I would DIE for Karissa. She's pierced my nipples, my double nose piercings and my Medusa. Montana is also amazing and changed my medusa piercing. I've never had any issues with my piercings, and Karissa is very receptive when you ask for help. Everybody there is amazing. I recommend this shop to everybody. Even took my boyfriend to Maggie to get his nose pierced here. Pricing is amazing and customer service is awesome. Love you guys ! Read Less

THE BEST PLACE TO GET PIERCED!! Karissa is the best and made me feel so comfortable and relaxed! When I had issues with my piercings, she helped me through it and they cleared up right away! Bottom line: amazing staff, super clean, tons of jewelry options, and a great price! Definitely recommend! Read Less

I love love love Karissa! She is always so professional and knowledgeable. She is so chill and always has your best interest in mind when piercing. She always made sure I was doing okay, and answered every question I could possibly think of. I could not have asked for a better experience. I'm always really nervous when getting pierced and she made me feel very comfortable. I highly highly recommend her! You won't be disappointed! I can't wait for my next visit! Read Less

I will not allow anyone else to put a hole in my body other than Karissa at Avenue Tattoo! Not only is she professional, she makes the environment comfortable, safe, and an overall enjoyable experience. Karissa's customer service was wonderful and she was able to answer all questions and made the process as painless as possible. I will definitely be returning to Karissa for additional piercings. Read Less

I will never go to anyone but Karissa for my piercings. She is so knowledgable and she takes her time with what she is doing and explains to you what is happening which is super nice. I recommend her to all my friends. She is super cute and funny but most importantly she prioritizes the health and safety of her customers. She takes hygiene and anatomy very seriously and clearly knows what she is doing. She also allows people to contact her personally with any questions or concerns which is amazing considering how many people she pierces in a day. I have gone to her twice and forced my friends to go to her and I will for sure go to her again. Read Less

I got my belly button and my nose pierced by Karissa at Avenue. She is absolutely amazing and made me feel so comfortable and safe throughout the entire process. She answered all my questions and I felt very well prepared to take care of my piercings after it was done. I have gone quite a few different places over the years and have never received such outstanding customer interaction. I highly recommend her and anybody else that works at the shop. Read Less

Honestly I used to love this place. They do piercings for usually a little less $ than other shops. However, Karissa has been quite rude lately. When I ask her a question about a piercing, she comes back with attitude and doesn't use manners. I feel like I shouldn't be scolded for asking a question about my piercing. Not cool. And then I get a broken piece of jewelry that broke the next day- couldn't get a refund or a new piece for free Read Less

Went in to get a quote on a small rose tattoo and schedule a day/time. The lady I spoke with told me no one in the shop could tattoo it. A simple single red rose with a green stem like the one my grandmother got in the 80s. Read Less

I never leave reviews because #lazy but honestly Karissa deserves it. She was super helpful when I had a question about a piercing i had done by her. I live 3,000 miles away now and couldn't just pop in the shop. I dm'd her and she responded super fast and was so helpful. She is so generous with her knowledge and her time. She's fantastic whether it's your first piercing or the 15th. Her energy is both upbeat yet calming. She walks you through the process and makes it super quick and painless. Hands down the best person I have had poke holes in my body. Also, bring her snacks. She works hard and deserves it. Read Less

Tattoo Avenue is such a great place to get piercings at! It was my first time getting my cartilage done and the piercer Krissa did an amazing job! She is constantly changing her gloves and sanitizing. It was a great experience! Can't wait to come back and get more done! Read Less

I got my eyebrow pierced here 5 months ago, the woman claimed she was the best..HAH. I developed a black eye that lasted 3 weeks, was told not to change the bar for 3 months and when I went to my local shop, was told I had had a hack job. The piercing wasn't done correctly so my body was rejecting it. Now I have a large scar to show for it. Do not get anything pierced here! Read Less

