First. Of. All. ...this shop is cute AF. I've been to a lot of shops, each unique in their presence- but this one was especially appealing and inviting. The lobby is spacious and comfortable, with its big black couches and it's fancy chandelier. I love gothic decor, so immediately felt welcome. I was greeted by multiple friendly faces upon entering, which was a really nice alternative to some of the other shops I've been in, where they don't even raise a brow to the sound of the bell on the door ringing when you come in. I had an appt with Gladys, and was a little late, because- life- and she was extra understanding and didn't sweat it in the least. Phew. I immediately filled out the usual consent paperwork and such, scanned my ID, yadda yadda, and within 10 minutes of getting there, was back at Gladys's station, ready to get it done. This appointment was just for re working some cherries that I had done on the sides of my neck wayyy back when, by another artist in Washington state, 16 years ago. Glady was happy to freshen them up for me. I liked how the work stations gave complete privacy. Some shops have an open floor plan, but I REALLY liked how I could be laying on the table in my skirt, errrrything hanging out, flashing only the Marilyn Monroe picture hanging on the wall, rather than other human beings. Gladys is light handed. Like, really light handed. I had gone in dreading the pain I would feel- I meant to bring lidocaine patches (you shush!), but I forgot them- but when she started I had to ask her multiple times if she was even actually breaking the skin because I didn't feel anything hahaha. YASSSS. Thank god for that. And now we're gonna talk about the bathroom. Cause I always review tattoo shop bathrooms. I would almost rather JUST review the bathroom, and not the shop, haha. You know you're in a good shop when they've put a lot of effort into making the shitter look good. ...so the bathroom at Nostalgic Ink had an octopus toilet paper roll holder, a sign reminding you that if you take a dump everyone will hear you, a demon baby on the toilet tank, and a big gnarly grim reaper fella to stare you down while you pee. And yellow painted foot prints on the floor so you know where to put your feet while you're sitting on the throne. ALSO, they had that fancy ass poo-pouri spray, in case you decided to ignore the warning sign on the wall about everyone hearing you, and decided to go ahead and take your chances anyways (which I didn't hahah). Oh. And the bathroom was clean and they had fancy soap and stuff. I'm in love with how my cherries turned out. And I can't waif to go back and see Miss Gladys for more work ASAP. Go here. You'll love it. Read Less

This is one of the cleanest shops I've ever been to. Gladys is super friendly, very professional, and does great work. I just got two small cover ups done with her today, but will definitely be going back to her when I decide to get a new one! So happy that I've found my go-to shop in San Antonio! Read Less

I had a awesome experience at nostalgic ink! Steven did a awesome job on my tattoo. The staff is awesome. The vibe is awesome. It's a very cool place. All the artwork is dope. The restroom rocks!! Not one complaint here! Read Less

Gladys did an amazing job on my tattoo. I am so happy with it. It's exact what I was looking for. She was literally so sweet and I will definitely be back again for her specifically. We were walk-ins on a  Tuesday evening and didn't have to wait long at all. She went over the equipment they use and even showed us the expiration dates of the needles and such they were using. Definitely recommend this shop. I know we will be back Read Less

We loved our experience with Gladys and the whole crew at Nostalgic Ink! Knowing that we'd be driving through San Antonio during our road trip from Tampa to San Diego, we looked up top tattoo artists in San Antonio. Nina, Nostalgic's owner popped up and after checking out her work, we knew this was the place!We'd decided on what we wanted but wanted it to be custom. So we called to see if Nina could squeeze us in. Kyle, another artist at the shop, answered and said that Nina was booked but that he'd talk to Gladys to see if she could fit us in. After checking out Gladys' work on Instagram, we knew we'd love her style too! Gladys was so awesome every step of the way. She texted me to confirm our appointment. And after I sent her some examples of what she wanted, she spent the next few hours drawing her version. About 30 minutes before our appointment she sent us her concepts. Perfection!I should also say that these were my husband and my first tattoos in 20 years. There was a lot of pressure on everyone to make them perfect.Gladys, Kyle, Len and everyone we met at the shop were great. Gladys was so patient as we decided where we wanted them, exactly how high, size etc. And she had a "light touch" as apparently everyone else says about her, making it pretty painless.We all had a great conversation and felt like we couldn't have asked for a better experience for getting something so permanent based on a pretty spontaneous decision. Whenever we're in San Antonio, we'll have to pop back in to see Gladys and add to our newly started tattoo collection! Read Less

