District of Columbia · City directory

Tattoo shops in Washington

14 verified shops in Washington, District of Columbia. Top-rated: Cry Baby Studios DC · 5.0★. Local artists work in fine line, American traditional and Japanese.

14 shops · 3,402 reviews · 4.7 avg rating · Fine Line · American Traditional · Japanese / Irezumi

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14 shops plotted · click any marker for details

Local shops

Every tattoo shop in Washington

14 verified shops sorted by adjusted rating, with hours, phone and directions where we have them.

  • Located in Washington, DC, Cry Baby Studios DC boasts a perfect 5-star rating from 461 reviews. Offering a range of services, including custom tattoo designs, minimalist tattoos, and piercing services, the studio is known for its welcoming atmosphere. Reviewers mention the collaborative approach of the artists and the ease of the booking process.

    1710 Connecticut Ave NW Fl 2, Washington, DC 20009, USA

    Hours on shop pageMinimalist / Micro · Fine Line · Aftercare Products
  • Located in Washington, DC, Tattoo Culture DC boasts a perfect 5-star rating from 153 reviews. The shop specializes in custom tattoo designs, fine line work, and offers aftercare products, with online booking available by appointment only. Reviewers mention the welcoming atmosphere and the attentive care provided by the artists, making for a comfortable tattoo experience.

    1516 Wisconsin Ave NW 2nd floor, Washington, DC 20007, USA

    Hours on shop pageFine Line · Aftercare Products · Custom Tattoo Designs
  • Located in Washington, DC, Trilogy Atelier is a highly-rated tattoo shop and piercing studio, boasting a remarkable 4.9-star rating from 250 reviews. The shop offers a range of services, including custom tattoo designs, piercing services, aftercare products, and convenient online booking. Reviewers consistently praise the friendly atmosphere and the welcoming nature of the staff, noting their ability to make clients feel at ease during their tattoo experience.

    3423 14th St NW suite 3, Washington, DC 20010

    Hours on shop pageAftercare Products · Piercing Services · Custom Tattoo Designs
  • Long Road Tattoo Studio, located in Washington, DC, boasts a perfect 5-star rating across 75 reviews. Confirmed services include custom tattoo designs and a selection of aftercare products, available by appointment only. Reviewers mention the welcoming atmosphere and the attentive nature of the artists, ensuring a comfortable experience throughout the tattoo process.

    1314 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001, USA

    Hours on shop pageAftercare Products · Custom Tattoo Designs · By Appointment Only
  • Located in Washington, DC, Second Son Tattoo boasts a remarkable 4.9-star rating across 120 reviews. They offer a range of services including custom tattoo designs, piercing services, and aftercare products. Reviewers consistently praise the welcoming staff and the clean environment, making it a popular choice for tattoo enthusiasts in the DMV area.

    1712 14th St NW Third Floor, Washington, DC 20009, USA

    Hours on shop pageFine Line · Aftercare Products · Piercing Services
  • Located in Washington, DC, Globe Electric Tattoo boasts a stellar 4.8-star rating from 50 reviews. The shop specializes in Cover-Up Tattoos, Custom Tattoo Designs, American Traditional, and Japanese/Irezumi styles. Reviewers mention the calming atmosphere and the personalized attention from artists Susan and Eric, making it a unique place for custom body art.

    3821 14th St NW Unit c, Washington, DC 20011, USA

    American Traditional · Japanese / Irezumi · Cover-Up Tattoos
  • Located in Washington, DC, District Tattoo Company boasts a 4.7-star rating from 197 reviews. Customers appreciate the welcoming atmosphere and the collaborative approach of the artists, particularly praising Ryan for his American Traditional designs and Drew for his thoughtful approach. Reviewers mention the vibrant vibe among the artists and the quality of work, including beautiful Japanese tattoos and custom designs.

    1285 4th St NE Unit C, Washington, DC 20002, USA

    Hours on shop pageAmerican Traditional · Japanese / Irezumi · Aftercare Products
  • Top Notch Tattoo Studio on 14th, located in Washington, DC, boasts a 4.5-star rating from 110 reviews. Known for its custom tattoo designs, American Traditional styles, and piercing services, the studio welcomes walk-ins and offers online booking. Reviewers mention the compassionate and patient nature of the artists, particularly praising Charlie and June for their attentive care and dedication to honoring personal stories through art.

