Owners truly care about their customers.There are so many tattoo shops in San Diego it is sometimes hard to choose. After looking into Guru Tattoo I know I don't have to look any further. I had the pleasure of talking to one of the owners Holly as well as store manager Cris. They were both very attentive and caring. It is so clear how much Aaron and Holly care about their company. If you have any questions call and ask for Cris, he is always happy to help! On top of having a management team that truly cares about your service, there is no doubt this shop has amazing artist, simply spend 10 seconds on their site browsing. I am very confident and excited to get my tattoo here. Love all their swag too, great designs. I will defiantly be representing Guru Tattoo! Read Less

For some time I had been searching for the right artist to do some work for me. After extensive research I found the right artist in Alonzo Villa at Guru tattoos. From the moment I met with Alonzo, he was responsive and very encouraging.  As I shared with him my thoughts,  he offered up great suggestions that I would later include in the work. Appointment day was perfect. Alonzo's attention to detail and his work with a needle is second to none. My work took some time but Alonzo made it all worth it with the finish product. Tattoos are not for everyone but if you elect to get some body art, I highly recommend this place. Read Less

So I have to say first of all that this was my first time getting a tattoo. From the moment I walked in the door the whole experience was top notch. Chris the shop manger, super chill dude, was the first to greet me and he made me feel immediately comfortable...I'm guessing he could tell I was nervous being it was my first tattoo. Also it didn't help I drank a 64 ounce mega redbull right before walking onto Guru..I never drink redbull and I dont know why I thought I had to drink one right before getting work done, so I was probably shaking...lol...anyways he made sure I had everything I needed and he stayed there for like 6 hours with Fredrik and I while I got my piece done. By the way I don't recommend getting a 6 hour piece done as your first time..it gets pretty gnarly. The person I chose was a guest artist and he was making his way thru the left (best) coast and his name was Fredrik Lansen from Sweden (he's amazing) I chose him based off of instagram pictures (@lansen) I saw of some of his previous work. He was the nicest dude ever and he we talked about how silly inches and yards were for measuring. His work speaks for itself and he did an amazing job on my fore arm. I would def get another piece done by him if given the chance. So I got a bear because I'm a woodworker and if people ask me why a bear tattoo I can say..because I work with my bare hands...hahaha see what I did there...anyway I also met some other cool kids that work at guru and everyone was super rad. If and when I get another tattoo I'm for sure going back to Guru. Thanks guys.. Read Less

I got a small tattoo here 2 weeks ago by one of the only female artists around -- Natasha Leon.  Lemme just say, Natasha is a wonderful artist and beautiful person.  I am going back to her in a few months to do a bigger tattoo that I am entrusting her to design.  I have no doubt she will come up with something awesome.  Love this studio and highly recommend Natasha. Read Less

This place is top notch Allonzo is my artist he did a killer job on my forearm and is going to do my other forearm and inner biceps and touch up my existing tattoos very gentle very happy with him the place is super clean the staff is so friendly I recommend this place all the artists are very good and super friendly. Can't wait to finish my next 3 tattoos with Allonzo Read Less

Honestly one of the coolest places you can get a tattoo. I got some ink done by their special guest Thea. I honestly could not be happier, Chris the manager at guru is just as awesome, he stayed late with Thea and I so we could complete the piece with the limited time she had. The rest of the crew at guru is just as nice and genuine. Super thankful for everything it was an amazing experience, I will definitely be getting more work done here in the future. Read Less

I got my first tattoo done by Lorenzo Gomez! He blew me away with the sketches he did for my little rose. I would definitely recommend him to anyone looking to get a very artistic and unique style of tattoo! Will be coming for more in the future! The prices are nothing too extravagant and are very affordable. And the quality is definitely worth the price! If you're in the San Diego area, come by to Guru Tattoo to get tatted by Lorenzo or any of their other talented artists! Read Less

I came to Guru to get inked by their guest artist Georgie.She is phenomenal, so are the rest of the resident artists. Definitely come here and book an appointment with any of the other artists, they are booked ahead of time, so you'll have to consult them.I love my new tattoo, and I am definitely coming back here to get tattooed by the others in the future. The space is super clean and minimalist. Read Less