I got my nipples pierced here 5 months ago, and consistently had issues with them. The bar felt too small and there didn't seem to be enough room to let the piercings properly drain. I went in to a different tattoo shop and they told me exactly that. Also, a curved bar with external screws were used when it should've been a straight bar with internal screws. It was screwed on so tight they had to use tools to get them off. Needless to say it was extremely painful to get them swapped out. I DO NOT recommend getting pierced here. Read Less

I went to Karissa for a nose piercing I have been thinking about for years. I've always wanted it but a nose piercing could really make or break your face depending on placement however she knew exactly where to put it and I am completely obsessed and kicking myself for not doing I sooner! I hope she never quits cuz she will be piercing me forever! Put your trust in her hands and you won't regret it! Read Less

I got some piercings done by Karissa. She's an amazing piercer and makes you feel so comfortable. Im a really nervous person but Karissa is so friendly and funny which makes the piercing process easy! She's very honest about placement of piercings and recommends what she thinks is best. I've been going to her for a few other piercings too. I drive all the way out from Vallejo because she's the best! Read Less

I love my experience when I go get pierced with karissa. She is always very informative and cautious with the area being sterile. I like that she makes you feel comfortable and relaxed prior to during and after getting a piercing. It just makes the whole experience much more enjoyable. She will also answer any question you have without making you feel dumb for asking. I got my first and second forward helix done by her and she made me aware of what would work with my tiny ear and what wouldn't instead of just piercing me and having it reject later which I appreciated so much. The pricing for the shop is reasonable and as long as you don't touch or mess with your fresh piercing (since it is a wound and should be treated as such) you shouldn't have any trouble healing. Read Less

nose piercing by Karissa! i am beyond pleased with how it turned out. extremely professional and knowledgable, and a perfectionist (which is important). she matched the placing of my older piercing (silver) extremely well on the opposite nostril, but was still very fast! would have been worth it if it took 30 mins. Read Less

EDIT: I see a majority (if not all) of the lower reviews are directed towards the piercer! I 100% agree with those reviews on the negative attitude Karissa (the piercer) has and I recommend going to Roy at Loops & Piercings!! He answered ALL of my questions without seeming annoyed and was EXTREMELY helpful! I have had 6 of my piercings done here, fortunately they were always done by another piercer who always answered my questions without any attitude, however I was told the old piercer had moved to another area. It's not worth it to come here if I'm going to be treated with sass. Tattoos are great here.. but I'd say explore options for a piercer.I have never had an issue here before today. I'm not much of an online shopper; I like to go into the shops to talk to a professional about what I want and what will work best for my body. I wanted new jewelry for my dermal. I went into Ave. Tattoo to see if the piercer had some new jewelry on hand I could look at. I wanted to see how the color of the gem looked in person. I had done this before at this location and the woman there before- happily helped me and I ended up buying three dermal tops! However, todays piercer was not happy I asked to see the jewels. She told me the colors she had, and I thought the color selections sounded nice so I wanted to look at them. The piercer seemed annoyed. I waited patiently while she got them and in an annoyed voice she said, "You've got to wait because NOW I HAVE to put GLOVES on to get them." I felt bad bc I figured it must be annoying to get them. I thanked her with a little extra sincerity so she would know I was appreciative. Then she brings the dermal tops out and says, "Like I already told you, I only have x,y,z" referring to the colors of the gem. As she says that she aggressively places them down. She places a dermal top down and it bounces off the table onto the floor. I quickly go to grab it and she says nothing, but continues to talk in her, now, even more annoyed tone. I ask her questions about when the next shipment would be and if she had bigger sizes. She says she doesn't know when shipments will be and she's continues to tell me that these dermals are the only colors she has. I ask her how and where I can order dermals and if I could do it through their shop. She is more annoyed and says she doesn't know when shipment will be coming and she doesn't know what she'll get in those shipment. It's fine if she doesn't know, but I'm just looking for some guidance on where to buy and browse dermals. The Piercer looked extremely annoyed and I'm honestly confused as to why. The sweet young lady working the front desk then intervenes and gives a solution on how to fix the solution. The piercer says, "...yeah you can do that," in a sarcastic tone. I walk out confused as to why it was such an issue for the piercer to help me when she wasn't with any other patient and I was the only one there to see her.?! Read Less

