Mission Beach Tattoo

I decided to get a tattoo while visiting San Diego. I called the shop to see if they had walk-in availability and within 20 minutes I was on the table. Kyle was wonderful and executed what I had pictured in my mind perfectly. I wanted a way to commemorate my soul dog, and he did just that. Will absolutely be coming back next time I’m in town.

Kyle was so much to work with! He's professional, fun to chat with, and super quick while providing clean work. The whole shop was friendly & our group enjoyed hanging out while we took our turns getting some fun souvenirs. We enjoyed ourselves so much my husband ended up coming back the next day for his own tattoo too.

We walked in to Mission Beach Tattoo on our last night of our vacation and boy was it a good choice! Kyle did a fantastic job on both mine and my mom’s tattoos. He was quick, clean and professional. I was nervous about having my foot tattooed, but Kyle has such a light touch, it felt like the whisper of an angel’s feather. If I’m ever in the area again, I am definitely coming back!

I had an idea for a killer tattoo. I took it to Mission Beach Tattoo and it was delivered. Kyle was dutifully on it and exceeded. I was able to share it with the one who inspired the concept (Butch the Rhino). He loved it. Not as much as his treats. But he did love it. And I continue to get solid complement for it.

My friend and I were on vacation this past weekend and happened to be staying across the street from this tattoo shop. On a whim, we decided to stop in and each get a tattoo. Initially, we thought we’d be getting a fair deal, but the experience turned out to be quite mixed. I’d like to start by commending Kyle, the artist who did my tattoo. He was professional, friendly, and extremely talented. He honored his quoted price of $160 for my seahorse tattoo, and the quality of his work — especially the coloring — was excellent. I give him five stars without hesitation. Unfortunately, my friend’s experience with the other artist, Dave, was the complete opposite. His behavior throughout her session was unprofessional and, at times, inappropriate. He took multiple vape breaks, frequently left the shop mid-session, and returned to tattoo without visibly washing his hands again — which raises serious hygiene concerns. Additionally, his comments toward my friend were disrespectful and made her uncomfortable. The entire interaction gave the impression of someone inexperienced and indifferent to both the craft and the client. To make matters worse, he charged her $300 for a tattoo roughly the same size as mine, despite us being led to believe the prices would be comparable. If prices vary that significantly, that should be communicated upfront — not after the tattoo is finished. Overall, this shop clearly has one exceptional artist, but the unprofessional conduct of another made the experience disappointing. I hope management takes these concerns seriously, because customer trust and professionalism are essential in this industry.