Cameron Miller is my go to artist. I've had three tattoos done by him and this is only the beginning. I get one tattoo a year and I look forward to coming to the shop every time. It's clean, artists are friendly and it's spacious. I've watched Cameron and the other artists sanitize, clean and everything else in between to make sure their tools, work station and selves are clean before and after every appointment. The consultations I've had with him never last more than 15 minutes and we always schedule the tattoo appointment immediately after just so I can make it on his calendar. He is light handed, considerate (always asks how I'm doing during the tattoo) and can meet your expectations on all designs you have in mind. Small talk is cool, and it's also very enjoyable listening to the shop talk. I would definitely let Cameron have artistic freedom on a tattoo because I trust his judgement and his craft. You get what you pay for and he is top of the line when it comes to tattoos. Whenever I'm asked for a tattoo shop I always give them Cameron's name and send them a link to his website. See you next year, Cameron. Read Less

Ben did my first and second tattoo and I cannot be happier. What he drew, and tattoed was more beautiful than I had ever expected or imagined. I loved the shop when I walked in, very clean, professional and spacious. I loved being in a open room so I could talk to everyone while getting tattooed! I would definitely recommend coming to this shop, everyone is super humble, and incredibly talented. Dana also tattooed my sisters arm the other day and that turned out flawless aswell! :) Read Less

I had a close friend pass away a couple weeks ago and as tribute to her I decided to get a small boxing glove tattooed on my arm. I must have spent a couple hours looking through images online and debating on how I wanted the glove to look. I wanted simple and black was all I knew but nothing online was really catching my eye. I walked in to War Horse without an appointment and was happily greeted by Greg. All I had to do was tell him I was wanting a small boxing glove and he went back to draw it up. He must have read my subconscious mind because it was exactly what I was hoping for. The time went by quick and before I knew it I was leaving with the most perfect little boxing glove on my arm! So happy I went in when and where I did. Thanks Greg! Read Less

For George Campise. I got my first tattoo here, a full back.George's work caught my eye when I saw his work online. i.pinimg.com/originals/e…I liked his Japanese style on the way he uses his colors and the clouds he drew on this person's back. It was the perfect type of style for me. Although, I was slightly confused about our communication as it was difficult to reach George. We connected mostly through emails, and calling through the landline to the shop - which did place a bit of barrier of how deep our conversation could get. I didn't exactly know if he know what I know. That was until he stenciled out the sketch and showed it to me. All my pessimism dissolved away as I admired his prowess in understanding my vague words and bringing them to fruition. I lost my initial sketch, but it was something that looked like this, with clouds, lightnings, and roses. moziru.com/images/mcesch…I said, "Please make it look more  Epic than this." And he did. Actually I was so impressed that I decided to add in an extra Koi tattoo later on, knowing that he'll come up with something amazing. I started my sessions this year in March and been coming in 7 times. I pretty much let him draw whatever he wanted each time, mostly looking for his guidance on how to make this work out because he is the expert. Not I. It seemed sort of surreal decision because it's something permanent. I'm glad I took the leap though. He even suggested for a final re-touch session. At that point, I was already traumatized and putting up mental resistance of going to that last session. But I'm glad he did offer this idea, as the final work was amazing. He was the most pleasant guy to work with. I don't know if I'll find another artist that can offer this level of understanding of what I wanted, and honest professionalism. May come back again after some break. P.s. -- I read some of the negative reviews here. I guess if you haven't gotten tattoo before, it is not uncommon that you need to pay an initial deposit in order to begin talking about the tattoo ideas with your artist. In contrast, I could understand that if tattoo artists just give you their sketch, you would be able to take their idea and get tattooed in another shop. The tattoo sketch is part of the deal. Unfortunately, this seems to be how it works until I finally decided at Warhorse Tattoo. An advice I would give is to look through your potential artists' portfolios conscientiously before deciding which person you'd sacrifice your skin to. I'd pay as much as it is needed because in the end, tattoos stays on you forever and you wouldn't want a terrible artist that draws something you don't want. That was my thinking at least, since I had a full back tattoo. Read Less

