We stopped in for two piercings, nose and an industrial. My daughter's nose had been pierced before and we weren't sure if going over the little bump was a good idea, Johnny made her feel very comfortable and was confident it was fine. It's only been a few hours and it already looks great. She has wanted an industrial for a couple of years, but after talking it through because of the anatomy of her ears it probably isn't a good idea. Johnny did an amazing job showing her some alternate options and custom things he could do for her..now she just has to decide. The shop was super clean too and the sterilization in the piercing room was Topnotch (pun intended). I definitely think we found our new piercing place. Read Less

I will never go anywhere else for a tattoo. Very clean shop, super friendly staff, and ASHLEY is AMAZING!I have a good amount of tattoos (13) but was a little nervous about this one as it was going on the inside of my bicep. We all heard how painful that could be. NOT AT ALL. She is light handed, fast, and VERY sharp lines. I would give her 10 stars if I could! Read Less

I was a walk-in and everyone we spoke to was polite and professional. Jenna did my tattoo and she understood exactly what I wanted. I read some other reviews here about the shop being expensive but I had gotten a quote at another local shop that was $30 more and I was told that the "ribs are tricky." Jenna did not seem to find my ribs tricky, lol. I think the pricing was very fair. I'm super happy with the results. I'll be back for sure! Read Less

I had a tattoo done there with Chris, he is such a sweet guy. BUT I will never go back for a tattoo. My tattoo cost about $150 with out tip and it's terrible. I'm having it covered up by someone else, but the lines were blown it and it was straight. Most of the people there are rude and smell like weed. I don't care if you smoke weed but don't smoke a bowl then tattoo me. NO THANK YOU. Read Less

Came in to get my second tattoo. I searched around a lot and found Topnotch with the best reviews in the area and they lived up to it. I came with an idea of what I wanted that my husband put together on the computer. I met with Amanda who knew exactly what I was looking for. She cleaned up my image in 15 min and did my tattoo in 25. She made me feel comfortable and was very professional and friendly. Clean facility and great staff! I will definitely be going back :) Read Less

Dear Children of Mine: The year is 2018 & two of you--my oldest two--are currently preteens. If *any* of you find this review at some point in the future, just scroll on by, okay? You're welcome in advance.Love, Mom- - - - -For everyone else, let me break it down for you in three simple words: Sara.is.amazing. I had my nipples done originally back in the early 00's at Progressive (at The Alley) & took them out during my first pregnancy in 2006. Not a bad piercing experience back then, but nothing like my experience today with Sara. First and foremost, she rocks as a human being. Super nice, super easy to talk to, funny, and all the while...completely professional. She explained *absolutely* everything, changed her gloves a million times (hi, germaphobe here!) & made sitting completely topless in a small room with a complete stranger as pleasant and un-awkward as humanly possible. My first contact with her was via email and she was both quick to respond and incredibly thorough. She has about eight million glowing reviews all over the world wide web & photos of her work speak for themselves. But here's the thing: the older I get, the more obsessive I am in my body modification research--especially when it comes to area piercers. Sara is a member of the APP (Association of Professional Piercers - safepiercing.org) & she takes her career very seriously. If you talk to her for even less than five minutes, you will know she is a true professional in every sense of the word; she knows her stuff inside + out & it shows. I never felt rushed, I never felt any jewelry upsell pressure, I never felt any hesitation in trusting her entirely. She even switched out my septum piercing (done elsewhere a few months back) & my upgraded clicker is amazing--so gorgeous. If you're contemplating a piercing and are anywhere near Elgin--hell, even if you're NOT anywhere near Elgin--Sara is who you want to see. I'm about an hour and ten minutes away from the shop and even sitting in hellacious traffic on the way home...so totally and entirely worth it. :) Read Less

Paid so much and this is what I got. When I said so much it was $80 deposit plus $180 plus tip. For two small black basic tattoos. it has been almost 4 weeks. Been using the liquid soap from the shop. My tattoos before weren't like this after 3 weeks. I don't know much about inks but it looks like meh. They said cheap tattoos aren't good, so I was willing to pay much. Idk what happened there. They charge too much it's not even worth it. Read Less

