High Street Tattoo Columbus — Local services in Columbus

I got a tattoo here about a year ago. It was a spontaneous decision. I walked in on a random weekday night. It was my third tattoo and was really simple, I figured walking in would be fine.

My previous 2 tattoos (got them in Boston) were also very spontaneous and small. Both turned out amazing and both were a really great experience. Both artists were very kind and really wanted to make sure I was getting what I wanted.

My experience at High Street Tattoo unfortunately did not live up to my previous ones. The artist I had was a bit standoffish and quiet, which is fine aside from the fact that I was given some attitude when all I wanted to do was make sure I was getting what I wanted.

I wanted a simple timestamp in standard number format. I showed pictures and the artist went off to draft the stencil. When he returned, it didn’t fit my vision so I gave instructions on how to better fit my vision. We went back and forth maybe 2-3 more times? I didn’t think it was a big deal. Just small changes like “a little bit smaller” or “a little bit more spaced out” or “lines a little thinner”. He was pretty quiet each time, which was fine.

Once we placed the stencil, it was crooked every single time. I had a few friends with me and they all agreed it was genuinely crooked each time. We replaced it trying to get it aligned probably 5-8 times, which I TOTALLY understand is annoying, but seriously I’m not getting something tattooed on me crooked just because I don’t want to be annoying. The manager came by after we couldn’t get it perfectly aligned. I apologized each time for causing trouble and I genuinely felt bad. The manager reassured me it was okay and that it’s easier to straighten it out with the stencil than it will be after the tattoo. I really appreciated this since the artist himself was starting to give me attitude. After I asked to straighten it out, the artist made comments like “that’s exactly where we had it before you made me redo it”. I have major social anxiety and am overly nice as a result lol, so this was super painful for me to ask him to redo it so many times. He was visibly annoyed.

Eventually we got it perfectly aligned. Once he started tattooing, he was quiet and I was feeling a bit upset from the attitude I was given. He also didn’t give me any care tips or warnings, didn’t ask if I was comfortable or to tell him to pause if it was hurting too much. He really did not say a word to me. I brushed it aside since I had gotten 2 tattoos previously and pretty much knew the deal. He tattooed me in complete silence.

Afterwards, I looked at my tattoo in the mirror and it did not look as it did on the stencil. The numbers in the timestamp were wonky and of different sizes. Some numbers were slanted, some lines were significantly thicker. My immediate thought after seeing it was that I need to find a tattoo removal service lol. I actually was really upset afterwards and was really upset the entire night. Of course, I left politely and left the standard tip. Being the millennial that I am, I thanked everyone and left with a smile on my face without ever expressing my disappointment. It has been a year and I still can’t look at the tattoo. Looking at the slanted numbers that are all varying in thickness and wideness and remembering the unpleasant experience makes me really upset. I’ve been brainstorming ideas on how to cover it up and get the timestamp somewhere else since it is meaningful to me.

Of course this review is not a reflection of everyone at this studio and i’m sure the artist has done great work and tattooed iconic pieces on people. It just so happens that my tattoo was not...

In the past year, I’ve had 9 tattoos (including a large coverup and a full sleeve) done at HST. Blake Hall is my artist and I can’t say enough about him and his work. His lines are so solid, his colors are bold, and he is very light handed. As far as tattooists go, he’s top tier - and not just in his preferred style, but overall. About the customer service: Blake is always so good to me. If something I want isn’t feasible, he explains why (for example, asking for something too small where detail would be lost) and works with me to give me a stellar tattoo. He is friendly and checks with me often to see how I’m feeling, if I need a break, etc. The manager, Chris, and all the other artists are always super friendly to me and supportive of each other. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and really just the kind of place you look forward to visiting.

In the past year, I’ve probably spent no fewer than 36 hours in the shop. I’m frankly appalled by any negative comments made in other reviews. Overpriced? When it comes to tattoos, you get what you pay for. I’ve had less expensive tattoos and the quality is not the same. I’d rather pay now for work that will withstand the test of time. Not getting exactly what you wanted? These artists know what they’re doing, you don’t. They aren’t going to do something that’s going to turn out illegible or generally bad looking. Go in with your ideas, but be flexible. They’ll work with you to give you something that will likely turn out better than what...

I visited Columbus with a friend and we decided to get the tattoos we had been talking about for a long time. Her brother, who lives in Columbus, suggested a few places. We stopped here first, and I wish we had never set foot inside this establishment. It looked okay, but as soon as we told the "owner" that this tattoo would be to celebrate my friend being done with chemo (for almost a year I might add) he FREAKED OUT!!! He was a complete ignorant fool, and began stating absurd medical facts to me, a nurse, about how she is sick and told us to get the hell out of his shop. What was suppose to be a life long memory of our bond as she went through chemo treatment and was a survivor, was crushed. She is not SICK! He treated her like she would infect everyone there and he was so loud and aggressive. The whole shop was starring. Talk about embarrassing. I hope he or his loved ones never receive this kind of treatment after battling such a trauma in their lives. LUCKILY we went a couple blocks away and had a FABULOUS artist as well as a welcoming staff. I should add this was in 2014, but I ran across thier page and still get vey upset at the treatment we received so I thought I'd write a review. We are again going to the other shop for her birthday in a week to get tattoos. They have our...