Sadly had to get my dermals removed .. all four.Karissa was beyond awesome with the whole situation. She's funny and super nice, and definitely made it as easy as possible considering a removal is going to be alittle painful no matter what. Would definitely recommend her! Thanks again! Read Less

A fantastic tattoo shop!!!! Rigo did such a great tattoo on my wrist and I am so thrilled with it.  Everyone in the shop was great.  Rigo helped me with the design and I couldn't be happier.  I will be going back. Read Less

Extremely impressed!!  Took a couple of 13 yr old girls to get their ears pierced and Karissa went above and beyond to make them comfortable (one was VERY nervous!).  She was thorough in her explanations, very hygenic and we were all very impressed by her.  Her hand is tremendously steady and fast.  Could not recommend her more!! Read Less

Soooo. I had my nose pierced yesterday by a really sweet lady, long dark hair, kind short. She had two nose studs, one on either side, false lashes and a couple other piercings. First off, when she "pierced" my nose with the needle she did not pierce my nose all the way through. Instead of using the needle again she forcefully tried pushed the stud through my nose for a good 2-3 minutes. After that she got a "taper" to help the piercing go through, (this was after another couple minutes of forcing the stud through the unpierced skin.) which my friend said was just another needle. She then cut my skin inside my nose to get the stud through. after that there was a red mark on my nose, she told me "yeah. That's from when I had my tool pressing down on your nose. It's just a little red" when I looked close she had actually cut/stabbed me with her "taper" she was using. So she lied to my face. My friend who was watching me said she was absolutely appalled by the way she was handling me. (My friend has two nose studs she's gotten done before and has never had this happen to her and has gone to the other piecing at the shop, Karissa I think?). If you go to this shop, don't go to this other lady. I should've gotten her name. I honestly wish I could get my money back! I even tipped her $10 on top of it before I realized she stabbed me! Read Less

I came here in 2016 to get my right nostril pierced. At the time, Carissa (with a C) had done it and she was very thorough with her explanation and instructions. I went back later that year to switch my stud to a hoop and Karissa (with a K) made the switch and was very nice and made sure I was happy with the new jewelry. In 2017, I got my belly button pierced by Karissa and she made sure I was 100% sure about the placement and the jewelry and that I really wanted to do it. I went back later to get a dangling and once again, Karissa was great! I've gone in multiple times to check my piercings and make sure they were okay. From a simple check to a correction of what another piercer had done on me, Karissa always came through with perfect service. I really recommend to anybody who wants to get anything pierced!!!! Read Less

A great shop full of great artists. Avenue is the best quality tattoo and piercing shop in Sonoma County by far. Karissa C. has done six piercings for me (and saved my butt in piercing-related problems of my own doing) over the last four years and she has worked her magic to make sure every one of my piercings is taken care of and beautiful!! Not only is she experienced in making the piercing process as quick, informative, and enjoyable as possible, but she's also creative, enthusiastic, and proves time and time again that she will always go above and beyond for her clients and her whole shop. Karissa is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about her work. Her dedication to the art of piercing and to providing top quality piercing is demonstrated in her work and in her ever-growing group of clients. Seriously, I can't recommend her highly enough. Go see Karissa at Avenue for all your piercing needs!! Read Less

I go to avenue for all my tattoos and piercings. Karissa is the only person I will let pierce me. She is friendly, and polite and never makes me feel uncomfortable.  I have been in multiple times with nothing but praise for her talent.  All my new jewelry heals beautifully because she takes the time to explain how to care for myself during the healing process. Don't even get me started on how adorable she is!!I also want to give a shout out to my man Mark! He is currently working on my second piece and I have been nothing but impressed. My sleeve looks fantastic, and with such a soft hand it has been healing without issues. So all in all if you want a friendly, honest, and sanitary crew of talented artists go to Avenue for your tattoos and piercings. Read Less