I came for the Guru Toy Drive flash and had the most pleasant experience! First off, the two ladies handling everything at the front were super awesome and made checking in, scheduling, paperwork and paying at the end a breeze. They even gave me a courtesy call when there was only two people left in front of me. They seriously made everything so easy and were chill to talk to. So much credit to those two! I got my price done by Sweets and I couldn't be happier with the line work, shading and coloring. He got it done incredibly fast, too! The price is so incredibly fair for the quality of work you get, there's no way you'll leave disappointed ! The shop is so clean and has a really cool setup. The entire staff is always cool to shoot the shit with. Awesome merch, too! Thanks guys! Read Less

Amazing! One of the best shops in the state of CA if not the world. The amount of quality work that comes out of this ship is stunning. So many good artists... Aaron, Cooper, Champ, Kevin, Rory, Yushi, Tim...... plus all the guest artists. it's amazing. I love going in there and being part of the environment, and seeing the great art on the walls. Such a cool place. Read Less

This tattoo was definitely a swing and A miss.  I am very confident that Dakota did not understand fully exactly what I was hoping to achieve regard less of the fact that he told me he Did.  Then when I want to pay, I'm told O... he only accepts cash when they clearly advertise MC and Visa.  I'm scheduled elsewhere to have this tattoo repaired and to find out they have numerous people coming from Guru for repair jobs.  YOU'VE BEEN WARNED. Read Less

So terrible. Made an appointment to get a tattoo, full description of what we wanted. No one to greet us. For. 10 minutes. Showed up with NO ONE in the shop at the exact time and they told us "I don't know if we have time" I mean cool... but why did you tell me to drive 30 minutes to be here at this time. Awful. Lazy. OH and when we arrived they were all drinking BEER in the backroom.... photographic evidence available :) so maybe that's why they weren't in the mood to tattoo? Read Less

Had such an amazing experience for my first tattoo yesterday. Charlie C is very talented and knew exactly what my vision was. I drove 2 1/2 hours to go see him and it was wayyyyy worth it! THANKS AGAIN CHARLIE Read Less

The cleanest shop I have ever seen. I thought I was in an Art Gallery Exhibit. My artist Sweets did a great job. It's been 10 years since I got Ink and thanks to him I will be finding a way to come back and have him do both arms!!!! I contacted him though email and couldn't have had faster responses. He answers all my question, I set an appointment 2 weeks in advance. Day of I showed up and he was ready to work. Thanks Sweets and thanks GuRu Tattoo. Read Less

I've been working with Kevin Dickinson for about 5 months on my right arm sleeve and it has been a consistently amazing experience. After consulting with Kevin about my ideas/desires for the piece, he provided me with some excellent feedback on ideas/concepts that would/wouldn't work as well as taking the design in some directions, based on his two decades of experience, that I hadn't even considered... Since we began, he has produced a product (piece of art?) that continues to exceed my expectations with each visit. I'm constantly blown away by his creative vision, super crispy lines, use of space/depth/shading, vivid colors and ability to create a flow/movement within the limitations of my skin. Without gushing too much, I'd say just check out his Instagram for about a minute and you'll see what I'm talking about... The piece is far from finished, and I honestly don't know if I'm more looking forward to the end product or simply anticipating seeing what he'll magic into existence next. So solid. Read Less

My artist, Charlie C., did impeccable work and was able to pull together my ideas into his unique style. The shop was always clean and everyone was friendly. Guru has one of the best reputations for dedicated, talented, and creative artists. Make sure you can wait for the work awhile if you pick an artist that is especially busy, I went in for consultation in November 2016 and got my first session May 2017. It was well worth it! Read Less

I believe in the saying 'Everything happens for a reason' That's why I did my research and finally decided to get my first tattoo with Mateo Robles. I couldn't be happier with the results!! Definitely recommend Mateo for your first, cover ups or any other tattoo needs. Thank you brother. Read Less