Both shops are filled with amazing people that will take their time to make sure your tattoo is what you want to the t. There just amazing around❤️ I've gotten two tattoos from them both from different people & im in love, definitely coming back! Read Less

I was a walk in the other day. Thank goodness Ben was available, he took me right in and printed out what I wanted. I was in and out of there so fast I could hardly believe it. My tattoo is exactly what I wanted. He was so kind and respectful. Not just to me but to everyone. I felt so comfortable. at 200$ an hour he's more than worth it. I got a piece that only used black in. Ben has 2 portfolios. One with color and another that was all black ink. I felt like i came to the right guy for what I needed. I'm so glad to. I love my artwork.   Thank you Ben. You got the cheese!! for real! Read Less

Went here with my tattoo idea because of all the good reviews they have gotten here on Yelp. Was met by the receptionist (?) which I guess also was a tattoo artist who honestly looked like he just wanted to go home. And when I presented my idea I hoped they might help me extending or improving it, because let's face it - I'm not an artist and I am not creative. But insteadI got the impression that my idea was lame and he could not help me with any suggestions if I didn't pay the deposit of $100. Won't go back here. Read Less

This is the best tattoo shop I've ever been to. The staff is friendly and talented, the shop is incredibly clean, and the music playlists are always great (especially for long sessions). George is the best artist I've ever had the pleasure to be tattooed by, great shop. Highly recommend. Read Less

Sarah at War Horse is Awesome!From the start Sarah was very professional and responsive.  When I went in for my consult she listened while I explained my goals and expectations of what I was hoping for.  She spent a lot of time explaining what permanent cosmetics is, the differences, and answering my questions.  We decided on Microblading, she described the process, and went over shapes and colors.  Once we had a plan I made the appointment.  Sarah made sure that I understood the pre-procedure instructions, and post-procedure care, and that I didn't have any other questions.During my appointment she made me comfortable, and then started measuring and marking.  All along the way she was explaining what she was doing.  Once she was happy with the shape, she checked with me for my approval.  I'll admit at this point it was a little hard for me to tell what the final result was going to be, but Sarah had earned my trust and I was ready to go.  I'm not going to lie, there was some pain, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it could have been, and she was putting numbing cream on as she went that helped.Once she finished and showed me her work I was very happy.  She captured exactly what I wanted and they were better than I expected!  Before I left, Sarah went over again with me the after care and made sure I had no unanswered questions.It's so nice not to have to do anything with my brows and they look perfect!!I also wanted to comment on War Horse.  I had never before been in a tattoo shop.  This shop was very nice, airy and open, with an elegant, industrial look.  The other artists there were very professional.  I felt comfortable and welcome. Read Less

Awesome place for a first tattoo. I got a large tattoo, over most of my right arm, and it was my first. George talked to me about the art, the placement, and did the work. It's not done yet, but the first few hours were simple, relatively comfortable, and just what I wanted. This place does a great job of taking your idea and making it into an awesome piece of art, and a great job of keeping their shop clean, friendly, and amazingly low drama. Highly recommended. Read Less

Cameron did a large spider on my calf last year that looks absolutely incredible. Unfortunately I ended up losing a little bit of the shadow pigment during the healing process. I finally got around to asking him for a retouch and even though it was a whole year later he fixed the shadow and even added more color completely for free. If I ever get more tattoos they will definitely be from Cameron. Read Less

They took my friend and I as walk ins. They were extremely welcoming. I have been to many different tattoo shops(as I have lots of tattoos) this tattoo shop was the nicest one that I have ever been in. There are tons of amazing pieces of art on the walls as well as personal decor of some bad ass taxidermy skulls. Dana did my tattoo, I definitely recommend him!! He has a very steady hand and he is an amazing artist!! We had some pretty awesome conversations while I was getting tatted. I will def be back to this shop for sure. Especially with Dana. Read Less

