didn't use a heavy hand either, he let the machine do the work as it should be.
The price was right, slightly higher than what I pay in the 'burbs, but I expected that. I would go back here in a heartbeat and am already planning to.
I absolutely love this place. Of my 11 tattoos, 8 are from Tattoo Factory. I highly recommend Dave, but my real loyalties are to Cassie and Hank.
Cassie is pretty new as far as I know, but she is absolutely amazing. Her work is stunning and flawless and her demeanor is fantastic. She is always willing to go out of her way to ensure you are happy with your ink and I just can't say enough wonderful things about her. There aren't enough accolades on the planet to do her justice.
Hank is, without a doubt, the BEST piercer I have EVER been to. I have a lot of holes, but after being pierced once by Hank, I never got a piercing from anyone else ever again (with the exception of Jenny, his darling grasshopper). Â His bedside manner is matched by none and his genuine care is incredibly sincere.
Paul, the owner, is also pretty fantastic. He is a wonderful and incredibly nice guy with a real knack for customer service.
So, go to the UPTOWN TATTOO FACTORY for all your tattoo and piercing needs and I can personally guarantee you'll be a very happy camper.
So i still think their pricing is way up there but this review is mainly based on the artist i have been working with, Chris Wagman.
As far as the facility is concerned, i have not seen it dirty yet. It looks great every time i have come through the door and the staff is a nice bunch since i have been in there (about 6.5hrs of getting inked so far). Chris not only has done a great job but works his own pricing system so the shock of the prices on the walls mean nothing to me as long as he's my guy over there.
I have seen some other artists tattooing other customers while i am in the chair and must say they really do have a great group of talented artists.
Go check it out!
I have mixed feelings about this place - good artists, but somewhat expensive and a relatively rude staff. Â I absolutely love the work I've had done here, but each time has been an interesting experience to say the least. Â
First time I came, I loved the artist I had - super friendly and seemed genuinely happy to be tattooing. Â
Second time - convinced some friends to get some work done, and the artist doing my friend's tattoo told her to chew on a piece of gum or something so that she would "shut up". Â Pretty rude, especially considering the fact that it was my friend's first tattoo and she was extremely nervous.
Third time was for a nose piercing, and the guy who did it couldn't have been more of an ass. Â I was nervous and worried that it would hurt, and he made it worse by making di*k comments about how much of a girl I was being about it; to which I replied, "I am a girl, thanks."
I wouldn't come here for another piercing, but maybe for another tat. Â I do like that they're open late so I can always have a place to go in case I get that urge late at night.
I wandered in here because I had passed it many times on my way to and from my boyfriend's apartment. I had an impulse to get my nose pierced (which is how my piercings always go, I never think it out more than a day or two in advance. Usually I'll be walking around the city and all of a sudden say "I think I need another hole in my head.") and everywhere else on Memorial Day Sunday night was closed.
Santi was my piercer, he was great! I had to wait for a little bit (about 20 mins) because I walked in without an appointment, but I had no qualms with that. Santi filled out my paper work, chit chatted with me, and took me back. I really like that he took his time with me, clarified where was a good place to put my piercing (I ended up getting it a little lower than I originally intended so I could put a hoop in it if needed), and made me comfortable. He explained pretty much everything to me (most of which I already knew, seeing as this was my 16th piercing, but was still appreciated) and asked for my feedback right before/during/after the piercing. After I sat back up, he even wiped my eye with a Q tip because my eyes were watering, making my mascara run. How sweet! He then explained all the aftercare for me and gave me the obligatory "Your New Piercing" pamphlet.
I will definitely go back here for my upcoming Industrial (as soon as I can afford it) and tattoo. Only 2 reasons for 4 stars: 1) because nobody had change to break my $20 for a tip, and 2) the attitude of the first guy that answered my questions was piss-poor. As stated in erica f's review, a slight attitude is somewhat expected in the tattoo world, however, I started to wonder if this guy seriously had a handicap, seeing as he had no social skills whatsoever. I'm sure he's a great tattoo artist, but if that's the case, get someone with better people skills at the front desk!
All-around excellent experience & perfect tattoo work!
Called first to schedule an evening appointment & the friendly woman who answered told me that at that time (8pm or so on a Thursday night) I would have no trouble just walking-in.
Upon walking-in, I was greeted & treated professionally. I brought with me an image of a tattoo that I knew would need to be slightly re-worked by a tattoo artist. Tattoo artist Jimmy did just that: he took my image & drew a new-and-improved tattoo image from it on the spot. His talent was mind blowing!
The tattoo work itself was perfect. Jimmy was careful, thorough & meticulous.
I am allergic to latex, & Jimmy even made the point to find vinyl gloves for use during the tattooing process.
Jimmy also offered $20 discount on the cost of the tattoo for paying in cash instead of by credit/debit card.
This is my first tattoo from the city of Chicago (my others hail from Atlanta GA, Salem MA, Galveston Island TX Â & other various locations around Northern IL...) & I would definitely return to Tattoo Factory for any future Chicago-area work!
Went in to see Hank to get my eyebrow re-pierced. It grew out after 12 years. Loved being greeted by his smiling face asking "How can we hurt you today?"
I had my own jewelery, so he quoted me the lower price. But after thinking about it for a little while, he came back and asked if he could use a new ring with a smaller gauge. Completely professional and still kept the original quoted price. He was concerned with aesthetics, and wanted to make sure what he put in my face added to my look, and didn't detract from it. "skinnier hoops look better on a female" Not in a sexist way, but in a generally concerned way. Amazing.
Hank was very thorough with explaining the process as he went along, the aftercare, and just chatting about life. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
I was visiting a friend in Chicago and mentioned I wanted to get a tattoo that I had been thinking about for awhile. Â She brought me here, and my tooth tattoo dreams came true.