Everyone here is friendly and professional.I only get my piercings here because Karissa is the most legit piercer out there. Extremely knowledgeable and tells it like it is to make sure your piercings look and heal the best. Maggie is the newer piercer there and she is also awesome. I never even think of going anywhere else. If you follow their rules you'll have perfect piercings. Read Less

Love the shop!! I just recently got a new tattoo there from Kelly. He was great with what I wanted and very sympathetic with the reasoning behind it. I have had several of my piercings done here by Karissa and wouldn't go any place else for my piercings. She is amazing.. the shop is amazing. The customer service is top notch and will be going back soon for a big back piece and definitely more piercings. I have recommended several  of my  friends and colleagues to karissa for piercings. Read Less

This is my absolute favorite tattoo shop ever ever ever. I've been coming here for almost 5 years for piercings and tattoos. Karissa is my favorite piercer by far. She cares about how your piercings will heal, about the comfort of her clients and it's always an awesome time joking around while getting pierced in a fast, and mostly painless way (they're piercings, lets be real). The shop is always busy trying to do everything they can for their clients while they modify their body. Thank you lovelies and I'm on my way back soon Read Less

Karissa is amazing. Respectful and engages with a friendly demeanor, the service has been 10/10 ever since I step in the shop. Everyone is chill I've never got a bad piercing and space is very clean. I couldn't be happier. I always recommend Karissa when people ask me about getting work done on themselves. Read Less

Anytime someone asked where I got my tattoos or piercings I ALWAYS recommend Avenue. Especially their piercer Karissa. I came in with crooked piercings from a different shop, extremely unhappy with how they look. Not only did she fix them when she repierced me (they had been in ans healed for years), but she was so informative on why they sat crooked and the proper way it should have been done. Shes super professional, kind, and genuinely cares about her clients. Read Less

Karissa has pierced me many times and helped me fix crappy piercings I got at other shops. She is an amazing piercer! I have been pierced at avenue about 8 time and don't go anywhere else. Karissa is the best! Read Less

Karissa the piercer is the most awesomest person ever she is on point a great person great personality and always fun to get pierced by. She's on point and explains every step and even helps you with instructions and stuff. She is the only person I will get  pierced by. She is amazing Read Less

This shop has been the go to for all my friends and I for piercings for the last 4+ years. Ask for Karissa Castorena she is super friendly and amazing at what she does! I've personally had 5 piercings from her and I love them all. She is very good at making you feel comfortable and her piercings are quick and as painless as possible. If you want a positive piercing experience I could not recommend Karissa C and this shop more! Read Less

Really friendly staff. I came in for my first tattoo, and the artist was constantly checking on me throughout the process. They even shared some fries with me from a food run that they made. Overall a wonderful first experience, and i recommend them to everyone looking to get a piece done. Read Less

I've been here a handful of times if it's for me or for my friends and I love it. I've had some piercings done my Karissa and she is my favorite. I love coming to see her and getting something new. She is so easy going and always makes me feel so comfortable. She is definitely a professional who knows what she's talking about. I've gotten my tragus, doubles and septum done by her and will be coming in for more shortly! I don't think I'd trust anyone else to pierce me! Read Less

Karissa is amazing!  It was my first time getting a non-traditional piercing so I was nervous.  Karissa handled me with "kid gloves." She talked me through everything she was going to do, made me feel comfortable and I was nervous for nothing, barely felt a thing.  Karissa was very friendly and understanding and it was appreciated....now I am ready for the next one. Read Less