    1843 14th St NW 3rd floor, Washington, DC 20009, USA

    Hours on shop pageAmerican Traditional · Japanese / Irezumi · Black & Grey
  • Located in Washington, DC, Fatty's Tattoos & Piercings H Street boasts a 4.6-star rating from 279 reviews. This shop offers piercing services, custom tattoo designs, and online booking by appointment only. Reviewers mention the helpfulness and professionalism of the staff, particularly praising piercer Kyle for his thorough explanations and care during procedures.

    516 H St NE 2nd floor, Washington, DC 20002

    Hours on shop pagePiercing Services · Custom Tattoo Designs · Online Booking
  • Located in Washington, DC, Jinx Proof Tattoos boasts a 4.6-star rating from 367 reviews. This welcoming shop offers a variety of services including custom tattoo designs, piercing services, and aftercare products. Customers frequently praise the talented artists and the friendly atmosphere, making each visit a memorable experience.

    3285 1/2 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007

    Hours on shop pageAftercare Products · Walk-ins Welcome · Piercing Services
  • Fatty's Tattoos & Piercings Dupont Circle, located in Washington, DC, boasts a 4.5-star rating from 372 reviews. The shop offers custom tattoo designs, piercing services, and online booking by appointment only. Reviewers mention a clean setup and commend specific artists for their attentiveness and accommodating nature.

    1333 Connecticut Ave NW 3rd floor, Washington, DC 20036

    Hours on shop pagePiercing Services · Custom Tattoo Designs · Online Booking
  • Located in Washington, DC, Piercing Connect & Tattoos has earned a solid 4.3-star rating from 180 reviews. The shop welcomes walk-ins and specializes in piercing services. Reviewers mention a comfortable atmosphere and a quick, efficient process, often highlighting the professional demeanor of their piercer, Steve.

    2851 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001, USA

    Hours on shop pageWalk-ins Welcome · Piercing Services
  • Embassy Tattoo, located in Washington, DC, boasts a solid 4.2-star rating from 358 reviews. The shop offers a variety of services including custom tattoo designs, piercings, cover-up tattoos, and various styles like American Traditional and Fine Line. Reviewers highlight their satisfaction with the creative freedom provided by artists and a well-organized experience during special events.

    1762 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA

    Hours on shop pageAmerican Traditional · Script / Lettering · Fine Line
  • Tattoo Paradise, located in Washington, DC, boasts a 4.2-star rating based on 430 reviews. The shop welcomes walk-ins and offers a range of services including piercing, cover-up tattoos, custom designs, and online booking. Reviewers mention a clean and organized environment, as well as friendly and accommodating staff who prioritize customer care.

    2444 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA

    Hours on shop pageWalk-ins Welcome · Piercing Services · Cover-Up Tattoos

Order is by a Bayesian-adjusted rating: each shop's Google rating is pulled toward the directory average in proportion to how few reviews back it, so a 5.0 from six reviews does not outrank a 4.9 from eight hundred. The stars shown are the raw Google rating and review count.

Best in District of Columbia

Browse by style in Washington

Field notes

What locals say about Washington tattoo shops

Pulled from Google reviews of the top-rated shops in Washington.