I broke a couple of my teeth in a bike car collision and I wanted to get a tattoo to celebrate the impermanence of things you think are permanent, like teeth, and to remind myself to floss. Â I had a pretty specific idea in mind, a tooth with a bow around it. Â I met Beth who listened to my ideas, and gave me some of her own. Â We came to a compromise, and I am now the proud owner of the one of the sweetest tattoos ever. Â Next time I'm in Chicago, I will definitely be hitting up Beth for another tattoo!
I don't know why I haven't considered reviewing this place until now?! My sister and I got our tattoos here together. Â This place was recommended by a friend, and during our first visit we met with Paul and completely felt comfortable getting our tatts done at Tattoo Factory. Â Our mom accompanied us during the visit and was tickled over the free (very cute) Tattoo Factory t-shirts and apron Paul gave us. Â At first, we got to know the tattoo artists and perfected the design we had in mind. Â The second visit was a few weeks later when we took the plunge and got inked. We were charged less than $100 for each of our tatt.
THUMBS UP for this place:
*They WELCOME planned visits and spontaneous tattoo excursions from 10 am to 2 in the morning every single day of the week.
* One of the OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY run tattoo shop in the Chicagoland area- very accredited
*Did I already mention the FREE t-shirt and apron?!
*They ACCEPT credit card and PLENTY of street parking can be found right out side its doors.
*They have a HANDFULL of artists and piercists available all having YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. Â Check out their portfolio on the website.
* There are PLENTY of photos and design books to get inspiration or just straight up copy.
*GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE from the artists and the ink job was REASONABLY PRICED for the QUALITY OF WORK they do.
*The studio is CLEAN and equipment is sanitized. Â The artist chairs are set up like a salon. Â If you're getting something done where you don't have to take-off your clothes (girls) then it's fine, otherwise you'll need a place with privacy, unless you don't mind?!
I've gotten three tattoos in my life, one at The Chicago Tattooing and Piercing Company and two here at the Tattoo Factory. I like them both, not gonna lie, but my most recent ink was at the Tattoo Factory so they get the review today.
My favorite part about the Tattoo Factory is Hank. He's probably one of the friendliest, most helpful and congenial guys I've ever run into at a tattoo joint. I've never seen him in a bad mood, never seen him be anything but nice. That's rare in the industry and he deserves mad props and recognition for his passion and dedication to the craft.
They do run a little pricier but I'd much rather pay extra knowing I'm getting a safe, clean and above-all quality experience than going to, say, some of these biker-run joints in Elgin. I wouldn't trust those clowns to wash my car. Go to Tattoo Factory, you won't be sorry.
Tattoo Factory, you are my home.
I've worked with Hank for my ear strech and my smiley piercing (if you dont know what a smiley is, look it up, you'll be pleasently surprised, and then you'll want it, and then you should go to Hank to get it). For both piercings he's been nothing short of amazing. He's really friendly, gentle, and knowledgable. I feel like there are people you go to and they treat you like you're just one of the many thousands of people they've pierced in that same spot. Not Hank, he's so experienced that he's pierced hundreds of thousands but treats you like the indvidual you are. He's an awesome conversationalist, and I've seen him do nipples and an assortment of surface piercings for happy customers. I'll never go to any other piercer, and I refer all my friends there.
Jerry did my tattoo, which I also love. I wanted it to look like it was painted on by a child, and honestly, it looks exactly like it was. I couldn't be happier. I explained what I wanted, he worked his magic, and he was so gentle. I cant wait to go get it finished. My friend got an awesome piece from Beth and it was the same story, she gave her a general idea and her tattoo is awesome. Normally I wouldnt say just walk into a place, but if you are trying to walk in go to the Tattoo Factory.
I cant reccomend Tattoo Factory enough. The artists there are real (they'll tell you whether or not they can give you want, instead of trying and failing). The place is clean (literally, Jerry yelled at someone who tried to pick up a pen off the floor and put it on the counter). The work is quality, and the prices are reasonable.
It's been awhile since my initial review of the Tattoo Factory (yelp just reminded me of this and asked me to update), and I'm happy to say I love it as much as ever.
I've been there many times since my first review and have consistently been pleased with the service, prices and exceptional talent of the artists there. Â I've been tattooed by Casey and Beth, who have done such great work, Â but the pieces I've seen done by the rest of the artists on others have ranged from small, simple pieces (stars, names, etc. - first tattoo kind of stuff), to gigantic, intricate back pieces that take several sessions to complete. Â What's so refreshing about the Tattoo Factory is their willingness to do it all and not blink an eye at size, price, etc. Â As for body piercings, I've had my nostril pierced here by Hank, who was a wonderful combination of funny, calming and professional. Â
So if you're looking for a small, dainty tattoo on your wrist or a gigantic, demonic full sleeve, make sure to check out Tattoo Factory. Â There's a reason why they've been running strong since 1976!
I'd been searching for an artist for my latest tattoo for awhile, and when I found Dawn Grace's portfolio online, I knew she was it!
She's booked up about two months in advance, and it's for a reason -- her work is excellent and beautifully detailed. I met her in the shop for a consultation, she created a design for me, and it was exactly what I had in mind. She's very professional, and fun to talk to while she's working on you. It was much less painful than I expected it to be, too. It will not be cheap, but you get what you pay for. And for something that will be on your body for the rest of your life, why get anything less than the best? I've had lots of compliments on my new tattoo, even from people who I didn't think would be into it.
As far as the shop itself goes, some people don't like the "open" atmosphere, and that everyone can look at you while you're being tattooed. It doesn't bother me, but take that into consideration if it's an issue for you. It's very clean and I would not hesitate to go back there again.
I used to see Uptown Tattoo Factory from the red line on a daily basis and always thought to myself "pfft, I would never trust a place like that!"
Yea, ok, liar!
Two of my friends have gone here for their tattoos and had nothing but good things to say. I went with one of them (it was her first tattoo), and everyone made her feel so comfrotable that I decided I would cheat on the studio I was going to and try out Uptown. Glad I did!