The idea of committing to a tattoo on my body took years, but once I was clear I was going to get one it took 1 week from hello to so long and thanks (see you in 3 weeks for a final touch up/check to make sure it healed right)! I got my first tattoo done at War Horse in April and the whole experience was 5 stars! I came in with a few idea pictures on a Sunday and Dana James explained the tattoo process and had me email the pictures to him so he could sketch out a more final design. My appointment was set for a week later where I gave some small adjustments to his design upon arrival and was ready to get started. I chose war horse based on Yelp reviews and I'm glad I did-it measured up to its reviews for me. I'm very happy with my final design and would not hesitate to recommend WHT & Dana James to anyone wanting a quality tattoo done in a very clean and attractive shop! Thank you for a great 1st time experience! Read Less

Wow, Dana James did an amazing job! He took our idea and took it up a few notches, with his perfected lettering to match my boyfriends island tattoo and my nickname "Tida," which means Tough Girl's Protector. Thank you Dana, you were so professional and amazingly gentle handed according to my boyfriend. Read Less

Dana is really awesome. He did my 2nd tattoo for me. He has a very steady hand and the letter on my arm came out super straight. He was also very helpful and patient. He helped me pick out the right font for me and sketched it out until I was happy with the size. He also has some really cool art that he showed me after finishing my tattoo. The shop is super clean and the other tattoo artists were all super nice. Great place to go for a tattoo. Read Less

Dana is incredible! Did some color work on my back and he made the color mix perfect to turn out correct under my skin. I was apprehensive at first but it turned out to be even better than I imagined. I never wanted to get more than one tattoo but my experience with Dana was so great that I'm considering it now! Read Less

This review is LOOOONG overdue! From my earlier review, you know that I did not get my tattoo from O'Reilly's in Santa Cruz. Instead, I met with George after an exhaustive search on who I would allow to give me, my one and only tattoo.I made an appointment with George and as soon as I walked into his "office", I knew that he was the guy for me. He had all the requisite reference material and posters that told me he was the man for the job. After talking to him and having him draw out a sketch for me, my hunch was confirmed. He NAILED it.First of all, George is a cool ass dude. The kind of guy you could sit back, have a beer with and shoot the sh*t. For the MANY hours we were there, we talked about everything from family to Star Wars to Walking Dead to me just silently crying in pain. No judgments!The shop itself is IMMACULATE. I had no qualms about bringing food in there and having chowing down. Be nice to your artist, if you're going to be there for a long time, bring him some food. I'm not gonna lie, getting a tattoo HURTS, especially where I got mine, but the end result was worth it. I cannot recommend George enough. IF I were to ever get another one (not likely), he would be the person I would entrust.BTW, by now, you may be wondering WTH my tattoo was, so I'm posting a picture. In case you can't see it, it's a cross between Dungeons and Dragons and Star Wars...Geeked out, I know. Read Less

I have two tattoos now from Greg dyer, and plan on getting as many more as I can from him!  Both of the tattoos he did on me healed flawlessly, and the colors are super bright as well as rich.  He also told me of a totally different way to heal my tattoos that nobody had ever told me before,and that helped a lot!The shop is beautiful, as you can see in the photos, and Greg is also a very talented painter, you should ask to see some of his stuff... And maybe if you're lucky you might even be able to purchase one.Greg will take the time to make you a nice tattoo no matter how big or small you're wanting it, and he'll make sure you're comfortable through out the entire process. He also has a great sense of humor which helps, because being tattooed by someone boring stick in the mud jamoke is just awful. You can find him on Instagram like I did to see more of his portfolio.  His name on there is @tacomonsterEveryone else in the shop is also overly nice and super talented.  All the tattoos I saw were amazing.You can't go wrong at warhorse! Read Less

5+ stars all around! Super professional, thorough, clean, friendly and reasonably priced. Cannot recommend Dana and Greg enough! I got tattooed by Greg and my sister had Dana. Both of us were very impressed and will definitely be back for more in the future! Read Less

I had decided to get my first tattoo & came to war horse tattoo & spoke with Greg, he gave me some very good information on the tattoo placement I wanted. I went back the next weekend & had my first tattoo done. shop is very nice, very clean & organized & Greg is very nice. I had a great experience! Read Less

By far the best tattoo I've ever gotten, and I have several, in a great atmosphere. Very cool and professional shop. Everyone there knows what they're doing. If you're gonna get tattooed in the bay area this is the place to go. Read Less

