Nice clean shop with really helpful employees. The bf had a cover-up job that looked amazing! Shane, the artist, was very receptive to his ideas and patient. I also liked how he let us choose the music while he had the tattoo done. I would highly recommend Broken Lantern. Read Less

Had a great experience! I was nervous going in for a cover up as I was told I couldn't do what I wanted by other artists. The artists here were professional and listened to the aspirations I had in mind. We came up with an image collaboratively that we both felt would prove to be a successful cover up and an awesome tattoo that I am not afraid to show off! I am super pleased with my tattoo and experience. Read Less

Four of us girls came for walk ins! These guys were AMAZING, Super patient with us, Squeezed us in between appts, etc. Will definitely be coming back! My personal experience was with Glenn! He was great, very personable and does amazing work!!! Thank you so much again for my beautiful piece!! Read Less

Shout out to Cameron and shane!!! I came here to get my first tattoo and Cameron (at the front desk) was super kind in helping me figure out the size, font, etc. and made me feel super comfortable as I was nervous at first. And Shane did my tattoo, he's an awesome dude who does amazing artwork!! I'm more than pleased with the outcome and y'all will see me again really soon!!! Read Less

I got a pretty good tattoo overall despite some minor mess ups but I got ripped off. They knew it was my first tattoo and charged me $300 when it should've been max $200. They didn't even give me a receipt and the receptionist moved onto someone else before I was even done talking to her. My friend also got a tattoo and the receptionist with curly hair told her, in the middle of getting her tattoo, that she would regret it. Not only that but she told her artist she felt like she was going to pass out and he didn't even check up on her or stop tattooing. They said it would be $800 because the artist, Nick, told the receptionist it was 5-6 hours but was actually 2-3 and tried to rip her off. Very unprofessional and I regret even getting a tattoo here, they seem to only care about money and not the work they are doing. Read Less

Didn't go to the actual shop but I was fortunate to get an amazing tattoo from Glenn at a convention in NC. Great guy, amazing art. His Japanese style tattoos are amazing. I wish I lived in SC so I could have him do all my Japanese tattoos. Read Less

I went in to the Broken Lantern Tattoo today, with the exact idea of what I wanted along with the font style. Sarah was extremely pleasant, and more than helpful. After speaking with her for a few minutes, I realized that what I wanted, was not going to be a great tattoo long term. She was extremely patient with me, and helped me to not only find a font that I was happy with for the long term, but I actually liked her recommendation over my own. I was super excited when I was able to book a same day appointment with Chris. I was so nervous, as it had been quite some time since getting my first tattoo (today was only my second), but Chris was sooo pleasant, and made me feel like I was literally just hanging out with an old friend! The process from start to finish was painless (including going under the needle!). I will absolutely be back, and will recommend everyone to chat with Sarah, and then get exactly what they are looking for from Chris, as they were both just awesome people to work with. I'm pleased to say that I got an awesome tattoo, Sarah helped with my vision, and Chris made it happen!!! Read Less

My sisters and I were on a "YOLO" mission and the Broken Lantern exceeded our expectations. Seven of us got tattoos done that day and the staff was accommodating. The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. They provided excellent consultations and was brutally honest about what looks good. Sarah took care of our paperwork and pre-consultations. She is AH-MAZING. She gave honest feedback and gave suggestions of what may work best. She was also very fast. The three artists that worked with us was Rachel, Shane, and Andrew. All three artists are very talented!!!!! Great personalities and we trusted them! We are thinking about coming again very soon! I highly suggest Broken Lantern for to any person that is on a "YOLO" mission or wants the best! Read Less

Great experience at Broken Lantern...Walked in and asked about a custom piece and even had a time limit. Nick walked up and didn’t hesitate to help with the drawing. He delivered an awesome tattoo. Everyone else was very nice and welcoming. Very happy with my tattoo and the whole experience. 5 stars for sure. Read Less

