Tattoo Boogaloo

I’ve now gotten two tattoos from Deanna at Tattoo Boogaloo and couldn’t be happier. I came in with the basics of an idea and she drew exactly what was in my head. You can tell she takes her time with drawing and does her research on your idea. She’ll be honest with you about sizing and what can and can’t be done. I was so happy that I came back and she helped me with a cover-​up where I had zero idea what to do and made the thick, black kanji underneath completely invisible.
I love her work and the shop! It’s such a warm, friendly place to spend time while you’re getting work done and impeccably clean. My pieces have healed super well and I look forward to coming back for more :)

This review is for Deana Wardin,
I went on the waiting list last year, and waited very patiently for what I knew would be an awesome tattoo. I love her artwork and her style, and I was not disappointed. The consultation was quick and efficient, and when I came back to see what she had come up with, I was blown away. I love clocks, and when I saw how she incorporated it secretly into the moon of my tattoo, I knew she was it (she is intuitive, because I hadn’t mentioned my love of clocks to her. Bonus points for that! How did she know? lol). She tattoos like an artist, and creates beautiful work! I picked a tattoo that would stand alone in it’s beauty, I am very, very happy with it! No one else will be touching my back after this. I highly recommend her, and appreciate her artistic input when it came to placing the tattoo on my back. The tattoo has healed beautifully and the colors still stand out. I am in-​love it!

Totally found a gem in this place! I have gotten three pieces done all by Chris! Chris definitely takes the time to listen and worked with me on how the piece should look. My current piece I just let him know what I wanted especially since we are working with flowers I wanted a realistic feeling with his vision and bam, got an awesome piece. This guy can do it all, he has even done my Zelda triforce which yes looks awesome as well. Don’t get me wrong everyone in the shop has wonderful personalities and their style is all different so their is an artist for everyones taste. Tattoo Boogaloo provides talented artists that provide amazing work on every level. The just become appointment only, but you can always stop by and check out all the artists books or hit up the website. Parking can be hard to find, but again it’s worth it. Definitely on my bucket list to get work done by everyone, cuz I love this place so much.

It took me few years before deciding on what to get, where, etc.: I got my first small tattoo many years ago and ever since it was sitting in the back of my mind for the next and a bigger one.
(fast forward), I interviewed several tattoo artists in the city; some experienced, some new. This is what I found out in general. You want someone for their experience, but they are also more particular about ‘what type’ of tattooing they wish to work on. When I talked to Kyle, he showed genuine enthusiasm to put a design together based on several ideas I had, not discouraging it like some other artists did just because the designs I showed weren’t their ‘cup of tea’.
Kyle is an artist in general and his talent shows whether it’s on a piece of paper or your flesh. Yes, it was a long and some painful moments, but my tattoo looks awesome and I have received SO MANY compliments from those who started with «well, I wouldn’t get it for myself, but your arm (where I got my tattoo) is stunning…»
Best part… I LOVE IT!

I got my piece done w Kyle, it was a great experience. From start to finish everything was professional, easy, and I loved the finished product. I loved the atmosphere, the whole staff was very friendly and encouraging. They make you feel like you are the best canvas ever, even if you’re not.

I can’t recommend this place enough! I love the artists here so much that I come down from Portland, OR to get tattooed here. I have been coming to Deanna for years and just got my first tattoo from Mez today. Seriously some of the best artists that you could ever find. Everyone is friendly, professional and so cool that you want to grab a beer with them after you get your ink. There is simply no better place to get a tattoo in the Bay Area!

Krista did my nose piercing and did an excellent job. She was so warm, welcoming and professional. She made me feel very comfortable and informed me of everything she was doing. The piercing is perfect!

The real deal. These are genuine people with genuine talent. You will never find another shop with a more welcoming staff. Each and every person at this shop is an artist. They will make sure you leave beyond satisfied with a tattoo you will love for life. Chris gave me a piece to honor my wife and we both think it’s amazing.
Sometimes the artists have waits– worth it. Your temple can wait for the care and dedication they will give your tapestry.
The piercers know their stuff and will take the time to make sure you’re comfortable and fully informed.
I will always be back to Tattoo Boogaloo. I know I will be in great hands.

