Tattoo Factory

My brother works here and I've spent tons of time hanging out with those guys, and they are awesome. Paul, the owner, knows what he's doing and he brings in the right artists. Wouldn't be caught dead getting a tattoo anywhere else. Pros: sweet atmosphere, quality work, good people. more

I have been to the tattoo factory for every one of my tattoos except one (the one I am going to get covered up) and been to the same tattoo artist every time (Dawn Grace). I have gotten 6 tattoos there and every time the other artests have been very friendly and helpful asking if I needed help and cracking Jokes and everything. I was in the chair getting my tattoo withing minutes every time except one, and that time dawn grace apologized and explained it had been a very busy day and she would have informed me to come latrer if she had gotten a chance. Every time I have been there the tattoos were done exceptionally well (and still look lovely) the only time I have needed touch ups were when i accidentally scratched part of the design off or wasnt taking care of the one properly despite dawns instructions.\r \r I would recomend anyone go to Dawn Grace her work is lovely and she is so sweet she makes sure you are ok and understand how to take care of the tattoo and she is genually a wonderful artist and person. Pros: great service great artests and great prices Cons: there are guest artists there sometimes who can be rude but not too often more

I was planning on getting my tattoo for a long time and also had my own design. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by a guy (don't remember his name) who was so nice and understanding of what I wanted. He started sketching the tattoo within a matter of minutes. Bobby Sox was the one who tattooed me. He was awesome! Very experienced and knew what he was doing! He was talking to me the whole time trying to make me feel comfortable knowing that this was my first tattoo. He was done within 20 mins and it looked amazing. It was better than I imagined. I got it done 3 days ago and I'm loving it more and more everyday. Go to Bobby Sox, you won't be dissapointed! Pros: Great skills and experience Cons: not the best neighborhood more

The only explanation I can think of for all these extremely negative reviews is that different people are on staff at the Tattoo Factory at different times of the day/week. So, I suppose, for the sake of knowing when the ""right time"" to go is, I went in the evening on a Friday.\r \r I walked in and was, within a minute, greeted by someone willing to help us. I wanted to get my tat from Jay specifically, so they called her over and she told us it would be a 45 minute wait. The wait ended up being about 1 hour & 45 minutes, which was the only black spot on the visit and why I'm giving 4 starts instead of 5.\r \r When I finally got into the chair, Jay was courteous and patient, making sure my design was just how I wanted it. It was my first time, and she kept me relaxed. My small tat was done in about 15 minutes and I was very pleased. The price was actually much cheaper than I'd been preparing for!\r \r I recommend the Tattoo Factory in general, and Jay in particular. Pros: Friendly staff, good ""first tattoo"" experience. Cons: Wait time was understated. more

Tattoo Factory is the most unprofessional tattoo parlor I have ever been to. First off, they break the law. A few people I knew in high school got tattooed there under the table before they were 18. They don't even card people either. Secondly, they really don't give a sh*t who they tattoo, they just want to make a buck when they're having a slow night. When I was there with a family member who was getting tattooed, people who were drunk came in and got tattooed. Also, while one of the artists was doing a larger piece, he took a cigarette break and didn't even wash his hands when he came back. Even I know that isn't professional or safe!\r \r I'm sure there are good, quality artists at Tattoo Factory. But if that is how the run their business, I will never go there for a tattoo or piercing and I wouldn't recommend anyone else do so either. Pros: Large variety of flash Cons: Dirty, rude, unprofessional more

I picked the Tattoo Factory for its reputation and their online portfolio. I went there with my design on hand and I was slightly nervous, as it was my first tattoo. The design was very simple, and symbolic for me. I went in and stood in front of the counter waiting for someone to approach me. There was a young spunky woman chatting away with two men behind the counter and she did not acknowledge my presence. So I pretended to look around although I already had a design. Finally, I stood in front of her and tried to interrupt her. FINALLY she looked at me and rudely informed me that she wasn't sure if she should speak to me, since I was bouncing about and looked nervous. I ignored her initial rudeness, and gave her the picture. She said ""that's it, you want THIS... NORMAL?"". I said, ""yes NORMAL"". And I quickly regretted going there. Luckily however, the tattoo artist was actually friendly to me and did not seem to scrutinize my simple choice. After healing, I realized that my tattoo was not done well... and hopefully I'll be able to get it touched up to what I had hoped it would be. POINT IS: The receptionist (whatever she is) is extremely rude. If you want something sentimental and simple, I recommend going elsewhere. more

