This place is the best. I have had three tattoos done by three different artists. I found the designs for the first two and both were done perfectly. The third time I had an idea for enlarging the first one, and when I went in they referred me to Mark Murray, since he was an expert on Celtic designs. I told him what I was looking for, and he hand drew a design on my arm that was 10 times better than I could have come up with. Once I seen it and said I liked it he had it done in no time. A true master. Stop in ask for Mark Murray.... You won't be disappointed Read Less

I really have to leave a review, because this place is just the best. I wanted a helix piercing for years but have always been too chicken and looking online I saw tons of horror stories. Eventually I decided to look for a piercer in Edinburgh and decided on Studio XIII because of the good reviews. I had a lovely quick chat with the staff at their reception and was advised I could come in whenever I like - though there may be waiting times depending on the time and day. Finally I dared to go and as it’s a Saturday we had to wait a little (not too long) and I was brought in to a room, where Gill made sure the piercing would be placed exactly where I’d like and had a lot of patience with me and my questions. Now I know everyone is different, but she did such a great job that I didn’t feel the needle at all and I was done in seconds. It throbbed a bit later but calmed down fast- so fast that I felt my ear was a bit empty... so I went back for four more piercings! Those were done by lovely Sarah, who will also make sure the piercings are exactly where you want them and will have a nice chat and listen to any worries or questions you may have. Friends around me are genuinely envious with how well my piercings have been healing (it’s been 5 months since the first). I’ve also gone to the studio to have them check my healing progress, when I felt unsure and have always been given fast and kind consultation. So, thank you very much to the lovely team ! Will definitely come back for more! Read Less

Getting a consultation and then setting up an appointment couldn't have been easier. The staff were communicative and all the preparatory literature, consent forms, etc was easy to access. Got my first tattoo from Marc and I couldn't be happier. He saw me immediatley, showed me the rough sketch and made some quick adjustments as per my request and placed it. Then he got to work, he worked efficiently and was able to finish my tattoo in less time than estimated so he gave me a lower price, which I appreciate as a student and was definitely a nice surprise considering the tattoo was still more than I every could have dreamed of. The entire atmosphere put me at ease and while I was at first intimidated and anxious for my first experience, I am already thinking of compatible geometric or tribal pieces Marc could tattoo on me later on. Read Less

The wife and I have started this habit of acquiring "travel tattoos" whenever we visit a new country and this was the case during our recent visit to Scotland. I did some research, weeks prior to our trip, and discovered Studio XIII and it's many talented artist. Flash forward to middle of May and we had the pleasure of getting some new ink from Dana (me) and Adriana wife). Both were professional, talented and took the time to draw up what we wanted to memorialize our trip and our heritage. As for the rest of the staff they were friendly and squared away. Lastly the location and artist were clean and hygienic. Thanks again to both Adriana and Dana. Oh and a shout out for "Butcher Tattoo" in Savannah, Ga. where I get a lot of ink from. Read Less

I had my rook pierced by Gill yesterday and she was so lovely and answered all of my questions (there were quite a few of them) she was so calm and relaxed and made me feel at ease just by her attitude. Read Less

They replied to all my idiot emails from the states very quickly and Adriana did such a great job. She's very nice and she gave me her opinion and offered alternatives if something might not work. Super happy with how my tattoo came out! Read Less

Had my first ever tattoo done at Studio XIII this month by the wonderful Sarah-Louise. Her design was perfect and was exactly what I was looking for. She explained everything thoroughly, was very approachable and made me feel at ease throughout :) In fact everyone in the shop I spoke with were knowledgeable and helpful and I would definitely recommend them to anyone I know who is looking for some great artwork by talented artists. Read Less

Very professional tattoo shop with a host of talented artists. They take their work seriously and are able to accommodate individual ideas very well. Be prepared to wait a few months for bigger designs especially if you want a particular artist, it's worth the wait for a quality tattoo though. Read Less

There is always that one thing that turns me off when I decide it's time for some new ink - the attitude of the staffTypically, jaded, critical, with a touch of ihatemylifeandmostotherhumans. NOT HERE! NOT MY BELOVED STUDIO XIII!!!Okay, okay, can't be my beloved bc I literally been there one time and I live in New York, not Scotland, but hey don't kill my dreams. I had arrived in Edinburgh around noon and my number 1 intention was "celebratory-i-am-in-Scotland-i-love-my-life" new tattoo. Mission accomplished! Behind the desk, Kat? She was lovely, and of all miracles, they had an opening with Naomi in 45 minutes. Score! Perfect timing and she does amazing watercolor work, my all time fave. I showed Naomi what I wanted and she captured it perfectly on my skin.  I couldn't be happier and I wanted another one immediately after but I refrained (they are addicting, they are)Thanks so much you guys xoxoxo! Read Less

