I just had a fourth tattoo done at Crows Nest and I highly recommend! They have a clean shop and their artists are extremely knowledgeable. They take the extra time to explain everything to ensure you have a quality experience. I would not go anywhere else. I have had tattoos done by both Ali Cat and Gentle Josh and a piercing done by Key. All were amazing experiences and they stand behind their work. I have moved 3 hours away and I have since driven back for my last three tattoos for these reasons- they are worth it! Read Less

I had a great experience getting my tattoo here. Nikki did such a great job and was super helpful. It was my first tattoo and I brought in an idea and they helped make it amazing. They were all really friendly and I will definitely be going here for any other tattoos I get. Read Less

I absolutely love The Crows Nest in Dubuque. They've continuously made me feel comfortable and welcome. They answer all of my questions, openly and honestly, and make very professional suggestions. I love the crew and how close they are, not only to each other but with the community as well! Read Less

I loved Ali Cat, she was super nice and did an amazing job at making me feel comfortable getting my first tattoo. Before going in I was a little nervous but after talking to her time flew by really fast and it wasn’t even painful. I would highly recommend Crows Nest to anyone who asks about it. It’s a really well kept facility and the artwork is unique and beautiful. I can proudly say I was very impressed. Read Less

Had such an amazing experience at The Crow's Nest this past weekend! The people, the shop, the whole thing was top notch! They were all super friendly, funny and super talented. This was my third tattoo from here and it most certainly won't be my last!! Nikki took my ideas and created something absolutely breathtaking and so happy with!! I recommend The Crow's Nest to everyone I meet! Read Less

This shop is easy to find and is extremely clean. There was a minimal waiting period between my tattoo consultation and my actual appointment. The staff members were extremely kind, helpful, and very knowledgeable especially to someone getting their first tattoo. No complaints anywhere. They did a great job. Read Less

Wonderful experience! I have eight piercings (now nine) and two tattoos, so I've seen my fair share of tattoo and piercing places. I decided to give them a try because Trigger Happy no longer does piercings. The shop was beautiful and very clean. They had a wide variety of jewelry that was very high end that I hadn't seen anywhere else. Their displays were top of the line. They had a separate room that they took me into for my piercing. It was a full length chair that was basically a bed to provide stabilization. There was a TV on the wall, and smooth Jazz to stimulate relaxation. Their entire process was the most sterile I have ever had. They used sterile technique the entire time (I'm a nurse. This was very important to me) and I was able to leave with sterile saline to clean my piercing with. Overall, this is my favorite place in Dubuque- I've tried Trigger Happy and Dubuque Tattoo Club. Even better than some of the places in Cedar Rapids. Read Less

Wonderful experience!! They are beyond clean!! Nikki did a fantastic job working with my friend and me to make sure we got exactly what we wanted. She was VERY patient with me when designing my suns. I will definitely go back and recommend Crow's Nest to my friends!! Read Less

Fantastic place! I did some research online about places to go in Dubuque, and The Crow's Nest stood out to me. Upon walking in, it was super clean and I could just tell that I'd have a great experience. Key pierced my nose today; she was awesome. She obviously knows her stuff--her experience shows. She was friendly, straightforward, and knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend her and the shop to anyone! If I ever want anything else pierced, I know exactly who I'm going to! Thanks so much! Read Less

This was my first time really working with an artist, and I don't consider it having been a good experience. I went into Crow's Nest with a picture of exactly what I wanted, and I came out with something significantly different. The artist did a good job, but I did not get what I wanted. From the initial traditional design she said she would add 3-D to it, and I said that I really liked it the way it was. Her response was that she would draw up both sketches to see how they looked -- all I got was the 3-D version. In the end I got a different design, size and animal than I wanted. I am unclear why she changed the animal from the original design at all. Looking back on it, I wish I would have stayed true to myself. The price for the small tattoo I wanted would likely have been $150 dollars, but the bigger version was initially quoted at $300 and eventually it ended up being $400. I repeatedly tried to explain what I wanted and didn't want and ended up agreeing to most of what was suggested. I can say that I let myself be talked into something that wasn't what I wanted. They say that they pride themselves on their listening skills, but I don't feel like I was heard at all. And if this were true, I'd have the original design on my leg right now rather than something that is totally divorced from the theme and what I liked about the picture I came in with. I can also say that they were friendly, and seemed to want to give me a good tattoo explaining to me why my changes might detract from the overall design. Because it's a good design, I do think -- and am hoping -- that I will like it more and more. However, the original design was perfect, and it is very different from what I currently have. Read Less