I have been getting tattooed by Aaron for over 15 years and last month was the 1st time I was getting tattooed by a new artist so I must admit I was a bit nervous but my day went just awesome.  I met Alonzo outside and he was really warm and welcoming without even knowing who I was and brought me right upstairs.  Mateo was just the best...he took his time and was happy and positive and just great.  I couldn't be happier with my new tattoo and am so glad we got to spend a few hours together.  The vibe was perfect.  You have assembled quite a group of talented people with great attitudes. Guru is simply the best and trust me that you are in good hands with any of the artists there.  Cheers! Read Less

I just got my first tattoo at the Little Italy location. I was lucky to get Brendon, he's super talented and equally as nice. He took an idea and really made it beautiful. I'm so proud to wear it. I can't thank him enough! I went in for a few sessions and every single person was so friendly and welcoming. The place is bright and clean. It was all good vibes. Thanks Guru for making that such a wonderful experience! Now what to get next so I can go back... Read Less

Both my husband & I have been coming to Guru for many years now. We are proud to have been worked on by Eric Cooper. He is not just an amazing artist but an amazing person & now friend. Guru tattoo without a doubt has such a group of talented artist who are always professional & so much fun to chat with. I will always recommend Guru Tattoo. Read Less

As soon as you walk in you notice right away the professionalism the atmosphere of the shop. Very clean and organized, the artists' personal albums are custom made, which to me meant the management or owner cared about their artists. That expands to allowing their artists to do more because they want to and not because they have to get paid. The quality of work is astounding. The safety and cleanliness is no joking matter. I enjoyed getting work done here, and will definitely come back again. Read Less

Amazing service, great artists and a very relaxed atmosphere. They are so accepting of everyone and give off a feeling like you've been friends for years. Erik Kushner was my artist for my thigh piece and he did my best friends arm and thigh, needless to say, we are so happy with the pieces he put on our skin. Absolutely love this shop! Read Less

Professionals!!! What a place full of art and talented souls, nice positive feel when I visited this shop. Yushi is my artist here but the warm welcome from Arron and all at the shop was pretty awesome. Very friendly, with great attitudes but by far the great art in the shop inspires and motivates oneself to get in the right mind for tattoos. Almost if not all art is done by the tattoo artist here. Thank you Guru and I'll see you soon. Read Less

Brendan was my artist there, he did the most precise job on my heart tattoo! Ocean vibes and surfer atmosphere going on! Definitely recommend this place to anyone in the San Diego area. Really nice people as well. Read Less

Had an appointment here with a guest artist from Philly. But was very impressed with professionalism and cleanliness of the shop. I will definitely be back to get more tattoo's from the resident artist! Read Less

I have had multiple tattoos done and had, by far, the best experience at Guru! Brendon did my tattoo and was awesome! The people are super hospitable and make you feel extremely comfortable. I live in Orange County but will definitely drive down to San Diego for my next tattoo. Read Less

Someone recommended Guru to me for a piece I was looking to get with my friend over the past weekend. (Cupcake design) I always get nervous when trying to talk to tattoo artists because I immediately feel like a moron who can't put two sentences together. I have an extremely difficult time formulating my ideas in a way an artist would find understandable. BRENT was AMAZING, not only did he get it, he added his genius spin to the mix. I'm in love with my work, and will make HE is the one doing it in the future. He is also not to heavy handed so while I can't say the process was comfy like a massage, his gentle demeanor was so nice, I felt calm myself.  Check out BRENTs work, he has amazing talents and you can tell he takes pride in what he does!!!! The shop was on point with cleanliness, friendliness and can't say enough good stuff! Now time to think of my next piece!!!! Woot! Read Less

I am a very loyal client of Guru tattoo, this shop has been my only source of tattoo art for the last decade due to the absolute  world class level of quality and skill of the artists within this shop.Guru Tattoo is widely regarded as one of the top world class shops in the industry, clients travel from all over the world and are willing in some cases to wait for years to get onto the client list, but it's worth it due to its various artists abilities in putting together complicated, comprehensive large art pieces with absolutely amazing composition.In conclusion guru tattoo has my highest recommendation. Read Less

