Uptown Tattoo

Going into my first tattoo, I was incredibly nervous about the process -- from how much pain I might experience to the design process. Lindsay was so wonderful with helping to ease my nerves. The second she started showing me the design, my nerves started going down and I started getting excited instead. It's like she peered into my brain and knew exactly what I wanted. During the actual process of tattooing, she was so so kind. She kept checking in with me, asking if I needed a break, and she was a great conversationalist which really helped make the time go by. Great experience for my first tattoo. I'd highly recommend!

My tattoo artist was Lindsay and she did a beautiful job. This was a memorial tattoo and meant a lot to me, she handled the design and process better than I could have hoped for. I loved the entire process, she was so attentive and kind, I felt so comfortable. I highly recommend her and I will definitely keep her in high regard for future projects. Her work on Instagram is beautiful, plenty of updates on there.

Highly highly recommended. Jeff and the staff at Uptown Tattoo are the best. Jeff's talent and work are incredible. Jeff is careful and meticulous (something you obviously want with a permanent tattoo) and takes great care, even with the simplest of designs or even text. In my case, Jeff did some initial work on my right arm at an event held at the shop, and it went so well that I came back a few weeks later for a similar one on my left. It's not to say that the artists that did my prior work weren't any good, just that Jeff's work was better, for many reasons. First, Jeff took great care and time to align the two tats so that they matched on each arm and were in sync with each other. Jeff knows just what pressure to use so that the inking is well done without any additional "pain." Best of all, Jeff is simply an awesome human being. Friendly, nice, outgoing, and professional. If this is your first time getting inked or then next on a walking canvas, Jeff is who you want putting that permanent person statement on your most precious possession, your bod. Quality work and fair prices. Be sure to tip well, Jeff's work and talent are deserving of the "extra bump." Highly-Highly recommended. Bonus 6-Star for exceptional quality and experience.

Nice place. I stopped in to check out the artist that work here. The apprentices were very helpful.

Called and Jeff so kindly tattooed me on the SAME DAY just a couple hours after I called. Couldn't be happier with my new ink and Jeff was not only incredibly talented but also super kind, accommodating, and chill as heck. If you're looking for good quality work and awesome customer service DONT WALK RUN. :)

If you’re looking for a haven of phenomenal artists that do amazing work, Uptown Tattoo is for you. I’ve been going there for over 10 years and have always gotten a referable experience through every stage of the tattoo. There may be other places in Minneapolis to get tatted, but Uptown Tattoo should be at the top of your list if you’re looking for a world class tattooing experience.

I could not have asked for a better experience for my first tattoo! I did the Friday walk-in and Jeff was the artist I worked with. He was professional, helpful, and did top notch work. The shop is clean and bright and everyone was friendly. Highly recommend - I’ll be coming back in the future!

My daughter and I worked with Nic. We had a great experience and we absolutely love our tattoos. He does beautiful work - and took time to work with us to perfect the design, size, and placement - every suggestion and change made a huge difference. Plus the shop is so comfortable - good vibe. I will recommend Nic and Uptown Tattoo to anyone who says they are thinking about getting a tattoo. And we will be back - couldn’t be happier!

Wouldn't go anywhere else. Literally. I fly back here from Maine to get tattooed because I won't go anywhere else or to anyone besides Nic.

Reasonable pricing and great quality. Facility is clean and recently remodeled. I felt very comfortable. Chris did both of my tattoos as well as both of my boyfriend's. I showed him some photos of ideas I had, then met with him a week or so later and saw what he drew up before my actual appointment about a week after that. No complaints-I wouldn't go anywhere else for my tattoos. Thanks, Chris!

I've had five tattoos done by Steven at UT. All the artists are nice and friendly, and really good artists! Steven has worked with me on one cover up (back) and four new tattoos on my arms. He patient with the design process, good at figuring out what I want, and is gentle.

