These artists know what they're doing! If you are looking for a place to do some quality work with many designs you can throw at them, look no further! The shop is small but you WILL find someone more than capable putting something you can be proud of wearing for a lifetime. Read Less

I stopped in there today as a walk-in and got a tattoo done by Neil. I've got about 25 tattoos and I've had them done all over the country. This was hands down the best tattoo experience I've ever had.It just felt really comfortable there and the staff was great. I didn't feel judged or out of place like I sometimes do at tattoo shops, if you know what I mean. It was just nice.Anyways, like I said I was a walk-in but they still got me in a chair within an hour and gave me an awesome tattoo along with great conversation for a great price.I highly recommend them. An appointment probably would have been smart tho. I love my new tattoo! Read Less

I went to Oak City Tattoos last night to get my very first tattoo. Marco could not have been nicer and a more talented tattoo artist. He was excellent! He told me exactly what to expect and made me feel very comfortable. The shop was very clean and organized. Marco was very detailed in what to expect with the healing process and how to care for the tattoo. My next tattoo will definitely be with Marco. I highly recommend Oak City Tattoos and my experience with Marco was phenomenal! Read Less

Marco is exceptional as well as my complete experience with Oak City Tattoos!  I will definitely be back.  This was my first tattoo and Marco couldn't have been been any sweeter or more gentle.  He was fantastic!  The shop was very clean and well organized.  Highly recommend! Read Less

I got my ink from Greg, not only is Greg a cool freakin dude to talk to but he’s a great artist, took my concept and brought it to life. Talking to him there’s no doubt that he absolutely loves his craft and is extremely knowledgeable about all things tattoo. Long story short, my tattoo turned out so well I’ve decided to turn it into an entire leg sleeve done exclusively by Greg. If I could give any advice to someone reading this get an appointment with him quick fast and in a hurry before he figures out he should be charging $50-$60 more. Read Less

I really don't like leaving bad reviews, and its been a while since this happened but I still feel so disappointed and disrespected after my experience here. I got and small tattoo by Ryan here, and wanted to get it expanded a year later. He did a great job with it and I wanted him to make it a little bigger. I live on the other side of the country now, so it was important to me to schedule this second appointment carefully around my year. I  made my appointment with Ryan 2+ months in advance. Long story short, I tried hard to get the appointment finalized 2 weeks before, but it turns out the appointment was scheduled on the wrong week, which he apologized for. He said he had another client that he couldn't reschedule on the day I requested. He said he had drawn it up and that Marco, another artist could do it if that was ok with me. Of course, he sent this on a Saturday night before my Monday appointment, and he doesn't work on Sunday. So I asked to see if I could see the drawing but didn't get any response- I was willing to see what Marco could do. I walked in on the Monday to find that neither Marco or Ryan were in the shop that day and in fact, Ryan was on vacation. I left and went home to the west coast and emailed stating how disappointed I was but that I still wanted it finished by him. I was willing to fly back for another appointment. He never responded to my emails or apologized despite the 3 other follow ups I sent. I'm currently making arrangements to have it finished by another artist near me, but I am still appalled at the lack of communication this place seems to offer (based on similar reviews) If they were more responsive and put an ounce of effort into their clients, they would have had my business. Maybe I did something to piss him off but I still would have paid to have the art that I wanted on my body. Sad that this had to be the way it ended, I just hope no one else has to have this experience. Read Less

Neal is a phenomenal artist in both personality and talent. My wife and I went in today for my first tattoo and her 13th. He was extremely patient and did an excellent job making me feel at ease from the moment we walked in. He was very personable and worked with us to help us get exactly what we wanted. The finished product looks great. He also helped redesign an existing tattoo that my wife had and it looks so much better. She is thrilled with the redesigned cat (it actually looks like a cat now!) and the new tattoo that Neal did. He was able to translate the idea perfectly into a very well-done tattoo. We couldn't have possibly hoped for a better artist and better experience for both of us. Will definitely go back to him in the future. Thank you, Neal! Read Less

