I'm a fan of this place for tattooing specific. I walked in, told them what I wanted and it came out great. The check in process was smooth. The customer service on the other hand is another story.  I'm giving this place 3 stars because one, the tattoo artist never introduced himself to me so I don't even know his name. Also, which is major in my opinion, he didn't give me any after care instructions.  Once the tattoo was done, I got up, paid and left.  I'm glad this isn't my first tattoo but he should have sent me home with some sort of care instructions. Read Less

This is a great place for piercings!  I literally walked in, asked few questions, filled out the paperwork and got both nipples pierced with very little pain involved and was out in under 30 mins!  I highly recommend them!! Read Less

Visiting from out of town and needed a new nipple ring because the end of one mine fell out in the shower. Place was clean and i was assisted in a timely manner. Stay is cool, but not super friendly. It got the job done though. Read Less

Most underrated D.C. Tattoo shop hands down (imo)-- I admit from the outside it looks sorta shabby, and small, but it's legit. When it comes down to it, I don't think I'd go anywhere else to get ink. Now what comes next is specific to black skin, so in many ways this might not apply to everyone, and I've only been tattooed by Chris, so my review is specific to him (although I've never seen anything bad out of here):They won't scar you, they won't put anything on you that will look like crap in a few years (unless you insist I suppose?), they don't overcharge, and they do damn good work. Black skin can be sensitive and delicate so it's important go to an artist who knows what he/she/ze is doing and has experience with it. Always look through portfolios for a variety of  skin types...with HEALED work (everything looks good new). I've gotten tattoos here and from another shop in DC (Fattyz: my most expensive tattoo which scarred something awful because of a heavy handed artist) and Pinz is better by a long shot. Had to book over 3 months in advance to get the artist I wanted but it was well worth the wait. I went in with a pretty specific idea of what I wanted, and Chris drew it out. His work was quick and gentle. While the tattooing itself only took an hour, the drawing and prep took a few hours. I wasn't a fan of waiting this long BUT what can I say? I walked out happy and the people watching out front was entertaining. Only cons here are the size of the shop and the waits: it's tiny and be prepared to wait a while even with an appointment. If you're getting a piece on a place of your body that needs privacy? Might be tough. But it's an overall great shop and the art is what matters. Read Less

My overall experience with Pins and Needles was great. The lady was nice, all of the equipment was clean and the overall experience was great. But, the one issue I am having is the face that my piercing is way to big for my nose. I understand I was given the option of choosing between two rings, but as a professional, I feel she shouldn't have given me the option in the first place, or rather, she should've looked at my nose first ad gave a list of pros and cons. Because of this mistake on both parts, mine being choosing the wrong ring, and hers with not noticing it was too big for my nose, I cannot flip the ring up into my nose for work. Also, after going to another piercer for advice on ring sizes, I was also informed that my ring is in the wrong place. My nose ring is placed way to far back and therefore also increases the struggle of trying to put my ring in my nose. Because of this, I have to take the ring out and wait for the whole to heal so i can get it redone. Overall, I am very happy with the experience, minus this little issue. Read Less

I came in here blackout drunk and high and woke up the next day with a tattoo that's actually really nice, which is truly shady all around. This could have gone terribly and ended up causing a one star Yelp review in all caps, but thankfully it did not. According to the business card I later found in my purse, the gentleman who served me is Roger. Dude had my back. The lettering is straight, he used a good sized needle, there's no scarring. It's actually nicer than a tattoo on my ribcage that I spent years planning and paid twice as much for. I will be back when I need a touchup, I will be back for my next (sober) tattoo. Read Less

I came in here blackout drunk and high and woke up the next day with a tattoo that's actually really nice, which is truly shady all around. This could have gone terribly and ended up causing a one star Yelp review in all caps, but thankfully it did not. According to the business card I later found in my purse, the gentleman who served me is Roger. Dude had my back. The lettering is straight, he used a good sized needle, there's no scarring. It's actually nicer than a tattoo on my ribcage that I spent years planning and paid twice as much for. I will be back when I need a touchup, I will be back for my next (sober) tattoo. Read Less

