I got a post-mastectomy ornamental tattoo from Anastasia. I had had 6 breast surgeries and a lot of scars. Her design was amazing - exactly what I wanted! She is amazing at designing for scars so that they are worked into the art and then you can't even see them! I feel beautiful again. I can't say enough about this tattoo! She was so professional and made me feel so at ease tattooing a really personal spot too. Five stars does not cover it! Highly recommend. Read Less

My husband and I came and got tattoos here and have been very pleased with the results. Very professional people working here, as well as talented artists. We were searching for a place that would help us design a tattoo that would incorporate a few ideas I'd seen on the Internet. I was able to send those over, and the artist made an original design that turned out lovely! It was the same design for both my husband and me, but his was a bit larger and placed in a different spot. It is a wedding/anniversary tattoo that is definitely the favorite of the ones I have. Should I want another tattoo in the future, I would definitely come back here. Read Less

Absolutely adore this place - I'll never go anywhere else in Baltimore for a tattoo. I've been coming here for over five years now, and have had multiple artists work on me. They have all been a delight as human beings and my tattoos are beautiful. What I love most about HFBL is the attitude of everyone there. It's laidback, non judgey, and just a really relaxed place to get tattooed. I used to go to another shop and stopped going there because I always felt like I was inconveniencing them somehow by being a customer, everyone was so rude and annoyed. It's NEVER like that at HFBL. It's always an incredibly welcoming and relaxed vibe. Read Less

I had such a fantastic experience at HFBL. I called the morning of Valentines Day hoping I could somehow get in for a tattoo. Dustin (or justin, can't remember) at the front desk was super helpful. I was lucky enough to get in with Alex. What a kind, patient, extremely talented dude. I think it took a little over an hour, he had my friend and I laughing pretty much throughout the whole time. He was so attentive to detail for my monarch butterfly tattoo I've been dying to get. It is so perfect and everything I wanted it to be!!!! Awesome place. Fabulous staff. Superior talent. Alex is the bomb.com! Read Less

I just had my first round of probably four or five to complete a half sleeve of the Stanley Cup with cherry blossoms. My artist is Emily Sloman. I can't begin to express how wonderful my experience has been so far. Emily is an amazing woman and the most talented tattoo artist I've encountered. I did my research finding her and was willing to drive from Alexandria VA to Baltimore. Plus I wanted a woman. I have my entire back covered, so I'm not a newcomer to getting inked. I waited 6 months for an opening for a consultation. I waited 22 years for the Capitals to win the cup and get this tattoo, so it had to be done perfect. If the waiting list is putting you off- don't let it! It's worth the wait. She listened to everything I had to say (I'm an artist and designer, so I had many requests) and then she came up with the most perfect design. No need to edit. She has the lightest hand- I barely felt a thing. We had great conversation and 4 hours went by with a quickness. If the cost is putting you off- don't let it! Worth every penny! I'm in the process of "healing". No bleeding (not even during the tattooing). No swelling. No burning. Barely even peeling. Drastically different from all my other tattoos. Please wait for Emily. I promise you'll have a gorgeous piece of art when you are done. Read Less

This was a great experience from start to finish. Jenn at the front desk was incredibly helpful in scheduling our appointment and helping to narrow down what was possible. Alex came up with an absolutely perfect design based on suggestions I had made and I couldn't be happier with the end result. Very professional and worked to put me at ease. Would absolutely go here again and highly recommend them! Read Less

I've gotten all of my tattoos done by Josh here.  All of the employees are super friendly.  If you're looking into getting your first tattoo or looking for a new shop to go to, definitely consider this place! Read Less

Way too pricey, but overall not bad, although the piece I got did turn out slightly off center. Staff didn't seem super knowledgeable about the ingredients of the inks/ transfer paper they used. Also the price I got has flaked for a much longer amount of time than anything else I've gotten. Read Less

Went here today for my third tattoo. Couldn't be happier with the experience. Place is clean, my artist was nice, professional, and friendly. My tattoo was super easy (short script in Chinese) so process was over in about ten minutes. Overall, no complaints - smooth as silk, I'm happy with the result, and would recommend the shop. Read Less

Got a tattoo done about 5 years ago that needed a touch up. Alex helped me brainstorm how to change it up and was very patient. He's very detail oriented and asked a lot of questions (in a good way) so that he understood exactly what I wanted. He ended up spending a lot more time than I anticipated and before I left I was nervous the total would be a LOT since they estimated the cost by the hour.... but for the 2-2.5 hours he spent with me, the total came out to $150. Would highly recommend Alex and totally come back here if I wanted another tattoo! Read Less