Ryan at Oak City Tattoo has the patience of a saint! My sisters and I had a triple booking with him, and he worked with us down to the tiniest detail to make our tattoos perfect. Not only did he draw and redraw the same design over and over again to please three different women, two of us were first timers. He was kind and patient working with us. To make matters even extra challenging, I have essential tremors and Parkinson's disease and previously have been told by another shop that I could not be tattooed. He calmly talked to me about my movement disorders and we worked through it together. I could not be happier! The whole shop was very clean and professional, I would happily go there again. Read Less

First experience at a tattoo shop. I went with my girls as they went to get their first tattoos. Everyone was awesome. It was very clean and sanitary. The artist did a great job. Couldn't have asked for a better experience! Read Less

I came in to get more information about tattoo since it's my first time. I wish I could remember the guys name but he was very helpful and sweet. My sister and I wanted to get the same tattoo but she forgot her ID. He politely declined. He didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize the business or his license. I can understand that and I'm thankful for that kind of honesty. Read Less

Seriously could not be more happy. Came here to get my first tattoo and Marco made the experience as comfortable as possible. I wanted very thin lines and he did beyond what I thought was capable. Seriously recommend this place! Read Less

We called and asked several tattoo parlors if my husband and I could come in for a tattoo same-day, since we were in town for one day. When we called this location, I was told to come in, because not many people were waiting. The person that answered the phone was very pleasant, so we decided to come here and are so glad that we did. We were greeted upon entry, even though the receptionist wasn't there that day. We told the tattooist what we wanted and within 15 minutes, he returned with drawings ready for our approval! He did great, so we decided to get the tattoos. The shop was very clean and the atmosphere was good! Ryan did my and my husband's tattoos. We are very pleased!! He is excellent!! I admired how pleasant and extremely meticulous he was. He cleaned his area between completing my tattoo and my husband's tattoo. He made sure that he had a clean barrier on everything. I will definitely recommend him and this shop!! I overheard 2 other tattooists interacting with the clients and both were extremely pleasant, knowledgeable and caring!! Read Less

Me and my girlfriend both came in with completely different tattoo ideas, and Greg couldn't have been more accommodating and helpful. He was professional, funny, and super nice, making our first tattooing experience really great. The work turned out amazing, thanks Greg! Read Less

I visited OCT and was greated by Ryan who was incredibly friendly and helpful. My appointment was made with Greg and few days later and I tell ya, this was only my second tatoo, and he did a fantastic job. Not heavy handed at all and was created my birthday/Mother's Day rose tatoo to perfection. I am very happy with it and my boys and friends LOVE IT. It was a great expereince. Read Less

I went into oak city last night for my very first tattoo. My husband received a tattoo from Marco almost 4 years ago and was so happy with it that he knew this was where I needed to go. Marco was patient and did an amazing job! I LOVE my tattoo!! Everyone was friendly and put me at ease. While we were there, my husband decided to get a tattoo and Gregg was good about fitting him in and my husband received a tattoo he had been wanting for a long time. Gregg did a fantastic job and was very efficient. We will definitely be back to see these two amazing artists! Read Less

I've been tattooed by both Colby and Neal, and the whole experience both times was top-notch. I can tell that these guys really cared about giving me quality work, they ensured that I was comfortable the entire time, and both pieces turned out absolutely beyond my expectations. Clean line work, no heavy-handed lines, beautiful shading....seriously the best. My mom hates tattoos, but she even admitted that my two from here are really pretty. Yay Oak City Tattoos! Read Less

My twin sister and I got matching tattoos and had a wonderful experience. The shop is clean and inviting, the staff are very professional, friendly, and helpful, the prices are reasonable, and our tattoos are great. Marco and Greg did a great job and do impeccable line work. Read Less

First time there. We, my daughter and I, walked in to make our appointment and were greeted by Ryan. Great energy. When we left we knew we had made the right choice to go there. 3 of us were there for tattoos and in just over 3 hours we walked away delighted! The artwork designs and quality of his work is amazing! We are all thrilled and will definately be scheduling more appointments with him for future work. Thank you Ryan.... "the crazy girls from CT" Read Less

