Josh is the BEST! His work is so clean. He's easy to talk to and super chill! I had to sit for over 4 hrs w him to get my work done and it was an easy process. I got my half sleeve done about 2/3 years ago and people still ask me "Is that new? The lines are so clean" I couldn't have asked for a better artist. Thank you for giving me the most beautiful artwork!!! Read Less

What a great experience!!! My fiancee walked in without an appointment at the right time. Shortly after opening we walked in with designs we wanted and we're greeted by Pappy McCall. It was my fiancee's first tattoo and Pappy was awesome with her. He has a good touch, she said she barely felt it. Each of our tattoo's took about an hour to complete, but with good conversation it felt like minutes. The studio was clean and inviting and everyone we came in contact with was very nice. While waiting make sure you look around. This is a very old tattoo company, and the studio is also a museum. If you are thinking about getting a tattoo and are in or going to San Diego make sure you go to Tahiti Felix's. If your lucky, you'll get Pappy McCall too.Also, bring cash. They don't take plastic. Read Less

Bro, Josh is the bestestttttt. He did a sick ass bee on me. Exactly what I wanted! I love the vibe here, super old school tattoo art galore! To book an appointment with him was fairly easy as well. I'll be back to get some dope ass blackwork done! The price was fair, considering his work is AWESOME. A lot of his work is portrayed on his Instagram too which I like because I got to see peoples feedback before I decided to go to him for something permanent on my body. Read Less

If you want an awesome tattoo for a reasonable price, go here. If you want the cleanest traditional work you'll ever find, go see Phil. By far the best tattoo experience I've ever had. So much that now my whole family goes to Phil for his work. Awesome dude, go check out his work on his insta if you need picture proof. Philhatchetyau Read Less

Priceless piece of history, Gil has done his predecessors honor in keeping the shipping running well as a talented and good hearted person. What an amazing collection of archival flash, articles of the history of the craft. Beautiful space, well lived in while clean. Always enjoy my time spent with the Gaslamp crew! Read Less

My wife and I came in last night to get tattoos. The shop was very welcoming and friendly. It was like walking into a tattoo museum with all the amazing things they have around the shop. We had fun throughout the tattoo joking and stuff just like the good days of tattoo shops. This shop has an artist to meet any of your needs. Do yourself a favor and come here for an epic tattoo. Read Less

I love this tattoo shop! It couldn't have been named more appropiatly. I have been getting tattoos for 20 years now and every time I get one from another shop I am disappointed! The entire staff is next level. They have an artist for every style of tattoo you're looking for. They are the only place I recommend in San Diego. Read Less

Very nice right when I walked throw there doors, amazing place just to walk throw and look at everything on there walls, and the artist I got made my idea 100x cooler than what I was thinking so I’m so greatful I chose them.❤️ Read Less

Great experience. Made an appointment with Rick Schenk and he delivered with great art. I got a simple Shell back tattoo, which signifies a sailor crossing the equator. The venue is classic and there is so much to look at! I could spend all day there. Hoping to return one day to get more. Price is standard and I always leave a tip for their artistry and skill. Thanks Tahiti Felix and I hope we cross paths again. Read Less

Stopped in on a Thursday afternoon. Staff was very friendly and helpful. The offered advice and suggestions. My wife got a small tattoo the she had been wanting. She left with a quality tattoo that she was very happy with. Read Less

First time in San Diego so my sister and I decided to get matching tattoos, I came across Tahiti Felix's Master tattoo shop and I'm glad we chose this place! It was very clean, quick and very helpful to answer all kinds of questions my sister and I had. Definitely recommend this place. Amazing job and awesome customer service! Read Less

Buddy love tattooed my fiancé and I. We walked in when the shop opened up and he was quick to help. He had a lot of bad ass traditional art work. So when drew up our design we were really impressed. The dude for sure has skill. I'm from out of town.. but will definitely return to get tattooed by him again.. also the shop has a lot of history and it shows. Bad ass place. The walls are lined with flash and pictures from the past. Read Less

My best friend and I spent the weekend at Gaslamp and decided to check this place out since it was down the street from our hotel. I got my very first tattoo on the whim and it was an awesome experience! Philip was a pro. Granted my tattoo was small, but he finished it within five minutes, and it's exactly what I wanted. He was knowledgeable and super easy to talk to.Just keep in mind that they are CASH ONLY!! Read Less

I've been to this shop twice now and am pretty sure after this last experience that this is the only one i'll be going to from now on! Phil Hatchet is AMAZING at what he does and takes a lot of pride in what he is creating for you but is also super humble and has no problem giving you exactly what you want (except picture it a million times better than what you imagined because it will be!!). He was so patient with me this last time and redrew my tattoo because I changed my mind on the specifics of it. He is super friendly and personable too, so talking with him makes the time fly. He is honestly just an awesome guy and the best in the business. His coloring is ridiculously vivid and the attention detail is unreal. I still catch myself staring in awe at my pieces. Also, if you get a tattoo by him expect to make some new friends because his work is so unmistakable that when you see it on someone you gotta rave over it with them. Read Less

