I walked in with a concept and quickly felt welcomed and comfortable. The tattoo artist, Ash, worked patiently with me to finalize the sketch and get the body placement just right. He was very professional throughout the whole process and all the other artists on the shop were great and friendly. There were great tunes playing--Black Sabbath, Motörhead and more--which made more a more enjoyable experience. I'll definitely come back to the Great Southern Tattoo Company. Read Less

So I woke up this morning and decided I wanted to get a tattoo. So...I did. Decided on GST in Alexandria due to the great reviews and it being 6 miles from my house. They opened at 1:00 and I was inside by 1:03. I was greeted by the ever so friendly owner at the door and he asked me what I wanted to do. I explained to him I wanted to get an American Traditional Tattoo and he lined me up with Adam Jeffrey. I gave him the reference I was working with and he came up with an awesome traditional band for around my left calf and shin. He drew it up and by 2:15 we were inking away. That simple. No fuss. The shop is beyond clean and the decor is awesome. What brings that place to life is the great conversation with all the artists. Funny jokes and great stories flying around all day. You can't beat that. We took minimal breaks and he explained the process as a whole. This isn't my first tattoo by no means and I've been to quite a few shops and I'm here to tell you that this once one of the top dogs. Location is great, parking is not an issue and like I said you can't go wrong here. Adam took care of my requests hands down. I'll be definitely hitting GST on the regular. Read Less

AMAZING!!!!! I just received my tattoo from Jimmy today and all I can say is WOW. He is amazing. About two weeks ago I walked in with an idea but as I can't draw for sh$& all I had was an old book and my words. He talked to me some length about it and about two weeks later called me into the shop to show me this amazing drawing. It was better then what I imagined. The shop is clean and everyone I have meet there was so friendly and welcoming. This shop is awesome & Jimmy is a amazing artist. ( I know I keep saying "amazing " but it's true) Thank you soooo much I will be back for some more torture. HAHA Read Less

Awesome place for a tattoo. I came in with some artwork and an idea of what I wanted. Ash helped me revise the artwork and did an awesome job. The tattoo came out better than the artwork I brought and looks fantastic. I'll be back if I get another tattoo. Highly recommended!! Read Less

i was a walk in customer. came here to get a floral tattoo(just because). and i was warmly greeted as soon as i walked in they listen to how and where i want my tattoo. i think my artist name was chris (not sure) but he took his time doing my tattoo and didnt rush to finish like some other tattoo artist do. the environment was awesome and cool looking, but the only thing i didnt like was he ask me to pay for my tattoo before he begin and not after.... so yeah love it and would would definitely come back Read Less

Jimmy did two tattoos, one for me and one for my husband. He was very friendly and professional! He could tell I was nervous and made small talk to make me feel at ease. His artwork is impeccable! The shop was very clean and had a 'family' vibe. Will definitely be returning! Read Less

I went in on a whim thinking I needed new ink and I left very pleased with the work that was done. Ash was my artist. He worked efficiently and gave me exactly what I wanted. I would like to mention that this tat healed A LOT quicker than other tats I've received in the past. I'm going back for another soon. Read Less

I've gotten all my art here and they are the best, ash is my artist , and he will make you walk out the door with a nice tattoo definitely I will recommend this place really happy with them, my brother and me always come back Read Less

I've never had a tattoo heal so quickly and heal so well. I've gotten 10 tattoos in my life - this was the 10th. It was a coverup of a 20-year old faded and stretched out star. I talked with Chris and sent him my inspiration picture. He was very kind, didn't mansplain the way so many tattoo artists seem to do, just chatted with me, put me at ease, and assured me he could do the cover up. Day of arrived and we went over the size and location again. He told me about tattoo rules (why you face tattoos in or right side up) and really showed me that he was a professional - he knows his stuff. The tattoo didn't hurt too bad. He had a nice touch. He gave me the exact tattoo I wanted. Just perfect. I left with a smile on my face. A week later and it's almost completely healed. Most of my tattoos took much longer to heal and as they healed, a lot of them lost the fresh look and the ink seemed to swell in the outlines. This one just looks pretty. I love it. Go to Great Southern. Ask for Chris. You'll be happy you did. Read Less

Was not a fan of this place at all. They told us it would be and hour and it ended up being three. When we gave the artist our incredibly simple design he couldn't seem to draw it. I can't draw for shit and I could have drawn this. He kept trying to take liberties instead of just listening to us. Once we finally agreed on something the quality was shit. The coloring is sporadic and it all looks like crap. When I went in a few days later to tell them I wasn't happy with it and wanted it fixed they argued with me. Zero customer service about how they're sorry they permanently drew shitty artwork on my leg. No desire to ensure I was happy with what I got. I would not recommend this place at all. And, if there is a wait like that, it's not like you can leave and come back at your appointed time. No, you just have to sit there. It was such a poor choice to go here. Finally getting it fixed to look like the original simple design we wanted by a professional who is taking the time to ensure we're happy. Read Less

17 years ago, my mom got her only tattoo at Great Southern, and because of that it's always held some significance to me. Yesterday I got my third and fourth tattoos and now it means even more to me! Uncle Charley and all of the other fellas were kind and open. The pricing was fair, the place was clean - albeit a tad cluttered - and most importantly, they welcomed walk in appointments with open arms, for which we were extremely grateful. On top of that, they also accepted credit cards. Overall, my experience at Great Southern was a great one, and I'm extremely pleased with both of my pieces. Read Less

