Allegory

San Diego, United States

5

Closed now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 619-500-4828
Website:
allegorytattoo.com
Address:
3641 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego, CA, 92104
b/t Cherokee Ave & 36th St
Normal Heights
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
1.7 miFenton Parkway
1.8 miMission San Diego
1.8 miQualcomm Stadium
Categories:
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Street, Private Lot
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
By Appointment Only
No

Today

Today 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (San Diego) 07:43 Friday, 29 November 2024

Business hours

Monday –
Tuesday –
Wednesday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Thursday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Friday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Saturday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Description

Specialties

Whether you’re ready to get your first tattoo or just looking to cover that last remaining inch of blank canvas, Allegory is the perfect option. Allegory is staffed with friendly approachable artists eager to collaborate with you, to create the perfect tattoo. We specialize in crafting a design based on your ideas that is suited to fit your body specifically.

We welcome you to schedule a consultation to discuss your ideas with one of our artists, and will gladly help you design the perfect tattoo. Whether you’re a San Diego native or you’re from out of town and want to commemorate your trip, don’t hesitate to give us a call to schedule an appointment!

History

Established in 2011.

When Pete Walker originally came up with the idea for Allegory, he wanted to create an environment that challenged the notions of one of the world’s oldest practices. Tattooing is a very personal experience, and at Allegory we understand how important it is to have the perfect design to truly express your vision. Pete believes that our tattoos are the legacy we leave our future selves. They represent milestones that happen throughout your life, and help you remember exactly who you were at the time you got each tattoo.

Meet the Business Owner

Pete W.

Business Owner

Pete is a custom tattoo artist who has been tattooing professional for nearly a decade. He created Allegory to specifically cater to people interested in getting custom work done at a comfortable studio without any of the attitude associated with a lot of other shops. Pete specializes in collaborations with clients where you supply the theme and main concepts that you’re looking for and he creates a piece of art that will reflect your ideas and be specifically suited to your body. Pete and the rest of the Allegory team are proud of the great reputation they’ve earned over the years, and look forward to working with you!