I went to Tattoo Factory because they were ranked pretty high on Citysearch's list, but I wish I would have done a little more research. I wanted a turtle with a Hawaiian phrase underneath, and I originally wanted to get it on my forearm. I went in with my boyfriend and a couple of friends on a Thursday night, and it was empty. I told one of the dudes my design, and I even brought a picture of exactly what I wanted, but the guy said, ""No, I have the perfect Hawaiian turtle for you!"". He brought out a printout of a some turtle design, and when I told him I didn't like it, he got offended. When I told him I wanted to get it on my forearm, he refused to do it, saying that I was ""too young and pretty"" to be getting a tattoo on my forearm. What?? He then convinced me to get it on my ankle, which now looking back I am glad I changed the location, but I think the reason he gave me was a little ridiculous. When he was about to tattoo me, I asked him if my boyfriend could come behind the counter so I could squeeze his hand during the tattooing, and he refused, saying that if he let him behind the counter, then he had to let everyone else's friends behind the counter, but I was the only customer in the place! So he called me ""a baby"" for needing something to squeeze, which put me off a little bit. The tattoo took MAYBE 15 - 20 minutes to finish, and he said I may need to come back for a touch-up. I asked why, and he said that he ""didn't press too hard because I was anticipating so much pain."" I didn't even cry while he was tattooing me. Then he charged me $160! Now I have a splotchy turtle on my ankle that I need to pay even more money to fix. DO NOT go here! I would highly suggest Deluxe Tattoo, the people and atmosphere are much better! Pros: Clean shop Cons: Pushy people, only the person being tattooed is allowed behind the counter, over-priced more

I came to the tattoo factory after receiving a recomendation from a friend. She had said to go to see MATT...and she was so so right. I already have 6 tattoos so I can tell when someone knows what they are doing. I needed to get a coverup of an old tattoo. Matt not only helped me pick out a design that was perfect...but he also adjusted it freehand to make sure it would fit perfectly into what I needed covered up. Seriously, I am really happy with the results. He has a steady hand and is really experienced for someone his age. You can tell that he loves what he does and it shows in his work. The tatto turned out great, the old one is perfectly covered up and not visible from underneath. The colors just pop out. Next tattoo...definately MATT again! Pros: tattoo artists who actually listen to you, professional, great work Cons: hard to find parking more

I have been to the Tattoo Factory on several occasions and the work has been impeccable each time. EXCEPT on my recent visit, which was about three weeks ago. I went with my cousin, who was getting a dragon, at about 10:30 on a Sunday night. The young lady who was helping us was very friendly and personable, but the female tatooist was not. She had a real bad attitude and was extremely standoffish. She acted as if she was providing a service and not being compensated. I decided to get and ahnk on my foot and she quoted me a price of $120. When I told her that was ridiculous she dropped it down to $100. After tattooing my cousin she realized that I was not going to pay that much for what I wanted so she lowered the price to $60. Well, how could I resist a 50% discount? I should have because now my tattoo looks like it was half assed. I expressed my displeasure while she was tatooing and she told me it would look better once it healed. It finally finished peeling two days ago and I am disgusted! The lines are blotchy and you can hardly make out what it is. It looks like a kindergartener scribbled outside of the line... or WORSE... like a jailhouse tatoo. I am extremely upset because this will be on my body for the rest of my life and I should not be displeased. I am not saying that I won't patronize the Tattoo Factory again, but I will NOT allow the same girl touch me. My cousins dragon turned out beautifully, but she was also displeased by the young lady's nasty attitude and sour disposition... more

Zack from Tattoo Factory (formerly Native Rituals) happens to be one of the best piercing artists I've met. He's very experienced, and contrary to what the other review says, does a perfect piercing job. Quick, painless, and always in the right placement. He did two dermal anchors on my friend's face and placed them perfectly. The entire procedure took less than five minutes to do both. They healed up perfectly with no problems at all. He also pierced my monroe (or 'beauty mark') and re-pierced my nose. The monroe was simple and I didn't expect any sort of problem with this other than placement. Luckily, Zach actually knew what he was doing and didn't place it in an awkward position on my face (like many other girl's I've seen whose are too high or almost on their top lip...) He had me make a few faces at him to figure out where to place it so that I wouldn't look like a complete idiot when I do the drunken kissy face or when I'm just sitting around spacing out. I had my nose re pierced by him because the first person that had done it had placed it way too low. He looked at it before I even mentioned it and said ""let me redo that for you"". I agreed since I had noticed it ever since I had gotten it done. He removed my former jewelry and quickly pierced my nostril again and placed the jewelry in within less than 20 seconds. All free hand as well. It was a lot less painful than my previous nose piercing and a lot quicker as well. Zack may seem like a condescending egomaniac (which he is) but he does know what he's doing when it comes to piercing. Pros: He knows exactly what he's doing. Cons: He may make fun of you. more

