I tip my hat, my top hat that is, to Top Hat Tattoo. Â I stopped in randomly on a Friday night to get my white tattoo defined with shading around it. Â Johnathan Kurse was the artist and it is exactly what I wanted. Â Everyone there was super friendly and immediately made me feel comfortable. Â The shop is very clean and I will be recommending it to my body-art-luvin' amigo's. Â Thanks guys, I told ya I'd YELP you out....oh bad one....and it was going so well...
Review Source:I've been going to Top Hat Tattoo for the last few years. Was a walk in client at one point & then became a regular. After getting some ink from another shop. Getting ripped off & not being happy with my pieces as well. I found my place at Top Hat. Â They always have some amazing artists.Dj was my go to artist, but Dj is no longer with the shop. But he trained Crystal very well. I recently started getting some work by her & it is exceptional. I plan to continue going to the shop for her work for a long time to come! Great people, Great Atmosphere. None of that "we're better than you because we tattoo" vibe that you get from most shops..
EDIT:
D.J. Auld Is no longer at this shop.
He is currently Artist & owner of  The Burnt Tiger in the North Center Neighborhood.
To put it simply, Crystal is amazing. Â I went to Top Hat after getting a recommendation from Grace K. as I was unhappy with the factory type setting of my last place. Â Sure, the piece was nice but I always had the feeling they were talkin' crap behind my back after I left.
Crystal will be the only one inking me now. Â I sent her a sketch of what I was looking for a few days in advance, and when I arrived at Top Hat she had a full-color sketch drawn up. Â It was perfect. Â The price was much lower than I was expecting, which was a nice surprise. Â Crystal was exceedingly professional, and I am SO happy with my new ink. Â It was quick, pretty painless, healed well and looks aaamazing.
The best deal in Ink in Chicago. Friendly people. good atmosphere. No bullshit. Clean and well kept. You will pay 5x more for something half the size anywhere else and most likely will not get great results( ahem, looking your way jade).
The only downfall is you will have a bit of waiting time since its only about 1-2 people. I would recommend calling them and asking when a good time to speak to them about an idea would be. I mean if you were getting tattooed would you want some yahoo interrupting your time?
I will only go to Top Hat from now on, and I will only see D.J. Maybe I'll branch out to Charlie because she's solid as well, but I think they may get into a bitch slapping contest over it. Not quite sure.
I'm working on so many more tattoos, and DJ is so helpful when customizing your tattoo. Even if you don't know how to explain it, he gets it. It's almost scary. He knows what will work, what won't, and how to make what you want possible. Oh yeah and he delivers it beautifully. I get asked all the time if my tattoo is real, everyone thinks it's a painting because of all the detail involved. Check them out on Facebook, myspace, or on their website. Then go in and see DJ, and tell him Jill sent you :)
I've brought in everyone from co-workers to bffs. I feel like I'm a walking testament to awesomeness. Why put shitty tattoos on your body done by shitty people? Been there, done that, never doing it again. This is a place I know will listen and deliver.
Since the day I walked in and saw beautiful Charlie I haven't gone anywhere else!
She is the best tattoo artist I've seen in Chicago.
The prices are amazing and the atmosphere is great. I enjoy coming in and they know who their clients are and how to keep a good laugh. Great balance between professional and friendship.
Top Hat is the ONLY place I will go to get inked. Â I've been a loyal customer (fan) since they opened a few years ago, and I've had both Andrew Trull and DJ Auld do work on my body. Â
DJ has done most of my pieces. Â My all time favorite are my cupcakes on my thigh with the leather flag creatively placed as a backdrop. Â Very very cool indeed.
They are very reasonably priced compare to any other tat shop in the Northside of Chicago. Â Their shop is immaculately clean and they do all custom work. Â They are so popular now that you have to wait 4-8 weeks for your appointment-- DJ works really hard and everyone at Top Hat is very talented, professional, and friendly. Â In fact, I'm getting inked again on the 19th and I'm super excited!
The staff is really cool and friendly. They definitely have a good time at work and make sure you're happy and comfortable while you're there too. The shop is super clean. The tattoos are very well done and reasonably priced. These guys are great artists who can create whatever it is you want and then execute it with style & expertise.
I am a huge fan of Top Hat Tattoo. I'll be back, no question about it.
As mentioned in the other reviews, this place is awesome and super duper clean. I had an idea in my head for a smaller tat I wanted on the back of my neck. I am pretty good with pain, but I was nervous about getting ink in that spot plus I didn't have anything drawn out. Sooo. I stopped in and talked to BJ and made an appt., he promised to have some ideas on paper for me at that time. Fast forward to appointment, he delivered as promised and had about 3 or 4 ideas to which I added some color and little stars around the design. Before he started, he checked all the equipment and also took everything out of sterile packaging all the while wearing gloves. When he started the tattoo he made sure I felt okay and actually I did, I felt really good. Maybe it was the spot, but it gave me goosebumps and all was good. He even offered free revisions, and I've been back once to have a little more shading done and some more color. For free! Â Top hat rocks!
Review Source:I've gotten ink all over the country and Andrew is by far the most professional and tallented artist I've met. Â He did a traditional Japanese half sleeve for me and months later it still looks fantastic. Â I get compliments all the time, and have recommended Top Hat to everybody I know.
The work there is reasonably priced, and as mentioned above, the environment is unbelieveably clean. Â This is heads above the best parlour I've visited, and I've already scheduled an appointment to finish the sleeve on my other arm!
Oh yeah Andrew is an amazing design artist as well, and he worked with me to design my pieces on the sort of level you would expect paying his prices for just the design, no ink!
Simply the best around.
Alright ladies and gents, Â this isn't your usual tattoo shop.
-There is no hipster-rock-and-roll-jackass-I'm-cooler-than-you attitude.
-The place is immaculately clean.
-They do only custom work. The artists will draw up/sketch out whatever wonderful idea you have in your head for FREE as many times as it takes to make you happy with the design.
-Prices are cheaper than just about any tattoo shop in Chicago and you get a helluv a lot better work done.
I started a pretty big tattoo in May with Andrew Trull at Top Hat. It is a friggin gorgeous full sleeve on my right arm. When you run yer hand over my arm, the tattoo isn't raised AT ALL. I have two other tattoos and they were done in such crappy places that I didn't even know that tattoos could be flat.
If you want a safe, friendly, affordable place that will work with you instead of giving you a bullshit, over-priced attitude go to Top Hat and get ANDREW TRULL to do your tattoos. He's amazing. Â
Oh yeah, when you do eventually pay for whatever work you have done-it's a cash only kinda joint (for now).
EDIT- Andrew Trull is now at Black Sparrow Tattoo in Pensacola, FL.
Not Logged In
BUSINESSES
Local Businesses
Near Me
My Favorites
SOCIAL
Blog & News
MY ACCOUNT
Login
Register
Contact Us