I have been back to Tattoo Boogaloo for a total of 3 tattoos! Deanna is incredibly masterful. One of the tattoos was in my dad’s handwriting and she copied every nuance exactly.
Now I live in NY, and despite all of the options for artists here, I am seriously considering flying back to SF so Deanna can do my sleeve.
Kind, down to earth, caring, talented.. . There just aren’t enough adjectives to describe Deanna and Tattoo Boogaloo.

I really can not say enuff good things about this shop and mez as an artist… I feel like I could go on and on about my experience here and the art I have on me for life but I really feel like the art speaks for itself… not only did mez make me feel so comfortable the whole shop just has a vibe about it that makes me want to come back for more I found the hidden gem on Unilocal and I hope my review helps people make the right decision… if your looking for quality in a tattoo or piercing this is the place! (btw for the closed minded ppl I came to mez with a drawing of a lion I thought was «cute» she told me wat she was comfortable with (realism) so I let her have full creative control and I’ve never been happier with my decision)

BAD SERVICE!
I came in all excited to get my first Tattoo.
I showed «Chris» my drawings and what I wanted and he said he could go with it which means his engaged with the Job, final decision is mine.
I paid 150 $ for a full draft ready within 2 weeks… if I liked the draft they would count the 150 $ within the actual Tattoo making amount but if I as a client decided I didn’t like it even after a few changes it would be non refundable… OK!
After 2 weeks i realized I wasn’t able to make it for my appointment so I reschedule after another 2 weeks (1 month in total)… Chris gave me only half a draft on which the most of it was just a copy/​paste work from the drawing I gave him (that doesn’t take long).
Chris told me that he’ll had my full draft ready within another 2weeks.
A month passes and I decide to e-​mail him.
His answer, and I quote:
Chris: «I apologize for the wait. I have been extremely busy with the clientele I tattoo.» — So I’m not a worthy client even though I paid 150 $???
Chris: «I actually didn’t want to show you just in case you did like it. «- WTF does that mean???
Chris: «I’ve spent over 8 hours on your design. Basically it made me come to a conclusion that, I am not going to work outside of my comfort zone anymore. I just wanted to see if I could make something work. To no avail.» — Which means that he changed his mind and wasn’t up to the task anymore therefore he used me as a «guinea pig» to see if he could do something different.
He still have to send me a final draft which, of course» will be a draft without any engagement to it or effort because it’s already set in stone that it’s not a future Job or anything worth doing… I’m sure it’ll be a few minutes drawing result thing just to get it out of his hair.
He sent me an e-​mail on the 20^th of July 2015 saying the final draft would be ready for the end of the week or so… it’s the 30^th July 2015 and after I called to get some updated I got a call from him.
Chris: «Dude I sent you an e-​mail saying it was ready at the end of the week last week»
Me: «Yes that was last week which means that I excepted it for last week weekend (end of the week), this is a new week (thursday)».
Chris «Yeah Dude! I said at the end of the week last week, it’s not the end of the week»
Chris: «And now I’ll enjoy my day off if thats ok»
AM I ON CANDY CAMERA? Are you serious?!?
Total BAD SERVICE an money rip off.
Paying 150 $ for a draft that an artist is not engage in and knows his not going to work with because he changed his mind (these are not his money so who cares) for an actual tattoo is a RIP OFF of 150 $ for a lousy job result and no consideration at all.
SUCH A BAD EXPERIENCE and even when he changed his mind admitting he actually wasn’t up to the task/​job… no offer for a refund or anything else… he practically rip me off of 150 $ for a lousy job he still has to deliver after almost 2 month.
Final e-​mail:
Chris:
Sorry about the blunt phone conversation. Im horrible on the phone.
I will send you the drawing tomorrow. I (as I’m sure you feel the same way) am definitely not the artist for you.
Ever since you did a no call no show on our first appointment to see the drawing, and didn’t acknowledge that I set time aside away from tattooing to have that appointment. (Until a week later when you rescheduled), I knew my time wasn’t that important.
I am sure it is due to your lack of knowledge about the tattoo industry. But,
I have spent in total about 10 hours on your drawing and already have worked way out side my normal routine that I have with my clients, that specifically seek me out for my style.
I guess I needed a reminder to not work outside my silly box. I’m sorry you had to be that reminder.
Any way, I know this is to be your first tattoo and I do apologize that your first experience not being to good. I will send you a clean line drawing of the back part which you can use as a base to go off of if you so choose. The worth of the drawing more than exceeds the $ 150. You paid. But, if for any reason you disagree. You can reach me through email or call the shop Friday, Saturday, or Tuesday any time after 1pm. Again I apologize, for the short phone conversation.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! I was your reminder not to work out side your silly box but still you took my money for it and… The drawing was worth more then 150 $???
NO WAY!

