Great place! got my first tattoo here and Greg totally took care of me!! We didn't make an appointment, which was really nice because sometimes people get tattoos as spur  of the moment things, and the pricing wasn't too crazy! Read Less

WEAK SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  The tattoo was good (super easy rectangle) the girl who did it was RUDE! Getting a tattoo should be a fun and memorable experience but when you receive eye rolls about placement of the tattoo when they ask you if it's okay it makes you feel like they don't even care and that it's an in convenience. We have had much better experiences at other shops in the past and in this city so do your research. Read Less

Great tattoo shop in Manhattan filled with amazing artists. I've been getting tattooed by Erica Flannes at Red Rocket for the past 5 years. Her work is gorgeous and heals beautifully. She is easy to work with, and I'm so happy with my tattoos from her. Everyone at the shop is lovely and very knowledgeable! Read Less

I don't normally write reviews, but I just have to tell everyone how wonderful this place is. Shannon is the most talented artist I know as well as an amazing person. The shop is fun and has a great vibe. I always feel comfortable here and wouldn't trust anyone but Shannon to create and make great art on my body. Read Less

This is the spot. Had received a recommendation from my most senior boss and decided to check it out. I've been wanting a palm tree on my ribs. After scoping out Red Rocket's Instagram and finding Matty's page, I knew his style would be perfect for what I had in mind. Upon arrival, Matty worked with me to get the design perfect and turn my vision into reality. Talk about a pro. This guy gets it. Naturally, was a tad nervous to get this on my rib, but the pain was not as bad as I thought it would be. Matty's customer service is impeccable and his hilarious industry stories/witty banter really made the time pass quickly and the pain seem minimal. Seriously I can't give him enough credit, he's a damn artist. Read Less

Red Rocket Tattoo is an awesome place to get a tattoo! Everyone in the shop is extremely nice and friendly. They were also very patient in answering my many annoying questions about my first tattoo. Matt (@mattytat) was my tattoo artist and my tattoo came out exactly how I was hoping! My tattoo is a phrase written in a very small cursive font, but Matt's attention to detail was amazing and every loop in the cursive came out perfectly. I'd definitely recommend this shop and Matt! Read Less

I have never had a worse experience. I walked in and wanted to get a white tattoo and the two artists were so rude and were talking to me in such a condescending way about my decision to get it in white ink. We walked in at 7 an hour before closing and wanted two small tattoos and they wanted to inform us they closed soon. All I saw was lazy, rude people who think it's okay to talk about potential customers like they aren't there. Good lucky in business idiots! Read Less

went here for my forth tattoo and first with them, the shop is very friendly and straight forward. they did great work and were very professional. the shop is clean and well kept. the only down sides i had were not taking reservations over the phone and deposits only in cash but there is an atm on premises. for those who don't have a specific design in mind there is a lot of flash books on premises and they take walk ins and have lots of tables. will likely be returning Read Less

Friendly, welcoming atmosphere, clean open shop.  Everyone from the desk staff to the artists are chill and great at what they do. I've now had 7 pieces done there and the dedication at craftsmanship is top notch. Chris and Greg have done my work so far. Will be heading back there soon. Read Less

These guys are amazing and do a great job , the music was on point and their friendliness made you feel comfortable and chilll . I totally recommend you guys go see them and get some tats or piercings done . 👍🏼🙌🏼😊 ask for Greg 👍🏼 Read Less

