AMAZING STUDIO! ALWAYS CLEAN & WELCOMINGTony Doung: HE IS WHERE ITS AT!I have a few tattoos, and I have been worked on by many artists. Tony is by far the best all around. He is flexible with his hours, easy going, and beyond talented! I have two nice size pieces from him and a couple smaller words. His line work is impeccable, his color saturation is amazing. He has quickly become the only person I will let near me with a tat gun! As far as the studio is concerned: Always clean, always welcoming, and always with good music in the background. The other artists I have talked to have been kind and greeted me with warm smiles(even when I walked in with my son for an appointment, not recommended!) I look forward to continuing to work with Tony and visiting Hold Fast in the years to come! Read Less

I had a piece done by Kim today of some shots I took of some birds on a photo trip, and she rocked! I actually researched tattoo artists that excel in nature and animals, and decided to have her do my tattoo, so I drove from Berkeley to Redwood City, since I was so impressed by her portfolio! She made the time go by so fast, and is so nice and a pleasure to hang with. I couldn't be happier! Read Less

Craig Toth gave me a really cool Nordic sword that my wife sketched. He enhanced the drawing a little and gave me a great tattoo. Probably the least painful tattoo I've ever had. I'll be going back to Craig at Hold Fast Studio soon for my next tattoo. Read Less

Kim is FANTASTIC!!!!! This was my first tattoo. I discussed my idea with her and showed her a rough drawing and she made it look soooo pretty. It was exactly like I wanted and was soooo patient every time I was making tweaks. But that is not the best part. She was SOO GENTLE while tattooing my neck that I hardly felt it!!!! It was like somebody was drawing with a pen on my neck and nothing more!! And because she was so gentle, my tattoo NEITHER PEELED NOR SCABBED!!!!!! Now some might argue that it might be just my skin type but I like to believe that it was Kim cz my sister got her tattoo from her too and hers also didn't peel or scab. My redness went down in just two days!!! I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend Kim for anyone wanting to get a tattoo done. Sooo sooo happy with mine. Thanks Kim!!!! Read Less

Kim is fantastic!  After a year of thinking about getting a tattoo, I was referred to Hold Fast Studio by a friend.  The shop is clean, light, a pleasure to be in.  Kim is talented, funny and puts you right at ease.  I would recommend this studio to anyone. Read Less

I rolled the dice here first time on a tricky forearm tattoo, Tony did an excellent job, I’ve been back to him probably 5-6 times this past year or so, he is definitely a talented guy, works quickly and fair pricing.👍 Read Less

CLEAN shop, the artists here know exactly what they're doing. Most friendly and comfortable shop ive ever been to. These guys are PROS, ive been around to many shops and the work im most happy with definitely comes from here. If i have a choice this is the only shop ill ever go to. Read Less

I walked in without an appointment and Tony was able to see me later that day. I came back for a small piece and he had me done in an hour I'm really happy with his work. Very skilled and professional. Read Less

Matthew Tilman is the most amazing tattoo artist and a darn stand up guy! I have a full arm sleeve by Matt and I cannot stress enough how wonderful each experience I've had with him has been. I am covered in tattoos but, no other tattoo I have ever healed as well and as quickly as they do when I am tattooed by Matt. He has such a light hand but his color work is still saturated as f*ck! 8yrs later (on some areas) and never had to have a touch up. You cannot go wrong with Matt. He is a madman and a genius! (and sweet as pie!) This shop has such a comfortable atmosphere and every artist there takes the time to say hello to you and check out eachothers work. Positive and upbeat but still feels like a kick ass tattoo shop full of many talented people! Love It! Read Less

Hold Fast Studios is a fantastic tattoo shop. I recommend it to anyone looking for a high quality tattoo. All the artists are amazing, professional and just plain cool. My favorite is Matt Tillman. We have mutual friends so I've watched his work thru the years. Two years ago I was lucky enough to experience his talent myself. I gave him an idea and he ran with it. He had a gentle touch and the hours flew by. The end result was a gorgeous realistic dolphin. I'm proud to show it off and brag about the artist. Last year I was in Southern California at Nikko Hurtado's shop and he and his crew kept commenting on the beauty of the tattoo. I'm thinking it's time to add more sea life to my sleeve and I know exactly where I'm going. Hold Fast Studios in Redwood City. Read Less