I worked with David, and he was fantastic. My design was simple - I wanted one of those support ribbons, but I wanted it to be colored like the Marines' dress blues (navy blue with a red stripe around the outside), in honor of my best friends who are both Marines. That's all the direction I gave him.
30 minutes later - finished. Even tho I gave him almost no direction, it came out looking EXACTLY the way I had pictured. The price was within what I had expected and the service was wonderful.
I had my friend with me, who had been tattooed by David before. We spent a lot of the time chatting while he did his work, and every so often he would join in. It was a good time and made it go by so quick.
Thanks, David! You will probably see me again!
PS: don't forget to tip your tattoo artist!
I went here, based on the positive reviews, to get my nose pierced last weekend. I like that it's a walk-in place, because if you get there early, you're in!
...or not. I showed up at 10am when they opened. The nice tattoo guy told me the piercer should be in "any minute." Well, she didn't roll in until 45 minutes later. I had a good friend with me and no where pressing to be, so I didn't mind the wait. But I may have minded on any other given day, and you may, too. So, heads up!
The piercer...Jenny???...looked like she'd rather be anywhere else in the world. Which was not comforting. She told me she'd be able to pierce right over the former site of a nose piercing and that it may cause more pain due to scar tissue. No problem. Lemme have it.
The good news? It was virtually pain free! She did a great job! By the time we were done, she seemed a little more awake and was even cracking some jokes.
All in all, not a bad experience. I'm generally wary of really large tattoo/piercing shops, especially with the word "factory." But I liked it here, and the piercing looks great and is healing well!
How weird is it that I've reviewed this place 3 times over the past 3-4 years?
Anyway, I got a chance to re experience the Tattoo Factory last night. I can honestly say that I was skeptical when I walked in, but upon meeting Hank and seeing that they actually had helpful counter help I felt a little more open minded in the experience.
I was with a friend who needed some help with jewelry and Hank was our man. He was courteous, funny, and he had a personality. Im seriously amazed at the night and day difference between last night and the last time I was here.
I still have no experience with the tattoos here, but Hank was excellent.
I've gotten work done here, and I actually really like the quality of the work. Both Adam and Sal were nice to talk to, and did good work although it was way overpriced. The piercer Nick is great, and has helped both me and my girlfriend with replacement jewelry and gauging more than once for cheap. He is really really awesome.
Lately though, the shop has become more and more disinterested in my business. As someone who has spent over a grand in there on piercings and tattoos, you would think that they would want my repeat business and put at least a semblance of priority on "fitting me in". That doesn't seem to be the case, I guess they make more money off the drunk girls coming in to get a tramp stamp of their boyfriends name than they do off people that want real quality tattoos.
I tried for 3 weeks to get an appointment with someone, or just to have someone sit with me and draw out a concept for me, and even though people said things like "I'll call you by Thursday" I never got a call. I went back 4 times, even though the place isn't conveniently located to where I live and after being shot down repeatedly took my business elsewhere. (See my other reviews for a 5 star rating for the place that eventually got my business)
Pros: The piercer nick is funny as heck and very easy to talk to and very helpful. I'd give him a 5 star rating, but I can't split things up and the other bad things lower his rating considerably.
Cons: Located in the middle of the hood, drug dealers in the alley beside the shop, horrible customer service, and artists that never call you back. People that greet you act like you are bothering them to ask for help.
Want a new tattoo, see Dawn Grace. This review is long overdue. But here goes.
I contacted Dawn after looking at quite a few artist's portfolios online. Her work is fantastic, and even though I knew what I wanted before contacting her, it was along the lines of her work. Setting up an appointment was easy, just email her and she'll let you know her schedule. If you want a Sunday appointment, make sure you contact her six weeks ahead of time. After making my appointment with her, it turned out she had an opening sooner and let me know, that made me really happy.
The shop is very big and clean. What I got was bigger than I had originally intended, but I love it. No only was she awesome with the fact that I hate pain, she was very careful and detailed in her work, and somehow it was the least painful tattoo I ever got. She made me extremely relaxed, and I love the work that was done. As for the price, you get what you pay for. I don't think the amount I was charged was more than it was worth by any means, and I won't hesitate to come back if I decide to get another.
I had friends in town and we wanted to get tattoos to celebrate the New Year and my birthday, and originally we were going to go to Tattoo Tatu (sp), which is where I got my last one, but we decided to go here instead. The best idea ever! Unlike other shops I've been to, this place was huge, soothing, carpeted(!), no loud obnoxious "this is a tattoo parlor, bitches" kind of music, etc. etc.
All of the artists were cool and extremely friendly. Two of ours were simple, but small font and Alex, our guy, didn't bat an eye at our requests. One friend's was more complicated and her guy, David worked with her and created something perfectly awesome!
I talked about the place for a good two days straight...and I think there's a 10% coupon for first time customers online...
And I thought the prices were fair. I went to Tattoo Tatu before and there's not so much...and they played that obnoxious "this is a tattoo parlor, bitches" music...
My bf and I walked here from a few blocks away, and the neighborhood around the shop is a little rough. Â I was really happy once we got inside.
My bf's good friend is a world class tattoo artist who happens to work here. Â Anthony (the tattoo artist) and my bf hadn't seen each other in a long time, so I suggested that my bf get one of his tattoos touched up so we could sit and chat.
As Anthony did the shading on the tattoo, my bf and him reminisced about the years that they were friends, and the places that they had run into each other. Â Their friendship was very familiar to me; my best friend and I had a bond similar to theirs.
My best friend was killed in a car accident almost 5 years ago, and I always wanted to get a memorial tattoo in her honor. Â I was waiting to find the right tattoo artist to do this deeply sentimental piece, and once I met Anthony, I knew he was the right person to do it. Â
There wasn't enough time while we were there over the weekend to start the tattoo, so we'll save it for another trip, as the piece I want is very large and detailed.
