Came here 5 days after getting my nose pierced in Boston because the diamond kept 'sinking in'. It was stressing me out and I called and got an appointment that day/right away. Alexis helped me pick out a new ring, sterilized and explained every step of the process and why the original ring wasnt suitable for me. Im so grateful and Id absolutely go back. The place also is gorgeously decorated & maintained. Top of the line! Read Less

Had an awesome experience here. I got a tattoo and since then I referred 3 people who got tattoos and are extremely happy with them. Highly recommend this place for all your tattoo needs. Each artist is great and has their own specialty so I suggest you review their portfolio on the website before you pick one that is right for your tattoo. Read Less

I had a most fabulous experience here in 2014 and wish I wrote about it sooner. I had come to Hartford County Tattoo for my second tattoo after getting a whole onslaught of recommendations from friends and after I got my first tattoo done at a shop I ended up not being super impressed with. I met with Greg Merola (now of Nautilus Tattoo) and he helped come up with the perfect tattoo. Now, as for this Yelp review, I am going to focus more on Hartford County Tattoo the business and not the artist, as artists change all the time:Hartford County Tattoo generally hires a staff of extremely talented artists. Each artist is unique, and when you either call on the phone or come down to the shop, the receptionist will help you find the right artist for what you want done. I feel the studio is more concerned about creating beautiful art than just churning out profits. Don't get me wrong- this is no budget tattoo parlor, and for good reason. The reception area is clean and interesting. There is artwork from the artists and a really cool coffee table made out of an engine block. The artists' rooms are each individually decorated and private. No one is going to come in and see you getting tatted unless you want them to. The artists are all about safety and make sure they work in a sanitary environment. They are great about the whole process, ensuring your comfort and satisfaction the whole process. They were extremely knowledgeable about aftercare and answered all my questions. In order to get a price, you do have to consult with the artist- and yes you need an appointment. This is definitely an appointment w/ deposit type, very professional business. They are worth what they charge. I would definitely check out their site first and get a feel for their artists'work. Read Less

I cannot say enough good things about Hartford County Tattoo. I called without an appointment on a Saturday and asked if they take walk-ins. One of the artists made sure to ask every single person if they could fit me in and promised me someone would give me a call if they could. He took down my information and Johnny chops gave me a call just a few hours later. Everyone was so so so kind and extremely helpful. Johnny did a very special tattoo for me and I can't say enough how much I am in love with his work. He explained everything he was doing to me and answered all questions I had as well as being very easy to talk to during the process. I highly recommend both Johnny and Hartford County Tattoo and I will not get a tattoo anywhere else after my experience today. Read Less

Great place with an awesome environment. Very friendly staff and clean facility. Got my Daith piercing with Alexis. He was very knowledgeable and answered all my questions. I liked that he talked me through the process so that I was aware of what he was doing and in the middle he would hold a regular conversation so that there wasn’t an awkward silence. Thank you Alexis for a great experience will definitely come back to pierce my other ear. Read Less

By far my favorite tattooing experience to date. The receptionists were incredibly friendly and welcoming. The shop itself is beautiful, very spacious and incredibly clean. There is an art gallery throughout and you are encourage to look around. Johnny did my tattoo and he was phenomenal. I truly can't say enough good things about him. We talked a lot about randomness and he taught me a lot about the tattooing process, the machines used, etc. He paid incredibly close attention to detail, my tattoo came out so perfect you would think it was a slap on. I will be going back to him in the fall to revisit an old tattoo. I was able to show it to him and get some feedback on what my options are and I am incredibly excited for what's to come as well! Read Less

Absolutely love this place. The staff are incredibly friendly and the shop is beautiful and clean. I've now gotten two tattoos from Johnny and am ecstatic with both. His passion and skill are clearly evident in his work and he's all around just a really great guy. His attention to detail is phenomenal and I fully trust his opinions/ideas regarding design. The suggestions he provides are sound and I love that he is more than happy to explain technical things to me and share his knowledge of the art in general. He's gained a loyal human canvas; I already have two more appointments booked. Thank you! Read Less

This place is awesome! Cheryl worked with me to create an incredible piece that completely exceeded my expectations. I brought in a handful of pictures I found on Pinterest, and she was able to sketch up the perfect design for me! Emma, who works at the front desk, was also super friendly and helpful when scheduling my appointments. I would highly recommend Hartford County Tattoo to anyone that is looking to get a fantastic tattoo! Read Less

The shop is very welcoming, all the artists here are super relaxed, chill & very professional. The shop itself is covered in artwork you can purchase to help support the artists. I am currently working on my sleeves with Rick Stanton. I cannot say enough good things about him. He has an upbeat vibe about him, and an attitude that makes you feel completly at ease. Every time I walk in I have a new idea & it’s an immediate connection on how we can add the new stuff!!! Doesn’t matter how far away I live, this is the shop I will keep coming back too!!  Read Less

Go see Johnny V. You're welcome.I had a trash piece done when I was younger. My old tattoo was a design I wanted forever, and when I finally did, it was a total letdown - Not at all what I wanted and done incredibly poorly. Johnny made it the piece I always wanted, provided comfort and great conversation, and is an all around good guy. Such an incredible artist and establishment. Read Less

I had Rick do a piece of lettering on my inner bicep. Not only was his work fantastic, and I couldn't be happier with the way it looks and turned out, but all of his font is custom so no one else will have anything the same. He was great to work with and is an all around awesome guy! I highly recommend going in to see Rick! Read Less