Where to start...First, the shop is incredible. It's huge, clean, and comfortable. The artists and staff are all pretty friendly and chilled out. They took me as a walk-in, Greg drew up a sketch for me based on what I'd brought in, and he nailed it. He helped steer me away on my design in the areas where it wouldn't work, and really amped up the things that were important to me (a really striking bright blue).I was really satisfied with the whole process. Greg did fantastic work, and he did it quickly. He's a pretty calming presence when you're being tattooed as well.I think for the quality of the work they did the price is a steal. I'll definitely be back to have Greg do some more tattoos for me. Read Less

I can't comment too much. I don't know tattoo shops. I know this one is huge, clean, beautiful and well-appointed.I came in today, on a whim, and got my very first tattoo from Dana. Dana is the absolute man. First of all, he was so, so gracious with me being a first-timer. He says he loves working on first timers. So I got there at the right time.Dana knows dark skin. I'm Latino, so I've always been a little wary about doing a tattoo just on a color basis. But he did a very nuanced blue that goes from dark to pop and I love really really love.  It's going to darken, but he's already accounted for that.All in all, very happy. I'm so lucky that my impulse happened to come to me in front of such a great shop. Read Less

I had the honor of getting my first tattoo ever done by George Campise. I did a TON of research (like years worth) and I knew he was the one even though the artwork I wanted isn't his usual style. George was very accommodating with my ideas and it took several months before I could get an appointment. During that time, I changed my mind on the artwork and introduced a totally different concept to him because I wasn't ready to have my first tattoo be as big as the  original design I wanted. George was kind enough to make the changes without charging me more and was very nice about it. I was nervous the day of the appointment, but George's laid back attitude and gorgeous shop put me at ease. When it came time to tattoo, George walked me through the process and the tattooing itself was actually very relaxing. The artwork is exactly what I wanted and more and I couldn't be happier! It healed perfectly with no issues and I have sensitive skin too. I love Warhorse and even though Berkeley is an hour drive for me, I plan to come by in the next few weeks to get a really small tattoo because I know whoever I get there will be quality. Thanks George! Read Less

4.5 stars, easy. Cleanest, gorgeous tat shop. It's more like an art gallery than an ink joint. Paul Bosch is the man-- I love his black/grayscale work, and his style matched what I wanted my black swan to look like. I was going for a traditional style with feather detail and just a pop of color and I definitely wasn't disappointed. The artists are all so nice-- no nonsense and you could tell they all work well together. $100 deposit that applies to your last session. Mine took two sessions and takes up pretty much my bicep and top of the shoulder. Spent about $800 total for custom work, including tip. Pricier than other shops, but you get what you pay for and it'll be on you for-evuuurrr (sandlot voice). With that being said, I took 1/2 a star off for not accepting debit/credit cards. It's a bitch to be carrying all that cash or getting cash from the 7-11 across the street. I hate carrying more than $40 at one time. I could see it becoming a bigger deterrent for me if I took public transportation. 2 hour street parking, both metered and unmetered options. I haven't gotten any smaller tats or flashes here, but I'm assuming the hourly rate/ price would be different. Check them out! Read Less

George is the most talented artist I've ever met and I'm extremely grateful to have the privilege of one if his pieces inked on my arm. George is the man you talk to when you want an extraordinary unique work of art. You simply won't find a better illustrator. Just be prepared to wait. Appointments are hard to get, but it will be worth it.Read Less

As my epic road trip  was winding down, I wanted to get a tattoo to remember this trip by. I searched all over Berkeley and decided to come by War Horse and we couldn't have made a better choice. Without calling or making appointments, I didn't expect to be able to get anything done at such late notice. I stopped in anyway at almost closing time and met with Cameron and Paul who are both totally AMAZING and awesome to stay late and work with what I wanted. They are both super nice, hilarious, patient and talented.War Horse, as everyone here has already mentioned, is extremely clean, comfortable, and very spacious. You can definitely tell they have put a lot of effort in every little detail with this place. This may be silly, but I really appreciated that their "after care" instructions wasn't just photocopied on a cheap piece of paper. :)I live in So Cal, but will definitely come back to Cameron for future ink. ;) Read Less