I went as a walk in and left with 3 small tattoos that I couldn't be happier with. Ryan was personable and just did an all around amazing job! I have other tattoos that I love but I don't think I'll go anywhere else from now on. Thank you!!! Read Less

I got my first tattoo at Oak City with Marco and he was awesome! He was very careful to make sure he explained the whole process with me and to calm any nerves I may have had since it was my first one. He made sure to stop every once in a while to check in with me and see if I needed a break. My tattoo was better than I could have imagined and healed wonderfully. The shop atmosphere is super laid back and it is super clean. I recommend Oak City to everyone I know when they're looking for somewhere to get their tattoos! Read Less

I have all three of my tattoos done at Oak City and my belly button piercing. My first two tattoos were done by Colby, before he went to Mad Ethel's, and my piercing and third tattoo were done by Neal. Every single thing I have had done here has healed phenomenally, looked exactly as I wanted and remains looking fantastic (even with some being done almost six years ago!) They were very kind, patient and willing to work with me on my designs and exactly how I wanted mine to lo...ok. All three are script with a mix of some geometric elements, on my ribs, hip and spine. Each time painless and better than the last. I plan on visiting again for my fourth soon and any more after. HIGHLY recommend!!!! (Even got my roommate to go here for her first tattoo, which she loves!) Oak City is one full of genuine artists who know what they are doing and make sure you are happy! See More Read Less

I came into Oak City as a walk in appointment hoping to get a small back tattoo. They had me write down my information because they couldn't see me in right away. To my pleasant surprise not even 15 minutes later, Marco called and was able to fit me into his busy schedule. The shop was really clean and well kept, and the staff was extremely helpful, positive, and friendly! I had my tattoo done by Marco, he was very attentive to my tattoo request. He was very personable and kept the conversation going to distract me from what was going on with my tattoo. Overall a wonderful experience, I would definitely recommend to anyone looking to get a tattoo! Read Less

I went in to Oak City last night, no appt for my first tattoo. Saw Neal. He was awesome. Drew up exactly what I wanted based off the pic I brought in and made changes I asked for. Placed it perfectly. He was so nice a reassuring for a first timer. And...it looks great. I'm really happy with it. If it heals perfectly like it should, I'll update to 5 stars!  I'm already itching to go back and get another. Loved working with him. All the guys we talked to were so nice. Definitely recommend and will go back!Updated to 5 stars! Two weeks later and it's healed perfectly. Gotten great compliments on the artwork. Very pleased. Read Less

One of my friends came to visit for the weekend and was super stoked about getting a new tattoo. We stopped in on Friday evening and spoke with two different artists. I feel like each were both hesitant to service her. Then an appointment was finally made for 6pm the next day. The artist did inform her that he would call if he was running behind. He did call to inform her that he was running behind AND that he would not be able to do her tattoo. He indicated that he would call her back to let her know if one of the other artist could do it and....she's still waiting for his call. I am giving this business one star because customer service and integrity are paramount and they failed in that area. Read Less

My friends and I walked in to this shop after getting referred here by another friend. None of us have tattoos and had no idea what to expect. (Yeah...we're noobs, but gotta start somewhere!)Well, it's safe to say that this was the absolute best experience for a first tattoo.Not only was everyone in the shop professional and courteous, they were completely chill and made the whole process smooth and easy to understand.I wanted three 1/2 inch chevrons on my right side. Although I didn't have a sketch, Marco came back with a sketch of exactly what I wanted. My friends wanted small tattoos behind their ears and their artists were easy to work with and very helpful.I can only attest to the skill Marco has and would recommend him to anyone, regardless of if they are getting their first tattoo or their fiftieth.He kept me updated on progress through the whole process and kept up light conversation throughout. Marco told me what to do for aftercare and gave me his card and a small half sheet with care instructions. Cost of the tattoo was $90. I have nothing to compare price to but I thought it was fair!All in all, loved the experience. I'm a no frills kind of person and will definitely be back to get my next tattoo. Read Less

