Take a look at our guide to the 10 best tattoo shops in Houston to help inspire your latest design. There are many tattoo shops to choose from if you are looking to give yourself some stunning body art.
The city has traditional sketch ink artists, alongside more quirky establishments who create expressive pieces by color packing. There are many places to check out in Houston!
10 Top Tattoo Shops in Houston, TX
I highlighted our top picks in Houston for tattoos, including where gives off the best vibe and atmosphere, alongside skill and cleanliness.
I have noted what the shop specializes in, from traditional portraits, 3D art, and tribal, to microblading and permanent makeup artists.
Finally, a note on pricing: the price of a tattoo is as unique as the art itself. The cost can be changed by several factors, including; size, color use, shading requirements, area of the body being worked on, and how in-demand the artist is.
Now, let’s look at our top 10 picks for tattoos in Houston!
1. 713 Tattoo
| Address: | 1533 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006 |
| Website: | https://www.713tattoo.com/ |
| Style: | Colorwork, 3D, eyebrow tattoos, and piercings |
713 Tattoo is one of the most eye-catching tattoo shops around. They have ten artists working there who each offer their own unique tattoo style. The award-winning studio is a favorite amongst locals due to its friendly atmosphere.
The shop is immaculate and also has disabled access. The team at 713 is knowledgeable in their craft. They are happy to provide suggestions on improving your chosen artwork and giving detailed after-care instructions.
The pricing is above average for a tattoo shop in this area, with outlines costing around $300.00. However, the shop is never empty, so it is recommended to make an appointment.
2. Bayou City Body Shop Tattoo Studio
| Address: | 4025 Hwy 6 N #105b, Houston, TX 77084 |
| Website: | https://www.bayoucitybodyshop.com/ |
| Style: | Tattoo cover-ups, photorealism, and portraits |
Bayou City Body Shop Tattoos Studio is comfortably located along Highway 6, with plenty of parking for customers to utilize. In addition, this multi-award-winning studio has added an unconventional way to take a gamble on your next tattoo with a gumball machine! This makes Bayou an enjoyable place to visit with friends.
The team here has such great energy about them. The work is quick and clean, with customers being made to feel as comfortable as possible. The shop is very open, with a superb sanitizing system being adhered to regularly.
The pricing is pretty average, with prices starting at $100.00, with a charge of approximately $150.00 per hour for ongoing work.
Bayou is happy to accept walk-ins. You are also welcome to book an appointment in advance should you require something more detailed such as a cover-up or significant skin covering.
3. 3rd Generation Ink
| Address: | 126 Heights Blvd, Houston, TX 77007 |
| Website: | https://www.3rdgenerationink.com/ |
| Style: | Traditional Japanese artwork |
As the name suggests, the art of tattooing has been in this family’s blood for three generations. There are currently three prominent artists working within the studio, owner Larry and his two skilled designers, Neil and Cristian. In addition, the shop has two more newcomers who are keen to make their mark.
Larry’s grandfather pushed for tattoo health and safety laws in America during the 1940s, which 3rd Generation Ink strictly abides by. As a result, they have strict hygiene procedures to ensure each piece of equipment is sterile before use.
Both Larry and Neil specialize in Japanese artwork, and they can adapt their style to create more modern pieces or workaround fading tattoos to inject new life into them. Cristian has a keen eye for precise detail, with much of his work being intricate designs featuring epic degrees of shading.
The pricing at 3rd Generation Ink varies on the artist and design. It can also depend on how busy they are. Therefore, booking an appointment in advance is preferred to discuss your desired piece.
4. Buddha’s Temple of Body Art
| Address: | 4521 Hwy 6 N, Houston, TX 77084 |
| Website: | https://www.buddhastattooshouston.com/ |
| Style: | Geometric patterns, realism, and cover-ups |
Buddha’s Temple of Body Art has been well established in Houston since the mid-90s. However, their styles, designs, and use of color have evolved with the times.
The artists who work here have a way of tattooing which is gentle on the skin. This can make for a more comfortable experience for anyone looking to get their first tattoo.
Buddha’s is open during unsociable hours, often making them the only place to go for aftercare advice should your tattoo not be healing as well as it should be or if your skin has become irritated after an experience at another shop.
The pricing is very fair here, with all elements explained during your initial appointment, whether that be scheduled or not. They accept walk-ins, always trying their best to accommodate where possible.
5. Flying Squid Tattoo
| Address: | 1507 N Durham Dr, Houston, TX 77008 |
| Website: | https://www.flyingsquidtattoo.com/ |
| Style: | Traditional and tribal |
Flying Squid Tattoo is a mesmerizing place to visit in Houston if you are looking to get a tattoo or not. The picturesque shop doubles as a quaint art gallery that supports local artists who need a place to showcase their work. They also work closely with the voluntary organization ‘Houston Ghost Bikes.’