Moved here from jersey which means I'm was basically a shop-less orphan. Well after months of extensive research about shops in the area andFollowing local artists on insta to be sure I like the shape vibe and work. I decided to stop in to discuss an appointment for a tattoo I wanted. They were able to fit me in that evening. AWESOME. Super friendly, fun and Knowledgeable staff. The tattoo I got is great line work is awesome shading is fantastic. I will definitely be getting more tattoos from here! Read Less

My best friend and I went to get tattoos here while on a short trip to Charleston, Nick did an amazing job on both our tattoos! I would definitely recommend him! Cameron is pretty awesome front desk guy too! Definitely need to go check them out! Read Less

Went here as a walk-in for my 6th tattoo. It was the best tattoo shop atmosphere I have ever been in. Sarah was extremely patient while we fine tuned and tweaked the design MULTIPLE times. Rachel is an amazing artist and lent her expertise and opinions without pushing in a particular direction and even let us tweak the design as we went along. Their patience and professionalism is above and beyond. I will definitely be returning for my next large thigh piece! Thanks ladies for being so down to earth and fun to work with. Awesome tattoo experience! Read Less

By far the most professional and fun atmosphere you could ask for while getting a tattoo. Not only is it a great atmosphere but the artists are all extremely cool and great at what they do. Glen is an absolute stud. He’s definitely your best bang for your buck in Charleston. He works quick and always performs. He’s easy to have a conversation with and is guaranteed to impress you. In my personal opinion he should be charging more because of how fast he works and the quality provided with it. I will be going here for the rest of my life. Anyone in the South Carolina area looking to get a tattoo should visit Broken Lantern. Read Less

I can honestly say I got exactly what I wanted for a fair price. My wife went to another Charleston shop that I won't name and ended up with a nightmare for double what I paid for my clean work. I send everyone I know on the coast here. Thanks for being awesome people and doing great work. Read Less

The staff was very nice and friendly. Rachel was my artist and she was great. Nice and friendly. Kept checking to see if I needed to take a break. Helped my modify the design I asked for to make it even better. She is also a huge GoT fan Read Less

I had a short window of time to get a large piece done, and Nick Rose pulled it off marvelously. Words can't describe how well it turned out. I would definitely recommend this place to my closest friends, and even though I'm moving to Virginia, I will definitely make the trip for my next piece. Read Less

I've gotten two tattoos here both from the amazing artist Nick Rose! He carefully plans and designs everything by hand and checks with you along the way to make sure it's exactly what you want. I've gotten tattoos before but every time he makes me feel comfortable and not nervous at all. Nick is my go to artist!! Read Less

This is by far my favorite tattoo place. The place is just a nice atmosphere and very comfortable. Brent did our tattoos and couldn't have done a better job. Incredibly friendly and way more enjoyable than I expected. Definitely recommend Broken Lantern. Read Less

I wanted to get a tattoo in memory of my step mom that passed Feb. 1st. I received a tattoo from Nick Rose on April 14th. and it looks absolutely phenomenal! He did such a great job; I cried when I saw the finished piece. He was such a great person. He put me at ease from the moment we started talking. He talked to me through the whole session and was very knowledgeable. He loves what he does and you can most certainly tell.Read Less

I wanted to get a tattoo in memory of my step mom that passed Feb. 1st. I received a tattoo from Nick Rose on April 14th. and it looks absolutely phenomenal! He did such a great job; I cried when I saw the finished piece. He was such a great person. He put me at ease from the moment we started talking. He talked to me through the whole session and was very knowledgeable. He loves what he does and you can most certainly tell. I have NEVER seen a bad tattoo come out of Broken Lantern and I recommend them to absolutely everyone; I've been continuously raving about this tattoo shop! Glen, the owner, knows how to run a tattoo shop and gets awesome artist to join him at the shop! Read Less

I went there to get a little tattoo from SC because I was visiting from MA and they ripped me off. I like the tattoo but the tattoo artist didn't say a word to me and they charged me 140$ for something that took him 5 minutes to tattoo. Read Less