Just finished a piece at Guru in Little Italy a frw weeks ago. Worked for months w/ Champion Grubbs and his talents run deep. We communicated the entire concept by email and phone and when arrived to the first of three sessions, his designs were on point and ready to ink. Champ is a detail oriented, seriously legit designer who is the artist that's always booked 4-6 months out at a time. I am already contemplating my next piece with Champ. Champ was good with time management and fair on fees. I definitely came out winning w/ this tattoo, I love it every time I see it. I struggle to pull illustrative art out of my head and a talented designer can pull that out of you. Champ did just that! Clean looking shop, great curb appeal and generally solid vibe. Read Less

My husband had his upper leg tattooed by Aaron, and I am SO happy with his work! My husband isn't on Yelp, but Aaron definitely deserves a glowing review!! When my husband first contacted him, Aaron was kind and professional. He explained his booking process and fees. Once my husband put down his deposit, Aaron drew the most beautiful artwork. We loved it, and my husband eagerly awaited his visits with Aaron. There were four visits, and each time he sat for 5-6 hours. Since we live in OC, my husband drove a ways to see Aaron, and since he doesn't have the highest pain tolerance, he was accommodating with the length of the visits. Aaron knew that my husband and I are expecting our first baby, and there was one appointment that my husband had that Aaron did need to reschedule. He let my husband know a few days prior to the appointment that he thought he may be coming down with a cold, and offered to reschedule since he didn't want to risk getting my husband (or me!) sick. I thought that was really awesome!!! He gave him notice and an opportunity to reschedule. He was open with communication, and I personally, really appreciated that! I'm attaching a few photos of my husbands leg throughout the process. We are both SO happy with Aaron's work, and are both looking forward to having him put more of his work on my husband!! Read Less

Just finished a half sleeve at guru tattoo and I am so pleased!Let me start with the shop: both the Pacific Beach and the Little Italy locations are impeccable. SO clean and incredibly stylish inside. All of the employees are super nice, always stoping by to see what I was having done, asking if I need anything and very complimentary of my tattoo.Next: My tattoo artist, Champion Grubbs. I brought him a picture of my grandmother's 1960's wallpaper as my tattoo inspiration and he gave me exactly exactly what I wanted. I could not imagine a more beautiful outcome. Champ was so fun to work with and easy talk to during our sessions. He was incredibly patient with me when picking out the colors and placement while offering up some truly professional advice. I am so proud to have some Champion Grubbs artwork on my body forever! Read Less

From initial design meeting till we ended, Tim McEvoy was amazing. This was my first tattoo and he made me feel comfortable. I came in with a design and we tweaked it but I let him do his thing and he made it perfect. The studio was clean and the staff was super friendly and helpful. Read Less

I just finished my half sleeve by Charlie. The lines were better than any artist I have ever experienced. People at the shop were friendly and Charlie was easy to talk to. The whole experience of getting tattooed was really fun because of the conversations and cool people on staff. The artists here are by far the best and most professional in San Diego. Charlie knows how to create art that turkey complements an individual's body type. I wouldn't get tattooed anywhere else:) . Thanks Guru! Read Less

So happy I came here for my first tattoo! I had the privilege of having Eno designing my AMAZING tattoo. The location is super cute and CLEAN! Not all sketchy like some places you walk by. Everyone I have interacted with has been friendly and professional. I don't feel out of place at all- given I didn't have any tattoos. So this was my first tattoo and I wanted a BiG tattoo of my cats! Eno didn't try to sway me and was 100% supportive and excited to do his first design of sphynx cats. I supplied him with a collection of pictures via Dropbox and he created something I couldn't even image and definitely one of a kind! I literally screamed like I girl when presented me with my design! Yes I'm a certified crazy cat lady lol and he made my dreams come true!!!!My experience was the best anyone could have!The rates aren't cheap, but definitely worth it! If your looking for quality artists and a nice shop, come here! Read Less