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20 reviews of Allegory

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Santa Ana, CA
I recently moved down to San Diego and decided to get my first tattoo. Unfortunately, my grandfather passed so I had to put it on hold. Once I decided what tattoo I wanted to get to honor his memory I started on my search. I always come to Unilocal and never go anywhere that is not five stars when it comes to life altering decisions like getting a tattoo. Anyhow, I saw Allegory had five stars and I went for it. Contacted Allegory and Narina answered the phone. I told her what I wanted and sent some pictures. Went in the next day to talk more about it. Paid $ 60.00 deposits and by that night she sent me a sketch. I liked it but I didn’t love it so I asked her to tweak it a bit. She sent me another sketch a couple days later and it was almost perfect. I had a few extra tweaks added and I fell in love with the sketch. I went in yesterday (9.19.15) and we got started right away. The whole process took about an hour and a half and I got color. I would recommend Allegory for anyone looking for their first tattoo. We all hear how horrible the pain is but it’s really not so bad depending on where you get it. I have not been able to stop looking at my tattoo since I got it and my siblings are all thinking about getting another tattoo. I am just an all around satisfied girl because this tattoo signifies everything I wanted it too and its all thanks to the wonderful artwork of Narina.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
This place is great. Tattoo Pete did a remarkable job. Such attention to detail and color. I get constant complements. He did what I asked but thankfully offered his opinion on what would work best when considering my skin tone and tattoo design. Everything he offered was right on. And on top of all that, great conversation. Sitting still for 3+ hours can get dull. He kept it interesting. Everyone in shop really friendly too.
I would recommend. Thanks again Pete.
Place rating: 5
Redlands, CA
Excellent! Steve did a fantastic job on my rather large tattoo, and it healed in no time. This he knows how to apply well, and the color work he did is outstanding! I keep getting compliments on the color. And it’s just one color, in several shades. Nicest guy to deal with, and very talented.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Pete Walker is my artist and the only word I can think of to describe his work is «amazing». I posted a picture of one of my most recent tattoos, I gave him a symbol and some parameters and he came up with this amazing piece of art. He is currently working on a full sleeve for me in the same genre and it is incredible. Great shop, great staff, amazing artist.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
My fiancé and I went to Allegory for the first time today and got tattoos done by Steve Griffin. He did such an awesome job! I can not begin to say how pleased we are with how the tattoos turned out. He took our ideas and turned them into works of art. He did such nice work and the attention to detail was beyond all of our expectations. We highly recommend Steve for any type of tattoo work you’re looking for. We will definitely be going back!
Place rating: 5
Denver, CO
P Dub… Pete Walker… badass!
Been looking for asn artist for a very long time… years I would say. I live in Denver and Denver has amazing artists but most of my tattoos are from artists that have shops out of state. My latest, big piece has been years in the making. I’ve been thinking of this concept for years but couldn’t find anyone who could nail it down and see it the way i wanted it until I stumbled on Allegory a month or so before my spring break.
Sent PW an email and we started chatting and hashing details. A drawing here and there and the piece came to life. Booked an appt on the second to last day of vacation just in case I tapped out. I was told it would it take anywhere from 6 – 10 hours. He quoted me a killer deal and told me that the only reason why I was getting that pricing was because he thought my concept would be a really fun piece to do.
Day of the appt, we arrived at 1:00 pm – checked out the shop, met PW, made some adjustments and at 9:00 pm, I walked out with a half sleeve that flowed into a chest plate. Totally stoked about it. Yes, it hurt like hell. Sitting there and getting tatted for almost 8 hours isn’t fun for anyone but extremely happy with it. It’s been over a month and the tattoo has healed nicely. I get a ton of compliments and everybody wants to know the story behind it. I definitely recommend anyone in the SD area, SoCal area, or anyone who is traveling to that area to Peter Walker at Allegory.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
I have been looking into different artist for a while to design a very specific tattoo for my first ink. I needed someone good with geometry and not afraid of color. I found Pete Walker from Allegory and fell in love with his work. He’s proficient not only with the hard lined of shapes, but also with the organic flow of flowers, water, etc. I messaged him and right away we started planning what I wanted. He understood my idea and created essentially exactly what I had in mind.
He was light handed and very helpful in getting me situated for my fist tattoo. I am so grateful I found him and allegory. I know I won’t go anywhere else. I mean, just look at his work! Definitely will recommend allegory and Pete to all my friends.
Place rating: 5
El Cajon, CA
This place is amazing. My girlfriend and I went to get our first tattoos today and we both really enjoyed our experience. Allegory was the first and only place that we checked out to get them done. I know most people say go to a couple different places to see what feels right, but in this case, there was no need. As soon as we walked in, we knew this was where we wanted to get our work done. And they did not disappoint. Our artist was Pete, and he was awesome! He was cracking jokes and talking to us the whole time we were there, which made the whole experience a lot more relaxed and comfortable. He’s a super nice guy. I would definitely go back and see Pete for my next tattoo. Honestly, this place is dope.
Place rating: 5
Santee, CA
I had an amazing tattoo experience with apprentice, Natassia. Natassia was great at understanding my poor directions and creating a beautiful work of art. With minimal direction, she designed a tattoo of my cat’s face. Her style is perfect and exactly what I was looking for. Getting a tattoo done by someone who is apprenticing can be really nerve racking but she seemed well prepared, knew what she was doing, made me comfortable in every way and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. The most important part is that the tattoo looks beautiful.
Place rating: 5
Escondido, CA
Pete is amazing. I am getting a cherry blossom side piece and I love it. Cant wait to finish. :)
Place rating: 5
Vista, CA