Always a pleasure visiting at Topnotch Tattoo's. My Brother Erik Thevdt has done 95% of My Ink, Always a Pleasure! Sara the Piercer, Great Lady! Luke the Owner, Great Guy! Can't go wrong here. Great People, Great Shop! Read Less

Went there for my 1st tattoo and couldn't have made a better decision. Scott was awesome with the process of everything, and it turned out better than I expected. Professional, no bull shit, great work. Highly recommend. Read Less

I get my piercings done by Sara. She's done numerous for me, and I won't go to anyone else since I found her. She's absolutely fantastic and I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a new piercing. Read Less

Amanda is seriously awesome. She's very detailed-orientated, and extremely patient. She takes the time to make sure she gives you EXACTLY the tattoo you want, along with the size and placement. I won't go anywhere else for my tattoos now! I finally found my forever tattoo artist! Read Less

I've gone here on two separate occasions and both times I've ended up obsessed with my new ink! Chris and Jeff are so good at what they do and everyone there really bends over backwards to make you happy with your tattoo! Although I suggest Chris because he will do exactly as you ask, he won't try to convince you otherwise unless you ask his opinion on placement, direction of tattoo,etc. Chris is also really pleasant to talk too while Jeff didn't really have much to say and I personally like the experience of laughing and joking around with my tattoo artist. Also with Jeff I had to go in and get things fixed where Chris's didn't need any fixing up! Highly recommend topnotch! Read Less

Super clean work environment! I was getting my first tattoo in a pretty painful location, but the employees/artist were very kind and helpful through the entire process. Amanda did my tattoo and I would totally go back! Plus the shop is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, so you should def stop by just to take in its awesomeness! Read Less

Highly recommend Kevin for piercings, he is literally topnotch. I live almost an hour away from Elgin but it's worth it. I had my daith and faux snug done by him which went smoothly. He is honest about whether or not if you have the anatomy for a certain piercing. I even brought my friends to get their industrials which they both love! Read Less

They make it seem like you are booking with a celebrity. Then when you get in , a month later, the guy I had, not anything amazing. I gave him a custom drawing tattoo, I told him add some touches to it, make it better. Nope. Didn't even bother. He made it exact. It was ok but come on, since I waited a month and they really over hype the place, I am expecting something spectacular. Read Less

I've gotten many piercings done before, but today I was pieced by Sara and felt more comfortable than I ever have. Her technique was very calming and straight forward. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a new piercing or something intimidating. Thank you, Sara! I'll be back soon! Read Less

Sara was absolutely amazing, I got my nipples pierced by her and couldn't be happier with the experience. She was so nice and informative. I was extremely nervous but she definitely made me feel comfortable. I would definitely recommend her to everyone getting a piercing. As far as the shop goes, it was very clean and everyone was really nice. Read Less

Everyone at the shop is super friendly. I went here to get my first tattoo recently and the process was clean, efficient and I love my tattoo. I've gotten so many compliments on how clean the lines are, Sean is awesome! Read Less

Definitely one of my go-to shops now! Last night I came in as a walk-in appointment. There was one person ahead of me and I was very happy with how quickly I was able to get help! Luke was my artist and I felt like I really connected with him. I gave him a base of what I wanted and he made something so beautiful! The tattoo was very personal to me and he completely exceeded all of my expectations. Definitely can't wait for more! Read Less

Walked in on a Saturday after noon and Bud was able to take me right away. I gave him the drawing I wanted, it was drawn by a friend, and he immediately asked me about size and color. He made me feel comfortable and welcome. I will be going back to him for the next one. Thank you for being such a great shop and creating a warm and friendly environment. Read Less

Took my Mom here on Mother's Day to get her first tattoo.... Walked out due to extremely poor service and prices. She wanted to get an infinity symbol with 2 sets of initials, extremely simple and easy design that would take no longer than 20 minutes. After waiting over 30 minutes for the artist to draw it up, the artist then proceeded to price quote the small design at $120. Even after agreeing to that insane shop minimum, the artist then decided to consult 2 people who walked in much after us about the designs they wanted.... Instead of getting started on my Mom's piece. Very poor service and prices, not to mention very unfriendly. Definitely would not recommend. Read Less

