The Brisbane/Meanjin tattoo scene has come on a lot over the last few years. Places like Tradition Tattoo and West Side Tattoo have been going strong for a while now, but the city has a bunch of interesting little indie parlours, plus nationally recognised artists.
Want to get inked in Brisbane? The first step is research. Instagram is your best friend. In fact, that's where we started when we asked our Urban List audience where to find the best tattoo studios in Brisbane. Here are 10 that came highly reccommended, along with a few more worth checking out if you're really doing your research before you get inked.
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Tailor Made Tattoo
43 Annerley Road, Woolloongabba
Ask everyone you know with ink where the best tattoo studios in Brisbane are, and chances are at least a quarter of them will say Tailor Made (we’re speaking from firsthand experience here). The artists here will take the blank canvas of your body and turn it into a work of art, with both custom designs and walk-in options available. Peta Jameson is one of the best, or ask for Sam Walters, who’s been doing his thing for over 17 years.
Hailey Blossom
Level 1/70 Little Edward Street, Spring Hill
If it’s fine lines you’re after, Hailey Blossom Tattoo Studio in Spring Hill should be your first point of call. Their team of seven talented artists are pros at delicate, detailed pieces that would look as good on the wall as they do on your skin. From pet portraits to dreamy scripts, their skills with a tattoo gun are unparalleled.
CB Ink
1/491 Lutwyche Road, Lutwyche
From realism to fineline, this place is a one stop shop. CB Ink in Lutwyche boasts a very impressive roster of more than 25 artists, specialising in any style you can imagine. The ratings speak for themselves—this studio has more five star reviews than any other tattoo studio in Australia. And it doesn’t stop at tattoos, they also offer cosmetic tattoos, cover-ups and laser removal, if you find yourself in the need.
Oracle
11 Browning Street, West End
This West End studio is home to some of Brisbane's most sought after tattoo artists so rest assured you're in safe hands here. If you want to do some digging to figure out which of their talented artists is more your vibe before you do anything, you can scope out all their individual pages via Instagram. If that seems too hard, keep an eye out for one of their flash days.
Chalice Tattoo Company
191A Given Terrace, Paddington
Known for their highly distinctive and detailed blackwork designs, the crew at Chalice Tattoo Company isn’t afraid to get creative. Gigantic occult-inspired pieces, along with folklore and gothic designs are found here courtesy of the resident artists, as well as psychedelic 70s graphic designs from @psychicmamatattoos. Hit this tattoo parlour up for a unique piece you won’t be able to find anywhere else.
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Old Soul
158 Boundary Street, West End
West End tattoo local Old Soul is known for its massive artist lineup, as well as regular guest artists, all with their own individual styles and tattooing techniques. They specialise in creating a custom tattoo design based on your ideas and leveraging the artist’s talent. You’ll have to do an Instagram deep dive before you do anything else though, as here you book with individual artists rather than the studio—scope out who’s currently on the books here.
True Love Tattoo
465 Oxley Road, Sherwood
After 17 years in the game, and with over 50 years combined artist experience, True Love Tattoo is one of the most reputable tattoo parlours you’ll find around. Each and every tattoo artist here has a real passion for what they do, and it shows through their flawless tattoo work. Everything from large detailed sleeves to small delicate pieces, the talented artists at True Love Tattoo can do just about anything, and you can either book with individual artists or choose from their large selection of flash.
Valley Ink
4/421 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley
While we don’t recommend getting a late night tattoo after a few drinks, we do recommend heading to Valley Ink (sober) for some seriously good art. Mimi Guoh is a master at thin line and dot drawing tats, but this shop isn’t a one trick pony—all the artists here are absolute pros.
Lake Eden
2/12 Endeavour Boulevard, North Lakes
For some truly mind-blowing portraits and oh so intricate black and white pieces cruise into North Lakes, where people head from miles around to get inked. What these guys can do with a tattoo gun is nothing short of jaw-dropping—if you don’t believe us, just have a scroll through their Instagram, then keep scrolling through the individual artists. Better set a few hours aside for this social media binge.
Save Point
530 Logan Road, Greenslopes
Want something that fits in with your love of anime, gaming, neo Japanese or sci-fi? Save Point’s artist roster has you covered. Needlists like @zak_tattoos64 and @dvlewintertvttoos are masters of colour, while @tobias_tattoos has you covered on the blackwork front. You need to know this because here you’ll book with the artists directly—you can check out all their artist’s work here.
Shinko Tattoo
340 Sandgate Road, Albion
You're in good hands at Shinko Tattoo, where nine different artists specialise in a multitude of styels, including—but definitely not limited to—Japanese, blackwork, realism, neo traditional, and Americana. With over 50 years of experience between them, it's easy to see why they're highly sought after in the Brisbane tattoo game.
Honourable Mentions
Honestly, if we were going to list every good tattoo parlour in Brisbane, we’d be here all day. These guys are still awesome, and well worth some internet research:
- First & Main, Red Hill
- Lantern & Sparrow, Mt Gravatt
- Seventh Circle, Woolloongabba
- Sacred Skin, Greenslopes
Looking for somwhere to show off your new tatt? Head here:
Image credit: Unsplash | Thamara Prada
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