I recommend every artist in this shop. Everyone is very knowledgeable, professional, and the shop is very clean! I've had two of my tattoos done here and I don't plan on going anywhere else anytime soon! Read Less

Me and my sister got tattooed by Angel and shes amazing!!! I am going back with my fiance to get our wedding tattooes done by her as well. I am so excited to be tattooed again by one of the best in the area!!!! Read Less

I've been getting tattooed by angel for a little over a year now and every tattoo I've received has been amazing. She takes her time, is very meticulous and makes you feel comfortable while getting a tattoo. She is personable and reasonable. I would recommend this shop to anyone who is looking to get their first or even their 20th tattoo, I'd give them 10 stars if I could! Read Less

My girlfriend and I came in to get septum piercings done and the guy who did them was super sweet and really professional. The whole thing took like 10 minutes for both of us and was practically painless. Also, they have an amazing student discount that basically cuts the price in half! Would highly recommend :^D Read Less

Angel and been doing my boyfriend and my tattoos for about 2 years now and she is just amazing! We’ve never been disappointed at all! She’s an amazing person great to talk to and incredible tattoo artist! I always get nervous when I’m about to get a tattoo but she’s so great with taking her time and making me feel comfortable! If I could give her higher than 5 stars I would! Read Less

I had a few days off from work and decided to message Empire tattoo to see if they had any openings, they replied quickly and set up an appointment. It was my first time there so I got an artist at random and was incredibly lucky to get Alan D. I sent a few pictures and Alan was able to draw up what exactly what I wanted. The session went great (about 5 hours) he absolutely knocked it out of the park, by far my favorite tattoo yet. I can't wait to go back. Read Less

I had a few days off from work and decided to message Empire tattoo to see if they had any openings, they replied quickly and set up an appointment. It was my first time there so I got an artist at random and was incredibly lucky to get Alan D. I sent a few pictures and Alan was able to draw up what exactly what I wanted. The session went great (about 5 hours) he absolutely knocked it out of the park, by far my favorite tattoo yet. I can't wait to go back. Read Less

I came in yesterday for two simple tattoos, two black cats from a vintage French print with small text beneath them. Alan was able to squeeze me in and did a FANTASTIC job. Really funny guy to talk with and I am incredibly impressed with the quality of his work, my design was not very difficult but nevertheless the small things like the letters, the whiskers and some hash marks as shadows all look very distinct and crisp. I am extremely satisfied with the outcome. At first the text for la joie was centered with the cat not the center of my arm and I asked Alan to move it to the center of my arm and he did so immediately and made sure I was happy with everything before starting, really made me feel comfortable. I also previously had my nipples pierced here by Paul and he was awesome about talking you through the whole process and making the painful process as easy and quick as possible. Great results as well, perfectly centered. Overall I've had nothing but great experiences with this shop and will definitely be coming back for more tattoos or piercings in the future. Read Less

Very nice people. The shop is very clean. I came in to get my first big tattoo. I wanted a realism tattoo of a wolf and that is exactly what i got from. Gregory he is a great very nice guy and my tattoo came out even better then expected and I couldn't have been more happy with it I can definitely say I'll be going back for another in the future Read Less

Went for a tattoo with Greg, and he did a fantastic job and totally exceeded my expectations. The shop was very clean, and everyone there was professional and cool. My tattoo turned out amazing and I will definitely go back. Very reasonable rates and good atmosphere, I would highly recommend this shop. Read Less

Just got my first ear lobe piercings today with Paul Demarco. He is very professional and helped calm my nerves. Since it was my first piercing I wasn't sure what to expect and I was unsure about my pain tolerance. It was a needle procedure and it surprisingly didn't hurt at all. The whole place is very clean and sterile, they use new sterilized needles every time. Would definitely recommend this place for piercings, whether it's your first or second!I also found out that they do fine-line tattoos, so I may or may not visit this place again. Read Less

Came in for my friend and I's first piercings and it was such a quick, easy, painless experience! Paul was super chill yet professional. He kept conversation while preparing everything to keep us calm. Told us to breathe in, breathe out and it was done just like that! For both my ear lobes I paid $45. Would definitely recommend Paul for any piercing!! Read Less