I've had a majority of my work done at HFBL over tue years. I had work done by Joe commemorating my sister's life when they first opened. I still get compliments, especially on the color. I haven't been back in a few years, but I decided it made sense to return. I'm glad I did, Jenn at the front is friendly, welcoming and knowledgeable. I briefly met Em who greated me with a smile and immediately asked if I needed any help. Previously I had scheduled an appointment with Alex, I told him what I wanted, and today he delivered. Alex did a stellar job on a piece that is near and dear to my heart. He made it a point to make sure I was getting exactly what I wanted, as well as making sure artistically it made sense. He even added in a special request last minute without blinking an eye. The addition to the work meant a lot to me. I'm happy to have him as my new artist. Super stoked for him create something dope to finally finish my sleeve. HFBL crew is the bees knees!!! Read Less

I had a really great experience with HFBL tattoo. The whole process was easy and seamless. I reached out to them electronically with my idea, they responded almost immediately, set up a consultation pretty quickly, gave me excellent advice, and got the job done beautifully. I couldn't be happier with the results. Highly recommend it. Read Less

Do not get a tattoo from this place. The entire vibe is completely off. The tattoo artist, Joe, is a bitter inconsiderate human being who has no business working in this place. He completely minimized my tattoo and made me feel like trash. I got a lotus flower and really wanted reassurance that he was ready to draw it on my body forever, instead he made inconsiderate comments like "i draw flowers like this all the time" "it's just a flower" "your tattoo is not that serious" first all of, while this may just be a tattoo to you, it can mean a lot to the person who's getting it, and it's very disrespectful to just belittle something like that when I'm the one paying YOU. Then he made rude comments about my age and how he's been doing this since I was five. I was completely thrown off by his energy; the minute he finished my tattoo I wanted him to wrap it up so I can leave. You don't want someone who can't contribute to this experience in a positive way to tattoo you. Joe, the tattoo "artist" had a snarky attitude from the moment we spoke, he was so disrespectful and I should've left right that moment. He completely ruined my second tattoo experience. I highly recommend going to humble tattoo-- it's cheaper and the tattoo artists there a lot better and more considerate. Read Less

This is a late review for Paul Natale.  He's one of the most professional and detail oriented tattooers I've ever met.  He keeps his place really clean.  On top of that he's very talented and creative, always full of fun ideas.  He kept me comfortable/entertained during long sessions with a good music playlist.  He's usually booked a couple months out, but the wait is worth it!  Thank you Paul! Read Less

Had a second tattoo (first done at HFBL, second in total) done with Alex, and could not have asked for anything more.  Melissa, who manages the front desk, was a pleasure to coordinate with - she was prompt, thorough, charming.  I had loose opinions about font and placement, but nothing set in stone, as I wanted to see how different things would fit/look on my body. Alex made me feel comfortable and made sure to take all my neurotic concerns into account when finalizing details and creating a stencil (which he still then modified at my request).  It turned out even better than I envisioned.  It's been about a week now, so still healing, but I couldn't be happier. Would definitely recommend. Read Less

Awesome and friendly staff that are helpful and make you feel welcome. Paul Natale did my piece and he's amazing! He was funny, super nice, and made it a great experience. I spit out some ideas during our consultation and Paul took them and gave me something better than I could have imagined. Will definitely be going back again soon! Read Less

I was really surprised at the service after reading all the great reviews. 5 of us went here after I had gone back and forth through email for about 2-3 weeks making sure there would be enough time and someone would be able to compete all of the tattoos. I was told it would be no problem and we would all be fit in. From the minute I met the artist he was noting but annoyed with me. He mentioned at least 5-6 times how crunched for time he was and how hard it would be getting all 5 of us done. I tried making small talk with him but he wanted nothing to do with it and mostly ignored my questions. If the tattoo had come out great I would have ignored his rudeness but only 3 out of the 5 came out great. This was my 7th tattoo, so I am not new to this or how to care for them. After about a week the tattoo was faded in spots and actually looked like some black spots were completely passed over. I loved the tattoo the day I got it, looked great but within a week it was completely faded. Super disappointed, at least 3 of us walked away with great tattoos. Read Less