I just got my first helix piercing today and it was also my first time using the needle so I was a little aprehensive. But Sarah was so lovely and completely reassuring that I found it gloriously easy! Thank you! Read Less

I was a walk-in piercing appointment and the staff made me feel very comfortable from start to finish. I only had to wait 5 minutes until I was seen. Sarah, who did my piercing, was professional and gave me lots of interesting information and even helped me regarding my other piercings. She is incredibly knowledgeable! She worked quickly and my double helix piercing was, therefore, relatively painless. Having been to other piercing parlours I would rate my experience with Gallery XIII very very highly. Thank you so much for a wonderful experience, I will definitely be back! Read Less

I chose Studio XIII for a special memorial tattoo on the recommendation of a couple of friends. I needed a full day so had to wait a while before my appointment date, but it really was worth it. Fernando took my idea, talked it through with me and turned it into something far more impressive than I had ever imagined. The guy is so talented. Being in the chair all day, I also got to see a few other customers come and go with other artists and I have to say every tattoo was top class. I would totally recommend this place as first choice for anyone out there looking for some new body art. I'll certainly be back to Fernando once I decide what I want next!! Thanks again. Read Less

Every time I come here, I am greeted with warmth and friendliness. The staff are very knowledgable and can answer every question under the sun about tattooing, piercings and other art forms! I have been coming here for a couple of years or so and I always leave very satisfied with Noemi's work.Read Less

I came here about a year ago as a walk in. I was visiting Edinburgh for the first time and it was my last day in town. The staff was so welcoming and nice to me, not only was I a tourist, but I was a walk in to boot! I already had a concept of what I wanted, sat down with an artist and got to work. I was in and out quick with my new souvenir of my amazing trip. I am planning on visiting Edinburgh again in about 4 months and hope to get more work done here. I would recommend this place to all my friends! Read Less

I have to say I'm pretty disappointed. I emailed 2 weeks ago that I would like an appointment and have gotten no response at all. Thanks for taking the time to reply to my review. I live in America so I won't be calling. I'm so glad to hear you have such a large staff to stay on top of things. Read Less

I got a tattoo here a good few years ago. Two feathers on my arm . The first one I got done was great . The second one was terrible . . I asked the guy if i could keep the tracing paper from the first so when i come back to get the other feather done it will be from the same drawing . He said he'll keep it . I went back to get the second feather done a week later . The guy lost the image. He QUICKLY drew another one . Whist talking to a girl in the shop about his night taken ecstasy. And how much he liked the girls friend . He was saying to the girl that he stayed up all night waiting on her friend . But she never turned up He started my tattoo still talking to this girl . Once he finished and I got home the tattoo looked like it be drawn by a five year old . No detail . A solid black line around the feather . I never complained because at the end off the day . What could've they done .. i Wouldn't let them near my dead cat with a tattoo gun ...I'm still annoyed by this tattoo . I spent £150 per feather . Now I'm getting the extremely bad tattoo covered sometime this year 2017 Read Less

Was in Edinburgh for the weekend and booked into here with Mark for a wee tattoo Friendly welcome into the shop by the staff and had a good chat with Mark before deciding what was being inked. I changed my mind on the style on the day and it wasn't a problem � Was a relaxing experience and I know that I will be coming back from Aberdeen for my next one I also got jewellery changed by Sarah and I've already decided to take my daughter in for her piercing when we visit Edinburgh in July. Think she's going to be in very good hands Read Less

My cousin and I were visiting from Texas, and we knew we wanted to get tattoos while we were there. We researched the best places to go and Studio 13 came up high on the list so we stopped in one of the days we were there. We walked in on a Saturday and they booked us both for a couple hours later! Our artist was so funny and put us both at ease, as it was my first tattoo. I'd recommend it to anyone! Read Less

Great place and most importantly I love all the tattoos I had there (7 so far). Ask for Fernando, that guy is a great tattooist! I had a tattoo done by Boris too and I really liked it. I really like the interior design of the shop. The whole tattooing process there is pretty protocol based and shows that they know what they're doing. I found the tattoo artists to be really diligent and happy to accommodate whenever possible. I pretty much don't want to be tattooed anywhere else in the UK. On the odd bad reviews that you might be seeing, I pretty much think that most of the time they are misunderstanding based or outright unfair. Especially those that attack particular tattoo artists, not cool seriously. My piece of advise for best experience: go into the tattoo shop focusing on hardskills mostly (actual tattooing, drawing, design etc...), of which there is many. Because anything else is pretty much irrelevant to the actual piece of art. And don't be afraid to ask for amendments and expert opinions, I do it all the time! Conclusion: I have had 7 tattoos so far, some of them i'd like to think are of complex design, so therefore I can pretty much say that I have a big enough sample to confidently say that studio xiii is excellent with a diverse set of tattooing styles and skills. Read Less