Seriously? No. Â
It's not the shop. Â The shop is nice. Â It's not the artists, they're just fine. Â It's the work and the prices charged. Â
Accompanied BFF and Auntie to get their second and first tattoos, respectively, last year. Â BFF got a cupcake on her calf, a bit smaller than a real cupcake. Â Auntie got a quarter sized, one color, yin & yang on her ankle. Â
BFF was charged $150 for her tat which has at least one imperfection and Auntie, well that's the kicker; they charged her $100 for a quarter sized, one color, totally easy design. Â And they did a kinda shitty job with it. Â She actually had to go back months later for a touch up on it, and they tried to charger her! (Can you hear my eyes rolling?)
Now, I'm no proponent of price shopping for a tattoo. Â I think you pay for what you get. Â In this case, she should have gotten the best fucking yin/yang possible.
One of the artists did an ok drawing for an idea I'm working on. Â He told me it'd cost around $400. Â After talking to more and more artists and folks in the biz, I am extremely grateful that I decided to hold off that day. Â The cost of the design he proposed was double what it should have been. Â The design itself was mediocre too.
I don't have a beef with this place. Â I'm just giving my honest opinion. Â No tattoo should come from a place with "factory" in the name, it seems.
As a disclaimer, I should say that I have severe disdain for people who act like @ssholes because they are members of any sort of social sub-culture and another person is not. Â That goes for guys in frats, computer nerds, biker gangs and triads to name a few. Â You get my point though.
For our one-year wedding anniversary, my wife and I decided to get our respective names tattooed on our respective bodies. Â Just to give you an indication of who we are, my wife decided on "Robert" in ELVISH on her ribs, and I decided on "Megan" in binary across my chest. Â So you get it, we are nerds. Â
Anyway, a friend of mine here in Chicago said we should go to Tattoo Factory. Â She told us that she had went with two different girls and that it went smashingly -- the tattoos were executed to perfection, the venue was hip/rad, and it was an overall good experience. Â On that advice, we called the TF weeks in advance to let them know what we wanted and they said we could just walk in.
On our anniversary, my wife and I went. Â As we walked from the L stop, the neighborhood was appropriately shady, with homeless people and gang members scattered throughout, so I was confident we were going to have a quality experience. I was wrong.
As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by a strangely vaudevillian woman at the front desk. Â She was nothing short of rude, as I told her we had called ahead, gotten the OK, and were now here for our tattoos. Â She informed me "yeah we do that" then walked away. Â
A few moments later, one of the shops artists greeted us.  And by greeted, I mean, he completely checked out my wife, looked at me like I was captain of the Jock's and we were on the set of Grease, and then proceeded to tell me that my ONE LINE OF BINARY CODE was going to be $250.  Now, I have 4 tattoos (none of which are visible with a shirt on), so I know how much a f*cking tattoo costs, and what the pricing is based on.  However, he made it instantly apparent through his sneer and auto-gaze that he thought I was some kind of  tool bag who he could rip off.  I am not going to put him on blast -- because everyone has off days -- but when I met him he was not professional as he instantly identified me as "the man" with whom he had severe issues with because I had a white t-shirt on and no skull tattoos on my neck. Â
Now, I didn't want to make a scene with the guy who obviously thought I was an idiot, so he then quoted my wife at a price of $20 LESS THAN THEIR MINIMUM CHARGE and gave her a free T-shirt. Â I should say that my wife is hot and I have gotten used to these type of guys acting like i'm a prototype stockbroker, but it gets old. Â
Anyway, the work was fine, and honestly if you put a tattoo of Anwar Sadat on my wife she would make it look sexy, but the overall experience of going to a place where you are treated like a piece of conformist scum BECAUSE YOU DONT HAVE ANY VISIBLE TATTOOS is just ridiculous -- I mean isn't this the tattoo parlor the entrance to the secret club?!? Â It's also sad. Â For them, not me.
All of that said, I did get my wife's name tattooed -- at Metamorphosis in Wicker Park. Â It was the complete opposite experience (I will be writing a review of them) and the artist I worked with "Nexer" was dope. Â Also everyone at Metamorph was friendly, professional and all-around cool. Â Unlike these fools who apparently missed the memo that being cast as a member of the Sharks at Steppenwolf wasn't a full-time immersion gig.
In summary: Â If you aren't a hardcore member of a street gang, biker gang, or a seedy sub-culture avoid this place. Â Oh, also if you aren't a hot girl.
I got my last two tattoos here, and I'm never going anywhere else.
Both are text ("so it goes" and "all mimsy were the borogoves"), and both are on my legs (one upper left thigh, one right side of my right calf), and though I had different artists each time, I had the same hilarious conversation both times...
Since both tattoos were on my legs, the easiest way for the artists to do the tattoo involves my knee or foot being more or less in their groin, so each time I said "Sorry I'm pretty much kicking/kneeing you in the balls right now, I can't help it," to which they both responded "It's okay, I like it."
Love this place. The website has %10 off coupons, so take advantage of that. Plus, if it costs over $100, you get a t shirt!
HIGHLY recommended.
The artists there are incredibly professional and really willing to help you out if you go in with a vague idea of what you want. I cant recall who did my forearm (which is what I got done there- see if on my myspace if you want) but he was wonderful. I only knew I wanted something to remember my grandfather who had recently passed away and he came up with a beautiful memorial for me. He was very gentle and very aware of me and how I was feeling through out the process.
The art work is still as vibrant as it was then 7 months later or so.
I plan on getting my future work done at this establishment.
I heart Zack.
I had my nostril done by Bob Jones of Insight (and I stand by my review of him as well, he did a wonderful job) but moved to Edgewater and didn't want to go allllll the way down to Noble Square.
Anyway, I had decided I wanted to have my nostril piercing moved back, so I visited Zack who was extremely good natured and helpful. He has a great sense of humor and placed my new stud exactly where I wanted it.
And the bigger bonus, thanks to Zack's aftercare instructions, this one healed WAY faster than my other one.
Next week, I'm gonna have him do my conch. I can't wait!