My Birthday is on Wednesday 3/29 and I wanted to gift myself with a tattoo. I looked at 2 other shops but was not accommodated even though I wanted something simple but meaningful. I walked in and Dune took care of me right away and I'm in love with my hanger tattoo. I'll definitely be back.... Everyone was so cool, chill and funny. Thanks Dune Read Less

My Birthday is on Wednesday 3/29 and I wanted to gift myself with a tattoo. I looked at 2 other shops but was not accommodated even though I wanted something simple but meaningful. I walked in and Dune took care of me right away and I'm in love with my hanger tattoo. I'll definitely be back.... Everyone was so cool, chill and funny. Thanks Dune Read Less

I had a great experience. I previously had a piercing done twice at the same location by two different people and the service was very efficient . Yesterday I came in and was quickly assisted. Dune was my tattoo artist I would recommend him to anyone. His line work is impeccable I am absolutely satisfied with the amount of time and effort put into the permanent art on my body and I will recommend him to anyone who is looking to get a tattoo in DC. Read Less

I cannot say more about this place or the people who work in it besides excellent. I've been following Chris Mensah for over 12 years and he is the ONLY person I will allow to tattoo me. Everyone is so professional and the work speaks for itself. Amazing you won't be disappointed Read Less

Very horrible experience. Was told to come in to help with putting in my tragus piercing. Once I arrived, the piercer was out to lunch! I stated I just called and you knew I was coming. I waited for 15 mins while they played on their phones. They didn't care. Read Less

I got my tattoo from Chris. He was great. I got my tattoo up in my armpit and it was Frankenstein. I really felt at home and at ease in his shop. I was able to take breaks so I could smoke a cig. Thanks again guys. Cheers Read Less

Went here a while back to inquire about a getting a tattoo. I even brought a printout of the design I wanted which was very simple and not too elaborate. As it was my first tattoo, I was looking for some general advice about placement and how long it would take, the healing process, etc. The guy at the desk said that no one was there that evening to do the tattoo and I would have to come back some other time. He looked at my design and just said come back when you know what size you want it. I gave him an idea of what size I wanted but I guess because I didn't give him precise measurements with centimeters and inches, he wasn't trying to hear it. He did not seem welcoming or encouraging or helpful with any advice or with making an appointment. So, I just picked up my design and decided to leave and take my business elsewhere. Read Less

My tattoo is amazing. I love it so much I also got a dope piersing here I'm so happy I found this place. They are very friendly and welcoming. If your looking for the best you found it. I've never felt so secure at most places of business but this place was like home. Read Less

I've both a piercing (my nose twice, will be going again for a third time) and tattoo (small butterfly silhouette on my left wrist). The staff is cool and helpful and the place is pretty clean, though really small. My only grievance is its always unknown when the piercer will be there as there is no set schedule so it's best to call ahead if you want a piercing or go somewhere else because there's no guarantee. Overall great place! Read Less

I got my nose pierced here about 5 weeks ago and was happy with the experience. I called ahead to ensure the piercer would be around, which seems to be important since I believe they have 2 piercers who have different schedules. It was quick and very affordable at $40 including the hoop, which was cheaper than other shops in the city. They gave me some instructions but with the internet, I knew I could lose that sheet and be fine.This is not the place to go if you are into frilliness. There's a sign that says "No whining", friends can't hold your hand though they can be nearby, and you can't choose your gauge size or specific jewelry. I detected no ego from anyone working there, which was nice.They have an open hoop with ball as their default jewelry (not sure if it's steel or silver). I didn't like the ball showing as much, so I asked the piercer to hide it. I think I probably could have asked for that beforehand and made it easier, which is why I'm writing. I believe 16g hoop is the default size here. Removing all the extra choices from the experience meant it was a very quick, direct, and professional job. If you want no BS, come here for your nose piercing. Read Less

Came in for a piercing, but ended up with a tattoo. I was in and out in 25 mins, minus the sketching time. Reasonably pricedRight off subwayOnly negative is the open floor plan without the partitions at the very least. Thats how I ended up with a tattoo instead of a piercing - no privacy AT ALL Read Less

