Chris May has done most of my forearm but today he outdid himself. I love this piece! The shop is great, everyone is pretty friendly,definitely a good place for a first timer. They have plenty of interesting stuff of the walls,,,something to look at too take your mind of the needle. Definitely give them a shot, and very much worth a drive. Read Less

This wasn't my first time at Proton but it's been several years since my last visit and this was my first experience with Chris May and he was just so great! On top of the fact that he got me in last minute and came up with a great solution to a problem I had but he also has an awesome personality and I really enjoyed my time there! I would highly recommend this place everyone is great! I'm definitely looking forward to a future piece by Chris! Read Less

went in today for an impulsive tattoo and nose piercing, and could not have had a better experience. the shop was clean, staff was very friendly and helpful, artist (Erin Boyle) was awesome about working with me to make sure i got exactly what i wanted, was super nice and made sure i was comfortable, and i’m absolutely in love with my tattoo. the piercer was also so nice (and just a bonus, hilarious) and i can’t find his card but i’m pretty sure his name is mike, overall awesome experience, good pricing for quality work and will most definitely be back soon. can’t recommend them enough! Read Less

Mike Gear at Proton was absolutely fantastic doing my little girl's ear piercing. Perfectly professional, incredibly friendly and made her feel much more comfortable when she started getting nervous about the whole process. Would recommend to anyone. Read Less

I think it’s absolutely unprofessional to be sarcastic to your clients when they call you with a question about a tattoo or a piercing they received from your shop, your piercer is arrogant And rude, and I’ll pursue another shop where they treat their customers with respect. Read Less

I got my tattoo done by Dustin at the beginning of the year. This is my second tattoo but first tattoo done in IL and at Proton. I did my research and read a lot of reviews and decided to check them out. I put a $50 deposit on my appointment with Dustin and I texted him my reference photos. He drew me the most beautiful lion (will post photos in comments) it turned out way better than I imagined! The tattoo took about 2 hours with two 10 min breaks. Since I was freshly 18, I had my parents with me and they each got to sit back with me while I got my tattoo done, one at a time tho. I have to say I’m coming back to get more tattoos here! The artists are so sweet and talented! Everyone I talked to was very friendly and I just love Dustin’s art! Thank you Dustin for the most beautiful tattoo! Read Less

Great shop with excellent artists! I've had tattoos done by both Aaron and Erin, and have been thrilled with all of them! Calm, relaxing environment, with friendly people. This is where I'll be getting all my tattoos from now on. Read Less

I’ve had 5 tattoos done here. One by owner Jon and the rest by owner Chris. Both have done beautiful work for me. They make you feel very comfortable and are very caring during the whole process. One of my tattoos was a cover up and you would never know, it is absolutely beautiful. Not to mention, the shop is so clean and all the other artists and employees make you feel welcome. Thanks guys! Read Less

Chris May is a top notch tattoo artist. I went in with a concept of what I wanted, he said "Ok, let me draw something cool." When I showed up to get the work done and he showed me the design he came up with, I was blown away at the artistic ingenuity that Chris had displayed. He had the task of incorporating an older tattoo into the new design, and he nailed it. I will be returning to Chris for ALL of my future tattoo work. Read Less

Got the most beautiful piece done by the amazing Sam Terry yesterday and I could not be more happy with my whole experience (pics and videos in comments!). Sam was incredibly professional, took his time and made sure my tattoo was perfect and just the way I wanted it. I am completely blown away by his artistic talent! I was nervous because this is the next part of my half sleeve, I knew it was going to be a big project and I had never been to Proton before. Sam made me feel so comfortable and I am obsessed with how it turned out! It perfectly compliments the first part of my sleeve, my piano keys. I highly highly recommend Sam or any of these fantastic artist at Proton! I am a very very happy customer! Cannot wait to show my piece off and I will definitely be back to Sam to complete my sleeve! Read Less