Today a group of five of us decided it was impulse tattoo day! The awesome staff at Top Notch not only accommodated us same day, but they took the time to help us design meaningful and artistic tattoos, which they executed flawlessly. It's an awesome place with a fun vibe and talented artists! Read Less

My goto shop now 😁. Me and my wife went to a few shops around the area and we got the best feeling about this place. We set our apt with Amanda and we got our work done. Prices reflected what we were originally "quoted" work was very good. I came back in two days later to talk about with Amanda about my next tattoo and set my apt for 2 weeks later. Went in yesterday for that piece and now I'm ready to make my next apt. Best work/price/over all bet shop in elgin. I'll be going back at least once a month for more work with Amanda. A++ I've told friends to go here now too Read Less

Clean shop, amazing artists. Everyone is friendly and professional. The artists go above and beyond to give the best tattoo possible! I also love getting pierced here. You can also custom order jewelry to meet your every piercing need! Love this shop!!! Read Less

I've been to top notch 3 times. The first time was to get a specialty piercing with Chuck. That went great and I was happy with the result. I came back a few months later to get a new piece of jewelry for my piercing to find that Chuck had left and they had sold their entire jewelry selection and didn't have the jewelry I needed. So that was a big disappointment. The next time I went there to get a tattoo, they charged me $250 for a piece that took under an hour. The artist complained about my design constantly and gave me a super hostile vibe. Definitely felt like I was taken advantage of. Gave these guys a shot and not satisfied with the results at all. Read Less

If you're looking for the next place to get your tattoo, go here. I was in search of a female artist for a little while and I found Amanda. If you're nerdy and like fandom, she's your girl. If you're not, she's still your girl. She's done three of my four tattoos and is amazing. I told her about some problems I have with getting lightheaded. She did everything to make sure it didn't happen. I told her my idea of my two newest tattoos and she ran with it, giving me two of what I think are the most beautiful tattoos to represent what I wanted. The shop is clean and everyone there is amazing and will talk with you. They all do their best to make your visit the best ever. Read Less

My friend and I went here because another friend got hers done by Andrew (who no longer works there) and loved them. Bryan charged my friend 150 bucks for two small black tattoos which turned out nice. I asked about two quarter size tattoos for myself, and he said he would charge 150 for both or 120 for the small snowflake I wanted. I asked why it would be so expensive and he said "Because I do what I want". He was rude and belligerent. Based on the customer service I will never go back nor would I recommend it to anyone. I stopped at Funky Rooster tattoos around the corner and they were SO accommodating and helpful. Though they didn't have time that day, I will be booking an appointment to get my tattoos done with them. Read Less

I couldn't be happier with the tattoo Bryan did for me today. I went in last week and made the appt and sent him about 10 pics for reference for him to come up with a design. He exceeded my expectations. Not only will I go back to him for another but my wife is going to ask him to do hers as well. Such a great artist and a great guy. Thanks Bryan. And thanks again for asking someone to get a chair for my wife. Read Less

Sara is a godsend. She pierced my septum and was very kind and considerate. First question she asked me was if it needed to be hidden and showed me all the septum ring choices to accommodate! She was extremely patient with me and answered all my questions. During the actual piercing process, she walked me though each step and before you know it, she was done! Literally took one second. She was even nice enough to show me how to flip my nose ring up and down! I definitely recommend going to her for piercings. Literally the best piercing experience I've had! Price is $65+ depending what ring you get.Regarding the overall facility, by far the nicest tattoo parlor I've been to! Extremely clean, private areas for each client. The staff is really nice as well. My friend and I plan to come back to get our next tattoos. Starting price ranges from $80-100 and then $150 an hour. Will update on the experience. Read Less

I came here to get 3 tattoos done in one sitting. Two small and one big and I just loved it! Super clean and friendly staff, great artist and definitely a positive experience. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a tattoo to come here I travel all the way from Rockford to get my work done here. My artist Sean Kim. Read Less