AMAZING custom tattoos here! Len Hernandez is my go-to artist, but all the other artists there are fantastic. I love the shop's artwork up on the walls, and that its more of an open concept studio. And its SUPER CLEAN and comfortable! Len is always eager to draw up some awesome designs for you; he takes an idea of yours and whips up something spectacular for you pretty quickly. He has great advice on placement and colors, and really enjoys what he does. He's done all three of my tattoos, two of which are large designs. They are vibrant and have healed up great! Highly recommend! Read Less

Amazing talent here with a great atmosphere.  What more can I say, make an appointment and you wont regret it. All the artists are amazing but I go to Nina. Mega talented and super friendly. Listens and delivers exactly what you want every time. Me and my wife get inked here. We love it!  Nina is legit one of the top 10 artists in San Antonio. Read Less

Just got my very first tattoo! Nina took everything I asked for and turned it into the perfect design! The tat is beautiful, the experience was great, and I will definitely be a returning customer! Thank you, Nina! Read Less

Set up an appointment with Steven (being all the way from Dallas). He was super professional and kind via phone and especially in person. I went with my sisters and mother to get matching tattoos. He listened to what we wanted, provided multiple sketches and feedback. His shop was very well kept and organized. He went over the tattooing process for us and explained everything he was using and what it was for. It was a very relaxed environment and he was so patient with my sister who was getting tattooed for the first time. On top of all that his work is AMAZING!!! he paid so much attention to detail and was so much fun to talk to. Definitely going back to get more of his work in the future. Read Less

Set up an appointment with Steven (being all the way from Dallas). He was super professional and kind via phone and especially in person. I went with my sisters and mother to get matching tattoos. He listened to what we wanted, provided multiple sketches and feedback. His shop was very well kept and organized. He went over the tattooing process for us and explained everything he was using and what it was for. It was a very relaxed environment and he was so patient with my sister who was getting tattooed for the first time. On top of all that his work is AMAZING!!! he paid so much attention to detail and was so much fun to talk to. Definitely going back to get more of his work in the future. Read Less

Would definitely recommend Steven for any/all tattoo needs. He was extremely gracious and accommodating with our time. My daughters and I were very satisfied with our tattoos. Steven was very professional. I Read Less

Set up an appointment with Steven (being all the way from Dallas). He was super professional and kind via phone and especially in person. I went with my sisters and mother to get matching tattoos. He listened to what we wanted, provided multiple sketches and feedback. His shop was very well kept and organized. He went over the tattooing process for us and explained everything he was using and what it was for. It was a very relaxed environment and he was so patient with my sister who was getting tattooed for the first time. On top of all that his work is AMAZING!!! he paid so much attention to detail and was so much fun to talk to. Definitely going back to get more of his work in the future. Read Less

Robbin Thrush has done two of my tattoos. He is very thorough with them and ensures every detail is correct. During my sessions I've had the opportunity to see some of the other artists do their work and they too are also amazing. Would definitely recommend this place! Read Less

Steven has done two of my tattoos. He's a genuinely nice dude and takes the time to make sure you're going to get a quality piece of art. The other folks in the shop are also friendly and super talented. Don't hesitate to give them a call. Read Less

Len was awesome. Very quick and professional. He definitely made sure that he was absolutely positive on the placement of my tattoo and even redid the stencil once because it wasn't perfectly placed. I'll definitely be back for more work in the future. Read Less

Just got my first tattoo done here and the staff was excellent! Len did my tattoo and was great through the entire process of getting my design right to getting the actual tattoo done! Will definitely be back in the future! Read Less

Thank you Nina, for making my sons first Tattoo experience a comfortable one. He loves his first tattoo..yes I say first, because he plans on getting more now. I also want to thank you for taking time and being patient on my newest tattoo on my foot. Its a bitch..but I'm a trooper, looking forward to our next appointment. I plan on referring you and your facility to others. ... To all reading this. Nostalgic, is a very sterile environment utilizing state of the art equipment including disposable ink wells, needles.etc.. changing out gloves frequently during the tattooing process and thoroughly cleaning their areas immediately after each client. I witnessed this a few times during my experience the other day. Also, I had the opportunity to view the other artists artwork, I feel they are all top notch artists, so be confident in knowing that you will receive the best tattoo from any of them. No more of the backroom tattoo "parlours" from yesteryear..No more of the old school inks..the old grinding needles. Tattoos today are a new breed, and as my son stated..1 out of every 5 millenials have a tattoo now. A new way of expressionism. See More Read Less