Went in to get a piercing removed and was told one person was in session and there was another person ahead of me. Shouldn't take long, I thought. NOPE, WRONG. IDK how long it takes to get pierced, but don't think it should take FIFTY-ONE MINUTES for only TWO people. Maybe it is naive to assume it should be quick, but there should have been SOME communication from the staff regarding how long it was going to take, otherwise I wouldn't have wasted nearly an hour of my life. The lady doing the procedure didn't even know what I was there for and I do not believe she even changed her gloves. TL:DR Piercing 2 people took 51 minutes. Do NOT come here. Read Less

Karissa was amazing and super nice!!! Just got my 3rd lobe piercing and I couldn't be happier. I was used to the getting mine done with a gun, so I was a little nervous. She told me it would be painless and she was right! Very clean an sterile environment. I'm really happy with the way it turned out! Read Less

Pricing is awesome! Have gotten about 12 piercings here over the past 2 years. Front desk girls are amazing and friendly but I never know what mood my piercer will be in that day. I feel like a burden instead of a customer sometimes. I think I'll splurge a little from now on and go to a piercer closer to where I live. Sorry, I work with customers all day too and never give them attitude like that...it's hard because everything else about this place is awesome. Read Less

I walked in and was helped immediately. Jesse worked with making sure every detail was correct and looking better than I imagined. Even though I only had a few words tattooed, he thought of things I wouldn't. Great atmosphere, awesome people and very reasonably priced. They make you feel welcomed and not scared to admit if you're not liking something. 3rd tattoo, first experience I had leaving very happy. I'll be back again soon for sure. Read Less

I've been looking at this shop for awhile on Yelp. I wanted a place that takes walk-ins since I had an idea for a small tattoo, but wasn't sure when I wanted to get it. Going to tattoo shops can be intimidating at times. I have over a dozen of them & I still get a bit nervous. I've been to some shops where the staff are standoff-ish & others who are the complete opposite & are super cool & friendly.I finally decided to get a small tattoo on a random Friday night after work & after feeling super stressed (& after payday). =) I walked into Avenue tattoo a little after 7p & asked if they were talking walks in. Lucky for me, one of the tattoo artists just finished up & was open to doing my tattoo after a quick break. Kelly was my tattoo artist & he very helpful & friendly. I wanted the word "breathe" on  my arm & he took his time in figuring out the best placement for my tattoo. He kept fixing the placement & allowed me to take my time to see if I liked how it looked. The tattoo took less than 30 minutes.The staff at Avenue Tattoo make you feel welcomed. The staff are awesome, the prices are reasonable & the shop is CLEAN. I will definitely come back in the future.One more bonus-- they take CREDIT CARD. Not all shops do & it's understandable, but this saved me a trip to the ATM. =) Read Less

I went in earlier today and got my first tattoo. I didn't make an apt because I was afraid I'd chicken out and cancel. So I walked in and they asked what tattoo I wanted. I was nervous to just tell them I wanted a "made in California" stamp on my butt cheek. But my lanta, they were so amazing. 10 minutes later I was on the table. Eric was so beyond wonderful, I was laying there, booty on display, and felt so comfortable. He calmed all my nerves and kept making sure I was okay and made sure I fully understood how to care for my tattoo. And it turned out better then I imagined. I could not be more happy. Thank you Eric! Read Less

If you are thinking about getting a piercing this is the place you need to go to! Karissa is the best !! she makes you feel safe and she really knows what she is doing, this is my 2nd piercing and both times were great! Read Less

Best place to get pierced in Santa Rosa in my opinion. Karissa is the best! I've gotten all my piercings by her & every time I come out satisfied . She's super humble & funny!  She makes you feel comfortable . Love it! Read Less

Got my very first tattoo here. I was seen fairly quickly. I got the tattoo I wanted and really liked it. However, when i took my bandage off and really looked at it closely, I noticed half of my tattoo's outline is not straight. It wasn't colored in correctly either. There are places that are not colored in. This place had good reviews online, and a friend told me it was awesome. I just wanted my first tattoo to be well done, and the more I look at it the less I like it. I should have looked at it closely when it was finished, but I was so excited that I didn't. I do not remember my artist's name (I was super anxious). I got a memorial tattoo on my left wrist, it is a yellow ribbon with initials and dates. Read Less