I have had two piercings done here by Chux and I have never had an issue with them. He takes the piercing process seriously and made me feel very comfortable! As someone who is studying to be a nurse, I truly appreciated the time they took to make sure everything was sterile. My dad has also gotten a tattoo from here by Brian, and he told me how gentle Brian was compared to other artists from different places. His tattoo came out great and Brian was doing everything possible to make sure it was perfect! While I do not have any tattoos, I certainly know where to go when I decide to get one!! Read Less

Update:If you're looking for the next place to get your tattoo, go here. I was in search of a female artist for a little while and I found Amanda. If you're nerdy and like fandom, she's your girl. If you're not, she's still your girl. She's done three of my four tattoos and is amazing. I told her about some problems I have with getting lightheaded. She did everything to make sure it didn't happen. I told her my idea of my two newest tattoos and she ran with it, giving me two ...of what I think are the most beautiful tattoos to represent what I wanted. --- I had set up an appointment with Amanda after putting off getting a tattoo for awhile because of personal issues. Once we walked in, we were greeted and handed the paperwork to fill out. Amanda came back and I showed her what I wanted. About 10 to 15 minutes later she came back with the drawing and I was a little nervous, not about the artwork, but just anxiety. Not only did Amanda work with me to make sure I was okay, she let my friend sit with me and they both just kept me talking and mind off what was happening. I love the tattoo because she left in even the smallest details like the little hairs poking out, I got my dog's paw print. I'm so excited to go back to her and the shop! The shop was clean and people were wonderful. See More Read Less

Went to Topnotch to get my daughter's nose pierced for her 13th B-Day! Just FYI, they do require an ID from parent and ID, Birth Cert or passport for child! While, I thought maybe it was a little bit more money, at first, I do 100% feel like I got my money's worth. Kevin must have changed gloves 5 times for what I would think, 1 little piercing on a 13 yr old, but like he said, it's for our safety and his! Very clean! They also use quality metals to prevent infections. So, I really overall felt I got what we paid for! Quality! Thank you for all the great aftercare advice as well! Read Less

Great place! I was referred to Sean by my son. I wanted to get an old tattoo touched up. I'm really not a big tattoo type of person but I had this tattoo for over 20 years. It was old and faded. Sean took the time to work with me and my ideas. He was very patient and came up with some really good sketches. The overall time was shorter than I thought it would be. Reasonable price too. Much thanks to Sean for cleaning up an old tattoo with a great new one! I definitely recommend the shop and Sean. Read Less

I got my nose pierced here by Oscar. I loved that he was very chill yet very professional. He answered all my questions and made me feel at ease. I would definitely recommend this shop to anyone especially Oscar for a piercing. Read Less

Staff was super friendly; allowed walk-ins which I found incredibly convenient. Tattoo came out great and appreciated the clear care instructions Jeff gave my friend and I. Would definitely recommend going here to anyone and everyone looking for cool people to chat with and getting sick work done at the same time! Read Less

My best friend and I randomly decided to get T-Rex tattoos and stopped into Topnotch. Any other day I would research shops and artists, but this was a crazy day and we went with it. Amanda did my tattoo and she is amazing! She fixed the picture I brought in to make it look more realistic and she did excellent work bringing it to life. She's sweet, fun to chat with, absolutely beautiful and she enjoys puns and silly words as I do. We were fast friends and I can't wait to see her the next time I'm Chicago! I have full trust in her tattooing, she does top quality work. Read Less

Just was there on 4/20/16 to get a tattoo with my best friend and we had Amanda do both of ours. She was AWESOME. She made you feel so taken care of and comfortable. She was thorough when it came down to fonts and scripts and was very patient when we were completely undecided. Not only was she awesome, she was super sweet and made you feel comfortable. Super clean, super friendly and the work she did was so well done. Will always go to Topnotch for tattoos anytime I'm in the Chicago area! Thanks Amanda you rock! Read Less

