Red Baron Ink Tattoo and Piercing — Local services in New York

Adrienne is singlehandedly the driving force behind my continuous return to RBI. She is incredibly communicative and understanding. She will do absolutely everything in her power to make sure you have a design you are enthralled with and that you are comfortable, both with her and in the environment overall. I've been tattooed by her twice so far, and the first tattoo has healed perfectly, the second was done a few days ago and is healing just as well. Adrienne is incredibly speedy with her replies through instagram, I simply cannot recommend her enough. Our first tattoo appointment was roughly five hours long and I truly don't believe there was even a moment of silence between us from the moment we sat down to start the tattoo, instantaneously she became one of my favorite people and my go-to artist. She is also incredibly receptive to changes and edits to her ideas, without complaint, as with my knee tattoo (fully custom) there initially no shading; however, upon my request she was happy to oblige and was even overjoyed with the outcome herself.

I have also worked with Shamil, who was the first artist I worked with at RBI, who I had a wonderful time with during my session; though, I have heard mixed reviews from others who have worked with him on tattoos. He was very understanding and very easygoing when it came to changing placement and sizing for my tattoo (a pair of bat shears on my arm; pre-drawn flash).

I've also worked with Joanna, who no longer works at this shop, but is truly a sweetheart and very communicative. She completed some freehanded leafy and vine adornments for my pre-existing sternum/under bust tattoo to help it better fit the area.

The majority of studio staff are also very friendly and tidy, though there has been some times where personality clashes were present in a few encounters, as well as a lack of communication and documentation when it came to a gift card, purchased during a special, though it was sorted out relatively quickly. The pricing when it comes to the tattoos seem to run on the pricier side in my and others' experiences, though Adrienne especially makes it a point to discuss pricing and budget from the very beginning to avoid any blind-sighting. Also, be prepared to pay tax during the checkout at the end (some shops don't charge tax for cash payments, but RBI charges tax regardless, not a point of contention at all, just want people to be prepared).

It’s a little cramped when you first walk in, due to the structure of the building; however, once you’re past /behind the counter and in the working space, it really opens up and feels quite comfortable.

Adrienne's tattoos: knee adornment, Italian cimaruta Shamil's tattoo: bat shears Joanna's tattoo: leaf and vine adornments to to existing moth tattoo (completed by artist from...

First of all, I need to begin by saying I got my first ever tattoo here yesterday. I stumbled upon the shop using google. I began to look at all of the artists portfolios' and decided I needed to have Sam design my piece. I sent an e-mail out and Giselle answered quickly. Giselle was an angel and just as sweet in person as she is through her e-mails. I set up an appointment and went out to the shop to speak to Sam prior to the appointment.

I arrived on the day of my appointment early - I was commuting in via trains and did not want to chance being late. Sue was already there, as well as Giselle, Grant, and Max. Every single one of them are down to earth and just generally good people. They want you to be there and they want to talk to you. They even gave me a few suggestions for which artist would be a good match for an idea my friend had in mind.

Sam arrived early, so we got started a little early. She showed me her design and we had a quick discussion before she went back to sketching away. Once she was satisfied with the design, we began.

I feel it's super important to stress JUST how clean they are. Everything from the table to the toolbox to the lamp was wiped down and covered with plastic. This is one of the things you really need to look out for in a shop and I must say that this shop takes pride in every single aspect of their work and it's something undoubtedly respectable.

We got started and Sam was great. She kept checking in and reassured me that I was doing great (not moving, remembering to breath, etc). Giselle, Grant, Sue, and Max all kept coming over to watch her work. Their comments on how great it was coming out were so reassuring (not that I didn't trust Sam, but because it was my first piece!!!) The piece took about 4 and 1/2 hours with some breaks in-between. Sam did a beautiful piece on my thigh. In fact, it was so good, when i got home later, I cried. It is more than I could have ever imaged. Her line work, her color saturation, and her attention to detail in impeccable. I cannot wait to return there and have any of the artists there work on me.

Red Baron team, it was a pleasure from start to finish. Thank you for being so reassuring to me, for my first tattoo, when I was there alone. You didn't make me feel alone ever. Thank you for coming and checking in on me and distracting me. You guys are the best!

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My daughter wanted to get her ears pierced, and I was looking around for reputable piercers who would pierce her with a needle rather than a gun or cassette. I decided to go in and get a nostril piercing to feel the place out, and I'm so glad I did! First of all, the staff are all very friendly, knowledgeable, and really laid back...you'll get zero judgements here. Second, the place is extremely clean and has a dedicated room for piercings only. They will autoclave your jewelry right before you get pierced. Third, they have a really nice selection of jewelry running the range from implant grade titanium to 14 karat gold; You'll have no problem finding something you love within your price range here, and they're pretty up front about cost, so you can definitely stay within your budget if you just ask.

My piercer, Xavier, was always calm, collected, and offered very clear and helpful feedback regarding jewelry selection, placement, and walking me through the process. The piercing itself was quick and almost painless, and his suggested aftercare is more or less in line with the recommendations published by the Association of Professional Piercers on their website. So far, my piercing is healing beautifully with no complications whatsoever.

There isn't a lot on Red Baron's reviews that reflect the piercing experience, so I'll admit I was a bit wary going in, but after my experience here, I definitely have no issue bringing my daughter here because I know they will take care of her, and she will have a...