Castro Tattoo

Got a flash tattoo from Jose (Who Tattoo) back in May. The design was cool, but there’s a couple of spots that are pretty blown out. He pressed down kinda hard during the session, so I assume that’s how it happened, but I can’t be 100% sure. It looks decent from a distance, but despite the fact that the hourly rate ($350) was fairly high-end, I don’t feel great about the current quality or how it’ll age. I’m also fat, which probably makes it hard to get the right depth, but I have another tattoo and there’s no blowout on that one. To his credit, he offered to do a touch-up when I reached out to see if there was anything I could do to stop the blowout from migrating back in May, but I thought about it over the summer and decided that I didn’t want to go back to him.TLDR: cool designs, but probably go to someone else if you’re fat.EDIT: To offer a fair perspective, I’ve now attached pictures from three days after the tattoo was done, when the blowout started to become noticeable. As far as blowout goes, this is by no means the worst job ever. It just mattered to me, so I thought I’d share, but this might not be a big deal to everyone else! It looks pretty similar right now, with the main difference being slight migration further from the lines and a light gray tinge to the skin in between the roots at the bottom of the tattoo.

I am in awe with how incredible this shop is! Everyone was sooo kind and friendly. Ale really is a talent like I’ve never met, and she is an absolutely lovely human being. SF & the Castro is lucky to have such a gem, I’ll be back soon

Getting tattooed here with Ian was magnificent! Their beautiful space (and art!), kindness, conversation, and skill throughout the session made it a fantastic experience. Not to mention, I absolutely adore the tattoo!! Ian is incredibly creative and talented. Photo is two weeks healed.

Welcoming and friendly staff! Ive been tattooed by several of the artists and have nothing negative to say. They have a range of beautiful tattoo styles! They work to make my designs come to life. As a queer person it feels safe to come into a shop that has queer artists. I recommend this shop to anyone visiting or living in the Bay Area!

Can’t express how happy I am with my tattoo! Not just the tattoo itself, but the overall experience. Meg is such a quality artist that creates such a loving and inviting atmosphere, something that a lot of tattoo shops lack. I’ve been following her Instagram page for awhile and I was so excited to finally get tatted! If you have time, stop by and check out her flash book. The only problem is picking out which one to get! Will be back again very soon!

I love Haley and Castro Tattoo! Haley has been tattooing me since 2013. I am about to travel to San Francisco from Oregon to complete my tenth tattoo created by Haley. Haley is so committed to their clients, this shows in the many, many interesting and beautiful pieces they have created. I usually collect images and give basic ideas about a piece and give a general idea about where, on my body, I want the piece tattooed. Haley then creates pieces that go above and beyond my imagination. Haley’s placement of each of my tattoos is impeccable. As I was sweating in hot yoga yesterday, and the bacon wrapped trout on my forearm swam by, I thought about how Haley has made my body rich with images, each piece its own story. My tattoos are mostly color realism, the dog portraits, pheasant, and bacon trout all look like photographs.Tattoo day is one of my favorite days, and entering the colorful and historic Castro Tattoo, seems to brighten my mood even more. Haley became the owner of Castro Tattoo in 2017, they have made the shop welcoming to all kinds of folks from all walks of life. Creating a space full of kindness and talent. Each artist at Castro has a different style, the best place to check out everybody’s work is @castrotattoosf on Instagram. Thank you Haley and everyone at Castro for making such a great place to get tattooed.

ALE ROSA: amazing tattoo artist with a light touch!I am a devoted client of Ale Rosa, so when she told me that she would be moving to Castro Tattoo, I knew that I’d be hanging out in the Castro a lot.It had been over 10 years since my first tattoo, but after working with Ale, I now proudly rock a full sleeve. Ale is incredibly talented, more so than even she recognizes in herself. My tiger lilies was her first watercolor piece and she executed it beautifully!Ale’s already great technique gets better every time she creates a new piece for me. She has a devoted clientele, myself and my partner included, who would only trust her to work on us. Ale Rosa and Castro Tattoo SF, thank you for sharing your talents!