There are seven talented, experienced, and enthusiastic tattoo artists working here, each of whom has a passion for keeping the traditional styles of body art alive with the use of bright colors and bold lines.
The pricing is a little high, with sketches starting from $20.00 during the initial appointment and tattoos from $120.00. However, there is room for negotiation.
Walk-ins are accepted at Flying Squid; however, you may receive a friendlier service if an appointment is scheduled in advance.
6. Texas Body Art
| Address: | 12537 Jones Rd, Houston, TX 77070 |
| Website: | https://texasbodyart.com/ |
| Style: | Portraits and realism |
Texas Body Art is a multi-award-winning shop that has become a firm favorite amongst celebrities, including football players and musicians.
The realism in many of the pieces created within this studio is utterly outstanding. In addition, they can build the most wonderfully intricately detailed work of art using subtle greys, which are in a whole different league compared to their competition.
The team working here is superb in creating a relaxing, comfortable atmosphere. They have such talent to genuinely attempt to work with any design thrown at them, and they can then twist examples to incorporate your style within them.
The prices here are at the higher end of the scale, with a total base price being $100.00-$350.00. Walk-ins are accepted for piercings only. Tattoos require an appointment.
7. Bespoke CO-OP
| Address: | 540 W 19th St Bldg B, Houston, TX 77008 |
| Website: | https://www.bespokecoop.com/ |
| Style: | Microblading and permanent makeup |
Bespoke CO-OP is considered the best place in Houston for permanent makeup, microblading, and other eyebrow treatments. They are currently the frontrunners in this growing market, subtly offering customers a new way to experience tattoo treatments.
The all-female team outgrew their original shop in 2019; they then acquired a warehouse to work from, train in, and grow the business to keep up with demand.
This tattoo style lasts up to 3 years, with top-up sessions needed during that time. The range of treatments for new clients is around $700.00, with touch-ups between $250.00 and $450.00.
If you are looking to revamp your look completely, why not also look at our guide to the 8 Best Hair Salons in Houston.
8. Prison Break Tattoos
| Address: | 5306 Washington Ave, Houston, TX 77007 |
| Website: | https://www.instagram.com/prisonbreaktattoos/ |
| Style: | Traditional cover-ups and novelty |
Prison Break Tattoos is quickly becoming one of Houston’s most notorious tattoo shops. This is partially thanks to the documentary series ‘Hero Ink,’ but helped by the amazing novelty prison decor, ex-prison officer owner, and ex-convict artists who work there.
The shop not only supports but employs talented first-time offenders who need a break in life. The shop helps them to adjust back to society by offering a safe, non-judgmental place to earn a living.
The team can work around the designs you have in mind while specializing in prison, crime, and patriotic art styles. They are also trained in the intricate craft of cover-up art, producing intricately beautiful pieces over faded ink.
Do not be fooled by the amusing shop facade; this is a highly professional, clean, well-run establishment with fair prices.
9. Imperial Tattoo Company
| Address: | 403 Hwy 6 A, Sugar Land, TX 77478 |
| Website: | https://www.imperialtattoocompany.com/ |
| Style: | Traditional, permanent makeup, and piercings |
Imperial Tattoo Company is a well-established tattoo shop that has helped educate, train, and encourage talented tattoo artists from different backgrounds with varying ranges of experience in the industry.
This family-run business takes great pride in its shop; therefore, Imperial has strict guidelines for customers to adhere to on entry.
Each workstation is private to ensure customers are as comfortable and relaxed as possible; this also helps the fairly large shop stay as clean and sterile as possible, with everything being kept within its own section.
Each tattoo is designed with the customer; therefore, pricing is discussed during the initial consultation. The team here always tries to offer a fair price.
10. Houston Heights Tattoo & Piercing
| Address: | 101 W 14th St, Houston, TX 77008 |
| Website: | https://www.houstonheightstattoo.com/ |
| Style: | Traditional and piercings |
Houston Heights is a predominantly female team that specializes in traditional tattoo designs with modern twists and personalized details.
The gleamingly clean shop is extremely friendly and vibrant, with energetic artists who are passionate about creating beautiful tattoos and a memorable experience for their customers.
Owner and artist Miranda has a unique way of color blending to create stunningly realistic works of art such as flowers and comic portraits, all of which have a quirky, fun element to them.
Houston Heights pricing is fairly competitive, with a base price of $100.00 and additional hour rates ranging between $150.00 and $200.00. Walk-ins are accepted here.
To Sum Up
Which tattoo shop will you head to for your new, unique piece of artwork? With so many options to look at and prices for initial consultations being so low, it is worth checking out as many as you can before taking on this huge decision.
We hope that we have helped you to create a shortlist of tattoo shops to consider which will be able to create your distinctive piece of art.
The best part about any new ink is showing it off and drinking some of the pain away! Houston has some fantastic dive bars, cool hangout bars, and sports bars where you can do just that.