I had zero tattoos one year ago, and I was nervous as hell to go in for my first. I had a full-sleeve in mind, but with lots of random components.I found Erica at Red Rocket through a friend, I looked up her work, and fell in love with her style. I was easily able to book an appointment with a quick phone call. We met for a consultation, and I showed her some photos and ideas, and she made the suggestion that we do a "sticker sleeve" - so lots of little stamp-like tattoos, and we could do filler later. A couple weeks later, we met for the actual appointment, and I got a fab set of Trapper-Keeper style roller skates and a cute little cup of coffee on my left arm. She worked very quickly, but kept checking in with me to make sure I was tolerating the pain okay (I was). I almost immediately booked another appointment to get a tattoo of my dog Bentley. Erica does AMAZING pet portraits. She completed my doggie tattoo in maybe 3 hours, and it's a large and intricate piece.I went back again and got a Miss Argentina tattoo. Again, quick and beautiful work, great lines and awesome color.I went back several months later, and got a flying unicorn kitty half-sleeve on my other arm (still in progress). I gave Erica a good bit of creative freedom on this piece, and it paid off. Again, the design, the line work, the colors - all awesome. She is incredibly creative and so talented. Unfortunately, I developed an allergy to one of the colors used in the last unicorn-kitty session, but Erica was quick to answer my emails and advise me how to care for my skin, and no damage occurred to the work (or to me).If you're looking for a great tattoo shop, this is the place. Everyone there is very friendly and professional, the shop is clean and hygienic, and they also play pretty fun music, and have a good shop banter going most of the time. The shop location is super convenient, and the rates are more than fair. Read Less

I've gotten 4 tattoos from Red Rocket-3 from Shannon and 1 from Matty. I love all my tattoos so much! They came out better then I could have expected! It's a very friendly, calm environment. I will definitely be going back for more tattoos! Read Less

Erica was my artist she did an amazing job, I could not be happier, we are from Orlando Florida, came to the city for a concert. She blew my expectations out of the water, if I am ever in the city again I will definitely book another appointment with her. Read Less

Went here to get a tattoo from Dave Ball (a piece from his flash). Great experience. The shop is a nice environment with friendly staff. They show quirky funny movies in the waiting area, which is very comfortable and rather roomy. I was assisted with scheduling and at check in and check out by Mork, who is entertaining, friendly and knowledgeable. My tattoo artist Dave was easy to set up a consultation with, professional and treated cleanliness as the utmost priority. A talented artist and nice guy. Would definitely recommend Dave and the shop. Read Less

Initially, i was very hesitant and scared of getting a tattoo. Max made the process easy, fun and in the end i had an incredible experience at Red rocket! To Mike, Max and the entire red rocket team - THANK you ! Read Less

Erica Flannes is an amazingly talented artist. She did a large floral thigh piece for me a year ago, and a smaller shoulder piece this week. She completely blew me away with what she sketched based upon what I asked from her. She is incredibly patient and kind, and she is willing to help people that don't feel well and take breaks as necessary. As for the shop itself - it's very clean, all of the people here are nice, and there's a really good collaborative/friendly culture among the staff here that I appreciate for a tattoo studio. I also love the layout and the decoration in the shop, it is such a fun place to be and I will be coming back lots more in the future! I recommend this place to anyone that asks me where they should get a tattoo in nyc. Read Less

Walked in off the street after googling tattoo studios in Manhattan. Red Rocket were nearest and the reviews were all generally positive. I was due to fly back to the UK last night and was wanting a souvenir of my trip to New York. The young lady on the counter (sorry, I didn't catch your name) was super helpful despite me being one of those annoying customers (I only have x amount to spend and I'm not exactly sure what I want) and I was soon introduced to Matt. About 90 min...s and $200 later I was the proud owner of a little red NYC rocket as a memento of my time in this wonderful city and relaxed, friendly, professional, top quality tattoo studio. I cannot recommend these guys enough and would like to thank the team (and a big hug for my new friend Emmylou ) for making my experience such a good and positive one. From Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England. Peace. See More Read Less

I made an appointment since I was visiting from out of state. I loved my experience. The artist was friendly and professional. The shop was very clean and bright. They thoroughly review post-care treatment to make sure you'll be OK. I definitely recommend! Read Less

I can't give enough praise to Red Rocket, and artist Max Shoberg.   I got my first tattoo this week, after careful research, and recommendations from friends.   First off, Max was incredible. He talked me through the process so I knew exactly what to expect.  His design, based on my provided materials was a million times better than I ever could have expected and I am thrilled with the tattoo.  I can't stop looking at it! And as pain goes, it was probably a 0.2 on the scale!  Everyone at Red Rocket was friendly, helpful and encouraging. Great vibe all around.  Extremely comfortable.  Highly recommended! Read Less

