10 Best Tattoo Shops in Los Angeles (Location, Reviews, And Services)

Isn’t Los Angeles the best place to get your first ever tattoo? Due to the city’s strong connection with the artistic world (Hollywood, Paramount Pictures, TCL Chinese Theatre, etc.), there is no doubt that you will find some of the top tattoo artists in the country.

Whether you want to tattoo yourself with a minimalistic design or looking for a more complex inked picture, Los Angeles is the ideal spot for you to enhance body art.

This article brings together 10 of the top tattoo studios in Los Angeles. From great artists to the best creative spots, ideal tattooing process, and environment, you have plenty of choices. Keep on reading to find more.

Top 10 Tattoo Shops In LA: Choose Your Favorite

Choosing the best tattoo shop in Los Angeles involves a lot of documentation work. Don’t waste your time anymore, as I have brought together 10 of the top tattoo and piercing parlors in LA, California. Check their main pros, their services, location, and website.

Generation8Tattoo(@generation8tattoo)

Since 2013, Generation8Tattoo has been one of the premier shops in Los Angeles, California. Their tattoo artists have a high level of experience in the body art domain, so no wonder why they are considered a top place.

Furthermore, their services are pretty affordable, so you won’t spend a fortune when getting a medium-sized tattoo.

Based on your lifestyle, go for a traditional tattoo or a more contemporary design. Generation8Tattoo artists are unique due to their particular interest in creating custom-made tattoos. Talk to them and find together the best tattoo style for you.

Don’t worry about the hygiene, as this tattoo shop uses the finest ink and the top design materials, so the result is professional body art. The studio also handles piercing services, using only sterile jewelry in a friendly atmosphere.

So if you want to benefit from the top piercers’ skills in body modification, well, Generation8Tattoo personnel have 12 years of experience in this industry. Let’s say you are not decided regarding your future tattoo design.

Just have a walk-in at Generation8Tattoo and afford a free consultation for both piercing and tattoo services.

Specialties:

• Dot work
• Custom-made tattoos
• Japanese style
• Black And Gray Tattoos
• Scar Cover-ups
• Cosmetic & Portrait Tattoos

Prices:

• Approximately $200/hour

Website: https://www.generation8tattoo.com/

Address: 7216 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046

Body Electric Tattoo & Piercing(@bodyelectrictattoo)

If you want to reach the Mecca of Tattoo and Piercing in Los Angeles, you should attend Body Electric Tattoo & Piercing. This studio is one of the most famous shops on this side of the town and has an already rich experience, dating since 1992.

The location itself is pretty high-end, as it is situated amidst one of the most influential places in Hollywood.

As such, the tattoo and piercing shop is already celebrating 29 years of colorful and artistic work in this creative business, offering its clients a great environment to get tattooed and pierced.

Furthermore, the policy of the staff here is firmly adhering to non-discrimination and utmost respect. No wonder why people from all walks of life, with many social and political statuses, come here to enjoy a professional body art design.

Aside from the experienced staff and the highly experienced artist, this tattoo shop claims to be the cleanest and most sterilized place, using an autoclave to ensure the equipment is under 100% sanitization.

Services:

• Color and black & grey tattoo services
• Cover-ups
• Best-precision piercing services, made by legendary Brian Keith Thomson
• Traditional, American, Lettering, Biomechanical, Realism, and Japanese Tattoo designs

Website: http://bodyelectrictattoo.com/home

Location: 7274 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

American Electric Tattoo(@americanelectrictattooco)

American Electric Tattoo is a top tattoo shop located in Silverlake. Craig Jackman owns this place and started his work here in the Fall of 1999. Since then, this tattoo shop serves as one of the top ones in the Los Angeles area and its places.

If you are looking for experienced artists, well, here you will find a friendly staff with over 20 years of renowned experts in the tattoo business.

Moreover, you will be enjoying a customized tattoo experience, as well as thank you cards and free flash designs. The tattoo shop is housing dedicated individuals and their teams so that the tattoo results will be excellent.

How to check you got into the right place? Well, you will recognize the several accolades under the shop’s wings, which tell you about the schedule of this place and the exact address. You may book your spot and choose from the vast line-up of artists here.