Last march, I went into HFBL after waiting in line for one at a fundraising event for 2 hours and then giving up. I am glad I did, because I stumbled upon Have Fun Be Lucky and could not have asked for a better experience for my first ever tattoo. Alex had a cancellation so he was able to take me right away. He was extremely patient and thorough, making sure I was happy with every step along the way, and that the design was exactly what I wanted. I never felt uncomfortable being nervous or nitpicky about the design or placement and he said he would do the stencil however many times I needed before I was sure (it ended up only being once because he did a great job!). A wonderful experience. A very simple tattoo with great lines and still looks amazing. Read Less

Absolutely love this place. I got my second tattoo here, and as far as cleanliness and artistry goes, Have Fun Be Lucky is second to none. The employees are nice, funny, and a joy to work with. Alex did my tattoo, and he was incredibly helpful in helping me get exactly what I wanted.Currently, I am designing my next piece with Alex which will incorporate multiple ideas from Basquiat's artwork. Really excited to see how it turns out! Read Less

I only have one other tattoo that I got before my beautiful flying avocado that Emily did. My first tattoo was a horrible experience that left me crying and lamenting the terrible heavy metal. I was really nervous for this one. jumper than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs, as they say. I almost changed my mind at the last second and I am so glad I didn't! It's weird, I got it on my chest and it actually felt good. Her conversation was wonderful, the sketch that she did of my idea was absolutely beautiful. The waiting list to see your  is very long but I swear it's worth it. I called the day after my tattoo to schedule an appointment for my next- it was a highly therapeutic and lovely experience - i'm never going anywhere else! she's a real pro and worth every penny and more. Read Less

At the end of December, my mom, my dad, my big brother and I all got matching tattoos here. BEST EXPERIENCE EVER!!! My dad and brother both have other tattoos, but it was me and my mom's first. Everyone was so friendly, patient, professional, and attentive. Melissa's positive energy absolutely made my week. And (of course) the final product is BEAUTIFUL!! I couldn't be happier! I will absolutely be back :) Read Less

I just got my first tattoo and I am THRILLED with the result!! I wanted to cover up a good size scar on my leg and came in for a consultation with Erik Keifer. I showed him the picture I wanted and said he could take some artistic license with it. His drawing was better than I had imagined and he, along with Melissa at the receptionist desk, made me feel completely at ease. I recommended this shop to a few of my friends who are looking to get tattoos and I will gladly go there again. Everyone in this shop ROCKS!! Read Less

I just got my first tattoo and I am THRILLED with the result!! I wanted to cover up a good size scar on my leg and came in for a consultation with Erik Keifer. I showed him the picture I wanted and said he could take some artistic license with it. His drawing was better than I had imagined and he, along with Melissa at the receptionist desk, made me feel completely at ease. I recommended this shop to a few of my friends who are looking to get tattoos and I will gladly go there again. Everyone in this shop ROCKS!! Read Less

I just got my third tattoo from Craig, and he didn't disappoint. My husband and I both got lettering on our arms and the script was beautiful and unique. Every tattoo I get from Craig is my new favorite tattoo, which means I have three favorite tattoos. It's a great feeling. You should try it. Read Less

Definitely recommend Alex. I just finished my first real piece (medium size thigh piece) with Alex Doucette yesterday. I came to him with a really abstract idea about three months ago. He was really patient and I ended up loving his interpretation of my idea better than what I was imagining. During the actual tattoo appointment he was gentle and extremely focused. On day 2, my tattoo is super clean, just as bright as when he finished, the lines are incredible with as much detail as it needed, and already healing :). Read Less

From the moment I first contacted HFBL a little over a week ago to getting my tattoo yesterday, I have had nothing but an outstanding experience. I worked with Alex Douchette and he was an absolute pro. During our consultation meeting, he was thorough, detailed, and patient. When we met up for the actual tattoo he was just excellent. He let my girlfriend come back and hang out, he answered all of our questions, he was extremely friendly and funny and he did an absolutely amazing job on my tattoo. The actually tattooing processing was quick and painless (as much as a tattoo can be). On top of all that, everyone at HFBL was extremely friend and welcoming and made it an all around positive experience.I would highly recommend Alex and HFBL and I absolutely plan to go back soon for another tattoo! Read Less