My husband and I were walk-ins today to each get a small piece for our son! Myra was super sweet, gave us some honest ideas & gave us pieces we will cherish always. Great artist, precise & professional! Very warm welcome & relaxed vibe by entire stuff that made for a very cool Sunday morning experience! Will be back for a larger piece with Myra! Thanks guys! Read Less

Great Tattoo shop with a friendly and professional environment. I have been tattooed here a few times and have never had a bad experience. They do their best to make it a pleasant and comfortable time. Adam is great and is my go to artist but you can't go wrong with anyone in the shop. Read Less

I've been here twice now and I love it. Erica is great and does such amazing work. Her lines are spot on and really knows how to use shading to make a tattoo look full and vibrant. The vibe of the shop is laid back and approachable. This is my go to place for tattoos. Read Less

Came here for the first time to surprise my friend w a tattoo( can't believe be actually agreed to this ). The girl at the front was super kind and helpful in aiding us. I think the tattoo artist's name was Sharin. My friend ended up loving his tattoo and plans on coming back for another! Ended up paying 200$ for the tattoo, excluding tip. I paid for the tattoo with my card, but they only accept tip in cash. The only negative thing I have to say about this place is that they only allow one person in to look at the tattoo being done, but I was there with my other friend, so we had to take turns going in to watch. It's understandable because it minimizes crowding, but when my friend and I were switching, an employee rudely told us to wait in the waiting room and pulled the curtain that divided the tattoo parlor from the waiting room. We were literally only standing in the doorway that separated the two areas for a solid 30 seconds because we passed by each other to swap places, and the employee rudely reprimanded us for that ... Other than that, it was a nice experience. attatched is the tattoo we got, for price reference :) Read Less

I was referred here by a colleague who knew I was a tattoo newbie. She referred me to Erica Flannes and I will be forever grateful! I lost my mom last year and wanted a tattoo in her memory. Erica helped me choose the optimal placement keeping in mind my work environment and the fact that I wanted to be able to see the tattoo without a mirror. I was pretty nervous when I came for my appointment but the gentleman at the front desk kept me calm and when Erica came out I felt completely at ease. She had drawn a few options for me to choose from based on the initial consult and even gave me scales options for sizing. She gave me great tips to deal with the pain since it was my first time and made it feel like a piece of cake! I truly can't wait for my next tattoo and will be going back to Erica for sure. My husband is even planning for her to remake his tattoos given the great experience I had. Erica and Red Rocket totally rock!! Read Less

Extremely disappointing..  my coverup has not even healed and I wanna remove it. The tattooist was not helpful .. I had my doubts about what I wanted and wanted to get guidance but was given none whatsoever ever and the quality of the work is v bad yet I was asked to pay 500$ ..for what !? Zero creativity .. just a botched job ..now I have to think how to remove this ..I would give them a MINUS 5 if I can .. I did try and communicate with the artist on my first visit but received one-word answers - absolutely not helpful. I have 8 tattoos so I know when a Tattooist is proactive and helpful and when one is not, mind you this was a cover-up so good fruitful dialogue is important. What I received, was the opposite. When I showed the team an image of what I wanted, I would have expected that they would ask me for the image so they could stencil it out, but no, all they asked for was a 'money' deposit. A professional would have taken a picture of the tattoo,  or traced it out, so they knew how to cover it up (including dimensions & actual size) using the new image instead of doing it on the spot when I arrived; because 1) it is not so straightforward and 2) you are charging your clients by the hour. How can you charge me for the time the artist is tracing and optimizing the new tattoo to the cover-up in your studio?  This should have been done prior to. Why are you charging a $100 deposit, and $200 per hour, but spend 45 minutes tracing on paper? That should be worth the deposit time, to say the least. In all cases, the guy didn't ask me for the image of the new tattoo prior to or even, when I came in. He made no effort to try to perfect how a coverup would look and share it with me in advance, or upon arrival. My experience with other tattoo parlors has been much more sophisticated and thought out...all you guys asked for was a deposit. Having not even seen a sketch obviously made me skeptical on the design, so, I decided to change it and have a dialogue with the artist while in the chair, but, kept getting 1-word answers. Then he merely sketched something with a pen (freehand) and started to tattoo...with zero creativity or dialogue or professional opinion - all of which I asked for, and one should expect - this is permanent on your body.  Regarding cost, I was told it's $ 200 an hour ... I paid $ 512 ...that's 2.5 hours ...I was not there for 2.5 hours and the work is embarrassing. In 2.5 hrs you can create great artistic work, not the botched effortless work I received. I can send you a pic to show you the quality. Lastly, when I asked about aftercare for the tattoo, he simply said "no need, just, wash with soap and water" which led to intense scabbing thus, not healing correctly. This was the worst experience of my life...shocking UNPROFESSIONAL AND LAZY WORK!AVOID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DESPITE MY REVIEW THIS CRAP INSTITUTION DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCERNS OF REVIEWERS .. CRAP PLACE .. V BAD QUALITY ... NO CREATIVITY ... V EXPENSIVE .. NOT EVEN WORTH $50! Read Less