I've had nothing but good experiences with Topnotch. Betoo did my calf piece and my side/ribs/stomach piece. He also did Wifey-poo's back and wrist.  His work is all really clean and crisp.  The line work is all very even and steady , and the shading is all spot on.  None of the work I've seen from him on me or my wife is choppy or sloppy.   The shop is clean and professional.  The prices are great FOR THE QUALITY OF WORK.   That's the big thing, you can find a cheaper tattoo  ( like my shoddy shoulder piece from Ronin Tattoo) but you won't find work at this quality for less. I've been nothing but impressed with this shop and will continue to go to them for the rest of my work. Read Less

Only place I would ever go to get pierced. Chux is an APP member (look it up at safepiercing.org, seriously!) and the jewelry selection is both beautiful and high quality. What makes Chux stand out is he cares about educating people on the ins and outs about piercings and he is always available to answer questions or help you take care of your piercings. Do yourself a favor and get pierced by him, don't even think about going to a shop offering $10, it's a trap! Chux is all you need, his work speaks for itself :-) Read Less

I just got back from getting my first tattoo.  I couldn't be happier with the art or the artist, Jeff did a killer job on an original tattoo.  Clean, friendly, overall fantastic.  Jeff talked me through every step, and made it a great experience for my first time. Read Less

I went with Bryan for my third tattoo and I am so satisfied with my tattoo. Although I do recommend descriptively adding every detail you want for your tattoo when you're emailing your artist because it does delay your starting time, mainly so they can edit your piece.  The shop itself has a friendly vibe, cool music, and you're helped rather quickly. The artist are pretty lenient with letting a guest sit in the room with you so that was cool, I needed the support. The work in general from Ryan was great he was really reassuring, making sure everything was going well with the tattoo and myself. I'll definitely be back for future tattoos. Read Less

First time to the Chicago area and getting my chest piece was the BEST part of my trip!!!! Went to Betto he was amazing!! Was very helpful in making decisions with the design and his input was great! He is not a heavy handed artist which was great being it was on my chest he always checked in to see if I was holding up ok and informed me when he finished each part. The overall staff was great I liked that they consult each other for there ideas even some came by the both and asked me if I was doing ok I appreciated that! To top it off Betto showed me this amazing Argentinean place cafe to eat!!! That I fell in love with. I am originally from NYC I think this will be my new spot totally worth the 2hr flight definitely recommending Read Less

Pimped out shop!The environment inside is chill yet exciting while getting tatted. Tattooist-Erik Thvedt made my 4hour tattoo session a breeze ! No price is too much for excellent art. Yup I recommend this shop! Read Less

I agree that the shop is clean but the service left a lot to be desired. I went in to get a quote for a tattoo and they were not very friendly. Nor were they very helpful. For a business they need to work on their customer relations. Read Less

Love this place! Immediately walking in you know it's clean. Their organization is professional and extremely well-kept. I went there to get an industrial and loved the friendliness of the staff and how the place was EXTREMELY clean. Love the cushy bench seating and the placement of the tattoos options on the walls as well as the jewelry placed neatly in the cases. There's a reason this place has 36 reviews on here with 5 stars! Definitely worth it to travel a half hour and get my piercing done here! Read Less

My wife and I have talked forever about getting tattoo's, but we were always afraid of getting something we wouldn't be happy with. After a lot internet research we decided topnotch was the place to go, we were right. The staff made us feel at ease for our first experience. They worked with us on our ideas and gave us tattoos that we are extremely happy with. These guys don't mess around. I got a detailed tattoo (by Joey Vegas) full with color in two hours and my wife's tramp stamp (by Nate) only took twenty minutes. You might pay a little more here, but you are paying for quality. I highly recommend you check out Topnotch before you get a tattoo anywhere else. Thanks guys, keep up the great work. Read Less

I was just in town for a visit, and saw topnotch tattoo and had to check it out....I had heard nothing but good stuff about the shop. After meeting all the tattoo staff, and piercer in just minutes I was instantly at ease. They were the friendliest shop I have ever stepped foot in. I knew that I wanted to get a tattoo there after I saw some of the UNIQUE work they did. They have an artist named Tony that is amazing, his black and white tattoos blew me away....Cleens bright colors, and new skool style was one of a kind.....regardless of what type of tattoo you are looking for they have an artist for you. They are all VERY VERY talented guys and to top it off, they make you feel comfortable. The shop was very clean...probably the cleanest shop I have been in EVER, and with a staff like they have, I wouldn't think of getting tattooed anywhere else. I only get tattooed at topnotch because topnotch is the best!!! Read Less

