10 tattoo shops in Boston and nearby worth knowing

Good Faith Tattoo is at 1018 Commonwealth Avenue. Its walk-in policy is first come, first served, with appointments offered when the day cannot accommodate your work. The shop requires a nonrefundable deposit to book. It is for clients 18 and older and does not offer piercing, useful distinctions to make before bringing someone along.

Regeneration Tattoo on Harvard Avenue in Allston welcomes walk-ins and recommends calling ahead to check available time. Its contact page gives the current address and hours, rather than leaving you to rely on a directory. If you have a particular artist in mind, ask about that person’s availability as well as whether the shop is open.

Boston Barber & Tattoo Co. does its tattoo work upstairs at 113 Salem Street in the North End. Its tattoo page links artist information, policies and the appointment request form. Use that route rather than the haircut booking button. The business also has a Beacon Hill address, but tattoo appointments belong at the North End shop.

Pino Bros Ink is on the second floor at 36 JFK Street in Harvard Square. Its appointment instructions ask for your idea, rough size, placement and reference images through a contact form. You do not need every detail settled, but giving the studio something specific helps it connect you with an appropriate artist for a consultation.

Redemption Tattoo is on Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge. The studio lists artists including founders Mike Shea and Erick Lynch, with individual portfolios to help you choose whose work to pursue. Use its consultation information before visiting and call to confirm that the artist you want will be there. Booking requires a deposit.

Chameleon Tattoo’s current address is 33 Union Square in Somerville. Its official site lists both walk-in and custom tattoo work and provides individual artist portfolios, including Japanese work by Rueben “Horikei” Kayden. Check those portfolios before calling about a session. Use the Union Square address rather than an older Harvard Square listing.

The Boston Tattoo Company has several locations, including Newbury Street and State Street in Boston. Its site groups artists by studio and offers custom work and flash, the pre-drawn designs available to choose from. Make sure the person whose work you like is at the branch you select when starting a consultation.

Seaport Tattoo Company is at 380 Dorchester Avenue in South Boston. Its artist pages show work across traditional, portrait and fine-line black-and-grey styles, and the studio also offers cover-ups and repairs. Start with a consultation for an existing tattoo you want changed. Be specific about what is already there, rather than booking as though it were a blank patch of skin.

Before making an appointment

Send a clear idea of the subject, approximate size and placement, along with reference images that explain what you like. Ask the artist what will work at that size, what the appointment is likely to cost and how the deposit and cancellation policy work. Read the answer before paying.

Use the booking link or contact method on the studio’s official site, especially when an artist announces that their books are open. Ask to see healed work as well as fresh photographs, and discuss any cover-up in advance. A walk-in opening is a chance to talk to someone; it is not an obligation to leave with a tattoo.