This is the one Tattoo/​Piercing shop that I rely on! I have had 3 piercings done by Krista: Nipples, Nostril, and Surface Bar all of them have been so fast, painless, done with top quality jewelry, and healed quickly. Krista always walks me through the process in such a way that I feel extremely comfortable with placing, jewelry, and the piercing itself. She also throughly explains aftercare. I have called her several times to answer some questions I had, she is always so sweet and ready to give advice. I make the trek from Sonoma County to here just for the service and environment! I always recommend Krista as a piercer!
I also have gotten a tattoo by Deanna. I came in for a consult and described roughly what I wanted. I wanted to give her free range on what she wanted to do as I love her artistry and color work. I was blow away when I came in for my tattoo and saw the stencil! It was absolutely gorgeous and she included all the special details I wanted in to my tattoo with ease. She is very sweet and flexible, as often money runs short, I would have to cancel and reschedule I never had a problem or an issue. She still was so open and welcoming when I came in. I also appreciate her fast work and attention to detail, my tattoo turned out to be far greater and more beautiful than I ever expected! I repeatedly get told that it is one of the coolest tattoos people have seen, a rams skull covering my stomach with dahlias and sunflowers surrounding, and I agree, I definitely recommend Deanna!
Once again I love coming to this shop because they treat you like a good friend. They all know me by name, always make me feel like a priority, and the quality of what comes out of it is better than any other shop I have ever been to. I will be back again soon!

Love this place! Been coming here since it opened. Most recently, Krista pierced my septum, and she also did two of my other friends’ nostril piercings; she’s great. I have also had a couple tattoos done by Deanna and she is amazing in every way. She’s easy to get along with, works very gently (y’know, relative to the experience of getting stabbed by tiny needles), and is extremely talented. The first one I had done by her several years ago was pretty soon after the shop first opened. She took her time with the design even though it was simple — she wanted to get it just right.
Fast forward to last year when I had my second piece done by Deanna. She is much busier these days, understandably! So I had a consultation very quickly with her and left her some reference images. She’s too busy to send out sketches before the day of your appointment, which is pretty common for a busy artist. Knowing that, I was still nervous about not having any idea what the tattoo would look like. But a couple months later on my appointment day, I almost cried when I saw what she had come up with. It was better than anything I could have imagined. I get compliments on this piece (a large upper-​arm tattoo with elements of traditional, illustrative, and watercolor styles) all the time.
It takes me forever to decide what I want to get tattooed, but I do have plans to go back! Deanna is well worth the wait and the other artists at the shop are as well. They’ve got the portfolios to prove it, and most of them remember me when I pass through the shop. Stellar customer service and wonderful talent all around.

I had a very beautiful rainbow colored heart tattoo done by Deanna. I had to wait a long time on her waiting list in order to have it done but I am so glad I waited! The tattoo came out super nice! The colors are incredibly vibrant and the design is spot on for what I was looking for! The tattoo was done in a graffiti style and it really does look like someone spray painted this on my arm, it is incredible.
The shop is also really nice and clean and has some awesome artwork all over the walls. The staff is super friendly and welcoming and they really care about their work and their customers.
I ended up having some complications with the tattoo that were unrelated to Deanna’s work yet in the end she was able to repair the tattoo and make it absolutely beautiful again. She kept in frequent contact during my recovery to insure that everything went smoothly. Like I said above, they really care about their work and the happiness of their customers.
This is an A+++ tattoo shop!