I don't think I have ever written a review before but Broken Lantern gave me such a great experience, I felt the need. This was my first tattoo, and I must admit I was a little nervous. As a walk-in, everyone was so nice, and made me feel safe and very welcomed. Even though I wasn't getting a huge tattoo, they made me feel like I was a priority, and gave me as much time as I needed to feel confident about what I was doing. Ricky drew up my tattoo and he made it turn out better than I ever could have hoped for. I was on vacation, and I live 900 miles away, but I would come back just to get my next tattoo here...and I plan to! Whether you are getting your first tattoo, or if you are a seasoned tattoo canvas, I can't say enough good things about Broken Lantern. (I have their sticker on my laptop too!) Read Less

I'm so thankful to have gotten a chance to get my tattoo fixed up here while I was in town. I got my first tat a couple weeks ago over in Florida and it was horrible. My bf recommended Nick to me, saying he is great with color and as an artist in general, and he did a phenomenal job fixing it up! It's like a whole new tattoo. He tried his best to give me what I was originally trying to go for (which is incredible) and even brought more to it. It still has to heal up but it looks better before being healed than it ever did, and its going to look awesome when it does heal up! #SoThankful I had a great experience all around with the people here. My boyfriend has become and will be a continuous customer and I will definitely be coming back whenever I'm in town. Such a great shop! Read Less

So happy we stumbled on this place today. My brother was in town for a short visit and we were looking to get a few larger pieces done last minute as walks in. By pure luck Nick Rose had an open day and was more then happy to help us. He was fantastic! Gave us exactly what we were looking for and more. We will be back for sure! Read Less

My experience with Broken Lantern was second to none. I went in as a walk in for some American traditional work done. The front of the house staff was extremely courteous and helpful. My artist was Nick who without a doubt claimed to be and was proven to be an expert in American traditional tattoos. The facility itself was a great atmosphere and the service overall was great! I found these guys on google just hoping for a walk in and ended up with one of the best experiences I've had getting tattoos. I'll def be back for more work soon! Great job guys!! Read Less

Broken lantern tattoo is the best tattoo shop in Charleston, SC. This is the only shop that I go to, to get tattoos. I've been going to broken lantern tattoo ever since I got my first tattoo when I was 18 years old. GLENN is my tattoo artist and his work is "OUT STANDING" "Glenn is the MAN" Glenn has been tattooing me since I was 18 years old as well, at broken lantern the music and atmosphere is awesome. I've got 2 half sleeves, leg sleeves and a chest piece done and currently getting done at Broken lantern tattoo. Read Less

Best place ever! I highly recommend it. Everyone there is super friendly, and the place is very clean and nice. As soon as you walk in you feel at home, and comfortable. Best tattoo atmosphere in Charleston, by far. Read Less

This was my first tattoo ever, and my fabulous friend Vanessa has already been here, so she brought me to see Nick Rose, to cross the tat off my bucket list!!! Obviously I was nervous and a little scared, but I had an amazing experience!!! From the welcoming and helpful receptionist, to the peeps that worked there that were busy, but nice, to the ease of checking out and paying!! The place is clean and welcoming, Nick was the amazing artist who made my experience even better!!!! He was not only professional and accommodating to a newbie, but his artistry is unbelievable!! We travelled 5 hours just to see him here!!! Read Less

Just got my first tattoo here! My mom and I got an Alzheimer's Awareness symbol on our ankles for my grandmother. Ricky did my tattoo and he was absolutely amazing, super nice, really cool & always checked on me to make sure I was doing okay. His work was flawless! The staff at Broken Lantern are also all wonderful, happy people. We had stopped at another local tattoo studio before here and they were extremely rude so I'm so happy we came to Ricky and Broken Lantern! Keep doing great stuff! Amazing place! Read Less