My first tattoo was done here in 1991 when I was a young marine stationed at camp Pendleton... still looks good after all these years!!!! Glad to see you guys are still open!!!!! Next time I am in San Diego I will stop in for more ink!!! Read Less

My fiancé and I were walk ins on a Friday night during Comic-Con. We both wanted hand tattoos in the same font with different words. The entire staff was very accommodating and friendly. Shawn our artist was professional and did extremely clean work. We are both extremely happy with the work and experience Read Less

On a whim and out of boredom while on vacation in Gas Lamp my friend and I decided to check this place out and potentially get tattoos. The vibe of the place was very relaxed. I saw some complaints in the reviews about the music, not sure what they were talking about because the music was great oldies and was a good volume. Also saw a complaint about the bathroom; if you're looking for a state of the art, spacious, squeaky clean bathroom in general tattoo/piercing shops are not the right place.We walked in and within 30 min were in the chair being tattooed.Hendo did ours and he was amazing! Super knowledgeable, talkative without being too chatty, and made us feel very comfortable. The tattoo healed quickly and with no issues, plus he offered a touch up if something didn't heal or look right.It's cash only but we were able to Venmo him which I really appreciated.Cannot express enough how happy I was with this experience and tattoo! If you're looking for a place to get tattooed in SD this is the one. Read Less

Painless Al Avila did my son's first tattoo on his upper right shoulder today of a black and grey shaded skull. It turned out amazing and the whole experience was very comfortable. The shop has tons of memorabilia and a lot of Sailor Jerry Style tattoos on the wall Plus an incredible skateboard collection. All of the Tattooists at the shop have extensive portfolios and do incredible work I highly recommend this shop for anyone considering some ink. Thanks. Painless Al Read Less

Walked in thanks to the recommendation of a local and only then did I learn I was in the oldest tattoo shop on the west coast! Second oldest in the country. Super cool, clean shop. Guest artist Olivia Granger did a beautiful job :) Read Less

Had an amazing experience here just walking in off the street. My friend & I knew we wanted to get tatooes together on this trip, but had no idea where we were gonna go. All my previous work was done by the same guy. Needless to say Zach Pensmith did a fantastic job, and Sean was so extremely helpful to us both! Thank you guys!! And Zach, I'm coming all the way down there to see you when my daughter gets here, we are coming to you all the way from Humboldt County!!! Read Less

Great experience with Shawn! I went in with an idea and he made it come to life beautifully! Clean shop with dedicated professionals! I would definitely recommend this shop if you're in the gaslamp district. Fun fact: it's the oldest tattoo shop on the west coast! Read Less

Best shop in San Diego. If you want work done with a pedigree going back 70 years and 3 generations, this is it. Highly recommend Shawn Henry. Incredible, crisp lines and vibrant colors. His custom work is off the chain. Read Less

100% best bang for your buck! The artists are so talented and take their jobs very seriously. I have had work done at about 5 different shops in San Diego and would rate them all 3's (if that) compared to Masters! I have pieces done by 4 different artist from Tahiti Felix's Master Tattoo and they all turned out so beautifully. I wont refer anyone anywhere else. Thank you!!! Read Less

One of the oldest (if not the oldest) tattoo shop on the west coast. Highly respected in San Diego and elsewhere. A go to shop for all styles, including Japanese, American Traditional, and American Neo-Traditional. Read Less

I was a walk in and Hendo was the person to do my tattoo. He was AMAZING! Probably one of the best tattoos that I have. He was very helpful on information, very kind and made me feel very comfortable. I would highly recommend this shop and this artist. Read Less

Killer old school tattoo shop! Great people working there and an amazing atmosphere jam packed with tattoo history. Got some work done and had a blast shooting the shit with the guys in the shop about art, skateboarding and 80s metal. Definitely going back for more! Read Less

We were able to walk in on a Friday night at about 8:30 pm.  Shawn just so happened to help us and I am SO happy he did!! FINALLY we found someone in San Diego with a light hand.  We had a not so good experience at Lucky's with an overly dark, not so great small tattoo so we were a little worried.  Shawn is great at what he does.  He's friendly, professional, quick, and polite.  We will definitely be back to see you, Shawn!!! Read Less

Every single person that tattoos here is amazing. I have been tattooed by Phil and Hendo, but have seen amazing pieces from everyone who works here. Amazing atmosphere and awesome dudes. The shop is clean, proffesional and fairly priced. Hands down one of the best places in San Diego to get work done.Read Less

I first walked into Master at the old shop a week before my 18th birthday and made an appointment with Al to get my very first work of art. Ten years later and he is the only one one I trust with my bod. His masterpieces speak for themselves and have given me no reason to look elsewhere for my body art needs. He is funny as hell, charismatic, and truly a genius at what he does. He makes you comfortable and totally takes my mind off the fact that there are needles involved in this whole process. I always walk in with a vague idea/vision of what I want and fumble to describe it to him and when he goes to work sketching- it's nothing like I pictured but always exactly what I want. He knows how to put to paper the scattered ideas in your imagination. He is gifted and I proudly show his work off whenever possible. Great conversation starters and I always try to have a business card on hand. Tip him well, ladies and gents! He deserves it! Al- you the real MVP. Read Less