I have returned to the shop to get work done on my feet and my back, and my wife has returned to get work on her arms. Pete and Steve are both excellent artists, and their prices continue to surprise me with the quality of their work. I send everyone their direction when they ask, even though I have visited many tattoo shops in San Diego.
Place rating: 5
National City, CA
Love, Love, Love my tattoo. Pete made me feel great right from the start, he was fantastic and quick with the turnaround of the artwork, from just a few ideas he was spot on. The end result was better than expected. Will be back for more. Anyone who wants a chill atmosphere and a great result call Pete NOW :-)
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
Just finished mine with Pete. It was so much better than expected! First tattoo and very happy I got it. He was very cool to talk to the whole time too, so it wasn’t like that painful doctor’s appointment with them groping you silently. Great experience!
Place rating: 5
Bellingham, WA
My wife and I went to Allegory yesterday. We saw Pete because one of our friends recommended him. He is the shop owner and you can tell he really cares about his craft. We both got tattoos and were both very happy with the outcome. Pete is a really nice guy and had a good time talking with him. The shop is clean and there are no douchebags hanging out everywhere like a lot of other shops. I would definitely go again.
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
If you want a great tattoo for reasonable prices go here! I got the Groupon deal and really lucked out when I asked Ronan for a consultation. He was extremely reliable– After requesting a consultation on Allegory’s website, he got back to me within the hour and we were able to meet the next day so I could give him an idea of what I wanted. He had something drawn up within the next day and was able to modify the design based on the feedback I gave him via email. Within 3 days of first contacting him I was in his chair getting tatted with a design we both liked. The shop is very clean and his colleagues were very friendly and welcoming as well. Ronan’s a cool dude, very attentive to detail, he works efficiently, and a great artist overall. I would definitely go back.
Place rating: 5
Spring Valley, CA
Lucked out when I came across a Groupon to get some work done. When I checked out their portfolios on their site, how could I NOT cave in & get that deal? I walked in a couple of days ago to check the place in person, & make sure the place was nice & clean, & to get a read of the vibe there, then possibly schedule an appointment if it was all legit. And from the get, things clicked at Allegory. I spoke with Pete (who is super chill & awesome) told him my concept, & made my appointment. Just got my origami brachiosaurus tattoo done not too long ago from him, & I am on love with it! He did such an awesome job with the shading & line work. Will definitely be coming back for all of my future tattoos!
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
I went back yesterday to get another tattoo done by Pete and once again, I am a happy girl. I emailed him with pictures for ideas and he got back to me extremely quick with a beautiful design just for me. The lines are clean and the tattoo is beautiful. He’s incredibly down to earth and I had an awesome time talking to him while he was working. I have 7 now and 3 are done by him. I highly recommend him! An amazing experience, once again! Very fair priced, too! Thank you again, Pete!
Place rating: 5
San Diego, CA
So this seems like a strange way to get started with a tattoo artist, but I purchased an Amazon Local voucher for Allegory. I have a large tattoo that was incomplete from over 7 years ago and the voucher was my motivation to get into a shop and get this tattoo finished. It was a great decision, Pete is a very easy going artist, not pretentious or aloof, just a surfer from Carlsbad.
Went in for a consult, Wednesdays are what Pete described as his «drawing» days so it was a good day to just chat with him. Showed the work I had up to that point, showed him some art I’d found and talked about next steps. Pete did a great job of bringing me down to Earth and encouraging me to finish the work that had been started and then going from there. We setup an appointment for that following Friday for 2 hours.
The day of was no problem, got to the shop, got ready and jumped on the table. No fuss, no muss. 2 hours went by quickly, mostly shading work so it was being tattooed over old work and going over the same areas again which can be pretty painful. Not at all. Pete was using a rotary gun that really did improve the experience, less noise and vibration so the time went quickly and relatively painless as tattooing goes. I didn’t squirm or have any rough patches, great hand Pete, thanks man!
Place rating: 5
Seattle, WA
LOVE this place and after my experience I can’t imagine going elsewhere.
Yesterday I got my second tattoo done by Pete. When I first submitted a message on their website, he got back to me right away and we were able to set up a consultation appointment within a few days.
I had gotten my first tattoo a little earlier at another shop and felt like it was incomplete, so Pete and I discussed ways to make it better. I only had a vague idea, but he took it and ran with it and came up with something more beautiful than I could have imagined! He made me feel really comfortable from the start and it’s evident that he cares about his craft.
The shop is very clean and has a really welcoming, chill vibe. The other artists there were also super friendly and funny, and you could tell they all just love what they do.
My session ended up being longer than we’d predicted, but we were troopers and he always made sure I was doing okay. In the end we were both so thrilled with how it turned out — it’s a great feeling when the artist is as excited as you are! I highly recommend this place and can’t wait for my next tattoo!
Place rating: 4
San Diego, CA
Tattoo was done Mid July 2012
I got my tattoo by Pete by purchasing a groupon. I first called in to make ask about the groupon… The guy who picked up the phone did not seem very confident he wanted me to come in even though I already knew and planned out what I been wanting to get. I was just fortunate of landing a deal to have me get my tattoo quicker then planned. Considering the price of the deal I wanted to call to make sure it was accurate. After hanging up I quickly went on there website to assure me these artists were of course good artists. When myself and my siblings went in they asked us a bunch of questions I was just super excited and already knew what I wanted presented it and Pete showed me.
This place was very clean and they were polite. I feel like they play dumb founded because they don’t feel like you will go through with the tattoo but if they keep doing so they’ll loose customers.
Social media is a Great source to advertise and market hence the groupon attracted them some customers and got them busy. Understood only 2 – 3 people at the shop but it does pull in business.
The two guys are great artists and do have a lot of passion for what they do.