I got my fourth tattoo done by Dawn Grace and loved her and the job she did. She is saucy and was really easy to talk to and did a great job. Since then she has fixed the first tattoo I'd gotten when I was a lot younger and made me love it all over again. She's really good with intricate work.
Beside Dawn, the place is clean and easy to get to from mass transit. The welcoming you get at the counter may not be the warmest, but I go there for Dawn, and welcome is always warm.
As others have noted she is a busy lady, so make sure to call in advance and get an appt.
I got my second tattoo here. Â The new building is really nice, clean, modern. Â They seem to take all the necessary precautions as far as safety/legal goes. Â However, this place is exactly what the name implies: a factory. Â Churn 'em out, take their money, repeat.
The first thing I noticed was that it took forever for anyone to help me. Â I was just kind of standing there in the lobby and no one came over to help me- despite my being the only customer in the store. Â Although this place has more flash lining the walls than any other shop in town, I wanted a custom design. Â I gave my rough sketch to the artist (Alex, I believe) and he just copied it onto tracing paper. Â Very unfriendly, didn't speak to me much at all.
I asked him to elaborate on the design, as I was just giving him a low-res sketch of my idea. Â He stuck to the copy exactly, giving it a grainy look just like the low-res image I had handed him. Â It ended up looking kind of cool at the time, but looking back I'm disappointed in it. Â I'm actually in the process of getting it removed, which I regret having to do, but at least I learned to make sure I know what I am getting! Â LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE! Â And for the record, I have three other tats that I am keeping and plan on getting many more in the future- but from different artists.
Overall, they are quick, moderately expensive, and completely un-original here. Â Or at least, Alex was on this occasion. Â Based on my experience, if you are looking for something generic- Chinese letters, barbed wire, fairies, etc.- they will be fine. Â If you want something original, or a better value- there are better shops out there.
Well, when I go to the tattoo factory i go to the artist Dawn Grace. Â She does spectacular work. Â Clean place... new "location" (across the street from where they were previously)
Anyway- I recommend checking into Dawn Grace's portfolio as I am certain you will be pleased.
I sorta laugh at the other reviews of people being "ignored."
GO UP TO THE COUNTER- TALK TO SOMEONE. Â I assure you, it's not them- it's you.
for example- people who don't know how to use the phrase "excuse me" while walking down the street. so, instead they awkwardly walk behind you at an uncomfortable to them -pace.... bc they don't have the willy nillys to just say... pardon me..... or excuse me...
C'mon toddlers-SPEAK UP
My husband and I walked in today, expecting to just check the place out and schedule appointments for next weekend. Â But, when we walked in, we were greeted right away at the counter and as I started describing what I wanted to Chris, he pulled out an example sheet, gave me a few ideas, and was ready to get to work. Â This was my fourth tattoo, but my I got my last one almost ten years ago, so it felt like my first again! Â Chris was great to work with. Â I was very vague about what I wanted, but that didn't cause him any concerns. Â He threw out a few ideas, and off we went!
Even though it wasn't my first tattoo, Chris was very thorough in explaining what he was doing and checking in to make sure I was doing okay. Â I got light headed a few times, so he stopped, got me some water, gave me a piece of candy, and got a fan for me. Â He was very patient with me, and still managed to do a great job.
My husband and his brother both worked with Phil and they, too, had a great experience. Â Phil reworked their original idea and it turned out much better once Phil was done with it. Â
Even though we were helped as soon as we walked in, the studio got busy as the day went on and others had to wait a bit before being greeted. Â I didn't see anyone walk out, though! Â Well, except the kid who was told that he couldn't get pierced because he wasn't 18. Â :P
I'll definitely be back to get more work done at the Tattoo Factory and I highly recommend Chris and Phil for their artistic work, friendly service, and wow was this place clean!
12 years ago i had a tattoo done on my neck from the local street of Bangkok, and I regret having it. It was a big no-no. Althought it was nothing personal like "Wino ....... forever"....it had something to do with the line quality. Painfully, painfully a pain in my neck..
in moments of doubt and distress because of the regretted tattoo, the new tattoo would be a glimmer of hope. So 6 years later, with a big help from Alex, I got a new ink done on my lower back and there was no regret in spending almost 3 hours here. Even my 93 years old grandma  described it as something that made me look fancy....and tough at the same time. That's a plus.
and again,, 3 years later,, Michael had accurately and artistically completed his job for an addict like me. Â The tattoo was a great work. Thank heaven someone has that basic instinct. Â I dont feel bad showing him my entire right ass....after all...
I'm really really amazed at the negative review below by M.H. and I almost can't believe that it happened. That being said, I do not go to Beth, however, I have spoken to her and gotten her advice on things when I've gone into the Tattoo Factory and she seemed quite personable and very helpful, and more than willing to answer any questions I had.
I got a tattoo done when I was 19 that resembled some sort of A)prison tat B)Bat (as in the animal) C)my "boyfriend's" name. (it said "Angel" with wings around it. And NO I never had a boyfriend named Angel, that's just what people asked me. "That yo baby daddy?" uh.. no. But I digress...)
I had it done in West Allis, WI about 9 years ago. The original tattoo had weird spacing between the letters and bled in a weird way so it was almost illegible and the wings resembled bat's wings and the whole thing looked like a bat from far away. I went to the Tattoo Factory in hopes of getting this nasty thing covered.
I talked to Beth and eventually Chris a few times and he drew a couple of things before I committed to having it done. I had been told by at least 6 or 7 other tattoo parlors that my tattoo could NOT be successfully covered but Chris was ready to take on the challenge. He showed me his portfolio and it seemed he almost specialized in cover-ups so I trusted him.
It took 2 hours and a total of about  9 hours but my arm is beautiful again. He covered the original tattoo with perfect roses that are shades of purples and blues and reds. There's a stunning swallow in blue and nautical stars throughout. I'm in love with my tattoo.
Chris was super friendly and his sarcastic sense of humor (which I love) kept me occupied through the entire process. Next summer he wants me to come back for a touch up of the roses since there are a few spots where if you really look you can still see humps of letters left behind, but I'm looking forward to having the perfect tattoo eventhough I think it already is. I love it.