Great great awesome! I'm from Ca and tried 3 diff tatt shops before coming here. All of them left a bad taste in my mouth. Except this one!  The customer service was friendly. They are not egotistical like most artists and great work. We saw Neal. Read Less

This place deserves 4.5 stars! I came here with a friend who wanted her first tattoo. It was kind of spontaneous, so she did not schedule an appointment. After calling various places in Raleigh, this one allowed a walk in. Right when we arrived, we were instantly greeted and helped by a worker, Steve! He was awesome and did exactly what she wanted. He seemed to really care about the needs of the customer, and kept us entertained while we were there. Because the tattoo she got was small, it only took 10 minutes, but I can see that he was very careful as well. The tattoo cost $60. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to join the tattoo club. Read Less

Long overdue review. This place is the best. I started my tattoo journey earlier this year and so far have had three tattoos done at this shop. I've personally been tattooed by Neal and Colby, both of whom I highly recommend. My roommate has always gone with me to get a tattoo as well, and she has had work done by Marco as well as Neal and Colby. I refer all my friends here, their quality of work and professionalism is top notch. I even convinced my mother, who has always been against tattoos, to get one. And Steve blew her away with his artistry. Needless to say, when I move I will miss these guys, and might need to travel back for one or two in the future! Read Less

I'm writing this review because I'm so annoyed at the customer service that was given to my friend. If one scheduled an appointment with a tattoo artist almost a week in advance, sending the photo of said tattoo and saying prepare sketches of ideas, shouldn't the artist be ready and waiting for you to come with ideas and sketches? Well Cody did not, if anything my friend and I waited 20 minutes as we finds the photo my friend emailed to him and as he blows it up to see how it would look. No input given as to design ascetics, nothing. Once my friend telling him his idea was in regards to his family he didn't even want to touch the idea of the tattoo when my friend asked him to give input. I understand you want the customer to be sure but this customer service was horrible and Cody is nice but not worth the struggle to come here and sit for something that should of be ready. Read Less

I've been getting tattooed here for a couple of years and would never go anywhere else. Marco is awesome and has spectacular work! All of my tattoos mean a lot to me and he never lets me down!While I'm there all the other artists are kind and talk to me even though they aren't the ones tattooing me. Would recommend to anyone and everyone because Marco will have your back and not make you regret your choice :) Read Less

I strolled into the shop 10 minutes after 8 (the shop closes at 9) requesting a small tattoo on my wrist.The staff were super friendly and polite. My tattoo was drawn up within 15 minutes and 10 minutes following that, I was walking out a happy customer.Great clutch performance and even better I was able to get tatted! Read Less

Hands down this is one of the best & friendliest tattoo shops I've been in.  Neal just finished a piece for me and did EXCELLENT work.  Couldn't be happier with the finished product.  He was more than patient when it came to designing the tattoo I wanted and made sure it was perfect before we got in the chair.  Each time I visited I saw the work the other artists did as well and there was never a complaint from anyone there.  All of them are very personable and make you feel welcome as soon as you arrive.  Highly recommend this shop! Read Less

Not only did Neal do a crappy tattoo that I now need to get fixed he was a total jerk. After getting a small piece, Neal said that he guarantees his work and to write him if there were any issues. I did, and received no response.  After a second email with no response I wrote him a third, explaining that I had written several times and asking him to please respond. This time, I did receive a response that started with "congratulations, you can count to three." The rest of the email was filled with attitude and the same rudeness. I'd rather walk around with a crappy tattoo than have to deal with someone with his attitude. Do yourself a favor, skip this place and go somewhere with decent people. Horrible tattoo, horrible service. Read Less

I just got my first tattoo and I LOVE IT! My friends and I wanted the same tattoo (a small dove) and the guys at Oak City were very friendly and made it happen, even though they were closing and had to stay a little late to take care of us. Heath did a great job on mine- I am impressed. They all look GREAT!! I will highly recommend this shop in the future and am really happy we ended up here. :) Thank you!!!!! Read Less