Love coming here. The girl at the front is always so super nice and welcoming. And the artists are amazing. Done 2 walkins here and I've left with two of my favorite tattoos from here. First from Emily and 2nd from Jesse. Great talent and very accommodating place to get last minute ink. Read Less

I got introduced to this place from my sister and I've been constantly coming back for piercings. I've taken my friends there for piercings and tattoos and they definitely loved it. The piercers are friendly and the prices are affordable. I will definitely be back for more piercings Read Less

Had a great experience here. Took my son in for his first piercing and we met Karissa. She made us feel so welcome and so informed. The best part was she was very pro about how to take care of your piercing and that made us feel like we did the right thing coming to this establishment! We will be back Kitty Kat! Thank you for taking good care of us. Read Less

Absolutely love this place! Cool people, dope atmosphere, and Awesome artwork and piercings! Mark and Jesse and the rest of the staff make you feel really comfortable and work to give you exactly what you want and how you want it. Not to mention I'm so happy with my tats that I just take their opinion and run with it and am totally satisfied. No need to go elsewhere. This is the one stop shop for me! 5 Stars! Read Less

Carissa is amazing and so is everyone else in the shop! Super nice, great artists, great piercers, and great customer service. Prices are good and this is definitely where I'm coming back for everything! Read Less

Consistently nice, knowledgeable, and talented staff. I've gotten my belly button, nose, and ear cartilage pierced here and just got my foot tattooed by Robert. Have left happy every time! Super clean environment. I've always felt safe and trusting of everyone I've seen. Will recommend to everyone! I can't thank the employees enough Read Less

I've gotten A few piercings there!!! I went in today just to purchase a stud... after 40 mins of waiting the piercer grabs someone who just had walked in because she was getting "pierced". That was horrible costumer service. I just walked out! I will never go back there again! Costumer service is very important and that place lacks that. I'm very disappointed. Read Less

I took my newly 7 year old daughter to get her ear lobes pierced today. Carissa helped us and made her feel very comfortable! Afterward my daughter said you were right she was really nice! Great experience for all of us! I will definitely come back and get more piercings myself and will recommend to everyone!!! Thank you again for making it an awesome experience! She can't wait to tell all her friends she got her ears pierced at a tattoo shop! Read Less

Got yet another piece done at the shop and I absolutely LOVE it. Mark Hansen is THE best!!I can't wait to get many more. Hand's down the best tattoo shop in Sonoma County, amazing artist's, amazing staff,just simply amazing! Read Less

This shop is amazing. We came in and it was extremely busy, people waiting outside etc. The staff were very very nice and the wait was not bad.  Excellent jewelry selection.  I went in to get an old septum repierced and the girl actually checked to see if it was open (none of my old piercers ever did!!) And it was! She tapered it and put jewelry in it and it only was 15! It was Karissa Castorena. She's fantastic and the reason I will be coming back! Read Less

My girlfriend and I came here today for her to get her first tattoo. Her close friend highly recommended this place, and it did not disappoint. Friendly staff, and very accommodating especially for a first timer. Eric did an amazing job on her tattoo and told her how to take care of it after, including giving her a sheet with instructions on it. 10/10 quality, service, and professionalism. Highly recommend. Read Less

Came for a daith piercing.  I called first to see if I needed an appointment, but was told piercings are walk-in.  Walked in on a Sunday, about three weeks ago, and it was BUSY! The walls are covered with drawings of tattoo inspiration.  They have a large case full of jewelry for sale.  I checked in with the gal behind the counter (didn't catch her name, but she was very welcoming and cool while handling the mob of people), and the wait was probably about 20-30 mins. Karissa was my piercing artist. I had questions, she had the answers and she was super nice and personable! Before Karissa pierced me, she went through the aftercare instructions which was copied on a piece of paper and handed to me, along with a baggy of iodized salt.She tells me to take a deep breath, breathe out slowly, then wham bam! Done. $30 later + tip, I left with no pain and the hopes of no more headaches. (I read about this online, hence the reason I wanted a daith piercing. I still have yet to take a survey...) I have no complaints! But before I give 5 stars, I do need to visit again. For what, well...I'm not sure yet. But if it's for a piercing, I'd go right back to Karissa with a "K"! I highly recommend her. Thank you! Read Less

