My friend and I got tattoos at Top Shelf the other day and we were very pleased. Everyone is very friendly and professional. Jef did an awesome job with us and my tattoo came out even better than I envisioned it!  I would definitely get a tattoo at  Top Shelf again Read Less

My favorite tattoo shop in new york.The staff are friendly, helpful and very cleanly in their tattoo process.Jeff has been my artist for many pieces. He takes whatever time is needed to make sure your tattoo looks the way it should. (You def should take this time into consideration when tipping him! He goes above and beyond the tattoo session). He has a strong attention to detail with all the pieces he has done for me. My only shop I trust in New York for big pieces and extra detail (I've had tattoos from a variety of 7+ places in New York that don't even compare) Read Less

Went in here a few days ago for a tattoo. Thomas Wenzell was not only super courteous but extremely friendly. No problem fixing small things on the tattoo design and explained everything to me in a professional and informative manner. Great conversation during the tattoo process and was quick. I would recommend this place to anyone wanting to get a tattoo!!! Read Less

If you don't have many tattoos, or don't look like the typical "dude bro" with "edgy tattoos" on your face or hands, don't bother going here. They were rude, and seemed so disinterested in making sure you knew what you wanted. They weren't helpful at ALL with suggesting anything, and I asked to see something a little different and they rolled their eyes. It was like dealing with a bunch of teenagers who work at McDonald's and hate their jobs. If you're so disinterested and don't care about your customers, why bother tattooing at all? Read Less

I love Top Shelf and all the people who work there. Each artist is not only super talented in their fields but also extremely professional, placing tons of care into their work. I am in every few weeks for a haircut and have watched these guys create beautiful works of art as Billy gives me my fresh undercut.The shops itself has an edgy style with an extremely inviting and friendly energy.Highly, highly recommend both tattoos and haircuts. Read Less

I came here for my first tattoo which came out nice, so I decided to go back, I called them at 3pm and ask if anyone was available to do a tattoo at 7 the person said yeah, so I go there around 6:30pm and the shop was closed. The only reason I went there was because the person said yes to 7. Mean while its suppose to close at 9. Read Less

My husband and I have been going to Top Shelf for over 6 years. Mike B is professional, courteous and all around nice guy. We have been beyond happy with every piece we have gotten. Every tattoo artist in the shop is talented and professional. I highly recommend Top Shelf to anyone looking to get tattooed! Read Less

I have been tattooed at Top Shelf several times, everything from small pieces to huge ones and every time I leave there extremely pleased. The quality of the work is top notch & the entire staff is professional & friendly. I'm more then happy with the prices as well as the ease of booking a appointment. All the guys there are solid tattooers & good people to deal with. I even get a shave there! Nothing but good things to say about Top Shelf. Read Less

I found this tattoo shop shop a few years back. I'm 52 and been getting tattooed since I was 15. This place is awesome. The staff is very friendly, polite and knowledgeable.  Always make you feel welcome  My artist is Jaime. And he is the BEST.  EXCELLENT work and never afraid to take on a challenge.  And he has always worked with my designs and wishes. He is a great artist and I'm blessed to have met him and will continue have him work on me. Thxs my man Read Less

I have had some really beautiful pieces done here. Anthony does impeccable work and the shop is extremely clean.  They recently been named best shop in queens and I am happy to have found them. If looking for a shop in queens this is definitely the spot. Read Less

Wanted to thank Top Shelf for a wonderful experience. Your shop is immaculate and all the guys were friendly and pleasant. My son came to @swan1980 for his very first tattoo. Patrick was wonderful and his tattoo turned out to be so much more beautiful than we anticipated, he will certainly be back. The compliments have not stopped 2 weeks later, everyone wants to know where he went. � #nightmarebeforechristmas Read Less

I went in a few months ago for a walk in tattoo. I got a simple semi colon on my wrist which did not hurt at all. The tattoo artist was very friendly and made me feel very comfortable. The shop itself was very very clean. Would recommend this place! Read Less

Thanks mike. My NYC/long island silhouette with the oil color background came out better than I could've pictured. The whole experience was great. Very cool vibe in the shop and also super clean! Very cool that there's also a barber shop. Anyway, I get daily compliments on it and usually people follow up by saying that they have never seen color so bright which looks sick around the all black silhouette which is EXACTLY what i wanted. Not only would I go back but I would recommend to all my inked up loved ones! Read Less

This review is about Billy the barber in the back. I've gone too him twice now and both times he's given me awesome haircuts. You can tell that he genuinely cares because he takes about an hour to cut hair and for that reason alone I always give him a good tip. I highly recommend going to him you won't regret it! Read Less