I went to get two piercings for myself and a piercing for my friend at about 1am. We weren't greeted, but I noticed that happens at a lot of tattoo places. After we walked up to the counter it wasn't long before we were seated and ready to pierce. \r \r The place has a great atmosphere and looks very nice and clean. Our piercer, zack, was knowledgeable even though one of the piercings is an unusual one that only a few places in town can do. He was patient and made it as painless as possible. The actual piercing itself was quick. The placements were perfect.\r \r The aftercare seemed sketchy at first but we soon found out that it was actually the best way to go. He even gave us his email and said to let him know if we had any questions or problems. He was very willing to have us back later to fix any problems we occured.\r \r I've gotten many compliments on my unusual piercing. Experienced tattoo artists and piercers I meet often tell me it's the best surface piercing they've seen in a while.\r \r I recommend this place to anyone looking for anything from a common to an unusual piercing. Pros: Knowledgeable Professionals and Great Atomosphere Cons: Average customer service as you walk in, shady neighborhood more

I went here to get my nose pierced. I've had it done before in MI, and it was quick and painless, so I wasn't worried about re-piercing. Upon entering, we were told that there was only 1 piercer available who was cleaning equipment and couldn't help us for 45 minutes. So we had a drink and waited. And hour later the piercer was telling us how professional he was, saying that he had years of training to become a hand piercer, which was supposed to be less traumatic and virtually painless. (he looked about 18). When we asked him if they were busy tonight, he seemed offended and appalled that we didn't know they were the #1 tattoo parlor in Chicago. He then continued to bash other places, telling us that ""I would never even think about stepping foot in Jade Dragon."" I have had very good experiences at Jade Dragon and was quite put off. Despite all of his ego problems, I still trusted him to do my piercing. Until, however, he stuck his needle into my nose. It was terribly painful. Then, as he was attempting to put the earring in, I heard a krack and tasted blud. He said, ""oops. I pinched the glass earring too hard with my forceps and it cracked in your nose."" I had blud running all the way down my face. He quickly blamed me for all the blud saying, ""Oh, you're just bleeding so much because you were drinking."" (Heed warning, one Long Island will cause gushes of blud out of the nostril). He then proceeded to attempt to force a new earring into the small hole he had just made, which was already closing up. I had a tear running down my face because this crazy ego guy cracked a glass earring in my nose, and he quickly explained the ""obvious"" connection between your nose and your tear duct and told me I wasn't crying because of pain. He finally got it in and seemed very satisfied with his work, praising himself for managing to get this earring into my bloody nose. Our quick Care instructions upon leaving: ""do the opposite of what Jade Dragon told you."" Pros: You can drink a long island next door while you wait Cons: Piercer will blame bloodly piercings on Long Island. more

Okay, I'll admit that it takes a few minutes for them to aknowledge your presence, but in my case, it was all worth it. I had formally been to Jade Dragon to get my nose pierced and had a pretty crappy expirience (lots and lots of gross complications). The Tatoo Factory was not only clean, it also had a friendly atmosphere after the initial waiting period. I dont know about the tatoo artists, so perhaps getting a peircing there is a completley different expirience. But I would recommend any person who wanted to get a piercing to go there. And with my expiriences there, If I were to get a tatoo, that is the first place I would go. In regards to the alleged over charging, that is the price you muct pay for cleanliness and dependability. Pros: knowledgable artists who really know what they're talking about and a clean enviroment Cons: sometimes a careless lack of customer service more

To put things in perspective, I created this city search account solely for reviewing Tattoo Factory.\r \r The name says it all-FACTORY. If you are looking to pay for nearly 200 percent of the actual cost of a mediocre predesigned flash piece, go here! You are guaranteed to be ignored for at least ten minutes as the staff does their best to not notice they have customers in store, and then if you managed to lurch someones attention, you will be greeted with monosyllabic sentences and pure gruff. As if the great flash artists could be bothered! \r Normally, great attitude should be accompanied by great skill, but even if that is the case, if your intention is to be a successful business, customer service, especially in a craft as personal as inking, is essential. As popular as tattooing has become, why would anyone want to perpetuate the stigma of an ""exclusive club"" when trying to run a business? Granted, there are many fucknuts that could be irritating and naive, but as artists and ""gurus"" of the field, shouldn't a welcoming and informational approach be given to uplift the craft? Moving on---\r My last piece was done in Atlanta. Custom, color, much detail. The artist charged $125 per hour ( which is high, but he is worth it), and my final bill ran somewhere around $450 after 3 sittings (About 5 hours of work-he cut me some slack). Final piece- roughly 8x 6 inches. \r Let's compare.\r A 3x 4 flash (once again, predesigned no custom) no color, all black, which time estmates at perhaps 40 mins, is quoted at $200. In hourly rate terms, that is ridiculous and gouging. \r \r Tattoo enthusiasts, and first timers especially, beware. Don't waste your time, skin, or money on this ridiculous place, unless you know an artist who is an exception. In that case, tell them to move on. You should do the same. Pros: You are likely to be bum rushed, robbed, and unable to be ripped off before entering shop. Cons: Cost, customer service, selection more