I went in on a rather busy Sunday for a piercing and was put on a waiting list. All the staff were really friendly and welcoming, and you could tell that they really enjoyed doing what they do. Everything was explained to me and I liked the fact that you could sign the declaration and health and safety form online. When it came to the actual piercing, Gill was able to put me at ease and worked quickly so as not to make my nerves go through the roof, ensuring that the experience was as painless as possible. Most importantly everything was clean and sanitised. Read Less

I had an excellent experience at the studio. From my first phone call through to my finished piece. I found the staff to be friendly & very helpful. I met with Adriana to discuss covering up an old tattoo & from the minute I met her I knew she'd do good, she made me feel comfortable & totally at ease... I absolutely love my new tattoo & have had lots of compliments! Would recommend Studio XIII as THE place to go!! Read Less

Got a tattoo done here the other day by Sarah-Louise and it's fantastic! The reception staff were super friendly and helpful, responded very quickly by email and booked me in within a week. The shop is so clean and there's beautiful artwork on the wall. Everyone makes you feel at ease and Sarah-Louise designed a beautiful tattoo and was so nice, I'd definitely recommend this place, and would definitely go back! Read Less

My tattoo is awesome and I had an amazing time at the Studio XIII. ALL the staff made you feel welcome and the rapport between them is brilliant. Mark covered up an old horrid tattoo for me and did an amazing job. Sarah did her piercings whilst I was there (in the same room) and she is just a breath of fresh air, she had so much energy and enthusiasm. So thanks guys, will be back with my youngest daughter for her piercings and my oldest daughter will be in at the end of the month for her tattoo. Will recommend you to everyone xx Read Less

If you want a tattoo in Edinburgh, you have to come by and look at the art here: I did. Reception was friendly and and professional. I explained my tattoo and they suggested Mark. I got scheduled. Came back, gave Mark the art and he created a stencil. His art is better  than the original. Mark was easygoing, focused, and obviously loves his craft. I would recommend him and Studio Xiii any day of the week. Read Less

For a while ive been thinking about getting my daith pierced and while researching never really found the right place to go. We visited Edinburgh for a few days this week and the reviews sold this place to me.We popped in on a Wednesday afternoon and although the reception area was busy, we were welcomed straight away.After filling out the online form, we were told it would be about a 30 min wait. I dont think it was all that.When it came to my turn Sarah was very good talked me through the process. I was undecided on jewellery but she took the time to go over it all and made sure i was happy. The piercing went straight forward,  her technique was great and really made me at ease. Read Less

From start to finish everything was great with this place. Reception stuff Jamie provided me with correct information and was quick to speak with the artist himself and tell me straight away what can and can't be done. The fact that he remembered me and my design ("Hey, the Dore guy") a month later, when I went to book the appointment, shows that they don't see people just as customers who will pay money, but they really love art and pay attention. The tattoo artist, Vik, was great and he barely got a break on a 6 hour session. Other people could have stalled just to get more money. He was very thorough and paid attention to detail and the result was great. i hope he is proud of his work with me. Two days later I had lots of people asking me where I got the tattoo and that it looks amazing. I recommend this studio to everyone! Read Less

I got a walk in appointment with Sarah on Saturday, and it was amazing! I couldn't be more satisfied with my experience! I was on vacation to visit a friend in Scotland and kind of dropped in the studio on a whim. I've been pierced at nice boutique piercing studios in Chicago, San Francisco, and Encinitas, and this place was far less than a third of the price I paid in those places. Sarah's technique, however, was definitely on par with any other! She got the piercings done before I even realized it, and while you'd expect getting three piercings in a row to be quite unpleasant, I barely felt a thing - you're not going to get a quicker or more skillful piercing anywhere. Moreover, she was quite pleasant. She's quite the responsible piercer and told me that what I originally had in mind wouldn't have worked and explained the process I'd have to go through in great detail patiently. Could she have just taken the easy route and went ahead with what I asked, knowing I wouldn't be able to come back later if things went wrong? Yes, but she didn't do that. She made sure I'd be able to get results I'd be happy with in the long run. Long story short, I'd definitely come back here again! If I ever decided to get any more piercings, I'd definitely wait to go here! Read Less