Young and dumb, I trusted a guy I was dating to do tattoos. I was 18, and I'm now 27 almost. I have a list of fixes that need to happen. I messaged Uptown and got a response fast from Jeff. During the consultation we talked about a few ideas. I came in for the appointment and was happy he can fix up the Joker tattoo I really wanted to love so bad. My ex had a fixation on blue/purple faces. I HATED it. I asked him to NOT do that with my tattoo. He did anyway. Jeff looked at the original image it was based on, and first question was to get rid of the purple/blue face. YES YES. I already knew I was going to love it. Jeff has a relative light hand, most times I didn't feel anything. (I also have about 11 other tattoos) But the more important fact is what he did. I keep staring at the image and seeing all the different touches he did. I'm still amazed. I sent it to all my friends and they're also amazed on how he totally changed the tattoo around. Rest of staff popped their heads in to see and were super friendly. I just moved from cali and needed a new artist. I don't think I'd ever see someone else besides Jeff at this point. I'm just in awe still. Thank you Jeff & thank you uptown tattoo!!

I had a piece done by Nic over 10 years ago and am still loving it and the quality here at this shop, However I emailed one of the artists almost a year ago and have never gotten a response to even set up a counsel! I am going to get a half sleeve done for my 40th birthday. Reluctantly I just set up an appt. at a tattoo shop close to my house and am disappointed I never got a response from Uptown tattoo, I still would like an appt here instead......

I don't have a lot of tatts because I'm too practical about money. When I finally decided to get a huge one, I went with Dan and it was a big, big deal for me emotionally and financially. Dan spent hours perfecting the tatt I designed and making sure the placement on my body was just right. He really listened to all my feedback and created something that's what I wanted but even better because of his years of experience with how tatts work on bodies. I'm headed back to get color. Thanks Dan for being so serious about your craft and serious about what tatts mean to folks who get them. Also my tatt is sick and I feel like a total badass even when I'm wiping pancakes off my kid's face at a restaurant.

The best tattoo shop in Minneapolis. Period. And newly remodeled (December 2018)! Nick, Zach, Dan and crew are deeply experienced, serious artisans. I've had Dan Kytola do four pieces - his work ethic, attention to detail and passion are intense. Definitely worth the investment!

My tattoo turned out so good. They were friendly and chill with a quiet controlled vibe. My artist worked fast but is incredible. I'd get 100 tattoos from him if I could book the time.

I recently got a new tattoo from Dan and I can't say enough good things about my experience. Dan is very friendly and an extremely talented artist who will make sure that you get exactly what you want. I would highly recommend seeing Dan from Uptown Tattoo for your next tattoo. Also, even though I just saw Dan, I was able to see the passion from the other artists in the shop, as well. I will be getting all of my future tattoos here and I recommend anyone else looking for a very high quality tattoo to do the same.

I put a photo up of my backpiece. I absolutely loved what another yelper wrote- "if you're looking for a cheap tattoo, you're an idiot" I found them affordable, and have since been tattooed out here in the Bay Area. Yes- affordable. God damn steal considering the quality.

It is worth the wait to get in at Uptown tattoo. Trust me. You're gonna have your ink forever. No need to rush it. I have spent about three years working on a full sleeve here that I just completed about a week ago. Best shop ever. They are honest with their talents (which are incredible) and take good care of there customers. They do great custom work which is what, in my opinion, tattoos should be. I have been tattooed at three other places and this is by far the best. I see Nic Skrade and he is a tattoo God. I give him my ideas on generally what I would like him to create for my tattoos and I've never been disappointed with what he has come up with. So pleased to give this place my business. Can't wait for more!! See y'all in May.

Made my walk in super easy! Nice knowledge staff, and a very clean studio. Thanks guys!

Uptown Tattoo is a fantastic tattoo shop. It's all custom, no walls of flash to flip through and figure out what you want. The best part is that if you have an idea of what you want or what you like, the artists are able to create something beautiful for you. They will take the time to create the perfect piece that you 100% love. I am currently in the process of getting a chest piece from the awesome Tom Strom and he is literally blowing me away with it. Part of the tattoo is a cover-up -- one that several tattoo artists have said was impossible to cover. Tom said to me, "No problem, we can cover that". That was very refreshing to hear. The service is excellent, the facility is very clean and sanitary and there's an all-around great vibe in the shop. If you want a unique, satisfying tattoo experience, go to Uptown.