Nina is top notch, she has what I call a 'water -color touch' meaning that she's got a light hand; so even the most detailed line work, huge tattoos that take a long time, shading, coloring, you name it- is practically painless. Now in regards to Nostalgic Ink as a whole I have even MORE praise! Comfortable atmosphere, terrific pricing PLUS really swell people who work there, the whole lot of them. Read Less

As a woman with many tattoos, I am very picky about my body art. When I choose Nostalgic ink it was based on Yelp reviews (especially since I am not from San Antonio). The reviews and high ratings were very accurate. Len did some great work on both me and my 72 yr old aunt (her first; and yes, I did say 72...lol). Customer service really matters to them as they acknowledge this is permanent and they want to know it is something you will really be happy with for years to come. The shop is reall clean and they dispose of all the needles & ink cups after each session. They also clean and wipe down the chairs/sitting table after each session. Honestly, the shop was really clean and comfortable.Overall, it was pretty quick for two ppl and the work was fantastic. I plan to go back and have some more work done when I visit San Antonio. The prices are not too crazy either. One thing I would caution is that Yelp has Nostalgic Ink listed with a "$25 off if you spend $100" and that is falsely advertised (at least that is what I was told). Len said he was insure who put that special there, but it was not factual. There isvan artist the gives out discount cards (or coins - I can't remember which). But the price was reasonable, so it was nothing to push for. Read Less

I absolutely love this tattoo shop. It's super-clean and staffed with talented artists eager to do custom work; lots of creativity here. I have been going to Nina exclusively for the past two years and I love her creative edge and gentle touch. All the artists are very friendly, which is not always the case at other shops. If you're looking for a place to get your next tattoo, I highly recommend Nostalgic Ink! Read Less

I got my second tattoo from Steven last Sunday and it has been healing GREAT! I mistakenly went somewhere else for a tattoo a few months back and will never do that again!! I loved the vibe of the place and the bathroom made me CRACK UP! Definitely not a place to bring your kids, so leave them at home(or with a sitter) when you're getting inked! If you want to go on a Sunday you would have to call for an appointment and its up to the individual artist at that point, but I'm sure they will work something out with you! Read Less

The place has a nice atmosphere. We tried a couple tattoo places before this one, and they all seemed intimidating, like if you didn't know exactly what you wanted they didn't want to waste their time. Robbin was the only one working, and he listened to our ideas, he was personable, and made getting a tattoo less intimidating. I recommend this place to everyone. Whether you're getting your first tattoo or your 50th. I only wish we got more cards to pass out. Read Less

I've gone to a few places around SA. I honestly had not stayed with any one artist because I didn't feel like I connected with them.I went to Nostalgic Ink because I had a pretty jacked up tattoo someone started on my back. For at least a year I didn't wear anything that would show the tat because I was so embarrassed! I was too embarrassed to even show another tattoo artist to fix it. But, Nina came recommended so I went and met with her. I've gotten several more tattoos from her now in the last year and I love working with her! She understands the feminine side of how your tat should flow on your body. And yes, tattoos hurt but she has been the most gentle.If you are a first timer- go here.If you need a cover up- go here!If you have a custom design...go here!I've seen what the guys in the shop can do too and it's all been great work! I'm just partial now :) Good people and good tats! Read Less

This is by far the best tat shop in SA. The artists are really cool and laid back, and really creative. I've gotten 3 tats done here by Nina, and I am constantly getting compliments on them. I will never go anywhere else. Read Less

I've had my whole sleeve done by the creative knowledge that makes up this shop. It took me three years to find a place I was comfortable with and don't be mistaken this is no west side tat shop where you get gang tats, this is a true artistic venue full of varied and talented artists. Everyone here is laid back and easy to get along with, I walked in and each artist greeted me and made me feel comfortable. If you want common tats go somewhere else but if u want truly individualized art come here! Read Less

Great shop, great Artist, great experience. I hate going into Tattoo shops and feeling like they don't want you there. At Nostalgic the Artist there are very friendly and extremely nice which goes a long way with me. Read Less