There's a reason this is the first business I've felt the need to write a review about. I've gotten quite a few tattoos over my life, including a full chest piece, pieces on both arms, and a leg sleeve in progress. I saw the broken lantern artists work online and decided I wanted some work done by them. I made an appointment and showed up 30 minutes early. We didn't start working on my piece for another hour and 15 minutes. You may be wondering why I still have a 5 star review despite starting 45 minutes late, and the answer is simple. You can't rush a good tattoo. My artist, Kevin Cutter, didn't shortcut the appointment in front of me despite me being waiting. As someone getting tattooed, the last thing you should want is your artist to be rushing through a tattoo. While it may inconvenient, you have to respect it. He didn't take shortcuts to finish sooner. I was frustrated at first, but when I saw the piece he had done in front of me, I was in awe. The linework was flawless. He proceeded to come out rushing to clean his station up and get me in, apologizing about the wait, but not making excuses. Then he proceeded to give a quality tattoo, my favorite on my body thus far. Even stayed past closing time to finish it up. If you're more concerned with being punctual as opposed to getting a great tattoo from a dope artist who cares about his work, maybe you wouldn't have enjoyed the experience as much as I did. But I for one am extremely pleased with the outcome of my visit, and will no doubt be a repeat customer if I'm ever in town again. Read Less

Love Glen !!! The shop just relocated down the street . After 10 months or so. So its definitely new , clean and sanitize. I love the little characteristics designs and details Glen put in his shop. Glen love his job. " I love tattooing !! "  . He's up for a challenge too. He does awesome Japanese artwork, BUT that's not it. You show him what you want.. He delivers!!! He's a very hard working OG. Give him 12 shots of expresso and he's good to go lmao. My husband, sister in law ,my cousin and I all go to Glen. We're from Charleston., but we moved to FL. We still only go to Glen when we're back in Chucktown. The ink is worth it. What he charged is fair. Not for him!! But it's low to us. He does excellent , detail work . Glen very patience, bubbly and down to earth guy. Won't disappoint. His shop a hidden gem in Charleston !!**** I see some reviews on here toward certain artists. I feel bad for y'all. BUT I don't think it's fair y'all dragging the name " Broken lantern " into it. Read Less

My experience here was extremely disappointing, especially since my friend and I went in together and she had an incredible experience while I left feeling like crying. The name of my tattoo artist? Couldn't tell you because he failed to introduce himself. He was a skinny guy who was extremely rude to me throughout my whole experience. When we arrived he was sitting at the front desk. He was prompt in pulling up pictures and discussing what we wanted. As we went through we kept asking about making the tattoo smaller. He persistently said "No" due to the loss of detail (we were just getting an outline so I really don't see why he couldn't accommodate our request). He sketched out our design- we both liked it and settled on the size.When it came time to go in, my friend had gotten a really bubbly, energetic artist who really made her feel comfortable and excited about being there. My guy was cold, unfriendly, and made things very difficult. When I say difficult, I want to start with how he refused to lay the table flat so I could be comfortable. Instead he had me try and lay down on a table that was folded for a sitting position which caused my legs to be dangling off at an awkward angle. I was borderline falling off the edge, so I kept trying to touch my toes to the ground. As you might guess, this causes people to move (shocker), which was the ONLY thing he was verbal about. He kept saying, "Stop moving!! I can't do this if you keep moving!!" I asked him if I could lay out flat because it was really uncomfortable the way my legs were dangling, so he pulls out a bar instead which only helped a little bit (legs were still dangling).We started long before my friend, but finished long after her. When she came over to show me hers, it looked really cute and I felt a sigh of relief thinking "Thank god we both have the same stencil. At least that won't be as fucked as this experience is." Just when I thought it couldn't get worse the guy exclaimed, "Okay, you need to stop moving or I'm not going to do this anymore!" I apologized yet again and told him I was done moving. Turns out this wasn't enough for him because he just pushed his chair back and exclaimed, "Whatever man, I'm done!!" I was completely shocked and immediately asked, "Well is the tattoo finished??" and he said, "It's good enough!" I'm happy I paid money for "good enough" from some asshole who can't even handle people moving a little bit here and there. I shouldn't have even tipped him at this point, but I know this jerk needs to make a living so I did. Still regretting it. Afterwards we both got home we took a side-by-side photo of our new ink, which made me even more bummed out to see how different ours looked. I also noticed that HE DIDN'T EVEN FINISH THE TATTOO, which makes me even more upset about this whole experience. I would highly HIGHLY recommend to others to not go here unless you get the fun, friendly guy who actually asked my friend her name about three times, and was sensitive to how she wasn't used to the pain associated with getting a tattoo. My lines are ridiculously thick as well, which makes me wonder if he was trying to make it more painful than it should have been. At this point I wish I could get a full refund due to how shitty that guy was and how shitty my UNFINESHED tattoo is. No one should leave a parlor feeling like how I felt, but unfortunately that's what happened to me. Spend your money elsewhere. Don't waste it on Broken Lantern.P.S. After checking out Facebook his name was Potter. Be aware of this guy with horrible customer service!!! I posted this review on their Facebook page as well and what did I get in return? Not an apology, but rather them arguing with me on their live feed for about 20 comments. I have never once seen a shop be so unprofessional in my life. Read Less