Services:

• Tattoo services
• Walk-ins
• Appointment for personalized tattoo designs

Website: https://www.americanelectrictattoocompany.com/

Location: 2518 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

Broken Art Tattoo(@broken_art_tattoo)

Whether you are just a newbie in the tattoo world or already an enthusiast of body art, then you need to check one of the best tattoo shops on this side of town, Broken Art Tattoo.

This shop is proud to announce its clean facilities, as well as the best-experienced staff. Once booking your spot here, you will only find dedicated and passionate artists in this team, so the services are by far some of the top ones.

Don’t worry about the design preferences, as the artists here will work following multiple designs and ideas. Watch their hands offering reality to all those tattoos you have wished to have for ages.

All your beautiful ideas will become a fantastic skin masterpiece once the artist here will finish their work.

Following most of the Broken Art Tattoo Shop’s reviews, we can tell that the staff here is fantastic, professional, creative, expressive, articulate, kind, and truly friendly. The whole shop is filled with a creative spirit that will make you come back again.

Services:

• Tattoo services
• Aftercare

Website: https://brokenarttattoo.squarespace.com/

Location: 3227 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039

Black Tower Tattoo(@blacktowertattoostudio)

If three simple words express everything Black Tower Tattoo shop is, well, we need to mention safety, modern work, and professionalism.

Compared to the other old shops in LA, the Black Tower Tattoo studio is one of the area’s hottest ones.

As the staff here claims, this shop’s goal is to treat every client with attention, respect and make them enjoy a fully customized experience.

The place provides a clean environment, following all the modern safety standards in this domain. All employees here are professionals who will give life to all the tattoos and create a fantastic experience you will wish to repeat repeatedly.

The studio is certified and approved by the Los Angeles Health Department, making it one of the cleanest studios in this domain. The artists’ passion here is to create living art so that each client will enjoy a quality experience in a joyful environment.

Services:

• Classique and modern tattoo techniques
• Clean environment and calming aesthetic
• The shop is using only vegan ink

Website: https://www.blacktowertattoo.com/

Location: 4060 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019, USA

Classic Tattoo(@classicfullerton)

Although the name sounds like you can have only classic design tattoos, well, don’t fool yourself.

Classic Tattoo is the early shop in Fullerton, and today its owner is Tim Hendrick. This shop claims to offer a replica of a post-WWII tattoos studio. Here, you will find talented artists and one of the most original tattoo art within the Orange County area.

Services:

• Best tattoo designs of today
• Classic, modern, minimalistic and complex body art

Website: https://www.classicfullerton.com/

Location: 521 N Harbor Blvd, Fullerton, CA 92832

Mohave Creative Tattoo Shop(@mohavecreative)

If you already have heard about Johnny Ocean, then it means you are only following the best tattoo artists in LA.

This famous artist owns Mohave Creative Tattoo, so you can expect to get some of the most spectacular yet customized body art ever.

Mohave Creative Tattoo Shop is located in West Los Angeles and collects some of the top artists. The newest location was opened in 2020. Whether you are looking for a traditional or a more complex tattoo design, this is the right place to be.

Nevertheless, the shop is proud of creating a welcoming environment for its clients and a highly hygienic studio. Here you will be treated according to the best standards in this domain, while the artists will use the most technologically advanced equipment.

Moreover, the artists will tell you everything about tattooed skincare and offer you some top-rated products.

Services:

• Realism tattoos
• Portraiture art
• Watercolor art
• Neo-traditional tattoo designs
• Black-work tattoos

Website: https://www.mohavecreative.com/

Address: 11429 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025, United States

Studio City Tattoo(@studiocitytattoo)

Since 1992, Studio City Tattoo has been a timeless tattoo and piercing shop in Los Angeles, California.

While the market for creating body art has always been so competitive, the artists from Studio City Tattoo have succeeded in maintaining their work up to date and still be one of Los Angeles County’s premier multicultural tattoo shops.

Right in the real heart of Hollywood, Studio City is offering its clients the most professional services in terms of body art and piercings. Just step in and enjoy the knowledge, highest quality services, and the help of the top artists.

Services:

• Tattoo consulting
• Piercing services
• Gold body jewelry
• Exotic professional ear piercing
• Multicultural tattoo

Website: https://www.studiocitytattoo.com/

Location: 11032 Ventura Blvd Studio City, CA 91604

The Honorable Society(@thstpl)

Right in West Hollywood, there is this tattoo parlor & lounge, a tattoo studio that got terrific reviews over the years. The Honorable Society Tattoo Shop is a place you want to go for professional body art. The studio works only with the most talented artists who can pair their work with the customer’s satisfaction more than a pleasant environment.