Hold Fast is a super clean and professional shop with nothing but solid artists.  Everyone here is very approachable and kind.  Matt Tillman is the only artist there that I have had the pleasure working with.  He has an amazing ability to visualize your concepts and bring them to fruition, and surpasses any expectations of the artwork.  I cannot recommend Matt enough or anyone at the shop for that matter. Read Less

I have had the pleasure of being tattooed by Matt a few times. Each and every time was the best ever. I had a horrible, and I mean horrible black cross on my right arm that I thought I'd be stuck with forever. Matt assured me that I was not. After a few sessions of Matt's brilliant work I am not incredibly happy to wear a badass samurai coverup that nobody could ever tell is a cover up. Even though I'm not living in Cali anymore, rest assured that I would fly out to Cali just so that I can get another Tat from Matt. Read Less

Matt Tillman is not only an amazing artist, but incredible person as well. He was really able to put together the ideas I had in my head and put them down in ink. Tattoos are deeply personal and Matt has a way of always connecting with the art and the person who will wear it. I cannot recommend him enough. If you're in need of ink, he's the man to see! Read Less

I can't recommend Matt Tillman enough. His tattoos are impeccable and he is amazing to work with. I looked around at many artists for my last piece and Matt's work totally blew me away. I am so happy with my tattoo and will continue to work with Matt on any future pieces. He also touched up another piece I had done by another artist who had passed away. The tattoo is as beautiful as the day I originally got it and Matt was really great making sure that I was really happy with everything. He is truly an amazing artist and an all around awesome guy. Read Less

Matt Tillman is the only person I let tattoo me. I knew he would be the best one for the job after so many other artists I had consultations with told me I couldn't get color cause my skin was too dark and it wouldn't show up. Well he said color would show up and he was RIGHT!!! He knows his stuff so now he's stuck with me!! Thanks Matt for making my tattoo experiences great ones!!! Read Less

Excellent shop. Clean. Good tunes. Great artists. Good people. I've been lucky enough to get work done here for 5 years now. Everyone kills it . One of the best shops in the Bay Area. Help put an end to shitty tattoos and come get work done here. Read Less

Mr. Matt Tillman is my star. he's been very special to me & my daughter . I have some wonderful pieces that have earmarked some important times in our lives. . good spirit good soul matters! because it's expressed through his art I'm Proud To Own and wear and be part of who he is and what he does love forever Read Less

This place is the best! Everyone is so nice and professional and they all do incredible work!Matt Tillman started my sleeve about a year ago. I did a lot of research before selecting him as my artist. Matt has exceeded my expectations by miles. His attention to detail, precision, and line work is incredible. I receive compliments from so many people everywhere I go. I cannot recommend him highly enough!! Read Less

One of my friends has two awesome tattoos, and she told me she had them done at Hold Fast.The first time I went to Hold Fast was in April of last year. I walked in and asked about getting a small tattoo on my foot, a keystone, to represent my home state of PA. I was expecting to make an appointment, but Tony was available right then and there. (Cool!) Tony took the time to recommend a placement that would work for my foot and one that would last over time. He was very professional and made me feel comfortable and welcome. This was only my second tattoo, and it was a great experience! A year later and my tattoo's fine lines look sharp as can be! Today, I was tattooed by Kim, and I had an awesome experience! Kim has a genuine enthusiasm that really shines. I felt like she was excited about my tattoo and excited to tattoo me. I got three pyramids on my foot, and they look rad. Like Tony, she also took the time to really make sure the tattoo placement was right on the mark. Kim has a such a kind, energetic personality. I honestly felt like I was hanging with a friend in addition to getting a tattoo! It was fun time!Regarding the shop overall, it is clean, organized, and professional. (Also, the bathroom is clean and tidy.) Everyone there is friendly. If you are a bit anxious or nervous about getting a tattoo, check them out because they are very welcoming, and the shop has positive vibes. The artists are enthusiastic about their art and seem to genuinely respect/admire each other's work. Also, they have an updated website, and the artists and shop can be found on instagram, too! Read Less