I had my appointment with Sam Terry at Proton yesterday. Because it had been over a decade since my last tattoo, I needed to find a new artist/location. I asked my Facebook friends for recommendations and the results were overwhelmingly in favor of Proton, and I completely understand why. Sam took extensive time bringing my idea to life, finding the perfect size and position for my piece, and made the whole process amazing. Sam worked diligently, professionally, and never ru...shed this project which put me at ease. I couldn't be happier with the finished art (I'll throw some pics in the comments). Because the piece took quite a while, I was able to observe the other artists work while getting my own tattoo done. They are ALL extremely professional, hard-working and total visionaries. Tattooing has evolved and this location is ground-breaking, completely ahead of the game. If you are looking for a "fast food" tattoo-in and out thoughtless work- go somewhere else. These artist take their work personally. And the talent? I can't say enough. Thanks Sam & everyone at Proton- it was great to spend the day with you! See more Read Less

I walked into this shop a week or two ago to set up an appointment to do a cover up for my best friends wedding I'll be standing in at the end of August. Even though they are a high demand shop they got me in within a week and it was a 7 hour appointment. When I first came in I didn't have an artist in mind just anyone that would be available soon. My artist was Chris May. After we got just over half way through the tattoo I had a little burst of crying because it hurt so bad.... The original tattoo I got the artist didn't go in very far so I wasn't use to having this done even though I thought I was. Chris was so nice about it he took a few breaks with me and even borrowed some lidocaine spray from Erin to help numb me. Thank you Erin! That spray was the reason I could sit there for the last couple hours and get it all finished. Everyone here is amazing and I saw some other artists tattooing as well and all the tattoos I saw were just amazing! I'll be going back to Chris after the wedding to get a little more done on it but I am beyond impressed with the work and the artists! They truly care about their customers and make sure you have a great experience! If I get more tattoos in my life I'll be sure to come to Proton Tattoo! Oh and I LOVE my new tattoo! My goal when I got the original was I wanted a piece of art on me that I could display proudly and now thanks to Chris I have exactly that! I wish I could attach pictures to show my before and after! I'll be easy to recognize though just look for the girl wearing tank tops in winter from now on! ❤❤❤ Ver mais Read Less

I walked into this shop a week or two ago to set up an appointment to do a cover up for my best friends wedding I'll be standing in at the end of August. Even though they are a high demand shop they got me in within a week and it was a 7 hour appointment. When I first came in I didn't have an artist in mind just anyone that would be available soon. My artist was Chris May. After we got just over half way through the tattoo I had a little burst of crying because it hurt so bad. The original tattoo I got the artist didn't go in very far so I wasn't use to having this done even though I thought I was. Chris was so nice about it he took a few breaks with me and even borrowed some lidocaine spray from Erin to help numb me. Thank you Erin! That spray was the reason I could sit there for the last couple hours and get it all finished. Everyone here is amazing and I saw some other artists tattooing as well and all the tattoos I saw were just amazing! I'll be going back to Chris after the wedding to get a little more done on it but I am beyond impressed with the work and the artists! They truly care about their customers and make sure you have a great experience! If I get more tattoos in my life I'll be sure to come to Proton Tattoo! Oh and I LOVE my new tattoo! My goal when I got the original was I wanted a piece of art on me that I could display proudly and now thanks to Chris I have exactly that! I wish I could attach pictures to show my before and after! I'll be easy to recognize though just look for the girl wearing tank tops in winter from now on! ❤❤❤ Read Less

Aaron did a tattoo for my son and being his first tattoo he was nervous. Aaron worked well with him and gave him an amazing tattoo. I was so impressed with Aaron's work that I booked mine with him a week later and he rocked it. Looking forward to the next one that I have Aaron do, yes there will be more. My son wants another too!!! My wife and I were there about 4 years ago and we're walk-ins and Dustin gave both of us a tattoo that make both of us happy to this day. Highly recommend!!!! Read Less