This was my second time coming to Cry Baby, both instances being for Friday the 13th events. My first time, I got a flash tattoo (my 13th tattoo) with Irvin. Fine line isn't my usual style, but he did a wonderful job and it healed great - still looks nice and crisp 9 months later! He was also super welcoming and took time to explain everything and check-in with me. Today, I decided to get my second lobe piercings with Cecy. She was friendly, professional, and informative. She took her time to ensure correct placement, and also created an environment in which I felt comfortable asking questions or could ask for a placement adjustment. I had been a bit concerned about getting my second lobes done because of where my first ones are and potential for it to look crowded, but placement was perfect and will give me options for what I can wear size-wise. Overall, I have had positive experiences here and absolutely recommend Cry Baby for both tattoos and piercings!
Becky Keller on Cry Baby Studios DC
I cannot say enough amazing things about Isa (@isatatts) and my experience at Tattoo Culture. My husband and I came to her for something incredibly special, our wedding band tattoos. Instead of traditional rings, we chose to get our wedding date and initials tattooed on our ring fingers and Isa absolutely delivered beyond what we could have ever imagined. From the very beginning, the process was seamless. I reached out through the form with all my details and inspiration photos, heard back within a week, and booked my appointment immediately. The quote was clear, the instructions were straightforward and communication was excellent throughout. I was originally booked at the DC location but due to traffic and logistics on the day, we worked it out and met at the Maryland location instead. Isa was completely accommodating and made it work without any hassle at all. Once we were there, the experience was just incredible. Isa printed out multiple sizes, made several adjustments to placement and thickness until I was completely satisfied, and never once made us feel like we were being difficult or asking for too much. She was patient, kind, efficient and made the whole process so comfortable and enjoyable. This was my husband's very first tattoo and I was a little nervous for him. She was so gentle and had such a light touch that it barely hurt him at all. And as someone who has gotten tattoos before, I can honestly say this was one of the most painless experiences I have had. We are of South Asian descent and have more tan skin tones, and Isa was absolutely wonderful working with our skin. The tattoos came out crisp, clean and absolutely stunning. Isa specializes in fineline work and it truly shows. Every line was precise, delicate and incredibly clean. If you are looking for fineline tattoos specifically, she is honestly one of the best at it and her portfolio speaks for itself. On top of her incredible skill, her studio was spotless. She maintained a clean station the entire time, sanitized properly between working on each of us, and was thorough and safe with the wrapping and aftercare instructions at the end. She even took photos for us to capture the moment, which honestly just topped off the whole experience. My husband and I are completely obsessed with our tattoos. We keep looking at them and we are already planning to go back to get individual pieces done. If you are looking for a tattoo artist who is talented, gentle, patient, professional and genuinely a pleasure to be around, Isa is your person. I cannot recommend her and Tattoo Culture DC and MD enough. She is truly the best and this experience will stay with us forever.
Melissa Jayawardane on Tattoo Culture DC
Mehmet and Mike were AMAZING!! My sister and I last minute decided to get tattoos this weekend and Mike was super helpful managed to fit us into Mehmet's schedule with very little notice. He was super friendly and put my sister at ease as soon as we walked in as this was her first tattoo. Then Mehmet is just so sweet and calm to work with. And he has a super gentle hand tattooing! I've been tattooed several times and never have they been as easy and relaxing as Mehmet working on you! I can't recommend this shop enough, and you should totally ask for Mehmet if you are at all worried about the pain from a tattoo. I promise you will barely feel it under his skills.
Niki W. on Trilogy Atelier - DC Tattoo Shop / Piercing Studio

Reference

Frequently asked questions

Our directory lists 14 verified tattoo shops in Washington, District of Columbia, with 3,402 customer reviews combined and an average rating of 4.7 stars. Browse the listings above for hours, phone numbers, ratings and directions for each shop. You can also browse all tattoo shops in District of Columbia or see the best tattoo shops in District of Columbia.

Cry Baby Studios DC is the top-rated tattoo shop in Washington with a 5.0-star Google rating from 461 reviews. It leads the listings above, which are ordered by an adjusted rating: each shop's Google rating is pulled toward the directory average in proportion to how few reviews back it, so the order is not a raw star sort. Compare every shop's rating and review count in the listings above.

Yes. 6 of the 14 tattoo shops in Washington welcome walk-in clients, including District Tattoo Company and Top Notch Tattoo Studio on 14th. Availability varies by day, so calling ahead is still a good idea for larger pieces. You can also browse walk-in tattoo shops across District of Columbia.

10 tattoo shops in Washington offer piercing services alongside tattooing, including Cry Baby Studios DC and Trilogy Atelier - DC Tattoo Shop / Piercing Studio. Look for the “Piercing Services” tag in the listings above. You can also browse piercing shops across District of Columbia.

Artists in Washington work in fine line, American traditional, Japanese, black & grey, realism, minimalist and more, and 4 shops offer cover-up work. Check each shop's page for artist portfolios and customer reviews mentioning specific styles, or browse the best shops across District of Columbia for fine line, American traditional and Japanese.