I was tattooed by Robert he did a great job, and decent prices! I would recommend him. I will return to this shop for more tats! I even enjoyed the outlaw country mix they had playing. The whole experience was great! Read Less

I've come here for all of my piercings, today I came in for a tattoo. I didn't have an appt already made, so I came in right when they opened. In less than 30 mins I had Eric drawing up my tattoo design. The shop is very clean, Eric was great and very professional. I will definitely be back! Read Less

This place is awesome.I came in on a Wednesday and made an appointment for Saturday. They were very helpful and kind.I was getting my late doggos paw prints on my arm, I brought in an ink print and Eric got it perfect. He even got the texture of the paw pads. I couldn't be happier with the work and I will be coming back for more. Thanks Avenue Tattoo! You guys rock. Read Less

I drove up from the South Bay to get pierced by Karissa and it was  worth  it  Her prices are amaaazing and the process itself was swift. Needles always make me nervous but she finished all four piercings in a matter of minutes and talked to me the whole time. Karissa was super easy to be around and answered my endless questions with no issues. Despite having people waiting to see her, she took her time and didn't make the process feel rushed at all. I went back the next day and she cleaned all my piercings and went over everything necessary to maintain my piercings so that they'd heal painlessly.  She's also extremely responsible, I had wanted to get 1 or 2 additional piercings (besides the 4 she had just done) but she insisted I wait for them to heal and convinced me that waiting was the right thing to do based on my specific ear anatomy. Karissa told me that although her piercing cap is 6, she didn't want my ears to essentially freak out and refuse to heal. Any other piercer would have just taken my money and given me the piercings I wanted but Karissa is super invested in her work and I really appreciated her candidness. I will definitely be back soon! Read Less

Just had my daith pierced for migraine relief and couldn't be happier! I was greeted right away and made to feel comfortable. It's been more than 2 decades since I had anything pierced and I was nervous. Carissa was great and really put me at ease. She walked me through every step and gave complete aftercare instructions. Definitely recommend! Read Less

I had 1 nipple pierced by Karissa (with a K, not a C) and so far it has been fantastic! She made me feel comfortable right away and lightened the mood to calm my nerves. She explained everything she was doing along the way and threw in personal experiences to distract me from what was about to happen. She also thoroughly explained the after care and provided me with a handout. Overall, it was a great experience and every worker I spoke to was very nice and respectful. It's only been 1 day and I am in absolutely no pain! The shop doesn't necessarily seem to be in the nicest area, but the inside is clean and professional. Note: I was nervous about the external threading of the piercing, but it was all perfect and it was nothing to be worried about. Read Less

This shop knows it's stuff! The staff are very funny, outgoing, and kind making sure to relax you and have you feel at home with whatever experience you choose. The shop was extremely clean, organized, and open; nothing seemed sketchy or suspicious about it. And the pricing is definitely more than reasonable, a lot better than most shops. My friend and I came at opening time to get quick little tattoos done and they had us in and out in less than an hour with smiling faces, and not empty wallets. We both love our little body arts and will be back in the future if decided to get more. Thank you Avenue for a great experience! Read Less

the absolute best tattoo and body piercing shop in sonoma county . 10 great artists plus guests and two great piercers, these guys are very friendly and are excellent at wide variety of tattoo styles! highly reccomended! Read Less

I sincerely wish that I could give the amazing people at Ave Tattoo tons more stars! I have gotten a dozen piercings and hours of ink work done and have never had even a slightly questionable experience. The shop is clean and the staff is always fabulous, knowledgeable, courteous,  and respectful - clear and open lines of communication are never a problem.Also, there is candy. I love these guys! Read Less