There were quite a few good reviews so that made my decision to get a tattoo here. It's a little nicer than a typical shop inside but the bullet hole in the window doesn't lend to the atmosphere. I went for a consultation and felt the artist and I were on the same page. I emailed several designs approximately 2 months beforehand as she was booked that far out.My appt was at 430 and the artist didn't come out to the lobby until 500. It was obvious she scrambled to put some designs together instead of doing that in the last 2 months and communicating with me. After another 30 minutes I was finally ready. Definitely one of the more unprofessional shops with music so loud I couldn't hear what she was saying. Towards the end of a whopping hour session I felt like she started to hurry to get it over with by copping out on the design. It wasn't placed correctly even though I had her move it twice. The lines are somewhat shaky and the tattoo did not heal well at all. I have a ton of scar tissue on the lines, while the bulk of the design is smooth. I'm hoping with time and scar cream that it looks better. I will have to have touch ups done on this to correct some mistakes and I will not be going here to do so. I realize that not everyone is sitting for a 6 hour $500 tattoo, but you should treat all your customers the same. We have these for the rest of our lives and expect some amount of trust that they understand this. Overall I think my tattoo is well executed but the uneven lines and off center placement is already driving my OCD crazy. Read Less

There were quite a few good reviews so that made my decision to get a tattoo here. It's a little nicer than a typical shop inside but the bullet hole in the window doesn't lend to the atmosphere. I went for a consultation and felt the artist and I were on the same page. I emailed several designs approximately 2 months beforehand as she was booked that far out.My appt was at 430 and the artist didn't come out to the lobby until 500. It was obvious she scrambled to put some designs together instead of doing that in the last 2 months and communicating with me. After another 30 minutes I was finally ready. Definitely one of the more unprofessional shops with music so loud I couldn't hear what she was saying. Towards the end of a whopping hour session I felt like she started to hurry to get it over with by copping out on the design. It wasn't placed correctly even though I had her move it twice. The lines are somewhat shaky and the tattoo did not heal well at all. I have a ton of scar tissue on the lines, while the bulk of the design is smooth. I'm hoping with time and scar cream that it looks better. I will have to have touch ups done on this to correct some mistakes and I will not be going here to do so. I realize that not everyone is sitting for a 6 hour $500 tattoo, but you should treat all your customers the same. We have these for the rest of our lives and expect some amount of trust that they understand this. Overall I think my tattoo is well executed but the uneven lines and off center placement is already driving my OCD crazy. Read Less

Cheryl rocks. Period. I just left getting two separate tattoos (one on my bicep the other on ribs) and they are impeccable. It was script and an anchor. Which is super technical and one little mistake you'd notice. But with Cheryl? They are perfect. If I had a choice id have her be my permanent artist and never be tattooed by anyone else. She's not only super gifted artistically but she is super down to earth and quirky and sweet. Just one of those people that stick with you. And she will stick with me forever because of her artwork. If you want a wonderful tattoo by a wonderful person please look no further than Cheryl Read Less

I first started coming here when I turned 18 to get my first tattoo. I was really happy with the work that Robert did on my foot and came back for a second tattoo on my wrist a year later. Also very happy with that piece. Just recently I learned that the shop had hired a piercer and was thrilled. So as a high school graduation gift to myself, I decided to get my nose pierced. I always went to Flying Tiger in New Britain for piercings and thought they were great. When I met Alexis however, I changed my mind completely. Alexis I super precise with his work (you can tell he takes pride in what he does), very sterile, and is really fun to talk to. I was so happy that I decided to come here for my nose piercing. I couldn't be happier with it! This shop is a great place. So many friends have been recommended here and many more will be in the future ;) Read Less

Calvin has done tattoos for a bunch of friends of mine and even did mine and he is the most professional tattoo artist I have ever worked with.  He did a few peircings for us as well and will give advice on how to best take care of it and if you have a problem afterward call and ask and they will help out. Read Less

I just got home from my 4th and final tattoo session with tattoo artist Robert from Hartford County Tattoo in Bristol... and I must say I had the BEST experience!I have been thinking about getting a big tattoo (over 1/2 my back and a little on one arm) for years. My husband must have gotten tired of hearing about it because for my 30th birthday he got me a gift certificate from there. So a few months later I scheduled my first appointment. Unsure who to choose I stopped in Hartford County and I looked through the books each artist had. Roberts book really spoke to me. So I scheduled the appointment and a few weeks later I was in. I told Robert what I was looking for (a big tree, windy branches, my kids names in the branches, fall leaves etc.) and by the second try he drew something better than I ever thought possible! I went in for my first session scared but Robert assured me that he was the right person for the job and was he ever! After that first session (outlining) I LOVED my tattoo, by the second one shading and more details I LOVED it more and didnt think it could get better, the 3rd session was color- and WOW it took my tattoo to a whole new level. My last session today was little details, and things I now wanted to add, as well as a little shading, and it looks AMAZING! I cant wait to show it off!! I have googled about a million pictures of tree tattoos, I have seen many in person, and in my opinion what Robert did for me is better than ALL of them.Now, I cant wait to have my husband go in, and I'm already thinking about how Robert can fix up my 12 year old botched tattoos from other "artists"a BIG THANK YOU to Robert and all of the Friendly Artists and Staff at Hartford County Read Less

This place is super clean, and the artists are amazing. Angel has done a few of my tattoos and many of my friends and family. He is the best in this area. Great with coverups and creativity. CHECK IT OUT! Read Less