So happy with my experience at Proton! Everyone was friendly and helpful. My sister and I went in as walk-ins, and I was pretty vague/unsure about what exactly I wanted, but what Sam came up with was perfect! He was honest, thoughtful, and careful, and I appreciated his attention to detail. Read Less

Had any tattoo done by Erin yesterday and I am in love with it. She did an amazing job her lines are nice and smooth. I loved how honest she was and how patient she was with the changes I was asking her to do. I will definitely recommend Erin to everyone. Can't wait to get my big piece done by her. Thank you again � Read Less

First tattoo ever and my experience was FANTASTIC! I was a walk-in and this was a very spontaneous decision for me. I showed Erin a picture of the tattoo I liked and she drew it up super quickly and perfectly and she was very patient while I decided where to put it and what colors to add. When I'm ready for another one, Erin at Proton will definitely be the one I call ��� Read Less

Excellent experience with Chris. I had a little tweaking done to one wrist tattoo and another added. Incredibly clean, great service, rockin music!! Very satisfied with the customer service and talent/experience with inking that Chris has. I'd recommend this place to anyone.Read Less

Very disappointed with my new tattoo. Expressed my concern with the shading being way to dark and the tattoo looking like a black blob on my calf. Response was "the original is on white paper, and the ink will fade". Now that I'm home and looking at it more. It's unacceptable, he even colored in all the TEETH. But what can I really do about it except leave a negative review. There is no fixing it. I'm stuck with it now � but what made me most upset is I felt like I was being ...hustled when it was time to pay. Tattoo took 2.5 hours and they tried to charge me $300. Sam claimed we discussed price in text and he doesn't charge by hour it's just a set rate (what a bunch of bull) but when I asked him to show me these text, it was not in our conversation at all. So he reluctantly charged me $100hr, almost like I was getting one over on him or something? I'm salty as hell, was really looking forward to this tattoo. Ver mais Read Less

Starting with the consultation, I had an awesome experience! I went in needing a cover up and walked out with a meaningful and beautiful piece of art. Sam Terry is an amazing artist, so glad to have found this place! Read Less

I've had three tattoos done there, two by Aaron and my latest by Sam. Two of the three (Sam's and one of Aaron's) were completely custom and unique. I went in with a very rough idea of what I wanted, and Aaron and Sam brought those ideas to life in a manner that was way better than the picture in my head, and both turned out phenomenal! I would recommend this shop to everyone! Read Less

Chris happily tweaked some detail on my wrist, was beyond accommodating, personable, informative, patient with my Spanish inquisition, and so kind, along with humorous. Cannot give enough praise about Proton tattoo. Impeccably clean, professional and friendly staff. So pleased. Great experience, I'll be back. Highly recommended. They book up quick so call in advance, if you don't want to hang out and wait. You will not be disappointed. You can browse one of the many tattoo catalogs or bring your own idea/art for your ink. Again excellent experience. I look forward to returning. Read Less

Dustin did a tattoo 6 or 7 years ago which I absolutely love, still, and I was so glad he guided me to a different placement and size so it looked perfect and has aged beautifully. Tonight I went back for another from him on my foot. The drawing he did captured exactly what I wanted and it turned out amazing. He was also very patient and gave me a couple breaks because despite a pretty high pain tolerance, that spot HURTS. I even got to pick my music, the Clash helped the pai...n! Very happy with my experiences here, I already recommend them to others and will be bringing my husband back for his. For the people complaining about walk ins, I'm actually happy that they'd turn me away because it means that they are busy (for good reason) and will not rush through something that's going to be a permanent part of your body just to get more people in. Highly recommend! Ver mais Read Less