Positives: loved Chris (if you want a great tattoo, definitely go with Chris). He was very patient with me and my friends. He gave my wife toe warmers when she was talking about how cold her feet was. (This was last weekend when it was cold and windy outside.) The price was also great, for the awesome job that he did. They're not there to over charge you if you just want a small tattoo. However, for bigger pieces, they do charge $150/hour. Negatives: the shop is super tiny. There aren't any dividers so if you're planning on getting any private parts pierced or tattooed, other people will see it all. They also didn't have much of an option for nose rings. They didn't have the size gauge that I needed. I was supposed to get a tattoo but I chickened out for some odd reason. (I never chicken out, and I regret not getting it.) Loved the artist, not so much the shop. I would go back for Chris, though. Read Less

The people were friendly enough, but the place is cramped.Prices were pretty high for a grimy shop (that's grimy in the good way: lean and mean and not hoighy-toighty).But seriously, you're a tattoo shop, not a Hell's Angels hangout or your friend's basement. You can give a better presentation. Read Less

I'd been looking to get my nipples pierced for a few weeks, and was looking at shops when I ran across Pinz-n-Needles here on yelp. I usually go out to Marlowe Ink but I figured since Pinz is right near my house I would try it out. I called the shop and spoke to a guy who told me that it would be $70 for both, including jewelry. That's cheaper than any other place I've been to (Fatty's wanted $140. That's reasonable because Hannah there is a PHENOMENAL piercer. However, I wasn't looking to spend that much.) I asked if I should make an appointment, but it's walk-ins only. Okay. I walked in on Wednesday and after paying $20 for parking was told that Karl, the piercer, wasn't there even though id called ahead to make sure and they'd told me she would be. I went home disappointed to say the least, because that was the only day my boyfriend/support system could come with me. I was told she'd be back in on Saturday night.Tonight (Saturday) I called ahead an hour before to see if she'd be there. The shop itself is right near the metro, so I took it to avoid parking fees. Its a really small shop, smaller than I've ever seen. There was a girl ahead of me and two girls waiting to get tattooed. I filled out my paperwork and waited. The guy at the front desk was super nice and talked to me about piercings idly while I waited. I was nervous, this being the first piercing I've ever gotten alone, but the staff made me feel at ease a little.Karl called me back, walked me through the procedure and told me to undress completely from the waist up. Now, if you're shy, this is not the place for you. There is no designated piercing room and a foot away from me there was the girls getting stencils placed on them for tattoos. Everyone in the shop saw, or couldve seen, if theyd looked, my boobs. Luckily I'm not shy.Karl marked me and then pierced me. She did it quickly and it hurt a lot less than I thought it would. Afterwards, she gave me aftercare instructions and her personal email should I have any questions "for the rest of my life" regarding piercings. She was super nice and informative, I felt like I was in good hands with her. The piercings look good, unfortunately my left is a little lower than my right by just a smidge. Maybe my nips are just crooked, idk, but I might have to go get that one redone. Overall I'm very happy with them. I rate this shop 4/5 for piercings. Read Less

This is my third tattoo with Chris and its the best one yet! I started being tattooed by Chris back in 2004 when he was in another shop (before he owned this one) and I had to work to track him down at his new place so he could do my last two tattoos. I have gotten into reviewing more recently so when I logged on to do this I was sort of shocked that there were some on here that complained about Chris. I can tell you that no one else will tattoo me so long as I can stalk Chris down!  His work is impeccable and he definitely works hard to get you what you want but also that he can feel good, as an artist, about placing permanently on you your body. The first time I came to Chris I had a tattoo I had picked out that he flat out hated. And he was honest with me and created something for me much better that he could feel good about putting on me. Frankly, it was that first experience with him that made me take the time to track him down at his new shop to do my other two tattoos. I work with stage performers and I know from experience they do their best work when they are doing something they love. The same goes for any kind of artist.As for some of the other comments- Yes- the shop is small so if you are particularly shy it might not be the place for you. Yes- if you are expecting a custom designed tattoo you will have to wait for your tattoo artist to create it at the beginning of your appointment. Good art takes time and they do need to to talk to you about it. Frankly I would think my one-of-a-kind tattoo is not so one-of-kind if it was ready when I arrived. Yes- Chris is a little quite but very nice. No, he is not super outgoing and over the top friendly because he is a tattoo artist, not a preschool teacher. Yes- they will work with you and your budget. If you are looking for a super detailed tattoo then make sure you have the budget to match. They are not afraid of intricate work or tattoos that take multiple appointments (both time I have been in for mine Iman has been working on tattoos that were taking multiple days to complete) but you have to be able to pay for that kind of work. Like the sign on their front desk says- Good tattoos are expensive, Bad tattoos are cheap. You get what pay for. Anyway his work speaks for itself so take a look and decide for your self. As for me, my next tattoo and my husbands which will be for our future kids will be designed and put on by Chris. Read Less