I had the best experience here! My sister and I came in for our first tattoos, and Ian Reynold made us feel so comfortable. He was so kind and patient, I never felt rushed when making decisions. He had a few different designs prepared, and he let me look at a few different options in different sizes until I found exactly what I wanted. He executed it perfectly and I am so happy with the end result. Not only is he a very skilled artist, but hes a genuinely sweet person and I will definitely be going back to him if I decide to get another tattoo.

Emily is an absolute angel. They tattood my friend for his first tattoo and it was a wonderful time. Super sweet super fun lots of laughing and very comfortable. And on top of that a gorgeous tattoo!!!

Haley Adams is AMAZING, She did a custom father / daughter tattoo for me and it was Amazing. I definitely would recommend Haley to anyone who wants a tattoo

Im in San Diego and I was planning a trip to San Francisco for a birthday weekend.I called Castro Tattoo, 4 days before my arrival and got their recording. They say to email your preferred artist to set up an appointment, or just email the shop if you dont have a preferred tattooist. I sent a general email, with a picture and a good description of what I want. Im not new at getting inked... And I usually know exactly what I want and I try to be accommodating and easy to work with.Nobody ever called or emailed me back. This was very disappointing.So, the day before I was to arrive in SF, I called another tattoo shop and talked to a real person! And unlike Castro, this other shop had a walk in guy and I was told that I could just go in after 12 either Thursday or Friday and see what time would work best. I asked if it would be helpful to email the picture of what I wanted.The walk in guy contacted me within an hour and was happy to make an appointment, take a deposit and not be anything like Castro Tattoo!Bad business doesnt deserve my money,.. I

Ian is the best! We did a consultation via email to explain what I wanted and when I came in to get tattooed, he showed me a few different sketches. It was pretty incredible that he was able to create exactly what I had in mind and we didnt even have to meet in person beforehand. Hes an incredibly talented artist but so humble and the nicest guy. Id recommend him to anyone. So happy to have a piece of his art!

I am so happy with my tattoo from Ian Reynold! I contacted Ian with a rough idea of the elements I wanted, and could not be more pleased with the artwork he produced. This was my first tattoo, and I was a little nervous about it, but Ian quickly put me at ease. I am so happy with how the tattoo turned out, and I had a great time chatting with him while he was tattooing. Ian is truly an exceptional artist and a super cool dude. A+, highly recommend.

This was my first time ever getting a tattoo and so, of course, an incredibly nerve wracking and potentially stressful process. I was recommended by a friend to reach out to Ian Reynold and from the very first email I received from him I felt like I was in such capable and friendly hands. Ian was amazing about guiding me through the whole process, answering all my questions, and reassuring me. He did an amazing job and I am so very happy with my tattoo and the end result! This was a very personal tattoo and decision, and Ian made it such a rewarding and exciting experience. Thank you so much Ian!

Had an amazing 1st tattoo experience with Ian Reynold at Castro Tattoo. Ian was calm and approachable: he talked me through all the decisions on sizing, placement, and shading, and checked in to see how I was doing during the tattoo. We had lovely conversation. There was no rush. The instructions for after-care were clear and easy to follow. Most of all, I have a beautiful tattoo of a cluster of California poppies, in a wonderful botanical illustration style. I would do it all again, and soon.

Being that this was my first tattoo, I did a lot of research to find a good place with reputable, talented, and most importantly, passionate artists. Ian Reynold was that and even more! After following his work for some time, I concluded that I wanted my first piece to be down by him. His work is so beautiful and he is insanely talented. He quickly responded to my email about booking an appointment and answered many of my anxiety driven questions about getting my first tattoo. Upon meeting him, I was instantly reassured that it was the right decision. His sketches blew me away because they were exactly what I wanted! Although I was being stabbed by hundreds of needles, Ians calm demeanor definitely made the experience as painless as possible. I enjoyed our conversation, the overall experiences, and cannot wait to book my second piece with Ian!

I was in town for work and wanted to surprise my wife with a tat in her honour! 😉 Castro Tattoo was highly rated and they were able to get me an appointment on short notice. My artist, Alle was great! She did amazing work and has a very gentle hand, I didnt experience any pain and she did a fantastic job with the design and execution all on short notice. I highly recommend Castro Tattoo to anybody looking for quality work, I was only in the chair for two (2) hours for a difficult spot on the body to work on (neck) and everything turned out beautiful, just like my wonderful wife!! Ha! Thanks Alle!