I went in, in October for a consultation with Marc. He was incredibly helpful and gave a lot of great suggestions for the piece I had in mind. I gave him all the changes I wanted made to the picture of my idea and he drew them out for me. They came out so much better than I ever thought it could. I had a 3 hour appointment with him yesterday and despite not being very nervous, Marc made me feel very comfortable, as did all the other artists! His skills are beyond amazing and his dot work is out of this world! I am over the moon with my piece and I am already planning my next one with Marc! I have had a piercing done at Studio XIII as well and my experience for that was just as pleasant! - Everything is spotless and tidy and all the staff are ready to greet and help you as soon as you walk in the door! Cannot wait to be back! Read Less

I've only been in here for piercings, so can't comment on the quality of their tattoo artists! I've been in here for piercings twice, because my many-pierced friend had recommended them to me.Even though I know quite a bit about aftercare, I still wanted to hear the piercer's opinion on it, and she gave me very good advice. She calmed me down, pierced me quick and correct. All the tools used are sterilised and you're in a private area, so no peekers!It may not be the cheapest place in Edinburgh, but you don't want to go after deals for something like a piercing or tattoo! Read Less

Worst tattoo experience ever. The owner is a a piece of works. Walking around like she's gods gift. Far from it. I doubt she can even draw let alone tattoo. I was brought into some dirty basement to get tattooed in and my artist had to go upstairs to resize the tattoo. Not sure where the copier was but common sense would put it where most of the work is done. For the price of my tattoo they could by a decent printer. Don't think I'd ever go there again. Or recommend it to anyone Read Less

Horrible customer service, from the owner down.  Weirdly defensive and arguementative without cause.  We had a great initial meeting with Kat, which was when we put down our deposits (£400 total).  Follow up conversations with Jade and owner were really awful, the basic services discussed and promised during initial consult were refused.   We had no choice but to follow through as we're only here for a short amount of time, and money and time was so invested.  Average work, super shitty attitude.  Would never recommend, go else where. Read Less

I've been to Studio XIII twice for piercings and both times I've found it to be absolutely brilliant! Sarah did both of my piercings and she was friendly and lovely, I've had 9 piercings altogether and Studio XIII is the best place I've been out of many. I'm hoping to visit again in the next couple of weeks for my first ever tattoo - EXCITING!!! Read Less

I often get asked about where I get my tattoos done, and the only place I go in Edinburgh is Studio VIII!This place has some incredible tattoo artists and I have never been more happy than with the work I've had done here. I have 5 tattoos, 4 of which are from here, so that speaks volumes! There's a great old school vibe inside, several artists to choose from and most importantly: it's very clean and it's very friendly. Pricing starts at a basic rate of £40, then is worked out for the amount of time spent on it according to the piece. By that I mean a wee tattoo will cost £40, but a bigger one that takes an hour will cost that, plus the artists time & materials. This may sound expensive, but trust me: IT'S NOT. You only have one chance at a tattoo, so research the artists, research the design, and be sure to invest in it. You get what you pay for!Got a problem or notice the inks not properly healed? Not an issue - you can pop back in for advice and a touch up. I've never had to do this, but it's great to know!They also have a piercing studio here which I've heard only great things about too... Maybe one day ;)Ink responsibly people... Good luck!! Read Less

Look, if you're going to let someone push a needle through part of you, you have to trust them.Studio 13 came recommended to me, luckily because Edinburgh centre at least seems to have a dearth of piercers. However, Sarah at Studio 13 was available on a walk-in on a Saturday afternoon.Reception lady was lovely, made sure she got down the right details of what I wanted (location, side) and sent me off to fill out the disclaimer form/health check. There was only one person waiting before me and she went in just after I finished filling out the form, so I didn't have long to wait.The upstairs of Studio 13 is nice - I don't know what people mean by intimidating, because it feels more like an upmarket hairdressers, with tattoo art on the walls. After about 15 minutes Sarah came over to me, confirmed my details and got me to pick the size of bar I wanted (I went, as she thought, for the smaller one because my face is little). Then I was taken to the piercing room.Sarah drew on where she thought the piercing should go, and I had a good check in the mirror to make sure I was happy. Sarah is very direct but not in a perfunctory manner, and I felt really at ease. She cleaned up/sterilised around where my new holes were to go, then told me to take a big steady breath as she pinched my eyebrow and got the needle through in one smooth move.I was eager to get out of my chair and have a good look, but Sarah made sure I was all cleaned up (blood does have a tendency to make things messy) first. All sorted and preened in the mirror, I was given my aftercare instructions (and a sticker!) and ready to go on my way. I was pleased with the whole process, and with the result. Which I can't stop staring in the mirror at - but I promise I'm not fiddling with and getting mucky! Read Less

