Looking for a more permanent piece of art?
Seattle has no shortage of tattoo shops with talented artists in every neighborhood. We rounded up some of the coolest Seattle tattoo shops in one convenient list for you. Many of these tattoo shops welcome walk-ins, but some are appointment-only. If you’re not sure which it is, it’s best to call ahead or send the shop a message first.
If an artist you like isn’t available, save this list, so you can schedule an appointment in the future! And always remember to do your own research and ask any questions that you have in order to make sure that the tattoo shop and artist you go to are the right fit for your needs.
In no particular order, here are 13 of the best Seattle tattoo shops:
1. Side Quest Tattoo, Capitol Hill
Side Quest Tattoo (formerly known as Artful Dodger) is an award-winning tattoo shop located in the Seattle neighborhood of Capitol Hill. Check out their website or Instagram to book with one of their talented artists.
📍Location: 617 E Pike St
⏲️Hours: noon – 9pm daily
2. Hidden Hand Tattoo, Fremont
Hidden Hand Tattoo is a tattoo shop in Fremont that is open daily for both walk-ins and appointments. They offer an extensive library of flash designs that you can choose from.
📍Location: 702 N 35th St
⏲️Hours: noon – 8pm daily
3. True Love Tattoo, Capitol Hill
True Love Tattoo is a queer-owned tattoo shop in Capitol Hill that promises a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. They ask that you call or email them for artist availability.
📍Location: 421 E Pine St
⏲️Hours: 1pm – 9pm daily
4. Seattle Tattoo Emporium, Capitol Hill
Established in 1941, Seattle Tattoo Emporium is Seattle’s oldest tattoo parlor. It’s a traditional walk-in tattoo parlor, which makes it ideal for getting a spur-of-the-moment flash piece.
📍Location: 1508 Boren Ave
⏲️Hours: 11am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, Noon to 7pm Sunday
5. Emerald City Tattoos, Lake City
Emerald City Tattoo has artists specializing in traditional, illustrative, psychedelic, and full-color tattoos. You can email the shop for an appointment or call about walk-in availability.
📍Location: 12332 Lake City Way NE
⏲️Hours: 1pm – 7pm Wednesday to Sunday
6. Laughing Buddha, Capitol Hill
Laughing Buddha in Capitol Hill offers tattoos as well as piercings and body jewelry. They are currently offering tattoos by appointment only, so check out their website or Instagram to see which artist you would like to book.
📍Location: 1121 E Union St
⏲️Hours: 11am – 9pm daily
7. Tattoo Tattoo, Pioneer Square
Formerly known as Jackson Street Tattoo Company, the new Tattoo Tattoo is a centrally-located tattoo shop in Seattle with five in-house artists. Check out their Instagram or call (253) 315-9128 for an appointment or more information.
📍Location: 210 S Jackson St
⏲️Hours: noon – 8pm daily
8. Supergenius Tattoo, Capitol Hill
You can walk in and get a tattoo on any day from one of the 13 artists at Supergenius Tattoo located in Capitol Hill. Check them out on their website here.
📍Location: 1419 10th Ave
⏲️Hours: noon to 10pm daily
9. Rabid Hands Tattoo Studio, Ballard
This tattoo shop in Ballard is a great place to go for anything from traditional to illustrative tattoos. They do welcome walk-ins if an artist is available, but appointments are preferred. You can view their artists’ work on their website.
📍Location: 4775 Ballard Ave NW
⏲️Hours: noon to 8pm daily
10. Lilith Tattoo, Central District
This queer-owned tattoo studio in Seattle’s Central District is by appointment only, although you are welcome to walk-in to view the space and artist portfolios. They typically have seven working artists there in addition to rotating guest artists. You can visit their website for more info or contact their artists directly for a custom tattoo.
📍Location: 2006 E Union St Unit 1
⏲️Hours: 10:30am – 7pm daily
11. Anchor Tattoo, Ballard
This small but popular tattoo parlor in Ballard has just two artists specializing in American traditional tattoos. You can check out their work or submit an inquiry on their website.
📍Location: 5451 Ballard Ave NW
⏲️Hours: 12-8pm Tuesday – Saturday, 12-6pm Sunday (closed Mondays)
12. Slave to the Needle, Ballard and Wallingford
Slave to the Needle Tattoo is an award-winning tattoo shop with two locations in Seattle. They often are able to take same-day appointments and walk-ins, but it is best to call or email them ahead of time.
📍Locations: 508 NW 65th St (Ballard); 403 NE 45th St (Wallingford)
⏲️Hours: 11am – 10pm daily
13. Nightshade Tattoo & Plant Shop, Queen Anne
Nightshade in Queen Anne is a hybrid store that combines two of the things Seattleites love the most: tattoos and plants! Although they don’t take walk-ins, you can make an appointment to get a tattoo when their books are open. As of December 2024 their booking link is open on Instagram. In the meantime, it’s worth visiting the shop to check out their inventory of plants, gifts, and curiosities.
📍Location: 615 Queen Anne Ave N
⏲️Hours: 12pm – 5pm Wednesday to Sunday (Or by appointment)