So I walked into the shop just looking to get a quote on a tattoo I was thinking about getting. Before I knew it I was sitting with Al about to get inked for the second time. Al was a great guy to work with -- he has over 2 decades of experience so he knows what he's talking about. It was a fast process and I was comfortable the whole time. Overall it was a really smooth experience and I will most likely make this my go to spot for future tattoos. Read Less

Artist Zack was fantastic. He did tattoos for me and my annoying best friend and handled her pain in the butt perfectly. Of all my tattoos the one he did is hands down the BEST quality. His line work is so clean. I love it so much I plan on returning to him soon for more of the same. Highly recommended. Read Less

I got nine tattoos in 12 weeks when I was stationed at USMC Assault Amphibian Schools Battalion, Camp Del Mar.  Every last one of them was a work of art, thanks to my buddy Gil.  I returned every year I trained at Pendleton to get at least one more.  Love this place. Read Less

I was referred to this place by my barber who is an avid tattoo consumer. I came here with the recommendation of getting Phil Hatchet. I got a piece done on my thigh that's about 9 by 4 inches and in color. Everyone here was helpful and friendly not to mention the piece came out better than I had expected, it was vibrant, defined and absolutely amazing. Along with the cool vibe and fun people who work here it's the oldest Tattoo shop on the west coast! My piece was fairly priced and well worth the time and money! I totally recommend this place to anyone who is serious about their tattoo and looking for an A+ high quality tattoo. Read Less

I'm in San Diego for work and finally had the time to get a tattoo I've been wanting for months. Rick Schenk was there as a guest artist for the week and I'm so glad he did my ink! He gave me EXACTLY what I asked for. Amazing work! Everyone was great! Professional staff and spotless shop! If I'm ever in San Diego again I'll be be back for more! Thanks Rick! Follow him on IG @rickandvinegar Read Less

I'm in San Diego for work and finally had the time to get a tattoo I've been wanting for months. Rick Schenk was there as a guest artist for the week and I'm so glad he did my ink! He gave me EXACTLY what I asked for. Amazing work! Everyone was great! Professional staff and spotless shop! If I'm ever in San Diego again I'll be be back for more! Thanks Rick! Follow him on IG @rickandvinegar Read Less

I came here with my future wife, we both decided to get King and Queen crowns, you know his & hers #relationshipgoals. Joshua helped us out, he customized our crowns and was super friendly. He made me feel really comfortable and at ease since it was my first tattoo. I definitely recommend this place if you're in town and want to get a tattoo. You won't be disappointed. His artwork is amazing! Tattoo came out clean. We'll be back yearly! Thank you Joshua! Read Less

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!! My bestie was in town for Thanksgiving and naturally we wanted tattoos! After being to 2 other tattoo shops we were still not happy with the artists. After randomly seeing Tahiti Felix we knew this was the place to be! The artists were nice, welcoming and does amazing work! We were helped right away with a smile and laughs. The vibe of the whole shop is chill and vintage! I mean, they have been in San Diego since the 40s so of course it has to be the best! I got my tat done by Phill and I will be coming back for more by him. So sweet and very light handed! My tattoo is perfect and I wouldn't have chosen anywhere else!Come here today! Read Less

Came from CO after deciding with my son we would get our first tattoos together. His friend had a piece done at Masters and highly recommend it. From the phone calls to our visit everyone was amazing. Josh took my idea and came up with my amazing piece. Love love love it!!! Such an amazing experience. My son had bible verses written on his chest and the font and placing was perfect. He loves how it turned out. Thank you Josh for an amazing experience!!!!!! Read Less

This place is amazing. I was referred by a friend and went in to get an estimate to fix my horrible tattoo. So I went in and got a lot of "you want to fix that" lol. I was so thankful for their patience. The guys there are amazingly friendly and they do take walk ins which is great! I was referred to Al and he was there. Took a look and had me sit down and let him take a look at my foot! He did a hand sketch and gave me an estimate. Went back in and got it done. It looks so beautiful! I love it! The guys are up to a challenge tell them what you want Done and it's done! Def. going back for more! Read Less

I was really nervous going in here to get my first tattoo.  While on a two day trip in San Diego, I stopped by and met Henry and Monica! They were the best! They made me feel at ease and so comfortable. My sister passed away this July and I wanted to get a tattoo to honor her. I told Henry that I wanted a purple orchid with her name. He sketched out a beautiful design that I fell in love with. I'm not going to lie, it tickled a lot in the beginning, but once I got use to it, only a few spots really hurt. But in the end, it was so worth it! I love my tattoo! I highly recommend Tahiti Felix's to anyone looking for their first tattoo or to add to their collection. Thank you, Henry and Monica for making my first tattoo experience a memorable one. Read Less