Great tattoo place in the heart of Edinburgh city! I emailed the studio with the design I had in mind, and they got back to me promptly and advised that I should make an appointment. I called up and they booked me in with Tom.I did the usual background checks and made sure I was confident in the studio doing a good job based on all the reviews and research I did, this studio definitely was clearly reputable and delivers service at the highest standards. I went in to my appointment, the store front is covered in amazing designs and piercings which were great to look at. Had to fill out a short form and provide ID as proof of being of age to get a tattoo which is standard.Tom greeted me and showed me the design to make sure I was happy, after he was printing the design out on the transfer paper he showed me down to the tattoo room downstairs. There were two other guys getting tattoos. Tom put the print on my arm and made sure I was happy with the angle. I asked him to do it again as wanted it to be more angled on the arm and could see more of the core part of the tattoo. I gave the go ahead to Tom and got started. After about a minute into it I got a dizzy spell and had to stop, Tom got me a can of soda and reassured me that this is normal, he was super understanding and just made sure I was okay before he continued. I had food before the appointment but just something that happens. I felt embarrassed but I just gave myself a moment and got my head together. At no point did the tattooists ridicule me, and I felt really comfortable. Anyway, 90 minutes later of gritting my teeth, the tattoo was done, I was super happy with it.The worst part of the tattoo experience was when he cleaned the tattoo to prevent infection but this is an important part! Safe to say that this studio is super clean and hygienic, so I had no worries there!Tom talked me through the after care, and gave me some instructions and his Instagram details of I needed to get in touch. The studio have a recommended cream and I would definitely advise getting this cream. After a week my tattoo healed up with the cream and following Tom's instructions it's healed perfectly! Overall, a fantastic studio, friendly and relaxed staff and really enjoyed the tattoo experience there. I would absolutely recommend this tattoo place to anyone looking to get a tattoo, and would like to take this opportunity to thank Tom and the Studio for doing such a great job! Read Less

I'll be honest, as some other reviews have said, I was freaking intimidated by this place upon first glance. Everyone in there had lots of tattoos and cool peircings. Meanwhile, I'm pretty girly, I was in clothes from work, I only have piercings in my ears, and no tattoos. However, I had heard great things and knew this is where I wanted to get my first tattoo. After I went in (twice) I scheduled my appointment and was ready to go! I had seen the portfolio of the artist who was doing mine (Noemi) and was freaking stoked. And. Freaking. Terrified. Absurdly scared. Unreasonable freaked out. I was getting a tattoo on my ribs, albeit small, and (stupidly) psyched myself out about how much it would hurt. Upon arrival Noemi assured me she would be gentle and it would all be okay. Still hesitant I headed downstairs. She did a small line and I realized it wasn't that bad! My tattoo was over before I knew it! After carefully explaining the aftercare instructions, I paid and was on my way. Speaking of paying, I just want to say that all these people complaining about the prices are ridiculous. I paid 80 pounds for a freaking awesome tattoo that will be on my body for the rest of my life. Even though it's small, I don't get why people are upset about spending money to invest in something you will literally have for the rest of your life. I'm pretty sure there isn't anything else you could spend that amount of money on that will last that long. I would rather pay as much as I did and get a stellar tattoo than pay a little less and not be as confident in my artist's abilities. Suffice to say I really enjoyed my experience here and would definitely go again if I wanted another. And after realizing how not terrifying it is, I'm not ruling that out. Read Less

I vacationed in Scotland this last February (2014). It was such an incredible place I knew I HAD to get a Tattoo there. Problem was everywhere was booked, including Studio XIII but the friendly staff was able to squeeze me in with JFK. He was fun to be tattooed by and did an excellent job, even when I asked him to do the tricky border. My tattoo looks amazing and has healed great! Even though I was no stranger to tattoos, he recommended me the tattoo cream and went over in DETAIL the best care during the healing process. My experience here was great! The shop was friendly and had a great vibe. The only way I can imagine anybody finding the shop or staff intimidating or rude is if you are completely lacking in self confidence and/or social skills. My wife waited in the lobby while I got tattooed and felt totally comfortable. And last but not least, to all the people complaining about price: YOU GE WHAT YOU PAY FOR! Respect the artists and do not insult their efforts by trying to haggle down a price because you are a "GROUP" or because your tattoo is "Small." Get in line or get out. Find some bum who doesn't give a sh!t how your tattoo turns out and underpay him all you want. Thanx again JFK and sorry it took me so long to post my review! Had multiple customers at my work compliment it yesterday and remembered I needed to thank you again. Read Less