Amazing!  I've had 3 tattoos done at Red Rocket - 2 by Shannon, and 1 by an artist no longer there.  Everything was perfect - from the consultation, to the appointment scheduling, to the paperwork and the appointment itself.  Everything is very clean and bright, and everyone is so friendly.  Shannon does amazing work, and he is such a nice guy.  I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a quality tattoo. Read Less

CHRIS was great. she really took her time and made sure my sister and I liked our tattoo before she started. This was my younger sisters first tattoo, she gave her a stress ball, took her time, gave her a small line at first to show her that it would t hurt and then a lollipop at the end lolRead Less

Professional place without loosing its cool. Chris Murphy especially awesome ! Did my tattoo, gave me suggestions, worked with me to come up with my birds in flight, and am recovering with no effort at all ! I barely feel like I'm in recovery mode and I am two days in ! Awesome awesome job, Chris !! Read Less

We walked up right about when they opened, 12 PM on a Thursday! We immediately were helped and began our tattoos within 30 minutes! Shannon, our artist, did a phenomenal job and kept both of us entertained through the pain! Lots of quality discussions about Star Wars! Overall for two decent size tattoos it took about a hour and a half and costed $250 plus a $40 tip! Both of our tats turned out exactly how we expected! Thanks Shannon!! Read Less

Outstanding here on hols from England for the week. As it was my daughters 18th on the day we travelled we both wanted to remember our travels so decided to have a tattoo. I emailed red rocket tattoo prior and sorted out all the details it was so easy to do. We got there today such a smooth transaction. And walked away with outstanding tattoos. Would strongly recommend Red Rocket Tattoo shop. Read Less

Thanks Greg for helping our family in remembering our Erica on this trip. You were awesome and did a great job helping us pull it together on a whim. When we come back to NYC we will check you out. Keep up the great work man! Peace and love! Jessie, Hunter, and Victor. (NC crew) Read Less

Walked in to get some lettering done an hour or so before they closed. Chris was very kind and gave great advice about sizing and font. I'm in love with my tattoo, and would definitely go again to get more work done when I'm back in the city. The pricing was also super reasonable given the size of my tatt. Touch ups are free. I would totally recommend. Read Less

Everyone here is so amazing! I came in today as a walk in because I was in NY visiting. I went in for a Selena signature tattoo and right off the bat the greeted me so kindly and even though they were busy, took me right in. The whole process took about a half hour and my tattoo came out so beautiful! They are absolutely phenomenal and if you are in the area I suggest them for your next tattoo. Thank you so much for my amazing tattoo and making my first experience wonderful! Read Less

Today I went in for a sketch and more info about the tattoo process and rates due to it being my first tat. The gentleman behind the counter was super friendly and got Mat ( I believe that his name) to inform me on everything. I told him what I wanted and he drew a rough sketch of the idea right on my arm with a marker (super talented) . He was super cool and by the books and pictures of their work, they are a credible tattoo shop, theyre credible artists in that shop. They made me comfortable and they listen to what I wanted and thats why I'm going to them to do my tat. You get what you pay for. If you come here, YOU WILL BE IN GOOD HANDS. I'm scheduled Saturday and i will do an update with the picture of the tat that will prove how good these guys are. Read Less