I am so bummed to write this review. I have one tattoo, which I wasn't thrilled with from another shop, so this winter when I was ready for a second I scoured the reviews to find a better place to go. Uptown Tattoo seemed to be it. I emailed some details on what I was looking for (I drew my own design) and asked about next steps. Three days later Nic emailed me and let me know I need to stop in to the shop to make an appointment. So, a week later I made the 30 minute drive to the shop during it's publicly posted business hours (open 1-9pm, I went there at 5pm). No one was there, no one answered the phone, and after waiting 45 minutes I left. After trying to call the shop during the hours they list as being open, with no one ever answering the phone, I emailed again at a loss about what to do. They said I need to come in to make an appointment - but yet they don't staff their open hours...a bit of a catch 22. Nic emailed back within a day and told the receptionist to call me. I got my appointment scheduled and met with Jon Sweet. I was told to email Jon my tattoo prior to out appointment, which I did. When I arrived for my appointment, Jon was very professional and friendly and tried to sketch out my design. He informed me my design needed to be adjusted because the letters would blend over time (it was a small tattoo on my wrist) - which I was fine with. After playing around with it a bit, Jon asked me to come back in a week so he'd have time to finalize the design and said he'd email a draft to me within two days. 7 days later (the day of my appointment) I still had not received the draft and after emailing Jon a reminder he informed me he didn't have it ready so we had to cancel the appointment. He said he'd get it to me in the next couple days. That was 3 MONTHS ago. I emailed him checking in but got no response. I don't know what the deal was, if they are just too busy or only want large tattoos but I was extremely disappointed with the entire experience.

I came to Uptown Tattoo an emotional wreck when I broke up with my boyfriend who hated tattoos. I was going to show him! I was going to get tattooed and he couldn't do anything about it! Luckily, they are usually pretty booked and I actually had to wait a few days to get what I wanted. Thank god, or I might have like, 666 on my ass or something retarded. My first and only tattoo was done here, and I loved having it designed just for me. It was done by Brandon, but I am not sure if he is at the shop anymore because his page doesn't work on the website. On the another note, one of the other tattoo artists, Jon, used to be my neighbor and he helped my little VW get unstuck from the snow once. Character points there.

This tattoo shop is far and away the best in Minneapolis. The artists are committed to quality and take pride in their work - those are the attributes I look for in someone who is going to place something permanent upon my person. I have huge trust issues with body art - I won't go anywhere else. PS - I didn't rate the price, because if you're looking for a cheap tattoo you're an idiot.

A spur of the moment urge to get a tattoo on the last day of my vacation led me to Uptown Tattoo. Glad I found it. Staff was friendly. Shop was clean and Steven was a very cool artist to work with. I would go back there anytime I was in town.

Uptown Tattoo is the best place to get a tattoo in Minneapolis, possibly the Twin Cities, and I've gotten some work done at a few of the others, so I'm actually comparing.. not just talking. If you want flash work, they'll do it... but where they really shine is in creating custom art and it shows. That's why they're booked out months and months in advance. I remember going in and talking to Jon about the idea for my sleeve and coming back and seeing this amazing sketch and then just tossing around ideas about what would make the design even better. What I like about everyone at Uptown is that they're super friendly, amazing artist and very real. There's not a lot of bullshit and I love it. I've been working with Jon for the last few years, maybe longer, and continue to get comments and questions about my sleeve. If anyone ask about where to get a tattoo in the Twin Cities, I always recommend Uptown.

Absolutely floored by the tattoo I received today! Good group of guys with great talent

My mischievous ginger kid side won the long-standing internal battle with my goody-two-shoes side this past weekend & I finally got inked! My tattoo had been a long time coming & I wasn't going to just walk in to any shop & let them get to work. I called a few shops & Uptown Tattoo stole my heart because of their patience. This was my first, probably my only, tattoo & I was nervous about the pain & the permanence, even through all of my excitement. Chris worked with me all of last week to perfect my design. Despite the simplicity, & all of my dorky questions, Chris was gracious & helpful. When I went in on Saturday for the tattoo itself, I spent more time filling out my paper work than I did in the chair. If I ever get another tattoo, I'll definitely be back to see Chris!

really cool place!! very chill yet super professional. thank you chris, I am beyond satisfied.