Thanks Chris!
This is VERY long over due. Two years ago I got my wrist tattooed. The place I normally go to for my tattoos didn't have my artist so I took a chance and got a new guy. Big mistake.
I went to the tattoo factory with a design I already had to cover the tattoo and  it came out very nice. My boyfriend at the time didn't like the staff because he felt they were hitting on me but it never bothered me. I thought they were fun and just a bunch of typical guys.
I believe I was charged 140 for my tattoo and got that free t-shirt haha. Which I still have by the way. They do have a HUGE selection which is nice. If you don't like getting work done in front of people then this might not be the place for you since you're behind the desk in front of everyone.
My tattoo has faded a tiny bit faster than any of my other tattoos and I haven't had any work done since. But it doesn't bother me much, I look forward to getting it touched up. I'm one of those weirdos who like pain.
This review is long overdue. Â I've come here only for one artist: Dawn Grace. Â Quite honestly, it didn't quite matter what shop she was at because when I wanted work done, I knew she was the one to do it so I'd go wherever she was. Â She's extremely detailed and takes her time. Â She comes up with great designs when given the slightest direction you want to take. Â It's as if she reads your mind and makes it better.
I sat in the chair for several hours one Spring afternoon and the whole experience was pleasant (minus the pain, obviously). Â She's friendly and thorough and doesn't have such a heavy hand that you feel you're getting ripped to shreds. Â Her prices are beyond fair and I would recommend her to anyone. Â She's extremely talented.
However, I will mention that while I was there, a couple came in looking to get something done. Â Some dude behind the counter looked at their design (which they didn't want changed at all) and quoted a pretty high price for it. Â They were done in 45 minutes and paid about the same that I did, given I was there a couple hours longer with more intricate details and custom work. Â That notion didn't sit right with me and serves as a guide to everyone else to actually DO your research for where you're going, DO research the artist that will fit the work you want, DO contact them ahead of time to run by ideas and set up an appointment and DON'T just rush into something. Â Tattoos are permanent and rushing into it is not the way to go.
I had the most amazing experience here ever, I ended up crying afterwards because I was so touched...yes, I am a girl, no it wasn't that time of the month, no I wasn't drunk nor was I on any kind of medication or drug.
I just got a kickass tattoo by a kickass fella...Mike Baalke, I haven't gotten another tattoo since just because I am so set on going back to Chicago to have Mike do the rest of me. Â
He was friendly, he was skilled, he was talkative enough to make me feel comfortable.
I left my cellphone in the cab, the cabbie was a dick, Mike and Paul Collurafici (who also hung out for the entire 2.5 hours of my tattoo to chit chat) kept calling my cell until the cabbie answered, then when I said "No," to paying the guy to drive out to bring it to me for $30 when I knew he wasn't a block away, Mike and the Paul said to bring it anyway and they'd cover the fare. Â
THEN to top it all of, after paying my jerk cabbie's fare, Mike gave me a shirt, refused my tip and the cab fare. Â I felt bad, so I ended up just "throwing" the money at him and bolting for the door. Â But, it's just touching that there are still genuinely wonderful people out there.
I'll go back again and again, but I'd be careful about going in to get a lame fad tattoo, because just like any other shop, the guy and gals inking you aren't going to be thrilled about tattooing a 2cm star on your ankle.
Ooh, I forgot, I drunkenly lost my nose and tongue rings a few nights prior to my tattoo appointment, so I waltz in and ask for new ones. Â I can't fit the damn tongue ring in, it started closing up, so Zack June took me back and stretch my piercing for me, it felt like complete hell, NEVER have that done, ouch. Â He was super nice, he explained what he was doing and why etc etc, he was fantastic and there was no charge, nor did i have to ask him, he just saw that I needed it done and said "hey, let's fix that for you"
I love you Chi Tattoo Factory guys!!
Surprised? Â hmmm.
One  gray cloudy day, I got bored.  And decided I needed to get re-pierced.
So I got in my SUV and drove a few blocks, and parked infront of the Tattoo Factory.
After a consultation with Zach (who was awesome!) and chose my gauge - I filled out some paperwork, and let them photocopy my license. Â You pay for the work up front here...which makes sense.
After Zach was done, we had an "after care" chat, and told me if I had any questions, I could phone him any time at the parlor. Â Super!
10 minutes later, I was on my way back home, and with a little more bling.
It was very all very hygenic...lots of rubber gloves and disposable whatnot. Â The place is decorated with photos of satisfied customers, and lots and lots of ideas for tattoos.
The only scarey part was the location...but that aside, this place was great, professional, and did a great job.
I definitely like tattoo factory but I can see what some people mean about the wait and about some of the artists.
I loved my artist but he made me (a younger female) feel a little awkward, so did a few of the other artists. He did a good job on my quote tattoo but it's missing an apostrophe and a line on the f, which I didn't see until I put my glasses on.
He was nice and when I tipped him he was really polite about it and didn't even seem to expect it.
The only reason I'm not giving this a five is because of another artist who did my friend's tattoo, Salvatore. She came in wanting cherry blossoms... She had a picture and everything but he decided to show her a "better" picture. The picture was a print out a friend of mine used for a tattoo less than a week ago. When I mentioned it, he pretended he had no idea what I was talking about.
Now my two friends have really similar tattoos, though the placement is different.
Another friend also got her industrial done and I definitely and fully recommend Hank. Although we ended up waiting an hour longer than quoted, he was professional and hilarious.
Everyone was nice and I'd say this is decently priced, but there were a few flaws.
Came here to get a nose piercing after reading a few positive yelp reviews about Hank and his piercing abilities.
I have to hand it to him, he is the best. Put my friend (who was also getting her nose pierced) and I totally at ease in a non-creepy way. He was very informative and funny. The piercing itself came out great, and even though I had to take it out a few months later (I hardly have a scar! it's a tiny unnoticeable little dot), I will definitely be going back there if I want to get it re-pierced.