All I have to say about this place is stay away. I brought my girlfriend here to get a tattoo of a small tribal and were way overcharged. They started out with a semi-decent price, but then kept adding on all kinds of hidden charges. I paid the price and she got her generic tattoo. \r \r As we were leaving about 11pm at night, we walked to our car and some guy bum rushes my girl and snatches her purse. I chased him down the alley until he got in an awaiting car.\r \r This place s--ks all the way around. High prices, bad area, rather arrogant employees and bums all around. Stay away from here, do not pass go, do not collect $200. Cons: my girls purse was snatched right in front of the place, id say thats a con more

I walked into the factory wanting to add on to an existing tattoo which was a tiger on a rock. I thought he needed some company. When I went there the place was a ghost town and there were some artists playing video games. I stood by the counter and waited, knowing that what I wanted would need to be hand designed, so I didnt even bother to browse through the stock designs. I waited for a good 5 minutes before a heroin thin chick rudely asked me ""what do you want"". I explained what I needed and she points to some racks on the wall, telling me to look through there. I pretend like I'm looking when a greasy long haired fella approaches me. I explain my design, and he says he'll draw something for me. He comes up with some simple bamboo trees and a sunset, not exactly what I was expecting, but I asked him for a price anyway. He asks someone else for a price, then comes back and tell me that it will cost $500 on upwards, that I needed to leave half of the deposit and make an appointment for another day. Even thought there was no way in hell I would've paid that price, I asked why he couldn't do it today (since they were dead in there anyway) he says that he gets off in 2 hours and doesn't want to start any 'projects' today. _________________________ I said thank you and walked on out of there and won't be returning. Pros: none whatsoever Cons: the guys in there are more interested in video games than working more

I went to the Tattoo Factory just before the holidays to get a flower on my ankle to symbolize the anniversary of my 1st cancer free year. I called on the phone and they told me that they were a 20 min ride from Zion. WRONG, try more like an hour! I went there alone, which was a VERY bad idea as this place is in one of the scariest neighborhoods I've ever been in, I even had to have one of the staff walk me to my car afterwards!\r \r There were hoodlums and homeless people in the alleyway near where I parked my car. It was still daylight, so I walked in the place, nice and big, but looks like a biker shop. And after being rudely pushed around the waiting room by artists(?) that couldn't be bothered by me, I was greeted by Mike. I showed him my design and he priced it very high, $280 for a flower no bigger than a silver dollar! I decided that since I came this far, I was going to just pay for it and get it overwith, another mistake. Anyway, Mike was a really nice guy, until he started CARVING on my leg. This tattoo hurt so bad, that I would rather bear children than go back to this place again.\r \r The tattoo looked OK at first but it was bleeding for 2 days and it hurt really bad. After about a week of following their care instructions, the tattoo was NOT healing, only getting worse. I called the shop but Mike was off that day. They were rude again and told me to call back and talk to him. I called my doctor instead. The tattoo was infected and there was a hole large enough to stick my finger inside. It was sick. My doctor gave me antibiotics and removed some of the tattoo tissue. It has been about 7 weeks and my tattoo is nowhere even close to being healed. Not only will I never be able to were shoes or pants that show my ankles, but now I have to pay to get it removed. AND IT STILL HURTS!\r \r I will NEVER go there again and they will be recieving a letter from my attorney shortly. I will never go there again, and I will never get another tattoo, ever. more

ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS PAULY THE OWNER IS NUTS!!! $300 FOR THREE CHINESE SYMBOLS!!! JADE DID IT FOR $160 AND IT DEF LOOKS BETTER THAN U HACKS COULD DO!!! DO NOT GO HERE!!! Pros: NOTHING Cons: EVERYTHING more

I've collecting tattoos for over 10 years and have gotten them done all over the USA and canada. The Tattoo Factory has the Higest tattoo prices I have ever seen. I had to leave because I cound'nt afford to pay $145.00 for a Chinese Symbol 1"" x 1"".\r I'm not a zillionaire! more

On 28DEC06 I came into the shop to get a tattoo done on my left forearm. There I was met by CRAIG who listened to my request, took a look at the drawing I had demoed, and within minutes returned with several ideas, and I feel a pretty reasonable price. About 35 minutes later, I had the tattoo I envisioned and a much better experience than I had hoped for. CRAIG didn't make me feel silly because I don't have 12 tattoos, was personable, and very down to earth, and has actually seen MR BUNGLE live! The facility itself is relatively new, attractive and clean, and looks great. Parking is easy, but because of the hypes that wander the area, I'd lock my doors. All in all, a pleasurable time that I would recommend to anyone, tattoo novice, or colorful vet. Pros: Clean, good parking, easy going Cons: getting tattoos hurt more