I recently lost "my guy" of fourteen years, and was looking for a new place I could trust. I did a lot of research and finally ended up at Uptown Tattoo, basically based on their reputation and the work I saw. The counter people were all really nice and helpful. They recommended an artist I checked his book and his work looked great so I spoke with him about what I wanted. I even had a picture. He seemed positive about getting it done. I came in for my first sitting totally psyched. Aside from the paper copies I had given him of the image I wanted I also sent him efiles. I spoke with him when we originally met and again before the first sitting to make sure we were on the same page. Toward the end of the first sitting I got a peek of what was happening and was horrified. Absolutely horrified. What had been put on me had no resemblance to the image I had given the artist. So I had another chat with the artist and explained that what I saw wasn't what I expected or wanted. It was then that the other artists starting chiming in about how the ink and image did look alike and one person even went so far as to say that they are artists and sometimes they take artistic license to "make things better." When he got done with sitting #2 it was still horrible, possibly worse than before. And he had such a heavy hand. I love tattoo pain I typically find it cathartic. This time I felt like wolves were tearing me apart. When I was done I paid, tipped, said Thanks (all knee jerk reactions) I started to cry and have a panic attack. I needed out of there. I cried for 3 weeks and still do. This is my nightmare. So now I'm left with the ugliest blob I've ever seen instead of the tattoo I worked hard and waited a long time for, This ugly thing is in a space I've been saving, I'm out a good amount of $$ for the initial monstrosity, the following cover ups (because of the way tattoo was done it has been difficult to cover up,) and possible laser removal. I tried to post pics but haven't been able to. I look at all of your amazing work. Uptown Tattoo why did you do this to me?

I knew I was in for something beyond words when I walked into Uptown Tattoo today; the din of needles at work and the death metal band 'Carcass' careening through the speakers. I can appreciate the musical qualities of death metal so it truly started out all good. I admit I was a little nervous. My first tattoo session and I was getting two! I'd been waiting months to get these, being as I overslept the first time. Thoughts of tempted fate crept into my consiousness as I sat anxiously waiting for Matt to usher me to his area in the shop. He was quick to greet me and said he was a bit behind due to a late client. The extra waiting didn't help the anxiety, but in the end my over thinking was for naught. Once again I was reminded why the original intern manning the front desk said Matt was the artist I should see. She obviously could see modern Suburbia written all over me. Matt was excellent in explaining what I'd expect as he mixed the colors and I won't soon forget the "You ready? Here we go, Buddy.", as the needle dropped. All this under the pelting sounds of another black metal number. Tattoo #1 was relatively easy as I got used to the mild stinging of the needle. Tattoo #2? I couldn't watch as Matt ripped shreds of skin away from my shoulder that he obviously mastered in performing. He explained that phenomena after he completed his latest masterpiece on the canvas of my upper arm; how two tattoos at one sitting on seperate body parts generally gives more pain to the second tattoo at work. Hopefully that wasn't just something to make me feel less of a kitten. Either way, I felt better for the exchange of knowledge. One truly never knows a person by their appearance, and so was the case with Matt. What thought provoking and diverse conversations he and I had. What I really appreciated was that despite our political and religious diferences (yes, we brushed against those two forbidden topics as well), it was kept professional between us. Matt is what I do call a true artist. Its been a few weeks now since I got my tattoos. The healing of the affected areas went way better that what I was told to expect and tattoo #3 is on my drawing board as I put personal touches on my somewhat common but very custom idea. I already know where I'll get it done and who the artist will be. Thanks, Matt!

Tom did my first and only tattoos about a year and 1/2 ago, and they are AWESOME! I had a consultation, told him what I wanted - bats in a Mark Ryden style - and he drew up the PERFECT bats...even better than I expected. Tom was so great during the process. Talking to him was so entertaining that it provided a real distraction from the pain to the point that it really wasn't that painful at all. I heart Tom and Uptown tattoo!!!