What a great experience!   I went in there with an idea for a tattoo, and they helped me shape and mold it into exactly what I wanted, and they drew it out for me.    Erik was nice, (and we shared pug stories because he has one too).   I left the tattoo shop with a beautiful tattoo of exactly what I wanted on my inside  right forearm. My tattoo is about three inches long, and perfect.   I am certainly going back to them for my next tattoo!!!!  Pictures to follow.   I took some pictures of the shop, but respectfully none of any of the artists work on the wall.    I felt at home in this amazing little shop.  Sleeves in the future.....cuz I can! Read Less

Alex Douchette has been tattooing my wife. We absolutely love his work and final product. His lines are so smooth and clean plus the shading and his placement is great!Alex is currently completing my wife's blackwork sleeve consisting of flowers and mandalas. He was also happy with tattooing next to an existing tattoo by another artist, very cool and open! Next we'll be coming back to Alex to start her chest piece. As for the shop it is clean, friendly, safe and very welcoming. The reception is always very accommodating. This place is a gem and we're very happy to have come across it after reviewing over 50 potential shops and artists in the Baltimore area, this is the one! Bottom line, go to HFBL Tattoo and request Alex or another one of their artists. Read Less

Just recently got a tattoo done by Alex at Have Fun Be Lucky and I couldn't be more satisfied with the experience. Alex was super amicable and constantly checked in with me to make sure I was okay. Thankfully I sit like a rock and have a pretty high pain tolerance. He had some cool tunes going and asked if I wanted to change the station and we talked about a whole bunch of different things. All of this made my tattoo seem like it was finished in a breeze. All in all it took bout 1.5 hours I believe. That doesn't include the drawing on of my bands. The shop is beautiful and whenever I call I'm greeted amiably and with respect. Id definitely go back to HFBL. Read Less

I'd been planning for a year on getting matching tattoos with my father for my 30th birthday. My best friend recommended HFBL (since she'd gotten her two tattoos at the shop), and I'm so incredibly happy that I called to make an appointment. I spoke with Eric (who was so kind, patient, and informative) to set up the appointment.When the big day finally arrived and we walked into the shop, everything was bright, clean, and welcoming. Alex walked my Dad and I through the entire process, and answer every one of our questions--and we asked a lot of questions. My father and I are both nervous talkers, so we couldn't stop the string of conversations while Alex worked. Let me tell you--I can't rave about Alex enough. He is so professional and personable and an incredibly gifted artist. I give HFBL my highest recommendation. They rock! Read Less

My husband and I came to Baltimore for the weekend, and wanted to get tattoos while here for our anniversary. After some searching on Yelp for tattoo shops, we called HFBL.  Eric was great, was very patient and detailed as I described what we each wanted.  He talked to the tattoo artist and emailed us prices.  I called him back, talked over a few things, and booked the appt!Hunter did both of our tattoos, and we couldn't be happier.  He and Eric helped my husband get the font and layout correct, and we love the results.  You don't need to have a solid plan, they are very artsy and their ability to help you make the right choice is amazing! My hubby's end result looks much better than his original idea, thanks to the help and artistic eye of Hunter, as well as Eric.Both guys were super professional and friendly and we highly recommend Have Fun Be Lucky if you want great work at a reasonable price! Read Less

From my initial consult, to prep, and aftercare instructions Hunter was incredibly thorough. As a research-based individual; I came armed with a plethora of questions and he methodically answered each and everyone as well as providing clarification and education surrounding process, placement, and expectations. The shop itself is immaculately well kept and septic-almost medical oriented and his hygiene and professional practices during the procedure were outstanding. To anyone considering a tattoo...don't do it on a whim honor your body and its adornments as the tattoo artist is just that, an ARTIST!  Be open to feedback and trust their judgment and if nothing else be open to compromise because if you want great work you go to institutions with great reputation and they achieve these by honest reviews such as this one. Read Less

Hands down the very best tattoo shop.The owners Joe Lathe-Vitale and Andrea Vitale-Lathe run a beautiful shop in Hampden, MD. I originally came to HFBL to cover-up an old and very bad tattoo and requested Andrea. Eric, the shop manager helped me with setting up an appointment and getting the info to Andrea that she needed. He is super kind and immediately gave me the feeling that I was being cared for. Coming in for that appointment I was struck by how the vibe was just overall chill and not in the least intimidating. Andrea came down to greet me and was struck by her bubbly and warm personality. She showed me the art work she had created and obviously spent a lot of time not only drawing but making sure the elements I asked for were perfect. She spent quite a good amount of time making sure that the stencil was perfect and that I was happy. The 5 hour appointment was absolutely a joy. I can't say enough about how wonderful she is and how much fun we had chatting and getting to know each other. She made sure I felt welcome and comfortable and constantly checked on my well-being. At times during my appointment several other artist popped in and were also super cool and friendly. Since then I've gotten a lot more artwork from this shop with three different artists Andrea, Joe and Hunter and I am in love with my art, get compliments constantly and have only had positive experiences. The talent these guys have is breathtaking. The shop is super clean and the area is fun for checking out afterwards.  Do yourself a favor and look no further. Read Less

