Boston Barber & Tattoo Co. — Local services in Boston

Working with a tattoo artist for the first time is kind of like going on a first date in that you never can be sure how it will turn out.

I’d been looking for a new tattoo shop (it’s more difficult than it sounds - some are too cool to reply, some too busy, some can’t do the work you are looking for etc.) I’ve been tattooed at a bunch of different shops in the area and have really loved them all …. save for one but that isn’t the point.

I’d been looking and found BBTS and emailed them after looking at the artists. There was one artist I latched onto and inquired about having work done. Within a few days I got a response and they said the artist I’d chosen book was closed, but Mariya was available and they thought would be a good match for my tattoo. And oh boy was she ever!!!

Anyway, we went back and forth once I sent in my references and Mariya picked up on what I was looking for and came up with a rough design I really liked. Once this was settled I came in to discuss the design and put down a deposit of $250 that would be applied to the balance of the work. (There is a parking lot down on Cooper St that you can access with Parking Whiz for not too much money and it’s a quick walk to the shop. )

I’m not sure other people’s experiences at tattoo shops but mine has always been characterized with endless waiting for the artist to show up, to finish eating, finish another customer, finish a movie, didn’t want to work that day, etc. so I was prepared to wait.

But I didn’t! Mariya was ready for me the moment I walked in. She had the design on her computer which she was able to tweak with ease til it was how I liked it. We discussed options like color, black, black and grey etc and settled upon the area and style.

Initially I had wanted a mongoose but as we talked we came up with a background size etc. Mariya told me it would probably be 2 appointments and she could get started in a few days!!! I was expecting weeks or even months so I was stoked.

Courtney is one of the assistants at the front of the shop and she was awesome communicating and getting me set up with appointments, deposit and all aspects of communication.

When I returned for my appointment Mariya was ready with the stencil and literally five minutes later we were placing the stencil and prepping the area (I came in pre-shaved to cut down on prep time).

5 hours later I had more than half the tattoo done with Mariya opting to line and shade the most sensitive parts first (ribs and diaphragm) makes sense when I think about it. She put on this second skin and I’ve never had a tattoo heal as quickly and less painfully. I got a rash from it however when I came back to finish the tattoo Mariya gave me the old fashioned cling wrap and that worked just as well but without the rash.

When I had my second appointment I got a call from Gavin at the shop saying there was a 1/2 hour delay and would I mind coming in a bit later. I thought it was very courteous of them to call me and not waste my time having me wait there. Bonus!

By the time I arrived Mariya was ready for me and I was back on the table in minutes getting the piece finished.

I was so psyched with the tattoo and how Mariya was able to integrate it with the cobra I had on my shoulder. I’ve posted a pic. As you see it’s large ish and this was taken just as she finished so it’s a bit swollen but actually not bad when you consider the amount of detail etc.

I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the banter of clients and artists. Very supportive and open and just positive energy to spare. I was getting tattooed during one of their walk in flash days and it was busy. Courtney and Gavin were awesome handling phones, inquires and walk ins. Heck Gavin even offered to get me a coffee…

I highly recommend Mariya (but I’m sure all the artists are great) and Boston Barber and Tattoo. Having lived and worked in the North End years ago it was really great to get coffee at Polcaris, pastry at Bova’s and a tattoo from BBTS. For my next tattoo I’ll be coming...

After 40+ hours of tattoo work with artist Olivia Fox, I feel ready to leave my review.

Welcome to the best tattoo shop in Boston. Without exception.

Olivia Fox is professional, efficient, and insanely skilled at her craft. She displayed a mastery of fine lines and blackwork, creating a piece of art on me that I will be proud to share for the rest of my life. She had a steady hand, a light touch, and a reassuring confidence as she built my tattoo layer by layer. There wasn't a single mistake throughout the process, not a line blown out, not an area of shading that was missed, nothing. The attention to detail and way she scrutinized over every line is what sets her apart from other artists. Over the years I have worked with many artists, with varying success, but was incredibly impressed with Olivia's patience and technical ability as we sat for 8 hour sessions every few weeks. She was warm and welcoming for every visit, and truly made me look forward to each of my appointments. Conversation never felt forced and she made the long sessions much more bearable. There are very few people in this world that I can spend 8 hours straight with, but I felt right at home with Olivia at Boston Barber and Tattoo. She embodies everything about what a modern day tattoo artist should be.

I also had the pleasure of interacting with both Gavin, the General Manager, and Courtney, the tattoo shop manager, throughout my visits. Both ladies were exceedingly hospitable and made everyone who walked in the door feel welcomed. Every client, regardless of money or time spent, appointment or not, was treated exactly the same, with thoughtfulness and respect. Their breadth of knowledge about tattooing was something I haven't experienced in any other shop.

Setting up the appointment was easy. Pricing was always very straightforward. Staff was courteous and honest throughout the entire process. The other artists and staff genuinely enjoy working there, and it shows. The owner, Rob, has a clear passion for the industry and treats his employees with much consideration. He has done an incredible job building this shop into Boston's premiere tattoo parlor. For as long as I live in Boston, I will not go to any other shop.

If you are in the Boston area and looking for a tattoo, please do yourself a favor and go here. Ask for Olivia. Or Dan or Jason or Cat. Everyone...

Let me start by saying that I have never taken the time to write a review online about anything and only made a Google account so that I could do just that about this place:

About 4 months ago I decided to start growing out my beard. Everywhere I read and anyone I talked to told me to let it grow for about 2 months so that It would then be long enough for a barber to properly cut/ groom it. So after looking scrappy as hell for 2 months I wanted to make sure I found a shop that knew how to cut beards so that it was not all for nothing and I would just end up shaving it all off anyway. After reading the reviews on here I decided to give Boston Barber & Tattoo a try, best choice I have made in a while. I went in on a Saturday morning and was in a chair in about 15 minutes. The Barber (Jerry) spent about 35-40 minutes on my hair and beard and I couldn’t of been any more impressed/ happy with how it came out. On top of the great beard trim and haircut for a VERY fair price the atmosphere, people and conversation was all fantastic! Just to give an example, my barber Jerry was talking to me about how best to take care of my beard and what I should be doing to groom it the right way and Rob (who I think is the shop owner) overheard us talking. He came over and handed me a bottle of beard wash a rep had gave him as a sample to try. He told me to try it out and if I liked it he would carry the product in the shop, this was my 1st time ever in this shop so needless to say the first impression was very good! When I went in for a second time I decided to make an appointment to get my existing tattoo touched up for the summer. I ended up designing a large rib piece to go around my existing tattoo instead with Cat a tattoo artist at the shop. Just to clarify when I say “I” and “design” in the same sentence I mean I gave Cat a picture of a tree and she created/ drew up an unbelievable tattoo. In all the tattoo took about 7 hours and 2 sessions and was located on my ribs. I am ecstatic with the way the tattoo came out and when I get another tattoo I will 100% be going back to Cat at Boston Barber and Tattoo. I would recommend Boston Barber & Tattoo to anyone looking for a great haircut, beard trim or tattoo and will continue to be going here as long as I...