I received ink 3 times (including my 1st ever) from Tom. They turned out excellent and the consult and service were great. Reasonably priced and professional. That's all I got.

So I should start by saying that uptown tattoo has a great reputation and that's why I chose to go there for a new piece. However my experience differs from that of little. Dan Kytola is who I chose to do my work. The first time I went I had to wait about two hours while he finished drawing my peace which I thought was a little strange but wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt so I looked passed it. Outline went OK healed nicely I thought OK this is gonna be good. Second time I went waited an hour and a half to two hours again because he was finishing another tattoo. This time it didn't really go as well this was the shading and coloring of a portion of my tattoo and he was very heavy-handed and it was quite uncomfortable. I should let you know that I have a good amount of tattoos I have healed many tattoos this tattoo however did not heal very well. It had issues from the jump it seeped sebum for 3 to 4 days after the crusty were much more intense and the lower part of my arm-not around the tattoo- swelled up to double the size of my arm leading me to go to the emergency room being afraid my tattoo was infected or something horrible was going on. I went to some other tattoo shops in the Minneapolis area and had them look at my tattoo and they all said that the guy must have been too heavy handed and gone over the same areas more than once. It's been almost a month and it's still not healed properly in those areas I hope it eventually does but I have a feeling it won't. At this point I did not want to go back to him I didn't feel comfortable I did not want more of my arm scarred but I wanted to have him look at it and see what he said. So I went in for my next appointment he came up to me at looked at it and totally brushed it off like oh it's nothing it's going to heal and talked to me for about two minutes tops then proceeded to tell me that He was going to tattoo his other client until he tapped out and this was already 40 minutes past my time. I thought about it and I decided to go with my gut and to leave and to have someone else finish my tattoo. Needless to say I'm very disappointed in my experience with uptown tattoo and Dan I found him extremely unprofessional and lacked care for my time or the health of my skin. Now I can say that the other artists around seemed like they were very professional and on time with their clients appointments as I sat there for hours as they were immediately taken back and taken care of so I'm only speaking of Dan. I don't like writing bad reviews and when I went to other tattoo artist to ask them about mine I never told them who did my work but I feel like people should know because sometimes the shop having a really good reputation just isn't enough.

I love it here! Never leave unhappy. I obviously trust them since I have them permanently alter my body. I think everyone that works here is great and would recommend them to anyone! Great environment and you might get lucky enough for them to be playing some 50 Cent when you are in there!! :)

Dan did such an excellent job on my tattoo. I was very impressed. Very artistic who use the body as a canvas. I wouldn't go anywhere else. He was very reasonable on price too. You will need to do a consultation and then schedule your tattoo which could be booked out a couple of months but it is worth it.

In my opinion Uptown Tattoo is the best shop in town. All the tattoo artists working there are amazing. All custom work. They are all really talented.

First and foremost please note the 5 star review first. So I found an artist I liked and emailed about a potential design. I was told the waiting list was six months. I explained my inability to wait or be patient in any way shape or form and another artist was recommended to me. I then was told their wait was THREE months. I was truly disappointed. But part of me was wondering, how do you get that back logged unless you are a master of your craft. Fortunately I was informed of a cancellation and was able to scoot in two days later. The shop is open, inviting, and friendly. The artists all appear to do amazing work. I've been to a lot of tattoo parlors and to date this is one of my favorites. The work done was phenomenal and I cannot recommend this place enough. The artist I ended up with was Dan who did a great job with the design I brought in. One of the best tattoos to date. The amount of detail he was able to work into a tight space was amazing. Props to the shop and all that work there. Also bonus points for the arcade.

Incredible work and really friendly staff. I met with Brandon and he finished a sleeve that I had started before I moved here. He did great work and I'll definitely be back!

The best shop in Minneapolis. Has one of the best overall shop moods that I have seen. Everyone is like a big family. I am currently getting a leg "sleeve" from Zack and couldn't be happier.