At 34, I'm a little late to that tattoo game but I had wanted one that really would mean something and I know I would be happy to look at every day for the rest of my life.  With most of my friends being covered in tattoos, I had more than enough people to ask and it always came back to this place.  I had been in there for one of my friends bigger pieces and all the artists seem to just genuinely care about their clients.  From a professional yet relaxed demeanor, they make you feel comfortable through the entire process.After my Mom passed, I knew this was an event that would stay with me the rest of my life, and to cope, I found something that would tie our relationship together but in a way that I found a sense of peace so I took in a drawing of a Day of the Dead piece that was close but not quite.  I had picked Joe as my artist as while he might not talk your ear off, he works quick and efficiently, which I appreciate.  An absolute professional.  He was on time for the consult and within about 10 minutes, had taken my idea, made it better than I could have imagined and set up a reasonable appointment time.  They do book up so be prepared to be either flexible or wait.With it being a partial sleeve, I had figured it would be a lot more expensive and time consuming but the man is quick.  He is friendly while he works but you can tell he is completely in the moment with making your piece perfection.  The price, for what he did, I found to be more than reasonable and especially since it was done so quickly.  He took the time to check on me throughout and make sure I was comfortable.  Just a real stand up guy to work with.  I thought I would cry when the piece was done since it marked such a tragic event in my life but it honestly made me so happy.  It's unique and I'm proud to wear it on my body as tribute to this feisty woman that made me.I will be back and highly recommend Joe and the shop.  All the artists seem to have their strong points and his definitely seems to be working with people that know what they want.  He seems to feed off your excitement for the piece so if you are the kind of person that just might need a little guidance and are willing to let him do his thing, he's perfect.  The shop is clean, staff is the perfect mix of down to earth and professional and the high reputation this place has is totally deserved. Read Less

Absolutely love this shop!The artists are talented and the staff are friendly and nice.I found this place online browsing portfolios. I thought all the artists were excellent but decided to go with Andrea since she was more of what I was looking for in style. She worked on my chest and arm and is uberly amazing. She is super talented with a professional background in fine arts and knows what a girl wants! I used to go to another artist prior to her who while I loved his work, I dreaded appointments with because it always felt longer and more painful. With Andrea, they feel shorter and less painful. She is really understanding with pain and checks in on you. Great person to work with.At one point, I drove an 3 hours round trip to see her at almost every other month. That's how much I like this place....They charge reasonably.Parking is kinda of a pain depending on the time and day you are in. There's metered parking in the front. If you are doing all day sessions like I was, your best bet is to look for street parking on the residential streets around the corners. Read Less

Very glad I chose this shop!I was a first timer and had a very specific image in my head. I searched artists galleries for months trying to find an artist who matched what I saw in my head. It was then I stumbled across Emily Sloman. Her work in photo realism and black and grey was perfect. But that's not where the good part ends. Emily talked everything out with me. Explained how things worked, how they'd look over time. She was very detailed. We didn't go with my first choice, and she explained the difficulty in getting it done to what I wanted. But we did go with my second choice. She also made it clear that I could ask her any and all questions. And I asked her a ton of questions. She's very personable. But besides all that, my tattoo was done exactly how I saw it.  I like Emily so much, that not only am I planning on going back, I feel guilty even looking at other artist's galleries. Some suggestions if it's a first time for you:-Have more than one design or image with you when you come in for your consultation. It's a piece of art. but what looks good on paper may not work quite as well on skin. Different mediums and all.-Have an open mind-Ask Questions. It's going on you forever. And, I think an artist should be able to work with you on that.-Be prepared to wait. Finding a good artist is critical. But a good artist will get booked up. I had to wait weeks to get mine done. But it was worth it. Also, if it's going to take more than one session, book a few at once. Don't wait until the first session is done to book your next.Hope you like yours as much as I love mine! Read Less