I worked with Donny Newman with my last tattoo and the shop was really great. All the stuff was super nice, there was a good amount of space to get the work done and even the shop owner would swing by to ask up on how everything was going. I found it to be a really clean and relaxing place to start a new piece and everyone there made it feel welcoming.

Yesterday, I had my first session with Samantha. The day before my husband got his first tattoo with Samantha as well. From the consultation to the actual tattooing, Samantha has been fantastic. I decided to do a partial shoulder armor sleeve, and had some rough ideas of what I wanted. Samantha took my erratic inspiration images and turned them into an amazing piece. One session of many, and I am greatly looking forward to the next. Also of note, all the other artists/ team at the shop were extremely nice and welcoming. Great vibe, great talent, great experience!

The staff at Castro was so polite and helpful. The shop is super cool, clean and cozy. Ian Reynold is amazing. He worked with me for a long time on my design, speaking with me weeks before on the concept and then on the day of he had hand drawn and ipad drawn images for me to choose from with various layers helping me visualize everything we discussed. The end product was a gorgeous honeysuckle that means so much to me. He is an amazing talent and highly recommend checking him out!

Ive been tattooed by both Sam (before she moved to Castro Tattoo) & Ian. Theyre both phenomenal.Most recently I got tattooed by Ian. From the moment I received his preliminary questionnaire to the moment I left the studio I felt I was in good hands. Ians preliminary questionnaire is SUPER thorough which made me confident he was going to nail the design (he did) and also challenged me to be extremely thoughtful about all the elements of my tattoo (even the ones I wouldnt normally think to consider). This was definitely the most collaborative tattoo process Ive ever experienced which is especially meaningful since this tattoo is partially dedicated to my Dad. (P.S. My Dad loves the tattoo too.)Ian started our appointment on time, took the time to walk me through the designs and all the edits he made based on my feedback, and made sure I was 100% on board with the size and placement of the tattoo. During the tattoo we chatted a bit and he made a point to check in on me a few times to make sure I was doing okay.I always claim this tattoo is my last tattoo but inevitably Ill end up getting another tattoo and when I do I wouldnt hesitate to go back to Ian at Castro Tattoo.

Hannah Wolf is an AMAZING artist. I went to her to have a tattoo reworked and she completely transformed just a plain ordinary tattoo into a work of art with depth and dimension. She really listened to what I wanted and now its perfect. Its something I definitely want to show off. I absolutely cannot wait to work with her again. And she is one cool chick too - love that girl!

What an awesome experience! 1) the shop was funky and immaculate (win); 2) everyone was friendly (win); 3) Ian Reynold created a beautiful design for the memorial tatto of my dog (win); and 4) Ian had the lightest touch ever—the tattoo was the least painful I’ve ever had and since it wasn’t so harsh, my clothes didn’t stick to an open gooey mess of a tattoo?! (I’m attributing that to Ian as well—WIN) I’ve had a few tattoos (mostly large color pieces) and the angry gooey tattoo has been typical, but not this time! I think I’m a B/W fine line girl... thank you Ian!

This place is freaking amazing! The three people I talked to were extremely welcoming and kinda made my day because I had had an appointment at a different shop and they were just kinda awful. I called em up, they said come on in, I talked to a couple artists and Autumn was super patient with what I wanted to get. The piece came out great and Colton and autumn had me laughing in the back while listening to insanely good music for the majority of the session! I can’t remember her name, but the person at the front desk was great as well. She was very friendly and inviting which I had not felt at all at the last shop. I’m looking forward to going back in a week to get my next piece done.

I just got a tattoo from Ian Reynold, an incredibly down to earth and kind soul. We worked together on an image of a pueo-- a Hawaiian owl. He was able to translate my vision into the most beautiful, detailed, and delicate tattoo. I am thrilled every time I look at the tattoo. It was not my first tattoo, but in way that made me appreciate Ians style (both artistically and personally) even more. I felt both guided by his confidence to execute our shared vision and supported in my feedback and opinions. Also, the tattoo shop was clean, inclusive, and everyone in it was very professional. It felt like a safe place full of skilled artists practicing their craft!