I came To visit new York with Friends, And for idea To do an tattoo here.... Finaly after my tattoo with Chris, my friends do one To !! With chris of course.. The tatoo shop is realy cool, and chris do an super work !! #super #chrismurphy #lovetattoo #sherealycool #redrockettattoo .... Read Less

I'd like to say that I had an incredible experience for each of the 8 tattoos I had done there. Max did one and Greg did the others. They always treated me with kindness and friendliness as I did the same. I would recommend this place above any other shop in the world. Read Less

I have been tattooed in a few places before but I have to say red rocket will forever be my go to as long as Erica Flannes is there!! I came across Erica back in 2015 when I was going through a dark period that my current artist at that time decided to move away and not complete my current tattoo that we were doing (a Disney sleeve) Erica decided to take on the project although she didn't have to and since then has AMAAAAAAZED ME! She took my sleeve and turned it into a masterpiece..  We have about 1 or 2 more sessions left but I have to make a post because she's amazing.Erica had also since then done 2 more pieces outside of my sleeve and I swear to you she's amazing! A true southern belle  I love you miss! Read Less

I just got my first tattoo yesterday and was utterly impressed with the staff and my artist, Myra Beodsk. I was terrified and would definitely consider another one from Red Rocket.  I am not a big yelp reviewer, but definitely a positive experience for me and again comfortable, kind, considerate staff. Read Less

Greg Rosenfeld at Red Rocket was amazing! Super clean facility, personable staff and Greg walked me through the process and made sure it was perfect before doing my tattoo. I would definitely recommend Red Rocket! Read Less

I can't recommend Red Rocket enough - what a terrific experience.Went in today with a few of ideas about what I wanted to have done - all fairly simple, but different. They were super helpful, providing information about how each tattoo would age, best locations, etc. After making the choice, the artist, Chris, was marvelous - smart, talented, and a great conversationalist.  I'll definitely be returning to Red Rocket for the other 3 I want to have done... and I live in Los Angeles. Read Less

I'm writing this review in 2017. I was inked by this shop in November 2009. Afterwards I retired from tattoos. So, coming from a skeptic, I couldn't more highly recommend this tattoo shop. They have incredible integrity in their work. They're artists first, tattoo shop second.So, my experience. I had several tattoos prior, small and with meaning. One was a small tattoo on my foot shared with many of my friends, the 5 dots of a dice on my foot, and we all know how the tattoo addiction evolves. Next, I got my family initials on my arm DGRC. Fast forward to October 2009, and my friends impulsively decided to get tattoos together. Bad mistake. We went to a horrible shop, and I got a tattoo on my lucky number, 8, and wound up with a horribly misshapen Onion looking magic 8 ball on the inside of my forearm. I immediately realized I needed to cover it up. I did my homework, which led me to Red Rocket Tattoo. I immediately knew they held their work in high esteem because they immediately stated that they would not tattoo me that day. That day was simply a consultation. It was clear that they refused to put their name and reputation to a tattoo that they were not proud of. So, we spent 2 hours figuring out what could best cover up the hackjob that was this 8 ball, and ultimately settled on a goatee for the cover up, connecting to an artsy smoke filled skull. I know it sounds generic, but when you look at it today, it's like nothing you've ever seen before. We scheduled an appointment 2 weeks later, for 1) them to draw the tattoo2) me decide if this was something I truly wanted to do3) allowed me to have one of my artist friends also draw out a rendition of what I wantedSo, the day came. To be completely honest I cannot remember the artist's name. He was kind of a rude hipster, but what true artist isn't? Anyways, instead of drawing an outline like most would, he simply took a green and orange sharpie, and made general guide marks. Their rate is expensive, 150 per hour, but they tattooed my entire upper right arm in 2.5 hours which would have taken an inferior artist 5. In general, a tattoo is for life, the money isn't. Do not take cost into consideration. I am now left with a tattoo that I am constantly complemented for, and I always refer them to Red Rocket Tattoo in New York (despite the horrible name). I retired from tattoos, because I was horrified by the image of having something on me that I truly hated (the 8 ball), but fortunately Red Rocket had the skill, audacity, and honor to make art out of garbage. Truly know how to make lemons out of lemonade. With Red Rocket Tattoo, I made one of the greatest life choices, and permanent commitments, I possibly could. Forever grateful. Do not settle for less. Read Less