I mostly enjoyed my tattoo experience there and spent 10 hours over 3 sessions getting a huge back piece. When I went back for much needed touch ups, Deanna flat out refused to do them and was really rude about the whole situation. Generally touch ups are free and artists want their work to look the best possible. I even offered to pay since I really wanted and needed some touch ups, but again Deanna refused. I felt like she just didn’t want to take the time to correct a few things and since she already got a ton of $$$ out of me she wasn’t invested in helping me make the tattoo more what I asked for. Really bummed since most other artists won’t touch someone else’s work for touch ups. I won’t be coming back here and I urge anyone getting a tattoo to discuss touch ups before you commit to a new piece since this shop has some shady business ethics.
Major bummer

My friend and I came in here for our first tattoos and were very pleased with the experience we had in there. Chris made it fun and comfortable for us and doesn’t make it intimidating at all. We’re very happy we came here, and would come back again.

Omg Krista is amazing!!! I’ve wanted to get my nose pierced for ages and finally walked in here after reading all these bomb Unilocal reviews. The atmosphere here is great. Everyone is friendly and helpful and I got all my annoying questions answered, especially as I eventually want to come back and get my tattoo touched up.
Krista was patient with me and very particular about the placing for my piercing. We had to work together to get it right because my nose is so weird. She works quickly and painlessly and explains every step as she’s doing it. She was helpful in explaining the healing and care processes as well. As an added bonus, the jewelry sold here is beautiful. I picked out a small opal and will more than likely be back for more.
Thank you!!!

I had my session with Deanna and let me tell you. This was the most wonderful experience I have ever had. I booked my appointment 4 months in advance, thats how busy they get. Also since I am in the South Bay, Deanna did my consultation over email and phone. I sent her a few pictures of what I was thinking of. I wanted 2 horses with the watercolor effect. She was so nice and helpful.
I was a little worried about the tattoo because I hadn’t seen the design until I arrived to the shop. However, I am happy I had faith in Deanna because she made the most amazing design. It was actually exactly what I pictured I wanted in my mind. I was shocked by how perfect it was.
Deanna was so professional, clean, and caring. I have had a tattoo before, but this tattoo was amazing. My whole experience from beginning til end was great. The only bad part is that there is very little parking on the street, so make sure you go to your appointment early so that you can have enough time.

My very first tattoo here was done by Deanna, who owns the shop. She was wonderful and funny, made the process extremely painless and engaging. My ink that time was my back, which was in a watercolor style that she is known for!
My second tattoo was with Katie, who helped me plant a simple line art anchor I designed. It came out perfect, I could not have asked for something better! :-) She was so funny and told me stories during the session, which only lasted 20min or so, but I had so much fun during!
Really recommend Tattoo Boogaloo to anyone, the artists here are very fun and awesome and talented! They will make you feel at ease and super comfortable if it is your first tattoo, they are supremely patient and make sure you understand what is happening and that you get what you want!

I too, was sitting on a tragus piercing for a while now. Finally, after watching numerous Youtube videos and being absolutely bored out of my mind, I took the bus down to Tattoo Boogaloo and got it done!
I called in and they told me that I could come down anytime. Honestly, when I did the search, I was looking for a place close to my house and experts on piercings. Pictures of other customers were also very helpful.
Krista helped me with my piercing. She was SO cool. I don’t think I’ve ever met a complete stranger who was about to punch a hole in me, that was so nice. She helped me with the jewelry (they have a great selection). Of course, me being me, chose the most blinging one. During the process, she explained everything to me. I was nervous but she was able to ease me through the process. At the end, it did not hurt at all! Youtube users lied to me!
I would love to come back to get an old tattoo fixed. Once I have an idea, I will most definitely come back to them!