This was hands down the best tattoo experience I have ever had of the now 5 . Brendon Trenberth was my artist and he did such an awesome job through the whole process. He took my basic idea and turned it into a masterpiece. He brought the old tattoo to life and incorporated it in a way that no other artist would even think about working. They wouldn't even give me the time of day. Took the extra time to get things done right and stayed late to make sure it was done proper. The whole shop was super friendly and clean and the atmosphere was just spot on. The vibe was on point and the whole staff was super welcoming and just made you feel right at home. I am not from the area but I can safely say that this will be the only shop I will use out here and Brendon will be the only artist to work on this piece. Such a great experience. Read Less

Creative fun and completely professional experience. Getting this tattoo was everything I hoped for.  I saw Brendon and he worked quickly and was open minded to any suggestions that I had. The studio was spotless and decorated very nicely with art done in house. I would've trusted any artist on the floor. Brendon was enthusiastic about his work and truly deserves a shout-out. Read Less

I can't put into words how happy I am to of found this shop and Eno. The moment you walk into Guru you're greeted with warmth, unlike some shops I've been into when they make you feel as though you're  "wasting" their time. The shop is one of the cleanest I've seen. Eno was recommended by a few friends, so I've seen his work (which if u haven't u need to look at it). But even knowing how talented he is, I am blowin away with the piece he did. The details is like now other and he can tell he takes much pride in everything he does. I have since booked a few appointments with him and don't see myself going anywhere else for tattoos. I more than highly recommend Eno,  but I would say you're making a huge mistake by not checking out Guru for your next tattoo. Read Less

Summary: by far the best, most professional tattoo experience I've ever had and Charlie was simply amazing.The longer version! My first impression of the shop was a good one. I love the white walls, wood floors, tons of windows, and unique decor. It feels very open and bright and welcoming whereas most tattoo shops have this black death metal theme going on. Customer service was very good. Prompt greetings and I was offered water while I waited. They were very organized with their computer system to make sure all the appointments and scheduling was on point. I also have to note how immaculately clean the shop is. I saw it being swiffered multiple times while I was in there and I didn't see one speck of dust! When I had my consultation with Charlie I like how attentive he was - he took notes and then I sent him specific reference photos. I had to wait a couple months for my tattoo, which was a good sign for me because it shows how popular he is and how much time he spends on his designs. Some artists aren't even taking consultations because they're so booked right now so that's promising to see that they're well liked.When it came time for my tattoo, Charlie showed me his design which was exactly what I wanted. I told him that I loved his style and gave him the freedom to put his artistic flair on it but he said no because he doesn't just free-hand or just throw stuff onto tattoos without planning. We did decide to add last minute dot work but he actually went back to the drawing table after doing my tattoo outline and printed out a quick shading guide on how exactly he wanted to place the dots. I was really impressed that he puts so much thought into his tattoos. While we were talking during the tattoo he told me that he only does the tattoos that he likes, so he feels inspired to do his best all the time. Another good sign to me.Again, I have to mention how clean everything was. Everything seemed so sterile and professional. It made me feel like I could never get a tattoo from another shop because Guru set the bar so high in terms of cleanliness and technique and even amazing customer service. The tattoo itself is perfect. Charlie is known for his extremely solid line work and dot work and it truly shows. Every line in my tattoo is perfectly straight and the dots are evenly placed. The ink is placed so evenly - no blowouts, no skinny and thick lines, just perfect consistency. If you want anything remotely geometric, look no further. I don't think you'll find a guy better suited for the job! Really, I couldn't recommend Charlie and Guru Tattoo enough. The other artists were definitely amazing as well. The shop itself sets the bar very high when it comes to professionalism, cleanliness, and very very high quality well planned tattoos from truly talented artists. Well worth the wait time. Read Less

Great art, great people ... The experience of a lifetime. Aaron runs the shop as a true professional and Nate does amazing Art Nouveau. They are even opening a tattoo removal business.If you are looking for the best tattoo shop in California and to meet some of the most genuine people around .... Come to Guru Read Less