After some research on yelp and Google I decided have a new tattoo inked at Red Rocket.It was a very good experience. In fact I would say excellent.From my call with Mike the day a couple of days before to set up the appointment. To having the work done. It could not have been easier, friendlier and professional.I had reviewed all the portfolios which were impressive. I finally settled on Chris Murphy as I thought her style suited the simple but complicate image I wanted - text and symbols.She got what I wanted straight away and within about 10 minutes had hand drawn the integrated images and we were all set.The work was excellent and the after care instructions and pack detailed.I thought the price was very reasonable and would definitely recommend this studio - especially for a first timer.I have already asked her to help me design two new tattoos. Read Less

I have been to four tattoo artists since my move to the east coast 18 months ago. To each I presented a 125 year old black & white photo of a monorail steam engine train. One guy upstate did nothing and I did not get my deposit back. The other two guys drawings were mediocre at best. Then I heard about Red Rocket, so I called and was told Derek Martinez was the guy to speak to. I went down with my photo, spoke to Derek and a few days later he produced a drawing I wanted on my body for the rest of my life. It was just perfect and right, yes, that simple. Since then he has brought to life my vision of what I wanted, yet he has improved upon that vision. He listens to what you want and often agrees, however he will also offer you not only his artistic interpretation but the knowledge of his vast experience. The team camaraderie displayed by all the artist's at Red Rocket is matched by their expertise and commitment to customer satisfaction. Your boldness is embraced and your shyness is totally protected. Whether this is your first or you 'last' tattoo, Derek Martinez and the Red Rocket team with their broad & specialized style of artistry will ensure you have the best experience ever. A great tattoo  = Life with no regrets!Feel free to reach out to me with any questions. You need to feel comfortable with your tattoo artist and the space he/she creates in. Your search for an artist should end here, call or go visit the shop, look at each artists beautifully bound visual resume of their collective works, awe inspiring. Cheers TJ Sent from my Phone Read Less

I'm very late with this review but came here during Christmas for my first tattoo after looking at many different places.  Greg is the best!!!!!!  He was very patient with me as I was rather nervous and walked me through the entire process.  He made me feel very comfortable and welcome and talked to me the entire time.  He also would constantly ask if I was ok and if I needed to take a break.  The rest of the staff were all super friendly and welcoming and the place is really clean.  I will note that you do have to pay a reservation fee of $100 (Cash only) but the price is worth it!  Highly recommend this place.  Thank you Red Rocket and Greg for an amazing first tattoo experience! Read Less

I went here last weekend and got tattooed by Shannon. He did an amazing job! I brought in a few photos and described what I wanted, and he drew a perfect sketch that had everything I asked for. Now that it's on my skin, it looks even better. I've gotten so many compliments on it so far. I'm really happy with it. And the shop was great to work with; it's filled with really nice chill people. The pricing is also totally reasonable. I'll definitely be going back here for my next one. Read Less