No matter the tattoo design you wish to have, the artists have the appropriate skill set to satisfy your needs.

Services:

• American traditional tattoo designs
• Minimalist body art
• Blackwork tattoos
• Watercolor
• Fine linework
• Japanese, Realism and Neo-traditional tattoo designs

Website: https://thehonorablesociety.com/

Location: 8424 W Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Vintage Tattoo Art Parlor(@bobvessells)

If you would love to go to the top artists since 1995, make your appointment at Vintage Tattoo Art Parlor in Los Angeles.

Here you will be welcomed by Bob Vessels, a true encyclopedia when it comes to body art designs. Vintage Tattoo Art Parlor has studios in Los Angeles and Dallas, and its artists are world-famous and award-winning professionals.

Services:

• Cover-up tattoos
• Complex body art designs
• Customized tattoo ideas

Website: https://www.vintagetattoola.com/

Location: 5115 York Blvd Highland Park, CA 90042

Picking The Right Tattoo Shop For Your Needs: Best Advice

I want to help you a bit more and enumerate the main criteria in choosing the right tattoo shop for your needs. Before making the appointment for your first ever tattoo, make sure you check all these steps:

1. Know precisely what you are expecting

Although it might sound pretty obvious, well, someone enters the tattoo shop without having a little clue about the tattoo result they expect to have.

Knowing what you want is the key to picking the right design and giving some information to the tattoo artist.

Just walking into a random parlor and pointing to an unexpected design you see on the wall is not working. Make some documentation first, and think real hard about what body art you are willing to wear for a lifetime. At least find a reference image, print it, or save it on your phone and let the tattoo artist know.

2. Find the most demanding part of the tattoo

Maybe you are not a minimalist enthusiast. It is lovely to wish for a more complex tattoo design. If you are looking for intricate linework, make sure you are going to someone who has enough experience in tattooing realistic images, portraits, animal designs, etc.

Maybe it might sound like a no-brainer what we just said. However, the lesson here is that artists are human; some are more talented in working with fine-line tattoos, some enjoy creating intricate designs. Choose the one that suits your needs and the tattoo style you wish for.

3. Get Real Recommendations

Before getting a tattoo, the first impulse is to check the artist’s book at the shop or on their web page. This impulse is one way to narrow it down. However, if you want to check someone’s skills, ask his clients about their experience.

If you already have some family members, maybe some friends that got tattooed at that studio, ask them about their experience.

Furthermore, when you make the appointment, you can ask the studio’s staff about particular recommendations. They know the artists best there and can show you some live tattoo results.

4. Check The Hygiene Aspect

Tattoos result from working with needles, and like a beauty parlor or a nail salon, hygiene is mandatory. The last thing you want is to get any blood disease, instead of a beautiful body art piece. Avoid any tattoo shop that is not licensed and looks a bit shady. If you want to look only for professionals, don’t go to no-name artists and poor-reviewed salons.

If you are getting negative vibes as soon as you walk into the tattoo shop, the chances to leave unsatisfied are high.

5. Document about the tattoo artist

Make sure about the tattoo artist you just picked. Discuss with them first, see if you like them as an artist and also as a person. Part of getting your newest tattoos is the vibe you have in the studio.

Look for enjoyable environments where you can have a consultation first and some pertinent advice.

It’s good to accept the artist’s ideas, as they have lots of experience in choosing the suitable designs, the right placements, or tattoo styles.

But as soon as you feel like some is pushing you, pause the whole process. That tattoo is going on your body forever, and you have the absolute power to decide.

Tattoo Shops in Los Angeles: Last Thoughts

Finding the right tattoo shop in LA for you is a piece of cake once you have such good alternatives. Remember to choose the tattoo parlor which suits you best in terms of environment, body art styles, and professional staff.

Also Read: 

• 10 Best Tattoo Shops In Sacramento: Find The Top Artists
• Best Tattoo Artists in Bay Area: Top Talents To Choose From
• 10 Best Tattoo Studios in San Diego(2023 Updated)
• 10 Best Black Tattoo Artists (2023 Updated)
• 9 Best Tattoo Shops in Phoenix Arizona (2023 Updated)
• 6 Best Tattoo Shops In California You Have To Check Out

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