Although Hank was as sweet as can be, some of the other guys were creepy and downright condescending, which is why I'm only giving it a 4 out of 5 stars. Sorry Hank!!
Tattoo Factory is the most unprofessional tattoo parlor I have ever been to. First off, they break the law. A few people I knew in high school got tattooed there under the table before they were 18. They don't even card people either. Secondly, they really don't give a sh*t who they tattoo, they just want to make a buck when they're having a slow night. When I was there with a family member who was getting tattooed, people who were drunk came in and got tattooed. Also, while one of the artists was doing a larger piece, he took a cigarette break and didn't even wash his hands when he came back. Even I know that isn't professional or safe!
I'm sure there are good, quality artists at Tattoo Factory. But if that is how the run their business, I will never go there for a tattoo or piercing and I wouldn't recommend anyone else do so either.
I love Uptown Tattoo!
Clean, cute, and reliable. Â
You'll hate this story, but I was hammered one night and decided to get this tattoo I'd been musing over for a year. Â Grabbed the comic it was from, went to Uptown, and got it done.
Color fill in. Â No pain. Â No itching. Â No real scabbing.
Pay with credit. Â Tip not required. Â Still cute, still nice. Â FREE retouch on the color because it was a solid blue.
Best $100 I ever spent and it looks just like my reference!
As with any business: go in saying what you want, be clear and direct, STATE YOUR PRICE RANGE (always up it on first offer then haggle to what you want) and have a great experience.
My girlfriends said I would regret it. Â And I don't. Â The tatt artists are great. Â My co-worker who already had 4 tattoos was tired of his tattoo shop on Belmont and I told him to go here since I LOVED mine and the service.
The artist did this big fish on his leg. Â Shading, lining, the works. Â $200. Â No tip. Â Absolutely amazing tatt and he came out 100% satisfied.
The staff may be a little... unconventional. Â And talky. Â And I could say more but I won't tarnish this review. Â But they do damn fine tattoos. Â I was even all "I'M GAY!!!" to my obviously straight artist and he just laughed and messed with me and had a good time over it. Â Kudos.
Highest rec.
UPDATE: My homeboy, Rudy, who later reviewed on his own tatt that I referenced said it is "not cool" to refer to this place as "cute." Â Whatever. Â I hope you awesome people at Uptown aren't turned off by the gayness of "cute." Â Because, after all, I managed to stifle my laughter when my friend was getting his tattoo while someone else who was "straight" was getting a tattoo on his pelvic bone while his "girlfriend" was getting another tattoo.
Hip tattoos on guys are gay. Â I'd rather say that Uptown Tattoo is a respectable, clean, and -- yes -- "cute" place than get a tattoo near my crotch. Â The former is not quite so gay. Â The latter quite is. Â Trust.
I got my nose pierced here more than a year ago, and Zack was awesome. It was my first piercing ever {I don't remember getting my ears pierced because I was 3 months old} and Zack was very helpful about care instructions afterwards.
When the gem fell out of my original stud one morning, I went in and Zack replaced it for free. Everyone in there has always been helpful and nice to me.
It also doesn't hurt that I live nearby this place - it's within walking distance.
Overall, I've had good experiences there with friends and on my own.
Love this place. Â The first time I went here I got my septum repierced (i got it at a really crappy place in gary when i was 16 before so it was crooked) Â They forgot to ask me to pay, so me being an honest person went back & insisted that I pay. Â They gave me a tshirt.
Then I became friends with Dawn, one of the tattoo artists. Â She did a tribute laurel wreath to our friend that passed. Â She's good at all styles, but I really love how she does black & grey. Â Go to her. Â I also have a tattoo done by beth. Â She blended some really cool colors together.
The few bad reviews I've read on here could possibly be from douchebags
I've had four tattoos done here, and all of them are crisp looking and the color is great.
The artists (I've had Phil and Mike do my tats) are helpful, friendly, and willing to work with you on a custom design, even if you're a walk in customer.
I've heard people complain about the price, but I'd rather have pros do my tats and have them look great for a lifetime than pay 50 bucks less at some other place and have lower quality work.
The Tattoo Factory rocks my socks!
First, I will say this place is very nicely decorated and clean. I will give them that.
Despite that, I will never get tattooed there ever again. I went with a friend to get diamonds tattooed behind our ears. The guy we originally had an appointment with backed out, said he didnt feel comfortable doing it. Okay, Fine. So this girl comes up and assures us that she can do it and it will come out amazing. My friend goes first, hers come out fine. Then its my turn, and of course mine get screwed up. One of the diamonds is shaky, while the other isnt anything like the first one. They look AWFUL. When the girl was done she tried to rush me out before letting me look in the mirror. I asked for the mirror and when I saw how messed up they were I started to cry. I was never offered to not pay, instead she told me to come in a second time and get more work done on them. Are you an idiot? You screwed up my tattoos and now you want me to pay you again to screw them up some more?
Im getting mad just reliving this incident, please do yourselves a favor and do not go there!
All I can say about my experience there was:
WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE EVER
I went in to get a small tattoo (a treble clef) around 1 am on Saturday and was treated with the worst respect. First, there were two older men standing at the corner of the counter making some kind of belittling comments about me to a friend. They were joking around but when I don't know you and you insult me, I'm going to be offended.
Then comes the tattoo design. Some kid drew up the design and then the guy who was going to do the actual tattooing (SALVATORE PERRY) was giving me grief about the size I wanted it (about the size of a 50 cent piece) by making jackass comments and quoting me at insane prices. He pretty much acted like a jaded @**hole and finally settled on a price of 60 dollars after first pricing me at 300, 180, 110, and 80. I know that 50 is the standard for most places, but I told him I came to their establishment because they had the best prices (it says they start their tattoos at $30 on their website) and then he told me that that's not what the website says, sarcastically remarked how it was so reassuring that I chose their business, and then continued to make some kind of analogy of tattoos to McDonald's and hotdogs...?!