Bare with me on this one guys...it's long...Me and the gf (now fiance) were looking for places to get our engagement tattoos, because we had no desire to get engagement rings, for a bevy of reasons. We went to a few places, including very highly rated Three Kings Tattoo in BK, before we decided to get our tat here. The receptionist at Three Kings was SUPER on top of it: really nice, very helpful (it was my first tat) and even gave us a huge book of fonts to look through to find the font that we like, because we wanted to get a word on our finger. Apparently, you shouldnt get a tattoo on your finger because it fades. All the places we went to advised against it, including the receptionist at Three Kings. After all of that we went to Red Rocket as our last stop, only because we were trying to go somewhere else and couldn't find it, but Red Rocket was in the area. We went in and it was a pretty slow day so a couple of the actual tattoo artists were running the reception. They were really funny, down to earth guys who were super cool. They also didn't mind saying that they were just probably not going to do a tattoo on our fingers for the reasons I mentioned before. They were however, the first people to suggest getting it down on our arms, that way what we wanted could be bigger and with more detail.We left, and after mulling around on it, decided to go back there and make an appointment to get our work done there. We put down the reservation money which is $100 (CASH ONLY) and came back the next day. Greg was our artist. It was my first tattoo and my fiance's second, so she was the resident expert between us, but Greg did his absolute best to make us both feel super comfortable. He talked to us the whole time about our wedding plans and i feel like i know everything about him now because we just hung out and talked about things the whole time. When he was tattooing me, he put down one quick line and stopped, asking me "is that ok?" it was fine. he checked in a bunch of times to make sure i wasn't uncomfortable or in pain or anything. it was a fantastic experience, and we were both really happy with the results. i dont know if im going to get another tattoo, but my fiance was so happy with our visit that she talked to Greg about getting her other tattoo retouched and possibly adding some stuff to it. the place was super clean and there were a couple other people getting tats from 2 other artists, and the other artists didn't mind jumping in our convo and cracking jokes with us. everyone there seemed to be great friends and really nice people. i would definitely recommend this place as a place to get ink done, and this is coming from a newbie.PS: the other places that we went to about our tattoo gave us price quotes that were at least $100 more than we actually paid for our two tats, so that's also awesome. And yes, you can pay with credit card, but the tip (and reservation down payment) has to be done in cash. Read Less

I had a friend who got a wonderful tattoo here before from an artist named Betty Rose (bit.ly/J0xLX1) So I made my appointment. When I came in, she had created the drawing based on an image that I sent her and it looked incredible. The tattoo took 2 hours, and I couldn't be more thrilled with how it turned out. Betty is such an incredible artist and I will definitely be back soon. AND the price was one of the best quotes I got from a number of reputable shops. bit.ly/L2UPFg Read Less

Was in NYC for a vacation and on a whil decided to get a tattoo. This place was the only one open on a Monday holiday. went in, no waiting, got me right in, drew up what I wanted right on my body and went to work. the colors and design came out great! the people there were all very friendly and down to earth. would make a trip back for another one! Read Less

There are a lot of incredible tattoo artists at this parlor. Adam in particular is amazing. He can design and create the most detailed tattoos that put others to shame. This place is very hygienic and insists on giving great aftercare advice. There's no question I will return for my next tattoo. Read Less

I am a huge fan of Red Rocket Tattoo. The shop is clean, fun and all of the staff make you feel at home. Everyone there is very creative and talented. I found Red Rocket by chance and I am so happy I did. I read on Yelp that Red Rocket got great reviews from clients. I took two female colleagues who wanted piercings and Alex took good care of them. He's a good dude and very professional. My colleagues were very pleased. While I was there I found an artist's portfolio that I could not put down. The tattoo work inside was outstanding and truly unique - it grabbed me. I asked for the artist, Betty Rose, and she was eager to chat with me even while she was in the middle of a very detailed tattoo. I have been tattooed in 3 other different NYC shops (which I will leave unnamed) and I can tell you none of them have artists with the outstanding, warm, bed side manner Betty Rose has. I mentioned some of my future tattoo ideas and Betty responded just as she always does - even today: Sounds good man, I'm into it!!! When do you want to do it? The first tattoo Betty completed for me was a beautiful Asian-inspired bird with cherry blossoms in my right arm's ditch. It took 3 hours and she motored through it. The bird is very detailed and has lots of vibrant colors, which Betty excels at. Since then Betty has completed 4 more large tattoos for me and I am EXTREMELY happy with all of them. The tattoos have all been big pieces and require multiple sittings. I am comfortable with Betty and give her a lot of artistic freedom. (This is a HUGE tip for anyone who has not been tattooed before or often.) It shows a lot of respect for your tattoo artist and in the end, you will obtain a way better tattoo! Another tip: take as many printed pictures for artistic reference as possible, and artists Do Not want to see an idea or picture on your Mobile phone! I have been tattooed around 69 hours in my life, Betty has now tattooed me around 28 of those hours in total. I will say she is really good at blending her new work with the older, existing work from other artists. She also has a very light touch and her machines are silent. Most of my work is pretty traditional, they are Japanese/Asian inspired with new school Betty Rose twists and trick techniques slipped in there along the way (it's fun stuff). All my work involves lots of detail, lots of popping color - and Betty rocks this! I have a good number of future tattoos I want to obtain, Betty and I are always discussing when and what. I have mentioned this to a number of people and I'll tell Betty directly: There is absolutely no need to go looking anywhere else for a tattoo artist when I have already found the best!!! If you are in search of a great tattoo, a clean facility and cool artist........go to Red Rocket, look at Betty's portfolio, the one with the Rose on the front. Ask for Betty, you will not be disappointed! Read Less