Paul recently pierced my septum, and I don't have a single bad thing to say about the experience. I have many piercings and Paul is absolutely the best I have encountered. In addition to being quick, (almost!) painless, and professional Paul was fun and friendly-- He absolutely knows his stuff and seems passionate about his trade-- I wouldn't recommend going anywhere else. Read Less

Seriously no reason to get a piercing anywhere else. Paul is the best piercer I have ever met, professional, friendly and very obviously experienced and knowledgeable. He did my septum for me-- I don't even live in PA, but if I ever go back, I'm going to visit him! Read Less

I got my nose pierced here and had a great experience! Their piercer is great! He had me laughing the whole time and was very gentle and quick with the process. He was super kind to me and gave me the caring rundown. It's been the best healing piercing that I've ever had anywhere! Will definitely come back. Read Less

I got my nose pierced here and had a great experience! Their piercer is great! He had me laughing the whole time and was very gentle and quick with the process. He was super kind to me and gave me the caring rundown. It's been the best healing piercing that I've ever had anywhere! Will definitely come back. Read Less

The whole shop makes you feel at home! Alan is kicking MAJOR ass on my chest piece, I can't wait to finish it, I eventually want all the artists there to put a piece on me♥ You know you're at a good shop when the artist/piercer works with you and takes the time to make sure you're 100% pleased. None of them rush you, or make you feel like you're just another client. Read Less

I only have work done by Paul, but all the artists I've met there are talented and rad as hell! The shop is a bit small but it's clean and welcoming. They're a lot more professional than some of the shops I've ended up at while still being reasonable in price. �� Read Less

Went in last night with my roommates! One of my roommates got a tattoo and Angel did a great job! My other roommate and I got piercings and Paul was the best piercer I've worked with! He was very personable and made the entire process enjoyable. 10/10 would recommend going to Paul for any piercing needs!! Read Less

Two friends and myself walked in at 8pm (when they close at 9) for a walk in tattoo. Two of us intended to get pierced elsewhere, but Paul asked us if we wanted him to do it and gave us a student discount. Angel tattooed my friend and Paul pierced myself and my other friend. They were both AMAZING. They were very personable and kind. Paul was hilarious and made my friend (who got her nipples pierced) feel very comfortable. We ended up keeping them past 9, but they were so kind to us and did not seem to mind at all. 11/10 would recommend! I will definitely go back to Empire (Oakland location) for any further piercings or tattoos. Read Less

I would recommend the shop to anyone! I have been getting work from Angel & plan on getting a lot more from her too! It's a great experience, and great atmosphere, they are fun to talk with and hang with while getting tatted! Read Less

Since their opening, I've been to Empire a number of times with friends who've gotten tattoos and piercings done. I myself have had one tattoo done by Allan, and one piercing, an industrial, done by Paul. Paul is an excellent piercer and I honestly would not trust anyone else to pierce me. I was super nervous about my industrial because I've had bad experiences with cartilage piercings and almost never have a good healing experience, but Paul did a wonderful job, and I haven't had any issues since. This is probably the most painless piercing I have ever had, and I've had my cartilage pierced 5-6 different times, lobe pierced 6 different times, and my nose pierced once. I recommend Empire, especially for piercings, to everyone I know. All of the staff there are great and very friendly. I've always had a great experience, regardless of whether I was there for myself or to watch other people get things done. Read Less

I went to Angel back in December of 2015 for a watercolor piece and I absolutely LOVE it! She takes her time and focuses on the task at hand. Very professional but will certainly crack jokes. Went to her for 2 additional pieces since then and I am currently in the process of making another appt with her. The shop is very clean and every staff member there is friendly. I have zero complaints. Read Less

Angel did fantastic work on my leg. She's really cool, I told her it was my 1st tat and she helped me relax from being so nervous. The rest of the staff seemed really cool too, I'd recommend this place any day. And she officially made me a fan of The Lost Boys lol. Read Less

Got a tattoo done here by Matt Doherty. The whole experience was AMAZING. Everyone was super personable and friendly. The place was very clean and welcoming as well. The tattoo I got is far more than I ever expected. The skill and precision put into it is out of this world. I honestly couldn't be happier. I won't get another tattoo from anyone else..ever. Lol. Not only is Matt's work absolutely stunning, but I actually had a good time sitting there with him for 8 hours. Very down to earth and a fun, genuinely nice guy. I can't say enough good things about Matt and this place. Read Less

