I was recommended by a friend 5 years ago to go to Inborn Tattoo and check out Ray Jerez the owner for a nice tattoo piece.   At first I was nervous and hesitant to get a sleeve but Ray ensured me he would bring my idea to reality as painless and easy as possible.   I booked a appointment and started a dragon sleeve that started at my chest and went down my left arm.    I gave Ray the "Artistic Freedom" to do what looks best on my skin.  I must say that after 5 years I am still going to Ray and getting more work done.  I have recommended Inborn Tattoo to friends and family and always received a positive feedback.   Ray has since turned from Tattoo artist to friend.   Highly recommend and encourage anyone looking to get some tattoo work to come down a get a free consultation. Read Less

This shop is legit - I just completed my first session with Ray yesterday on a full-sleeve. My first ever tattoo was by Jonboy (no longer with Inborn) on my ribcage. Considering how serious the ribcage was, and the quality of the specific piece completed, I knew I wanted to return for another major project. Inborn is the perfect balance of high-end artists and cost. They are extremely affordable for the quality of work that comes through. I look forward to completing my sleeve with Ray, and intend on coming back for any future material. Personal note for Ray, he is the man. Deeply cares about you and the project at hand. Pleasure to work with, and kills his designs. Read Less

Flew in from Los Angeles and got a tattoo from Erick Diaz, very nice guy and held true to his word about meeting up a few days for a appt being I was in town for only 7 days. His line work is top notch, and shades are smooth. I highly recommend! Another artist was present and he was very nice also. My new go to shop when in NYC! Read Less

It's been over a year since I've been to the shop and I still love my tattoo. Ray Jerez is an awesome guy. I was talking to him for about a month about my ideas and he drew up exactly what I wanted. He's very clean and professional. I'm looking forward to finishing the rest of my arm with him. Read Less

Ray Jerez is the man!He's been tattooing myself and my friends for years. He digs on collaborating image ideas and has a great personality. Especially adept in traditional Japanese.I couldn't recommend this shop enough. Read Less

Great place, clean, sanitized and very welcome from the people that work there. I've done my tattoos in here and let me tell you, Ray Jerez is great artist , very helpful and skillful in the images that I needed to ink. I work in construction industry and a lot of working people in this places are most inked. Whoever saw my tattoos ( the script in my sleeve, the lone gray wolf, man in rain, ) they were amazed. If people bitch and complain about the price, they got to understand that what their paying is an art inked for life in their body, that is  done with skills and passion from the artist. Overall, it's great Tattoo shop. Read Less

I went to Ray for my first tattoo and it was an amazing experience. Not only does he have a smooth and quick hand, but one of the most easy going personalities you could ask for he made the fear of getting my first tattoo disappear. My tattoo is beautiful I absolutely love it ! Read Less

Not only are the artists passionate, professional, and focused they are very respectful of all aspects of co~creating designs. I came in with a piece to honor my step-mom's love of art. Erick was respectful, enthusiastic, and thoughtful as we developed the ideas together. The rest of the staff were equally involved in making me feel as if I chose the right place to help me honor such an intimately permanent symbol on my body. HIGHLY recommend Inborn and any of the artists. Read Less

Always a great experience at Inborn! My fiance & I love this shop and ambiance. Ray is our  go to when it comes to tattooing. Always attentive and professional, Ray never disappoints. Our latest addition still has us swooning. Thanks Inborn and Ray!! Read Less

Stopped by on a whim after work to get a tattoo. Not sure if it counts if I review a visiting artists work, but I was so pleased and amazed by the new piece of art on my body. I was lucky to have Kike, a visiting artist from Colombia, design a small deer tattoo for me. English was not his first language, but he immediately understood that I wanted a very delicate and thin design of a deer on my shoulder blade, and WOW I was amazed by his sketch. Gorgeous. The end result was even more beautiful, and it's definitely my favourite tattoo I've gotten so far. I've been getting nothing but compliments. For such a small tattoo, kike was able to design it with so much detail!On a plus note, my boss asked if I got it from Dr. woo - that's HUGE if you're familiar with his work. Thanks so much Inborn and Kike! I hope to get another done by you. The process was fast and easy, and although the tattoo was quite pricey* for a small one, I would not regret it at all and would definitely recommend checking Inborn out. *pricey yes, but tattoos are something you need to be willing to spend more on! Read Less

I have been a client of Ray Jerez since Inborn opened, and before that, when he worked elsewhere in lower Manhattan.  Not only does he do quality work, he does it with a wholly professional and pleasant demeanor.  He seems to work at a remarkably brisk pace, considering the quality and detail of the tattoos.  I will be going back to see him very soon and only wish that I were a bigger person so that I would have more real estate for his tattoos.  Definitely recommend Ray and his shop. Read Less