Do yourself a favor and come here for your new ink or piercing.  This shop is professional but fun, so you won't be disappointed.  It's got a great, accessible location and is easy to spot on the street.The shop itself is visually stimulating. Tons of signs, images, etc on the walls.  It's on the small wide, but I think that's to be expected of a tattoo/piercing shop (or at least the ones I've been to).  The only thing I didn't like is that because of the size, you can't have a person come back with you.  So if you need someone there for moral support, they'll have to do it from the seating area in front.  But the staff was so friendly I was readily put at ease.  The area where the artists work is very public, which I wasn't used to. I believe they have some dividers in case your piercing/tattoo is in an intimate area, but it's not like you'll be in a private room.I went here for a piercing and worked with Karl.  I highly recommend her and would go back.  I appreciated that she took the time to explain what she was doing at each step and why.  I was new to body piercing so her taking this time really eased my apprehension.  Karl gave great instructions on how to care for my piercing and you could tell she really cared about how it came out and that I didn't have any issues with it later.  She also offered to look at my piercing after a few weeks if I was worried about how it was healing.  The prices were very reasonable and you get great work.  I'm actually planning to go back here to get a tattoo by Imani K since she did my boyfriend's tat and it's AMAZING.  She's really creative, friendly, and takes pride in her work.  I don't know why you're still reading this. Go over and check them out! Read Less

Although there are a few good artists at Pinz, I must have stumbled across the worst one for my first tattoo experience!Looking at Imani's portfolio, I thought that her style most closely reflected what I had in mind for my tattoo. Unfortunately, after rescheduling my tattoo last minute TWICE, and complaining about her hand hurting, she gave me a CROOKED and HALF-ASS tattoo. Very disappointed in her work and even more disappointed in her lack of professionalism. I emailed her and called the shop to let them know I was unhappy and to see about the possibility of getting it tweaked free of charge. Lets just say their response demonstrated BAD customer service!My advice: if you must go to Pinz, GO TO ANNA! She is the nicest, most professional artist there. I would not recommend working with Imani. Read Less

I went here a few weeks ago to get a simple peace sign tattoo...and another piercing in my ear. The piercing didn't happen. The shop is easy enough to find. It's pretty small though, in my opinion and there aren't any partitions. If one was getting a tattoo or piercing in a "private" area, then everyone in the shop would see their business. (Assuming that there aren't any removable partitions hidden somewhere in the shop.) But I suppose if one is tattooing or piercing a "private" area, they don't have much shame. Anyhow....I'm pretty sure the guy who tatted me was Anthony. Or Roger. He did a good job. I had an appointment for 6, I came in at 5:50 and was out by 7. He was clear with his instructions on how to care for it and he worked quickly. I didn't have a peace sign picked out so he googled some and I found one that I liked. I couldn't get my ear pierced because the piercer had the flu but I would go back. Read Less

I love this tattoo shop! I got a big piece/add on done to my arm. Imani did a great job with the colors; especially since I'm an African-American. If you want a great, reasonably priced tattoo, head to Pinz n Needles ASAP! Get an appt, they don't take walk-ins often. Read Less

Want the best tattoo in the city~ as well as the best experience getting a tattoo ~ go see Chris Mensah ~ he is professional, very health conscious, and talented like you wouldn't believe, I have had 4 tats done by him over the years and they are all beautiful ~ Read Less