Hold fast studio has totally chill vibes and a very clean, open, and collaborative environment. Everyone I met in the studio was very nice and upbeat, overall great space!! Kim was my artist for my first large tattoo and I found her because she did a friend's floral piece. She of course does amazing, intricate and detailed work but what I loved more than her work is herself as an artist and as a person! The 3 hours flew by and she made me feel extremely connected, and comfortable. We were laughing about Adventuretime, Rick and Morty, Archer, and Bob's Burgers the whole time. Kim has a super positive vibe and it was a very cool experience to watch her work on my thigh piece. She was also very professional, answering all her emails promptly, letting me see sketches of my piece before our session, and having everything prepped and ready to go when I walked in. Because her work is digital, you can go bigger or smaller on the artwork. And her pricing is extremely reasonable for how many years she's been doing tattoos. Worth every penny - I'm in love! Read Less

I have been coming here for a few years now and the experience is always a pleasant one. The staff is extremely versatile and are easy to get along with. I have my brother from another mother, Matt Tillman execute amazing pieces from start to finish but I wouldn't hesitate to have pieces done by any one of these talented artists. Good location right near downtown; roomy, open air shop; good food around the corner; awesome staff. Great place to go if you are serious about the art that's put on your body. Read Less

I went in to Hold Fast on 3/4/17 right away Kim approached me and my husband. I felt confortable with her right away. I scheduled an appointment with her on 3/10/17. Soooo I went in yesterday and got my first tattoo with Kim! I loved it! I got a sunflower on my shoulder with 2 little hearts in the middle for my 2 angel babies. She did exactly what I waned and colors and all. I'm sooo happy with her work, I loved her attitude as well it made my first experience great! Thanks Kim!!! Read Less

I'm so happy I ended up getting my first tattoo here. Everyone was extremely chill and really nice. But I've got to give the majority of the credit to Tony. Extremely talented guy with an eye for detail. Made my time here more than worth it! Read Less

Started my ink with Mark in October, he did a fricken fab job. Finished it yesterday. Scheduled my appt, saw Mark within the week. Showed him the pic and he delivered!! beyond what I thought was possible. Proud ink'd person here!! Look for yourself ;) OH and he participated in my joy with charades, cribbage and more jokes Read Less

About a year ago, I finally decided to get my fourth tattoo. After hearing great thing about the space & the artists, I decided to walk in and ask for an appointment. They were able to get me in that day for a simple, easy piece of work.Everyone was really welcoming, and Mark Heredia agreed to be my artist. I am so glad we paired up! I just had him do a simple tattoo on my foot. He resized the art until I was happy and placed it perfectly. The actual process took less than 10 minutes, was painless, and I healed exceptionally well. I am so glad I worked with Mark!About 8 months later, my brother got work done at this shop, and had such an amazing experience, too.I cannot rave about this place enough. It's clean, the staff is amazing, and there is no pretentious air about it. Read Less

I am so happy i came here to get tattooed. TONY was awesome, the stencil alone proved it would be worth the money spent $$$. I would recommend this shop for friends, family, strangers. Anyone looking to get a tattooed. The artist there are pretty dope and talented, the vibe inside was very chill and easy, im extremely happy with my piece! Read Less

After my 3rd visit with Jesico, also having the experience to watch other people get tattooed there by other technicians I know that Hold Fast RWC is: * Professional * Friendly * Clean * Safe * Reliable * Dope Tats * By 'dope' I actually mean precise and professional attention to detail, making you look hella good. * Leave looking hella good. * Fast healing * Simple. No issues. Don't worry, no tattoo shop is perfect. Every place has it's flaw. Unfortunately you will not hear Taylor Swift Playing at this parlor while you are getting tatted. I'm sorry :(. If you really must listen to her you will probably be given permission to listen to your headphones. Have an awesome day! Read Less

Three sessions and two more to go! I'm writing this review for Tony. He's been doing a great great job on my 3/4 sleeve (first tattoo btw) At first I had no idea what to expect or how to feel since it's a pretty big piece to start with. The first two sessions was a pain but since he kept a conversation going the time passed by super fast and was not that painful-- 6 hour first session and 7 hour 2nd session straight. I love that his number is always available if I have any questions. Can't wait to finish this one up and get more from him. Definitely going to recommend other people to him! Read Less