Angel is personable and extremely talented. I am very satisfied with my rib/oblique piece. She made the process quick and easy, and we kept a steady conversation the whole time. I work in the service industry and know how hard it can be to keep up client relations. Angel has mastered both this art and the art of tattooing. Read Less

I really like the piercer, I got both of my nipples pierced and he made it a breeze. My only problem with the place is that when I went the piercer had left to go get food, so my friends and I had to wait for him to come back. Now the tattooers there brought us in and I started filling out the paper work, but when i started to do it they started to talk about their previous customers and how they were "little bitches" for not being able to sit for a tattoo and they sorta made rude comments about me wanted my nipples done. I felt a bit uncomfortable at first, but when the piercer came (which was pretty fast after being called) he made me feel a lot better about getting them done. Read Less

What can I say? These guys are great! Angel is the only person I will go to to get tattooed. Clean, professional and very talented artist. Not to mention, she is very light-handed. Less pressure, less pain! She makes everyone in the room feel very comfortable, and gives women a less intimidating vibe than most artists I've seen in other shops. Get your sexy summer tattoos from a talented female artist who will make you feel right at home!Thanks for the feels, Empire! And thanks for making me look better with my clothes off, Angel! Read Less

Awesome shop, clean,  affordable and great people,  walked in no appointment told them what I wanted(rubber duckie,  for my dautgher) they thought it was cool and funny at the same time. My artist Alan was cool and kept sing "rubber duckie your the one"  lol. Read Less

I had a small black ink piece done by Alan on my ribs/side today and am very satisfied with the results.  It took the same amount of time as a smaller one I had done on my other side a couple years ago, despite being more elaborate and larger. Additionally, Alan chose to fill in the design as he went instead of first outlining it, making it slightly less painful, which I really appreciated, even though it meant more tedious care on his behalf. It was supposed to take 1.5-2 hrs, but he got it done well in under an hour! Whew!The place was also very clean and organized, and Alan opened and put together a new needle in front of me. Very professional. I would definitely go back and get something done by him again.I did forget that tipping was part of the payment process, since it was only the second tattoo I've ever gotten, the first being years ago. So when I was prompted if I wanted to tip, I said the first number I thought of that sounded decent since I was slightly dazed from the pain. In retrospect, I really wish I had tipped more since Alan was awesome. So I thought I'd mention it in case any noobs like myself look here for guidance - make sure you budget out for not only your piece, but a good tip! Read Less

This is the only place I will ever come to to get pierced.I had my chest dermal, hip dermals and my nipple pierced by Paul and he was awesome, they all came out even better than I expected and all my hip dermals were exactly where I wanted them to be.Paul is the best, and everyone else is super super friendly!definitely coming back soon! Read Less

Brian is a great tattoo artist. He has done two pieces on me now. The second one we worked together to design and I wasn't entirely thrilled with the outcome so I went back to talk to him and he fixed it for free. Overall I've had a good experience and worked recommend them to anyone Read Less

The guys at Empire are really awesome people. They were so friendly and really fun to be around in general. Paul, the guy who did my piercings, knew bis stuff. He told me exactly what I needed to know and made the whole process really comfortable. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who asks! They have great prices as well which is always a plus! I will absolutely be going back. Read Less

Had my tragus and helix re-pierced by Paul. I walked into the shop and was able to get them done without a wait. The shop is clean and the staff are professional, and they are a great group and I felt at ease. The had me laughing the entire time I was there. They also had a grand opening deal so I got the piercings at a good deal. Anyways, everything was in sterile packaging, they have an autoclave, and Paul was clean and frequently changed his gloves. I highly recommend these guys. Read Less

Got a tattoo done tonight by Brian! He did an awesome amazing fantastic job!! Really great quality and clean shop. Prices are awesome and the workers are very friendly and provide great service! Definitely going back again! Thanks!! Read Less

This place has the best artists in oakland. They're also really reasonably priced and their "get to know you" deals are awesome- $50 off a tattoo?!?! I'm not one for pricing but their jewelry selection has me rethinking it.. Read Less