I got my tattoo by Jeff. Showed all my fellow tattooed friends and they just love it... amazing detail in a black and white tattoo. Not to mention, I have been to a few different parlors and this is really the cleanest one I have seen and with a very friendly staff. I am very picky about the parlors that I go too but I think I have found a shop that I will stick with for my future tattoos and/or piercings. Read Less

This place rocks!!! I have gotten two tattoos from here and will never go anywhere else. Everyone that works there is friendly and always willing to go the extra mile to give you the best tattoo possible. They only do the highest quality of work there. The atmosphere is friendly and upbeat and it makes your tattooing experience even that much more better. I get comments on my tattoos all the time and I know its because I went to Topnotch Tattoo in Elgin, Il. Read Less

I've been going to topnotch for 3 years now and wouldn't even dream of going anywhere else. They're clean and courteous and treat every customer with respect. They are the best around for black n grey, color, custom, and pretty much anything else you can think of. Take it from somebody with over 20 custom tattoos, TOPNOTCH IS THE PLACE TO GO!!!!!!! Read Less

I found Topnotch Tattoos by looking on City Search and checked out the website Topnotchtattoosdotcom it seemed like a good place since I have never really been happy with any of the tattoo shops I have been to in the city (Chicago). So far from Topnotch I got a half sleeve of an octopus and waves. No one I know has a better Tattoo than mine. Its belongs in a museum. lol well I think so I love it. I also got my tongue, eyebrow, both nipples, and somewhere else pierced at Topnotch Tattoos. The piercer did not use clamps at all for any piercing. Which is the part that hurts. I didn't feel a thing for any of my piercings PAINLESS. Needless to say I love Topnocth Tattoos I will never go anywhere else. Read Less

TopNotch Tattoo is the cleanest, friendliest and most talented tattoo shop around! The facility has a great, fun and clean atmosphere. The guys are really personable and eager to help you out. I have been going to TopNotch since they first opened and will continue to go there. The prices are fair and the end result will leave you exstatic. I would recommend anyone interested in getting a tattoo or piercing(s) to go ahead and check this shop out! You will NOT be disapointed and you'll find yourself coming back for years to come! If you're gonna get a tattoo, make sure it's TOPNOTCH! Read Less

Eric, Cleen, Ryan, and Tim are really great artists who take their time to give you the best custom work for your buck. The shop is clean and neat and there is always someone around to answer your questions. Read Less

i got my naval and monroe pierced by Dras. he was very nice, professional, very personable, and made me feel comfortable- and i am a very squirmy customer. he actually made getting a needle shoved through my delicate skin a very enjoyable experience, haha. everyone was very friendly, casual, and chill. The place looks cool, and it was a very clean environment. I'll definitley be coming back for my future piercings and tattoos. :) Read Less

I started going to Top Notch several years ago to have a couple of botched piercings fixed. They did such an excellent job from the second I walked into the shop to the moment I left. Since then I have had one tattoo completed there and have started a second one! Would never go anywhere else! Read Less

topnotch tattoos is an extremely clean tattoo shop. i have never seen such a comfortable and clean environment. everyone that works there is very friendly and accomodating. every tattoo i have gotten from there has been of execellent color and quality! i'm always complimented on the work that i have done there, and the compliments are consistent, bold color that lasts, gorgeous custom design, beautiful placement, the list goes on. not to mention that they have been the smoothest healing tattoos i've ever gotten. not one scab from that shop! i am constantly referring people there, even if they have to drive a little, it's totally worth it! also, the pricing is reasonable, especially for the awesome tattoo that you will have for the rest of your life!! i highly recommend topnotch tattoos in elgin, illinois! Read Less

I've never got a tattoo i love as much as the one from topnotch. It makes all my other ones look dull. The price was really reasonable for the quality of work. The guys never have an attitude and are always willing to work with my ideas. I'll never go anywhere else. Read Less