Ohio has a lot of piercing shops. Finding a good one shouldn't feel like a gamble.
We looked at 55 shops across the state that cleared our minimum review threshold, then ranked them using an adjusted Google rating that weighs volume alongside score. A 4.8 star rating backed by hundreds of reviews carries more weight in that calculation than a 5.0 built on a handful. That approach tends to surface shops with a consistent track record rather than ones that caught a lucky streak early on.
The top 10 are listed below. Three Columbus-area shops lead the pack right now: Evolved Body Art and Stoic Body Art, both in Columbus, and Elysium Body Enhancements just up the road in Powell.
No shop paid to appear here. No placements were sold. The ranking is purely the math, applied the same way to every shop we considered.
One thing worth keeping in mind: ratings shift as new reviews come in, so the order can change over time. What's here reflects the data as of 2026. If a shop you've heard good things about didn't make the list, it either didn't clear the review threshold or ranked just outside the top 10. There are genuinely strong options across Ohio beyond what's covered here.
No. 1 — Evolved Body Art (Columbus)
Evolved Body Art in Columbus holds a 4.9-star rating across 9,100 Google reviews, which puts it near the top of any Ohio conversation about piercing. The shop offers piercing services alongside custom tattoo work and brings in guest artists, something reviewers appreciate when they're after a specific style. Customers describe artists taking real care with personal pieces, treating the work as though it matters to them too. Reviewers also mention artists being collaborative and easy to work with throughout the design process. Walk-ins are welcome, and customers say the shop will work with a range of budgets.
No. 2 — Stoic Body Art (Columbus)
Stoic Body Art in Columbus holds a perfect 5 stars across 300 Google reviews, which is a rare thing to maintain. Reviewers describe the atmosphere as relaxed and welcoming, with multiple customers noting that artists took them in on short notice or after hours without any fuss. Clients also mention thoughtful handling of sensitive tattoo work, including pieces placed over old scarring. The shop covers fine line, black and grey, cover-up tattoos, and custom designs, alongside piercing services and aftercare products.
No. 3 — Elysium Body Enhancements (Powell)
Elysium Body Enhancements in Powell holds a perfect 5 stars across 198 Google reviews, which is rare at that volume. Reviewers describe the piercing experience as thorough and unhurried, with one customer noting that a piercer took considerable time walking them through the process and answering every question. Clients also mention being genuinely amazed by the fine line tattoo work, particularly custom sleeve pieces. The shop runs by appointment only and carries aftercare products on site. Reviewers call the atmosphere welcoming and describe the overall attention to clients as a strong point.
No. 4 — Hive Tattoo Collective (West Chester Township)
Hive Tattoo Collective sits in West Chester Township and holds 4.9 stars across 763 Google reviews. Walk-ins are welcome, and the shop carries implant-grade jewelry. Reviewers mention piercers who explain each step of the process as it happens, and customers describe the environment as clean and professional. One reviewer who came in for a lengthy tattoo session said they wouldn't consider going anywhere else. Custom tattoo designs and cover-up work round out what the shop offers.
No. 5 — War Horse Ink (Kent)
War Horse Ink sits in Kent and holds a 4.9 stars across 623 Google reviews. Piercing services are available alongside custom tattoo designs, and reviewers mention cover-up work as a particular draw. Customers describe the communication as thorough and the staff as consistently informative throughout the process. One artist named Dolin comes up repeatedly in reviews, with multiple customers calling out their tattoo correction work specifically. It's a well-reviewed shop with a loyal following, and the feedback paints a picture of a place that doesn't leave clients guessing.
No. 6 — Diamond In The Rough (Mansfield)
Diamond In The Rough sits in Mansfield and holds a 4.9 stars across 459 Google reviews. Reviewers mention staff members by name, with customers describing repeat visits spanning years for piercing needs. One parent noted their nervous teenager left with a great experience getting a belly button piercing, with barely any pain mentioned. Customers describe the staff as super friendly throughout. The shop offers piercing services and tattoo removal, with online booking available for those who want to plan ahead.
No. 7 — Dark Woods Tattoo Studio (Newark)
Dark Woods Tattoo Studio in Newark holds a 4.9 stars across 330 Google reviews. Walk-ins are welcome, and reviewers mention actually getting in on short notice when they called last minute. Customers describe the staff as kind and respectful across a range of clients, including older first-timers nervous about getting pierced. The shop carries aftercare products and offers custom tattoo designs alongside its piercing services. Reviewers also mention the space being clean, though that comes straight from customer accounts rather than any claim made here.
No. 8 — Infinity Ink Tattoo and Body Piercings (Lebanon)
Lebanon's Infinity Ink Tattoo and Body Piercings holds a 4.9 stars across 328 Google reviews. Reviewers mention fine line work, cover-up tattoos, and custom designs among the services that keep them coming back. Several customers describe the shop as welcoming and kid-friendly, with one noting it feels like home. Reviewers also mention the space as clean and well-kept. Piercing services round out what's available here. For a smaller Ohio city, that review volume and rating say quite a bit.
No. 9 — Reflection Room Tattoo Co. (Avon Lake)
Reflection Room Tattoo Co. in Avon Lake holds a 4.9 stars across 300 Google reviews, with customers describing the staff as knowledgeable and friendly. The shop works by appointment only and carries implant-grade jewelry. Reviewers mention fine line tattoos and custom designs among the work offered, and some note that staff also handle medical and cosmetic tattooing. Piercers get called out specifically, with clients saying they felt well-informed on aftercare. Reviewers also describe the shop as clean and welcoming, and a few mention getting booked as quickly as the next day after reaching out.
No. 10 — Reckless Temptations (New Carlisle)
Reckless Temptations sits in New Carlisle and holds a 4.9 stars across 282 Google reviews. Reviewers describe the shop as having a cozy, witchy atmosphere with decor that actually sets a mood. Clients mention artists like Miesha and Lindsey by name, noting they walk clients through each step and keep things moving without rushing. Customers also describe Miesha as easy to work with around scheduling. The shop runs by appointment with online booking available, covers black and grey and cover-up tattoo work, and is LGBTQ+ friendly.
How this list was made
Shops are ordered by a Bayesian-adjusted rating: (n × rating + 321 × 4.79) ÷ (n + 321), where n is the shop's Google review count, 321 is the median review count across the directory and 4.79 is the directory-wide mean rating. Only shops with at least 25 reviews qualify; ties go to the shop with more reviews. Ratings and review counts come straight from Google, and no shop paid to appear here. The live ranking of every qualifying shop is on the best piercing shops in Ohio page, and you can browse every studio we track in the state on the Ohio directory.
Does Columbus dominate the Ohio piercing shop rankings?
Columbus shows up more than once in the top 10, making it the most represented city on the list. That said, shops from Powell, Kent, Mansfield, Newark, Lebanon, West Chester Township, Avon Lake, and New Carlisle all cracked the rankings too. Ohio's piercing scene is genuinely spread across the state, so strong options aren't limited to one metro area.
How does the ranking handle shops with very few reviews?
We use an adjusted rating that weighs review counts alongside raw scores. A shop sitting at 5.0 stars from 40 reviews won't rank the same as one holding 4.9 stars across thousands of reviews, like the current No. 1. The adjustment pulls inflated scores toward a more realistic figure, which is why raw Google ratings and final rankings don't always line up in the order you'd expect.
Is a shop outside the top spot still worth considering?
Absolutely worth a look. Six of the 55 qualifying shops hold a raw Google rating of 4.5 or higher, and several of those appear outside the No. 1 position purely because of how review volume factors into the math. A shop ranked fourth or seventh isn't a lesser shop. It's just one with a different review footprint.