For my second tattoo, I had the pleasure of snagging Simon Velez! (Pronounced see-mon) walked in on a Friday and was able to book an appointment the next day. Jenna at the front desk was super hilarious and helpful about placement. I gave Simon the pic of a white wolf I wanted and his sketch was better than I could have imagined. He is one of the the nicest artists I've had the pleasure to be tattooed by. On top of that, talented, works quickly, and loves bikes and cats. What are you waiting for ? Go! Read Less

First off, the place is clean and sanitary. The staff are all professionals and have talent that can be seen. Very friendly and inviting when you walk in. Been in many tattoo shops and this place ranks up there with the best!Very pleased. Read Less

Walked into this shop on a Friday night to get a small piece done (outline of a flower on my foot).  The shop was quiet that evening so I got pretty good treatment/attention from my artist, Erik.  I had two pictures with variations on what I wanted and he was able to incorporate both of them into a sketch.  When it wasn't quite what I wanted he went back to happily modify the sketch.  All in all he was patient and made me feel super comfortable before getting the tattoo.  It was also nice that he gave his artistic input on the tattoo itself as well as its placement... which is great because I feel like sometimes these artists don't care much for the smaller pieces.  The place is a bit pricey, I paid $140 for my tattoo, which is pretty reasonable compared to other shops in the area and the good treatment. Read Less

I want to start by saying that I LOVE my tattoo.My friend and I went into Inborn yesterday to get what are essentially our first tattoos. The regular staff at Inborn were very friendly and accommodating - the girl at the front desk was very helpful in getting us set up, and one of the tattoo artists who wasn't working on us but was waiting for another customer asked us repeatedly if he could get us anything and engaged us in conversation, which was nice. The atmosphere was great, and the place looked clean and welcoming.The tattoo I got wasn't what I had originally pictured, but looking at it now, I like it much better than I think I would have liked my original idea. The artist who worked on me did a great job of trying to accommodate my idea while giving it his own artistic spin.The only reason I take off a star: if you're a tattoo newbie, you might want to brace yourself. I have to say, having been in the customer service industry myself, it is often frustrating to deal with people who clearly don't get what can seem very basic to you because you do it all day every day. That said, sometimes you have to take a deep breath and remember that the person you're talking to doesn't do what you do every day, and you might need to be patient with him or her. My friend and I were walk-ins, and weren't able to make an appointment with a regular tattoo artist, so we ended up getting a visiting artist who was from out of the country. I think a lot of our experience had to do with cultural differences, which we sort of realized as we went along, but it didn't help to calm our nerves. Naturally, not having done this before and having decided to get a permanent alteration to our bodies, we had reservations and there were questions we wanted worked out - when I was told I couldn't have what I wanted (a very tiny earth and sun on my wrist...they were too tiny to get the detail needed), the artist presented some options, but sort of decided what he'd be doing before I could say yea or nay. I had pictured it with colors, and the sketch he showed me was in black and white - when I asked if we could add color, he said "it would look like a girly tattoo." Again, after the fact, I like what he did, but that was a bit of a strange reason not to want to do it. When the time came to bite the bullet he went to put the image down on my wrist so that it faced him rather than me, and I asked him to turn it around - he told me it would be "impossible" because it would be "upside down...like when you put a cross on your arm and it's upside down and that means it's satanic." I said "to put the tattoo upside down is satanic??" He just looked at me, and I said "or do you mean the cross is satanic?" He paused and said, "yes." He shrugged and said, "but whatever, I can't force you." I stuck to my guns and made him do it the "satanic" way, of which I'm very glad (it's for me to look at, not him). When it was my friend's turn, she was getting a hand print on her ankle, and he went to put it down facing a certain way that she wasn't sure she wanted. After a few minutes of discussion, he went to put it down and she protested, as she still wasn't sure - she said "wait!" and he said, "no. I do not wait." and plopped it down. So that's where it is.I completely understand that these guys are professionals, and that our neuroses were probably boring to them - after the fact, I like the choices he made and I think my friend does, too. I did get the impression that our tiny tattoos weren't a priority - which makes sense, I'm sure sleeves are way more fun - but for our money, this was a big enough deal. I can't speak for the rest of the staff in these situations, but they seemed like they might have put up with our hand-wringing a little more graciously.I'm not sure you'd get better first-timer treatment anywhere else, to be fair, and overall it was a great experience. Just don't go in clean as the day you were born and expect the visiting artist to hold your hand into the promised land. :)And the prices are the best in town. That much I give five stars. Read Less