What a great place to start with. They make you so comfortable once you tell them what you want. It was my second tattoo which was a Portuguese word that is a recollection of dreams, feelings, love and emotion of people who are gone. So the word itself makes a dead person feel alive. I found that so beautifully deep that I had decided to get that for my grandmother who passed away on December 27th 2015. That way I wouldn't miss her like I did and she will be there next to me guiding me. And they did complete justice to the print. He printed the same exact font and asked me perhaps 5 times if I am okay while getting tattooed. Ofcourse I will be back for my third one down the lane. The price is so legit as well. $80 for the whole tattoo. With the quality and sharpness they give you, nobody could beat it. Well done guys. I am highly impressed. Read Less

I went back a few times to check in considering that they did two of my other arm pieces. I originally went to Top Shelf for clean lines and precision seeing good reviews online.(Last year Austin did a flower of life on my arm and it came out perfect, it healed within a week. The bridge on my arm also healed in a week. This is my 9th tattoo but first time having this many complications...... I have a full ribcage chandelier directly on the bone that healed within two weeks, a thigh tattoo that got infected but healed after a week from Liberty Tattoo, and Phases of the Moon on my arm which took 2 weeks to heal when I was working in a salon. Majority of the ink on my body are just precise lines/ very light-handed watercolor.) The first time I went back was a few days after Sept. 29 with a friend when I first got the piece. It wasn't that bad. It was a little bit purple but the purple was a small part around the torso of the lion's body/head. The second time I came back it started spreading up my arm. They said it was a bruise. Then I got paranoid and checked into other tattoo shops for another opinion because bruises don't spread. I stopped by the neighboring tattoo shop  ChinoRIcan Tattoo and Artist Chung was 100% right about the Tattoo Blowout that Mike (@wide_eyes_tattoo_ts) had done.They verified it to be a tattoo blowout. After I noticed some of the blue ink crawling up my armpit, I went back to top shelf a few days ago, and they said my "skin's just dry." I just came back from the dermatologist and Dr. Li said "Your skin isn't dry. That's damage in your lymphatic drainage system"After posting photos of my discolored arm online, on Facebook  and on my blog I got a call back from Mike months after I got the tattoo and discoloration/issues. He told me to come back to see him and just him if there was anything he could do to look at it or make me feel better. (Honestly that doesn't do much since the ink has already continued to spread from the blowout)   Mike calling me months later after the tattoo (last night 11/17/16) and was very considerate but I had already seen multiple professionals and they said there was pretty much no point in coming back since its very obvious that ink caused trauma in the neighboring tissue where  the ink is draining in my lymphatic drainage area (directly under the armpit). Doctors stated it should begin to drain within 3- 6 months and if it spreads more I am at risk for lymphatic cancer. The lymph drainage system is also responsible for the immune system which might explain some of my mono like symptoms but they cannot do anything about it as of now.My arm is blue and ballooning in comparison to my right arm. I'm 5'1 so the ballooning is quite noticeable in comparison to my other arm. I massage it everyday since I can't take anything for it. There are no supplements for me to take since I need blood circulation and pain killers will only thin out my blood.I appreciate the phone call and consideration but it was of no help especially months after I got the injury from the tattoo. I hope others can reconsider getting tattoos in specific areas as they might hold health risks. Read Less

I had gotten a tattoo here about a year ago and the professionalism was amazing. I got my septum pierced today for the second attempt there. Another shop screwed it up and their piercer was happy to fix it. It ended up rejecting and after waiting 2 weeks it was repierced again. It's absolutely perfect. Vin is an amazing piercer, he spent SO much time with me discussing what I wanted and what was possible and all of my concerns. I believe they all have certificates in blood borne pathogens and will always show you everything coming out of a new package. I have other tattoos and piercings, but never have I encountered a shop like this. Not only are they all highly skilled but they are all very sweet and friendly people. I highly recommend them. They are on the expensive side, but you get what you pay for, and when it comes to tattoos and piercings, these things are on and in my body. The price is worth it. Read Less

Awesome experience laid back atmosphere with good rock music. very artistic and creative flash they had on the wall in the shop. I got two tattoos of roman numbers behind the ear and on the other side i got an anchor they came out finesse in other words . My tattoo artist was Tommy very professional and patient . i will be coming back soon for more....... Read Less

I've been going here for over ten years now under the gifted original owner and the talented and super friendly new guys. Immaculate, friendly, fun but very professional, smart place with a gifted, clever and diverse crew, good prices and solid work. Finding a tattoo artist is like finding a dentist. The person has to be personable enough for solid, trustworthy communication and professional and experienced enough to help you make good decisions. It's a collaborative experience, when is right. They've done my sleeves, legs and will be doing my back piece soon. I trust and respect this shop. I feel respected there too and happy and comfortable (and confident) being there. My husband even gets his haircut there by the barber, who's seriously the best barber in Queens! Loads of talent under this merry roof! I love these guys. It's like hanging out why an incredibly gifted family there. I hope they're here forever! Read Less