I had such a fanastic experience at Red Rocket. My artist, the fabulous Betty Rose, took a great deal of time in creating and bringing to life a three-quarter sleeve. She completely understood my vision but brought her own ideas that made it even better than what I ever imagined. Her artistic eye and true talent have resulted in a fantastic tattoo that I love, and I literally have people stopping me in the street asking where I got it done. I never write reviews but this recommendation is too important not to share. Go in and chat with the artists. They are all amazing. You will not regret going to Red Rocket. Read Less

LOVE my tattoo! While visiting NYC I decided to get my first tattoo. I went to Red Rocket as a walk in and was treated very well by all the employees that were there. Kyle took the time to listen to what I was looking for, and designed an AMAZING tattoo. The atmosphere was clean and comfortable and everyone was super friendly. Kyle made sure I was comfortable with what was going on. Very fair price for an exceptional piece of artwork! The experience was the best part of my trip!! Thank you Kyle! Read Less

I'm in midtown all the time, and I must've passed by Red Rocket Tattoo a hundred, two hundred, three hundred times. A friend of mine told me that he had been directed to Red Rocket by his daughter, who mentioned that the shop has real artists onboard, and that among them was one Betty Rose. So I called up, made an appointment with Betty, and then explained the idea I had in mind. Betty made some suggestions based on location, size and -- this is what neiled it for me -- originality. Betty explained how long the work would take, and believe it or not, she was within five minutes of her estimate. So now I've got this beautiful work on my forearm, and when I'm asked WHERE I had it done, I just say, ""Midtown. Red Rocket. Betty Rose."" By the way, the shop is clean, the other artists know what they're doing, and the shop's located in midtown. But Betty Rose is THE one. Read Less

i went for my first tattoo there, a full sleeve on my left arm. Not only were the people there incredibly welcoming and honest, but they actually CARED about the quality of the tattoo. This is no drunken-night-tribal-tattoo-on-face dive, they take it seriously and are dedicated to the craft. I love this new tattoo so much and I'm definitely hooked on the atmosphere there. I recommend it without any hesitation whatsoever! Read Less

After moving to NYC a friend recommended Adam Hays at Red Rocket. Since my first session, Adam has been my tattoo artist of choice. He is amazingly talented with a great sense of color, line and form. Give him any image or idea and he will create an amazing piece for you. I highly recommend him! Read Less

I've been getting tattooed by Adam for about 4 years now and honestly, I wish I knew about this guy sooner as I would have had him do all my work. Each tattoo is ridiculously amazing, extremely detailed, and customized just the way I want. Whether it's Japanese freehand, star wars awesomeness, traditional, cover-ups, freehand - anything you want. He's the man for the job. Also (and definitely worth noting) is that he's extremely personable, friendly, and just an all-around cool guy. He's never caught up in himself and always has a down to earth attitude and can definitely keep you laughing and talking throughout your experience. For your next tattoo, you should definitely check him out. Read Less