My mother once said only hookers and sailors get inked. I'm am neither one of those, well, I've been known to hook now and then but never for money. This was my first tattoo and I was scared. My BF had gone to Colby and told me how cool he was so I went. I gave him an abstract of what I wanted based on one of my paintings the White Peony. It was Saturday night, I had an appointment and was greeted very well. The place had a cool almost furtive Zen. No zombies or passed out bitches on the floor. Colby greeted me, he was as stoic as a Tibetan monk. I had taken a Vicodin in case there was pain b/c I'm such a Puss.  Colby and I talked about the Smiths and the Cure and he had some cool music playing and then it was over. It felt like a kitty scratch and 5 days later I still don't feel it. He did a great job! If I were an Ink addict I'd return to Colby over and over until I looked like Robert LaSardo. Read Less

I've gotten Tattooed twice here by their artist Steve-o! His work is impeccable really. He's a really chill and respectable individual who never fails to deliver. I travel from Greensboro just for him to tattoo me.I've been to other shops such as  Rock and Roll and Blue Flame for other work to test the waters and had a bad experience compared to the experience I get every time I'm at Oak City where I feel like Steve-o pays attention to what it is that you want and isn't just focused on a number! Read Less

They no longer do piercings... I called today for my 30-day check back on a new piercing and they said both Lee and Jason are gone and they don't do piercings anymore. Lee is moving to Warlocks I heard. Read Less

I got my first tattoo ever here from Mark VanNess, and the whole experience went even more smoothly than I'd hoped.  As a first-timer, I had a lot of questions about sanitation and safety.  Mark patiently answered all my questions right off the bat, showed me their autoclave, and explained the whole process to me.  Before I signed anything or the first line was drawn, I felt very comfortable.Equally important, though, is the fact that the tattoo I received, which takes up the top right quadrant of my back, turned out amazing.  Mark is a very talented artist, and was able to take my very general ideas for the design and turn it into something that I'm excited to have as a permanent installment on my body.  The attention to detail and shading was top-notch, and every time I look at the tattoo I notice something new. Read Less

I have been tattooed by many artists in this town with the exception of anyone at this shop.That being said, this is the number one shop I recommend to people who are interested in being tattooed in Raleigh.Huh you say?People often do the absolute wrong research and soul searching when seeking out a tattoo artist (especially if it is their first tattoo.) Mainly people ask for a recommendation on a good tattoo shop. Uhm...is the shop itself going to be holding the tattoo gun inserting the ink that will be in your body for the rest of your life? No silly, it's the guy or gal holding the tattoo gun! Ask about artists, research artists, make an appointment to chat them up about your idea, flip through their portfolio, anything just shy of stalking really. Just like a painter or a sculptor tattoo artists tend to have different styles and you should do yourself ample due diligence to determine what style is best for you. Also, pretty much 100% of the time I have had a tattoo idea it had to be changed in some way for the tattoo to come out the best possible way for where I had it placed, the drawing, shading, flow, size etc. Your concept might be altered, but it's for the best, don't fret! You will be happy, especially if you get something done by one of the folks at Oak City.I gave this shop 5 stars because I've seen the work all of the artists have done on others. The different styles, the attention to detail, the placement, shading, the healing process yada yada yada. You got your pick of professionals and there is hopefully someone here who you will connect with and who will give you an amazing piece of art. Also, the shop is always welcoming, no standoffish scoffs of disapproval or glaringly obvious bad business practices.Piercings! I have been pierced by Lee who now works here after a long haul at Pro*Gress. You will be hard pressed to find a more calming and patient body piercer who is wonderful at explaining the piercing process. Strange thing, but some things on your body just might not accept a random barbell or little loop and thankfully Lee will be able to steer you in the right direction that will not only look the best but more importantly heal the best. All the piercers here are highly educated and skilled so if you need a new little do-dad somewhere you should stop in and see them.So, yeah. Take your time and do it right. But save yourself some of that time and start by going here first. You'll be jazzed you did. Read Less

Jason is the best piercer!  He's been putting holes in me for years, I dont trust anyone else!  Neal is awesome too!  I love the ink he put on my side, it was a painful and long sitting but after a "pep" talk I made it through! Thanks guys! Read Less