At first glance, just looking at the outside, I got nervous. Because there was nothing fancy about the store. Stepped inside, got even more nervous. However, as I spoke to someone there (didn't catch his name) I felt comfortable. Let me say the place is CLEAN. Everyone was friendly. Both the person whom I spoke with and the artist that did my tattoo explained the pros and cons. Which was a huge +. The artist that did my tattoo (Anthony) was amazing......I got a tat behind the ear and I didn't feel a thing. His is extremely gentle and the tat came out dope. The price was awesome. I would recommend this place to all my peeps. Actually I'm going back soon, once this one heals lol. Thanks guys. Read Less

This place is great.  Clean, professional and inviting.  No attitudes here!  Jamie did my tattoo and I love it!  I will definitely be coming back to have my other tattoo fixed.  I would recommend them highly.  All the work I saw while waiting was beautiful. Very pleased!! Read Less

My daughters boyfriend arrived in town from Houston with some shaggy looking hair in need of a serious cut.  He made his appointment with the barber and was really happy with the outcome.  A day later he decided that the top of his hair was a bit too long, so he returned on Christmas Eve for a bit more off the top.  He walked in without an appointment and was seen immediately. A few snips later and he was happy with the extra off the top. I would definitely recommend this place to any guy needing a great style. I can tell you that I thought I was looking at a different person after the hair cut. I wish I had a before picture, but I did post the after picture.  The cut was amazing. Read Less

I got my first tattoo here. The prices are moderate and the service is quick and friendly. My tattoo hurt only while being done and after that it was no pain the process of healing was great. The line work is good and coloring as well. I look forward to getting my second tattoo. Over all they do great work. Read Less

I've had the pleasure of getting tattooed by three of the guys that work at Top shelf as has my boyfriend, and Each time I'm more impressed with the work. Little tommy, swan, Brummett and all the guys are fantastic.The shop itself has undergone a change in ownership in the past few years, so the older reviews don't really serve the place. In addition, the guys have recently renovated the entire spot and it looks amazing. The decor is sleek and immaculate and the atmosphere is laid back but professional. Lots of cool stuff to look at. And all the guys are friendly and talkative, it's no cool guy bullshit like you might get at shops sometimes They specialize in all styles of art, check out the Instagram to see portfolios.In my opinion it's the best shop on the neighborhood, I highly recommend. Read Less

I have quite a few tattoos from a few places. This place charges too much and isn't worth what it costs. I had gotten a tattoo 2 years ago, it didn't look anything like what I wanted. For this I'm giving it one star.I got a 13 dollar tattoo on Friday the 13th with a guy who doesn't work at top shelf any more but he did an awsome job. Since he isn't there anymore, he took his skill with him and this place won't get another star from me. Read Less

Shop has been completely redone and reworked. Looks amazing. Very laid back atmosphere...these guys love what they do and they love to be at the shop. Had a piece done by Tommy H and although some of it wrapped around close to the armpit, he worked quickly to minimize pain and discomfort. Very satisfied.From looking at the gallery and portfolios it looks like these guys specialize in traditional American style tattooing and it looks amazing. I even think Mike was featured in one of the magazines for that. But if you look at the instagram for the shop you'll see they do a lot of other styles. Seems to be very well rounded. Pay cash, or else there's a small fee for card. Also don't forget to tip your artist! Read Less

WORST tattoo experience I've ever had. I would really recommend going elsewhere to get a tattoo, because I've experienced better customer service, creativity, talent, prices, and general respect at every other tattoo shop I've gone to besides this one. This was the absolute worst. The staff was extremely rude and disrespectful, and the tattoo artist clearly did not give a shit about my tattoo. I got a quote, which they misspelled, and were really not remorseful about at all. And it was a really obvious mistake, that they could have caught if they were paying attention to the task at hand instead of joking around with one another. If you want a shitty, overpriced tattoo with a really awkward experience dealing with a bunch of jackasses and bros, go here I guess. But it's a shame to waste the awesome experience of getting a tattoo on paying a bunch of jackasses to basically do the equivalent of taking a shit on your skin. Read Less

Ok so it was my first tattoo ever the guys were so friendly they made me feel so comfortable it was a small tattoo and I love it matter of fact I have picked out to more they will be doing. It was actually fun sorry I waited so long to get one. No may be its better I waited never no how many I would have. There a great bunch of guys see you soon!!!!!Read Less

Love this place. Unlike the other parlors in or around Bayside, this spot is very professional with amazing results. Although it is a bit pricier, you can tell that the quality of work is just THAT much better. It also does hurt a lot more as well but the tattoo will look great forever. Def will be going back in! Read Less