The vibe in this shop was happy & friendly and all of the artists seemed like they worked really well together. Most other tattoo places either have drama or an OD of testosterone, so this was a nice departure from that. My wife is really happy with her purple haunted house tattoo by Jess Koala.

Samantha is incredible! A great artist that has no trouble working in a breadth of styles. She is professional, reliable, fun and easy to work with. Ive been going to her for over 4 years and have more work done by her than any other artist. Cant wait to get more!

My daughter and I had talked about getting tattoos together after she turned 18. She is now 22 and we finally had our idea and we found Haley. Work was amazing. Haley also has such a beautiful spirit and that just made it even better. My daughter is getting ready to move to Brooklyn so timing couldn’t have been better. Thanks Haley.

Fantastic experience getting tattooed by Ian! Hes patient, kind, knowledgeable, a rad dude and a gifted artist! Cant thank you enough man the more I stare at your beautiful artwork that is forever on my body, the more honored I am! Ill see you soon in the future for my next piece!

I assumed that because they had some of the higher prices and good reviews elsewhere that I would be safe to do a walk in. The receptionist was helpful but the tattooist wouldnt say a word to me almost the entire time. I could tell he didnt like me or he didnt want to be there. Maybe both. When I tried speaking to him he would only say I cant do that or I dont know, its your tattoo. Worst collaboration ever. The tattoo itself is OK but Im getting it adjusted elsewhere.

I will try and write a review that does Hannah Wolf justice but it isnt enough. She is pretty much made of magic. She creates magic. She even looks like magic. For real though, shes covered in tats and its hard not to stare at them without looking creepy. Anyways, I think very highly of the work she does and I am so grateful for the effort she puts into our sessions. Shes very professional and knows what shes doing. I like that I can come to her with a very vague idea of what I want, and she somehow draws out some ideas and we go from there. Shes super patient and friendly but still maintains this badassness that only true badasses can pull off. Im so grateful to have her talent here in San Francisco and I cant wait to get more work done from her.

Dropped in without an appointment while on vacation and managed to get a tattoo Ive been wanting for a while. Great artists & customer service. As I always mention in my reviews when relevant, going here supports a small, local, independently owned business.

@ale.rosa.ink is amazing! Already booking my next tattoo with her! She is so creative and sweet! Thank you, Ale! In love with my tattoos 💜💜💜

Donny was awesome! He was honest that what I wanted was gonna take more time than I had! But ever prepared I had an alternate ready! The front desk guy was superbly helpful!!! I just wish I pull take them w me to London in the Fall!!! Thx fellas!

Jess is amazing. Super friendly and very talented. I just got my second tattoo by her and will definitely be getting more.

Came by as a walk in. Very nice guy, more important: talented and meticulous tattooer who wants it to be perfect. Place is clean, my tattoo too. Thanks! 💓

Autumn did a wonderful job and Ian did a wonderful job on my partner. Great place with a lot of really talented artists!

Millie Koh you rock! Im so happy with the tattoos in honor of my girls and they love them too. Thank you thank you!

Great place and very professionnal. We got appointment with Genevieve and shes very talented. Gave good advices and we felt very confortable. The place is beautiful and we really recommand !

Ale Rosa is terrible. Avoid at all costs. Awkward, weird and full of herself. I wish I went to anyone else

Always a great experience. The whole staff is kind and really great to talk to. Will definitely be getting a third from this shop.

Haley is great and her love of the process makes it much more enjoyable.

Jess is awesome, super patient and encouraging and made me very comfortable

Still a WIP but in love with my new tattoo by Samantha Sue.

I love it here! Jess is rad! Much talent! Such entertainment!

Amazing work! Autumn conceptualized my design idea to produce exactly what I wanted

Love the shop, love the people. Extremely talented people work here.

Awesome service, super friendly and very open to walk-ins.

Awesome artists! Hannah is the best!

Kristy Q is AMAZING! AMAZING! AMAZING!

Nice, talented, cookie adjacent

Great

Regina is the bomb!

Great artists here

👎🏼 👎🏼 👎🏼 DO NOT GO.

Breakfast on me :(

Ok very choice