To say the least, after all the BS, I decided to leave and will not be returning back.
This review really doesn't do justice to the actual experience I had there, but I left pissed off and disappointed that such a "renowned" business could have employees that act so unprofessional. I don't know why they decided to give me such a hard time, but the only thing I could deduce from my experience and their attitudes is that they figure they can be jerks to whomever and don't really care about the customer unless they fit a particular profile. I guess you get what you pay for.
As I said, I will not be going back.
I plan on going to Tatu Tattoo.
I got my third tattoo here and overall was pretty okay with the experience. Â My tattoo artist wasn't very friendly and when I called to make the second appointment like she suggested she seemed to totally blank when I know she took down my name and wrote in her planner when my three month mark would be. She even told me it would be free to come in the second time....since the tattoo is on my foot it is harder to heal and they would recolor for free. Â
After some discussion I who I was and what I had gotten done she did remember me and scheduled me for my second session. Â It's been a little over 7 months since that session and I have needed to go back in for another....she told me if I had any problems to call and they would get me in and not charge me the full rate! Â That's BS every time I call they want to recharge me the full amount. Â I've been fighting with them for months and just decided to give up! Â
I've went to other places to get a couple of my tattoos done and one even guarantees color...I've went in twice since I've gotten it done just because it's faded because of how long I've had it and never had a problem.
I recently went here to get my nose pierced. Now, I already have two tattoos, but for some crazy reason, I was more nervous about getting pierced. No idea why. Anyway, first impressions are big, and this place really impressed me. VERY clean, and the staff was incredibly nice and friendly (None of that, we're-so-effin'-hardcore-and-badass-it-hurts bullshit). Also, it was just plain snazzy looking---leopard print carpet, dark cabinets, granite countertops, etc.
Along with that, the guy who pierced me was AWESOME. (His name is Hank. I very much recommend him!) He was so kind, and did not make me feel like a wuss because I was a little nervous. Extremely professional as well. (Plus, the price was quite reasonable).
Overall, it was a FABULOUS experience. Now, I did inquire about getting a pretty small, two-color tattoo in the future, and they did quote me at $170 for it, which I found to be a little steep. However, I would still consider it based on how rockin' this place was. Check it out!
I was very impressed with how clean the "new" Tattoo Factory is. Â I got my first (of two) tattoos in 1994 when they were across the street. Â That was an "experience" to say the least. Â
I got my second tattoo just 6 months ago, Dawny was the artist. Â She did nice work and was very patient with me as I nearly fainted three times when she was working on the ankle bone! Â It was pricey, but I think it was worth it.
Drawback: Â I wished that they had had cold water ... or that I had brought some with me. Â I guess not too many people get faint there : )
I'm done with Tattoos. But I heard that the Tattoo Factory also did piercings. So, I came here to get my nose re-pierced about a month ago. Â
The location in Uptown is going through some changes. They are putting up a retail store across the street. I guess you could say it's up and coming.
Walking in you will notice that this place is kept CLEAN. The guy who did my piercing was awesome.
Don't go anywhere else.
I've had all of my work done at the Tattoo Factory and have taken several friends. Â No complaints. Â Mike's done all of my work but I've heard nothing but good things about all of their artists. Â Their new facilities are top-notch and they do great work. Â The old place across the street wasn't as inviting, it definitely had a different vibe. Â Comfortable, clean, professional, and reasonably priced. Â I am a firm believer in "you get what you pay for" so if you want to go somewhere else looking for a deal, go right ahead. Â
But you've been warned.
I decided to treat my self to some delicious pain today (2/07) and get some piercings I've been considering about for a while. I gave The Factory a call and headed over for an afternoon of fun. My artist Zack was awesome, super cool and upfront about stuff. Answered all my questions and was honest about what would work and what wouldn't. Â During the piercing, his meticulous care and precision was exactly what I like when I get body mods done. Â If you head down to get something done just be aware that the area the Tattoo Factory is in is a bit ghetto, but the actual establishment is excellent. Â
Pros: Professional, Clean,
Cons: Parking on weekends, pain (only if you're a sissy)
Cost: 3.5 of 5
Overall Rating: 4.75 of 5
Recommendation: Highly Recommended
After my horrible experience at That Other Place (please see my reviews if interested), we decided to trek up north to the place where my gf got one of her tattoos done and has always raved about. The Tattoo Factory is exactly the type of place I feel safe in, and confident about the work I am getting done. It's clean and well lighted -- and these things are extremely important if you're getting something permanent (or semi-permanent -- I got my nose pierced) done. It is absolutely not sterile-looking or -feeling, however. It's my kinda place -- lots of stylized flash is drawn all over the walls,and yes there are a ton of designs catelogued for you to look at while you wait.
All three of the people we dealt with were extremely friendly and really, really cool (take that, Other Place jerks -- what's with people feeling like they have to be cold to be cool? you know?). I felt comfortable with all of them, and we even talked about pricing for my next tattoo with one of the artists -- he remembered my gf's tattoo from a couple of YEARS ago. Anyway, Hank did my piercing, and this man knows what's up. He made me sit through a physician's office type tutorial about how to take care of my piercing, what to expect, and even chummed with me about my occupation and my girlfriend's, as well as why he loves his job. It was really, really cool and he was very geniune. He called me by my name and remembered it the whole way through the experience (very nice because I've had professors take the entire semester to remember my name).
When it came to the piercing, it only hurt as much as he said -- just a little. He used sterile equiptment and a brand new stud which he took out only just before he pierced me. He told me before every move he made, and i wasn't nervous or scared at all. Afterward, he let me admire it, talked to me a bit more, and led me out. The only thing that could have made the experience better was if my gf had been allowed in the piering area... but she was very close by, so it was cool. Hank is a genuine sweetheart. I totally recommend going here for your next piercing or tattoo. They did amazing work on my girl, and I love my piercing. Absolutely wonderful experience.
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