For those who are tattooed, it’s not hard to explain the appeal: art, on your body, forever. Of course, there are those who, um, maybe don’t think it all the way through. But for most aren’t tattooed, they just see it as a “permanent reminder of a temporary feeling,” or whatever Jimmy Buffet was drunkenly rambling about. But those who are tattooed get how it’s a way to use your body as a canvas for gorgeous art. Below, DCist staff shares their favorite tattoo shops and artists in the D.C. area.
Photo by Doug Duvall
BALTIMORE TATTOO MUSEUM: True to its name, the Baltimore Tattoo Museum is, indeed, the area’s only museum dedicated to the history of electric tattooing in America. It’s certainly worth checking out next time you’re in Baltimore, but it’s also worth a visit if you’re looking to get ink. The Museum’s resident artists are—literally—surrounded by the history of the medium and it shows in their work, which specializes in, but is not limited to, traditional-style tattooing (think Sailor Jerry). — Matt Cohen
The Baltimore Tattoo Museum is located at 1534 Eastern Avenue in Baltimore, Md.
BLACK LABEL TATTOO COMPANY: As someone who has a lot of tattoos, I mostly seek out artists rather than shops. Hence how I found out about Black Label Tattoo Company, where one of the best artists that’s ever done ink on me, Antonio Roque, works. The shop is quaintly situated in the postcard-esque downtown Frederick and is as clean and freshly decorated as you can hope. I’m a big fan of bold, traditional-style tattoos, which is Antonio’s forte. He’s done two pieces on me, both of which are among my favorite tattoos. He’s got a uniquely bold style, but his shading is what drew me to him. He manages to do so much with so little colors; taking full advantage of the different shades you can get out of a single color. He’s also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet and is a pleasure to shoot the shit with while getting tattooed, along with the rest of the shop’s artists. — Matt Cohen
Black Label Tattoo Company is located at 126 E Patrick Street in Frederick, Md.
CIRQUE DU ROUGE: I haven’t been to H Street’s Cirque Du Rogue for a tattoo, but I have plenty of friends who have and can’t stop singing their praises. The tattoo’s theme is—you guessed it—an old school cirque (which reminds me of the dearly missed Palace of Wonders, which was situated not too far away). Cirque Du Rogue boasts a large roster of talented artists specializing in different styles, from Asian themes to neo-Polynesian, black-and-grey line work, etc. You name it, they probably have someone who can do it. — Matt Cohen
Cirque Du Rouge is located at 416 H Street NE.
DCist music editor Tori Kerr’s tattoo from Fatty’s.
FATTY’S TATTOOS & PIERCINGS: Were it not for a folding sign on the sidewalk, Fatty’s Tattoo shop would be undetectable. But if you do catch it, walk up three flights of creaky, carpeted stairs, past the psychic (not a joke) and you’ll find yourself in the tidy, bright, and welcoming space of Dupont Circle’s best tattoo parlor (and now, a second shop has opened on H Street NE). Fatty’s reputation is well known, so the shop operates primarily on an appointment basis. I went to Fatty’s for my first-ever tattoo and was lucky to be matched with Gilda, who’s been with the shop since 2003. She was calm, accommodating and patient—a great fit for any ink virgins. One common characteristic of piercing and tattoo shops I’ve noticed is the rough attitude of artists and piercers. Obviously, they have to be no-nonsense, but sometimes that translates to pushiness and intimidation. Not the case at Fatty’s. Even the front desk clerk is super-friendly. I would highly recommend Fatty’s for newbies and returning tattoo enthusiasts. My only complaint: anyone who struggles with stairs probably can’t enjoy this shop. — Tori Kerr
Fatty’s Tattoos & Piercings has locations at 1333 Connecticut Avenue, NW—3rd Floor and 516 H Street NE C.
TATTOO PARADISE (ADAMS MORGAN LOCATION): This year, I’ve gotten tattooed at about the same rate that I’ve gotten my hair cut. (Which is to say, twice. I’m not scared of split ends.) In that department, Tattoo Paradise is my Trim—minus the beer, of course. I frequent the Adams Morgan location (where—fun fact for hardcore nerds everywhere—ex-Dag Nasty and current Red Hare singer Shawn Brown works); there are also locations in Wheaton and Rockville. Artists rotate between sites and largely turn out traditional-style pieces; notable recent guests include Chad Koeplinger and Grant Cobb, who both have cultish followings of traditional-tattoo devotees. And the piercing is good, too: clean, quiet, private, and quick. — Alex Baca, from a previous list.
Tattoo Paradise is located at 2444 18th Street NW.
TATTOO PARADISE (ROCKVILLE LOCATION): Specific artists should really define this list, since a tattoo parlor is only as good as its artist. Two of my bigger pieces were completed at Tattoo Paradise in Rockville. It’s kind of a pain to get to – the location is within walking distance of Shady Grove metro – but one of the best tattoo artists in the area also happens to work there. His name is Eric Wilcox, and no one can beat him in terms of black and grey tattooing, or dot/line work. Looks at these roses, or this absolutely incredible moth. Eric is incredibly friendly/approachable, and his rates are reasonable. He’s the sort of artist who helps expand our ideas of what a tattoo can look like. — Alan Zilberman
Tattoo Paradise is located at 15877 Redland Road in Rockville, Md.
DCist editor Matt Cohen’s tattoo from Daryl Jimmie at Bethesda Tattoo.
BETHESDA TATTOO: Situated just off of the Bethesda Metro station, Bethesda Tattoo has some of the best artists in the area. It’s also one of the best-run shops in the D.C. area, though the shop’s primary tattooers are great, I’ve only ever been inked by one of their guest artists, Daryl Jimmie. I say he’s a guest artist only because he spends most of his time traveling across the world to tattoo, so he’s only back at Bethesda Tattoo for short tenures. Daryl’s tattoo travels means he’s picked up interesting tips and techniques from all over, which are all incorporated into his unique and bold style, which ranges from traditional to Japanese style. — Matt Cohen
Bethesda Tattoo is located at 8227 Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda, Md.
THE TATTOOERY: When you step into the second floor studio of The Tattooery, you might think you’re stepping into a small art gallery. That’s because the reception area is decked out with gorgeous art—from old tattoo flash, to weird sculptures, to horror and pop culture-inspired art. That vibe translates into The Tattooery’s artists’ work, who let their nerdy obsessions hang proudly in flash form by their work stations. I recently got an Alien tattoo from Marc Lindenmeier, one of the shop’s veterans. As a fellow sci-fi fan, he was as excited to tattoo it than I was to get it and spent more than a month working on the not-so-simple design to make sure it was perfect. — Matt Cohen
The Tattooery is located at 7420 1/2 Baltimore Avenue in College Park, Md.
Other area tattoo shops I haven’t been too, but have heard great things about: Read Street Tattoo Parlor in Baltimore; Saints & Sinners in Baltimore; Orange Tattoo Company in Annapolis; Classic Electric Tattoo in Frederick.