STAFF WERE BEYOND SUPERB!! Polite, welcoming, inviting, approachable, understandable, easy going, and not intimidating... Especially pleasant considering I'm not the standard tattoo/piercing customer you would think of (older, middle aged, middle class, straight laced, Mother of 4).CARISSA S. THE PIERCER, DESERVES A RAISE, OR PROMOTION, OR SOMETHING!! HER VALUE COULD NOT BE RELAYED ENOUGH!! REALLY MADE GETTING A PIERCING A COMFORTABLE, EASY, ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE, AND SHE WAS EXTREMELY PERSONABLE.Was on our way home from Petaluma, CA with my son this afternoon when we got on the topic of piercings..Well, little known fact- There's a piercing called the "Daith Piercing", that pierces a small section of cartilage on the inner ear, that's also known as, "The Migraine Piercing"- said when pierced on both sides of the head, was shown effective at remedying headaches and migraines.So on a spur-of-the-moment, last-second, double-dog-dare kind of whim, My son dared me to get this piercing, hoping at best it would alleviate my regular headaches.. And at worst, id walk away with a cool lil piece of jewelry, a shared good time, and a raised punk-rock-motherhood status xDWell... It worked(!!) xP ;) at least the raised punk-rock-status.. The headaches part? Well, were still waiting to see.. (And we'll definitely get back to you to let you know!). However!! I did go into the shop with some slight head pain, and after i was pierced, couldn't notice a thing.It was a REALLY fun afternoon with my son, the shop we went to (Avenue tattoo, On Santa Rosa Ave, W/ piercer Carissa S. doing my jewelry) was AMAZING, PROFESSIONAL, and I walked away glad, knowing they were the ones My son trusted in taking me to get my first piercing done since the last time i got anything pierced when I was 22 years old (years and years ago xPP).Check out this article for more information on Daith (a.k.a. "Migraine") Piercings-Can Daith Piercings Stop Migraines? Here's What You Need To Know About The Growing Trend:m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/… Read Less

Came in on 5/7/16 I called way early, before they even opened and they answered my call and was told they accept walk ins for tattoos! So after work hubby & I came in and was told it was only going to be a 30 min wait, perfect since we were hungry! So we walked over to the sandwich shop a couple of doors down and had a bite to eat. Came back & Mark was ready to tattoo is. Mark was funny, laid back & professional! We told him they were our first tattoos and he said not to worry that it wouldn't be that bad. I ended up getting two tattoos and hubby got one all for an amazing deal! Just wanted to say thank you to Mark & all the staff for being awesome and welcoming/patient with us newbies & making our first tattoo experience a good one. Will definitely be coming back ;) Read Less

I couldn't have been more pleased with my experience yesterday at Avenue Tattoo.  I called the shop on Santa Rosa Avenue (they have two shops in Santa Rosa) and was told they were taking walk-ins.  I had been wanting to get a new tattoo to honor my father for close to three years now, and yesterday I decided to finally get it done.  I walked into a busy shop, which in my mind is a great thing, as many of the people coming and going were repeat customers and the staff knew them all.  I'd honestly rather see the place packed and crazy like that, than dead, because I'd be worried then.  Mo, the owner, was the one who worked with me, and took my original idea (see photo), and took quite some time working on the script and lettering to get it just perfect.  I was impressed with that, even if it took some time because it showed to me that he cared, rather than to just make a quick few bucks by getting as many people in and out of his chair as he could on a Saturday.Once he had the artwork all printed out, he started and just sitting there and watching him work was fascinating to me - he worked peacefully, but paid attention to detail, all while holding a conversation with me.  Walking out at the end of the session, I couldn't believe how much I loved my new tattoo, and I've received so many compliments on it as well.  My next tattoo is going to be a family crest and I already know I will be coming back to see Mo here when it's time. Read Less