I had the worst experience from a business that I have ever had from Broken Lantern. I had scheduled my tattoo to be done 5 days after showing up at The Broken Lantern. Paul, who seemed very pleasant and excited to help me out and draw up my tattoo said that he would be glad to help. I had stressed to him how restricted my schedule was, with kids (who cannot enter the business) and a husband who works long hours, and he scheduled me for five days later at 7:00 pm, assuring me there would be no problems with getting me in.I show up the five days later, feeling pretty good about the idea of getting this tattoo (a Valentines Day gift in fact). I show up 25 minutes early, to be told by the receptionist that Paul is running 45 minutes behind. As i watch him stand around and just talking with someone not work related. So i ask to the receptionist to please give me a call when he is ready, that I would wait in my car. Not a problem. 5 minutes later he is outside smoking a cigarette with the same person, just talking. So then he pulls this customer into the back, and leaves me waiting even longer. After an hour had passed i re-entered the shop from my car, and asked the receptionist if he was finished. She said just a few more minutes. After another half hour he finally came out to the waiting area and let me know that he got double booked and would not be able to do my tattoo this evening.After being held up for an hour and a half after my appointment he now decided to tell me this, and the receptionist had known as well. When I spoke to them about how unprofessional it was how they went about it, without letting me know, wasting my time (not to mention finding the time with kids and a booked schedule). They just let me wait when they both knew the whole time that they couldn't tattoo me. After that Paul tried to turn the blame on the customer and the receptionist, in that she had called (she didn't -and if she knew why didn't she send me home when I first arrived), and that they had gotten double booked.Instead of trying to make time for me in the next following day(s), he decided to just discard the customer by returning my deposit, and turned me away.I have never seen such unprofessionalism in an establishment, and where the shop and the artwork looked great, the professionalism and customer service were awful.I would recommend anyone else at this tattoo shop, except Paul. It seemed like he turned my tattoo away to tattoo a personal friend instead. The worst kind of business that an employee could show. Wasting my time when I specified to him how hard it was to schedule it, a slap in the face if you will.Two thumbs way down Read Less

This is a great place for professional custom tattoos. In a place like Charleston there are few places to get tattooed that offer this caliber of service. The artist are professional, knowledgeable and great at what the do. If you live in Charleston or are visiting, go here. You wont regret it, and you wont be treated like a second class citizen like some shops. Ive had several tattoos done here and anytime im in town, i always try and get an appointment. Read Less

Great shop with incredible artists.  Old school attitude where quality and great tattooing is more important than making money.   I send everyone there...  I've been tattooed all over the country and artists everywhere are always asking where I got my work done. Read Less