I'm pretty much covered in tattoos, and I've gotten them from many different places over the years. Proton is by far the best shop I've been to. The most recent tattoo I got here was actually a cover up of a tattoo I had pretty much given up hope on ever having fixed. The person (from a shop I won't name) who originally did the tattoo left a lot of scar tissue, and a lot of really dark colors that aren't easy to cover up. Chris sat down with me, and within minutes had a rough sketch that would not only cover up the old one, but also beautifully incorporate some existing tattoos I have in the same area. When I showed up for my appointment Chris was ready to go, and had the stencil on me within minutes of walking into the door. During the tattoo, we had some really awesome conversations and I got a chance to really take in the scenery. This shop has some of the coolest artwork adorning the walls I've ever seen. Four hours later (it's a big tattoo) I couldn't believe how well the new tattoo covered up the old one - and how it doesn't even look like a cover up. Cleanliness, professionalism, real artists, great atmosphere, fun charismatic staff - this place is hands down the best tattoo shop I've been to and the only one I will trust with any future tattoos I get. Read Less

Just got a piece done by Chris May and it was an awesome experience. Chris was great! I had a broad idea of what I wanted , gave him what I needed included and he said "I got you".  showed up today and and what he had badass! Showed up a little after noon and was out by 3:30. Great conversation and the 80's tunes just made the day that much more enjoyable. I love the shop,,, so much to look at while the work is done. I would definitely suggest giving the folks at Proton you business, already talking to chris about doing the whole sleeve on my forearm. Read Less

place is really nice and they are very friendly. My one and only tattoo is from here and it is decent sized and was $50. I wish I could remember the man's name who did mine, but he has a lot of tattoos and a forked tongue. I also think his wife named Barbie works there as well. I was very nervous and he talked to me to the whole time along with my friends and it really did not hurt much, I am just a nervous person in general. They have nice tattoo books for you to reference while you are waiting or if you just want to stop in for ideas. They only allow appointments if it is a bigger tattoo so I would call and check before you walk in because we had to wait a while since we were walk ins. Read Less

Super friendly staff, clean shop, talented tattooers. One of my favorite shops in IL, worth the drive to DeKalb forsure. I've been coming here for a few years and have never been let down either by the tattooers or the staff, coming here is always pleasant and everyone is really welcoming which is a nice twist to your usual tattoo shop atmosphere. Read Less

Everyone here is very friendly and will work with you to get you the tattoo you want. I was recently in for the $31 Halloween tattoos, and I couldn't be happier with the selections the artists had drawn up to choose from. I know that this special is not typical, but for a 3-4" tattoo, in full color might I add, $31 is a STEAL! My artist, Jon, was super helpful in helping me choose the colors for my tattoo, and he also helped me pick the perfect placement. I would definitely come back for the next few pieces I have planned out, and I will recommend them to all my tattoo loving friends! Read Less

Excellent shop! Very clean, all of the artists were very friendly and you can tell very passionate about their work. I liked the shop itself a lot too. Fun stuff to look at all around you.We went on 10/30 for their $31 tattoo special and Halloween party... It was a long wait because of how many people showed, but it was worth it! Jon did my tattoo, and I am thoroughly happy with it! I took a few of his business cards to give to done friends and I will definitely be returning to get done more work done! Read Less

One of the best! I've had almost all my work done here. Chris May is my artist and does a wonderful artist. He's exceptional!  Very professional. Does a great job of listening to what you want and letting you know his professional opinion at the same time. I have trusted him time and time again and always been thrilled with the results! Read Less

After getting a cover-up which I absolutely love and am happy with and i tipped pretty generously, the artist told me to come back in a month so we could see how it healed and seen if it needed any touching up, so i went back after it healed and he said it healed nice but it could be touched up in a few spots so we scheduled an appointment... I showed up on time only to be told he had an emergency with his wife and we would need to reschedule and that they didn't have my number to call and tell me this..okk fine I understand so I gave them my number..thing is he NEVER called me back.. I was going to go get the rest of my work done here but after this I will never return or recommend.. Read Less

Proton Tattoo.. Where do I start?    The folks that work there are some of the most passionate people you'll ever meet!  Their artists truly care about the projects they're involved with.    Y'all can walk in there with any janky ol idea ya have and you'll be livin life with nothin but compliments!    Check em out!  They'll rock your face! Read Less