Inborn Tattoos is a great tattoo shop. There's always a friendly welcoming vibe when you walk in. I came with hopes of covering a tattoo that several artists claimed could not be covered. Ray Jerez did  a fabulous job in 3 sessions totaling 8 hrs. He's priced reasonably for the local market, and hey you get what you pay for. If you want a great tattoo check out the good folks at Inborn tattoos.Never mind the few negative reviews! There's always another side to that story. Also, I'm not sure why but at the bottom of this review page there is a heading, "OTHER REVIEWS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY RECOMMENDED" '. Please read these reviews as well. For some reason or other Yelp has decided that 30 of Inborn's 5 star reviews are not recommended!! Read Less

I've been getting tattooed at Inborn for almost two years now, and it is always a WONDERFUL experience!I've gotten tattooed by each artist numerous times and every one is my favorite! They are all super talented and each has a style all their own!The shop is clean, looks cool, and the atmosphere is always friendly and welcoming.I'd recommend Inborn Tattoo to anybody looking for an awesome custom tattoo, with a comfortable atmosphere, and smooth jams to help you along the ride! (And make sure to stroke the soft fur of Bartleby, the shop's stuffed coyote mascot) Read Less

Inborn is THE place to go for amazing work and professionalism. I'm a returning client and avid fan of Ray Jerez's work. His attention to detail is comparable to none. My wife had the pleasure of working with Tasha Rubinow on a piece she's been dreaming of for quite some time. Tasha did not disappoint. Tasha has an amazing talent which compliments the reputation of the shop. The rest of the staff is courteous and professional. I cannot say enough about this place! Read Less

Tasha did such an incredible job with my tattoo! I came to her with a basic design in mind, and asked her to come up with some ideas for colors and details. I was so impressed when she showed me her sketch, and basically let her do her thing with the colors. I really could not be happier with it! I'm so glad I trusted her vision and will absolutely be recommending her work to all my tattoo-craving friends. She also is just a cool human being and fun to chat with for a couple of hours.Thanks Tasha!! :) Read Less

Tasha Rubinow did an amazing job on mine and my sister's tattoos. My sister and I had wanted to get matching tattoos for some time now and she had moved to NYC about a year ago. We decided to finally book an appointment to get it done when I would visit her in May. My sis chose Inborn Tattoo and specifically Tasha. We had emailed her pictures of antique keys in advance and wanted her to incorporate the letter "B" to represent our last name. Tasha's sketch was so detailed and the shading looked perfect. My sister went first and had her tat on her inner bicep. My tat was in the center of my back. We couldn't have had a better experience and we love our "sister tattoos."Thanks so much Tasha! Read Less

I had a GREAT experience at Inborn. I was tattooed by Tasha Rubinow and am definitely going to be a repeat customer.I decided at around 5pm yesterday that I absolutely needed to get inked asap. After briefly glancing at their site, I called Inborn. I was told to come in around 6. Exactly what I was hoping to hear.First impression of the shop: very clean and cozy. Warm lighting, comfortable. Tasha was the artist who had time to take my spontaneous walk-in, and we chatted for a bit about a couple of design ideas I had. We settled on a piece of the Pokemon Haunter since it was such a short-notice appointment. Tasha was very patient and helpful as we figured out how to alter the original image to fit around some other tattoos on my arm. She made sure I was perfectly comfortable with the placement of the design and how it was altered before starting the actual tattoo. I really, really appreciated that. The tattoo was quick, relatively painless and it turned out wonderfully! The colors are vibrant and the linework is exceptional. I could not have asked for a better outcome! Tasha is easy to talk to, which made the whole experience go a lot quicker. If you want a professional, reasonably priced tattoo in NYC, I 100% recommend Inborn. I glanced at the other artists' work and briefly talked with Ray and can definitely say would have been happy to have been tattooed by any of the artists in the shop. I have a feeling I was pretty lucky to get in as quickly as I did since these are some serious artists, but it doesn't hurt to try! Read Less

I drove down from Boston Mass to New York City to get a tattoo from Chris Torres. It was definitely worth the drive. Chris couldn't have been nicer, we were talking trash to each other and having some good laughs about the Red Sox and Yankees rivalry. I am very happy with my tattoo that Chris did for me and if you're looking to get some ink done, it is worth it to make an appointment with Chris at Inborn Tattoo.Ray, Tasha and Mike were really nice to talk to and they always asked if I needed anything and if I was all set during my time there. Read Less

I finally decided to get a 3/4 tattoo on my right arm. It took my some time to find the right artist who could create what I wanted. And Ray has exceeded my expectations. I still have some more sessions to go, but so far I am extremely pleased with the work and can't wait to show it off in the Summer. Read Less