Drew and Ash were amazing!! My husband and I both got tattoos. My husband is very happy with his tribal and I LOVE the one Drew drew out for me from some ideas I gave him. Will definitely be back for more from these guys. Read Less

Went in today for a quick, impromptu tattoo and it was a wonderful experience. I had Andrew and he was great. Very informative and direct when it came to me picking out the font and how big I wanted my tattoo. I'm very pleased and will be back again soon to see him. Read Less

Outstanding gentlemen in here. My half sleeve was done by Drew. As my first tattoo, most would be hesitant - but my artist made me feel assured that his work would be great. This piece only took 3 hours! Beautiful work thank you guys! I will be coming back to get the chest and traps to connect with the half sleeve.Im very happy to live close by this shop Read Less

I can in for a walk in and my first impression was "mehhh". A little unclean but nothing crazy! The staff was off putting at first but ended up being the nicest dudes! I got a simple quote on my ribs and i feel like it turned out well! Read Less

Great Southern Tattoo has been an Alexandria staple for many years. It is family owned. Sandy and her husband, Charlie, strived and achieved an image for tattooing that broke the negative stereotypes and clichés the tattoo industry had earned in past decades. Sandy worked hard to help promote a positive image from tattoos and tattoo shops. Sandy made such a wonderful and lasting impact on the local community and tattooing. Sandy was a very gifted tattoo artist. She handed down her techniques to the other artists in the shop. She strove for proper tattooing, tattoo aftercare and clean tattoo practices. Sandy's legacy lives up to what she left behind. Great Southern is still by far and away the best tattoo shop in Northern Virginia. Virginia is the only state where if you are tattooed you can donate blood after initial healing. Virginia has state regulated stringent sanitation practices. Charlie makes for wonderful company and is sagely. He sits by the door to greet and speak with everybody he meets. He is warm and kind. Sandy did my Frank tattoo and Chris did my forearm tattoo of peacock feathers and flowers. He understood what I wanted and did an amazing job. I have seen lots of work by this shop, lots of locals get ink here and I have never seen a bad tattoo. Honestly, if you wanted a bad tattoo, they probably would suggest you get that bad tattoo done somewhere else (just speculation I wouldn't know for sure). Read Less

Got my first tattoo here in 2015 of two simple words on my upper thigh, nothing fancy or special and it cost $200?! Such a rip off plus the people gave a know it all vibe and made the process nerve wracking. Never going back plus I'm going to fix the tattoo to more of my liking. I'm not entirely sure if many tattoo shops are like this but they would deny all of my ideas saying they can't do what I'm asking for. Appearance wise they do seem professional but I didn't get good vibes from that place. Read Less

Awesome experience. Jimmy updated an old tattoo with a beautiful new design. I now have art instead of a flat, boring design. I felt extremely comfortable in the shop. I will be going back for more. Highly recommend Jimmy. Read Less

This was my first tattoo ever and I'm walking in with a picture on my phone of a tattoo of kissing lips on a butt. To say I was nervous was probably an understatement, but Jimmy walked me through the entire process and quoted me a great price and time estimate. He printed a picture of what I described and drew it up so I could look at it on me before he started doing the work. He made sure that I was comfortable with how the work was going to be done and what I was to expect.... Jimmy did exceptional work and was very professional the entire time. He took a picture of the finished product with my phone for me just so I had a good look at the fantastic tattoo that was now on my body. He made sure that I understood his recommended aftercare instructions and even charged me LESS than his original quote. I was extremely impressed. I definitely will come back. Great Southern Tattoo and Jimmy Hayden have earned my trust and my business. Thank you so much! See More Read Less

My friend and I worked with Drew Manley to create matching tattoos Drew did an amazing job creating just what we wanted...He was very professional and friendly. While there my husband had Jimmy draw up something for him he too was very personable and professional...Thank you all for a great experience!! Read Less

I rolled by as a walk in to fix a small faded tattoo I have. Very chill place and the guys there are cool- one was super hilarious who just sat and chatted and made fun of stuff. I decided to get a tattoo while I was there since it wasn't too busy and well, why the hell not? Jimmy was extremely professional, asked me a lot of questions to qualify what I was really looking for and super flexible with my indecision on placement. I had a picture I liked and he took that and made it his own. I trusted his creativity and his experience and I walked away absolutely pleased with my tattoo. I have other friends who have gone to GS and recommended it to me. I will definitely be going back. If Jimmy reads this he will get what is funny about a white ink arrow tattoo on the finger. Amateurs. (Disclaimer: That's not what I have). Thanks, guys!! Read Less

I got my first piercing done here. I should have went some where else. My nose piercing kept coming out and I know that not their fault. But I went back to the shop right after and they made me pay agin to get it redone. Once again my nose ring didn't stay in and I was pierced a third time. Each time they kept charging me. I think they could have been a little more customer service friendly with my piercing. Seeing that I was a teenager and they took advantage of me and my money. I know for tatts they do touch ups and satisfy the customers wants and needs. So why couldn't they do that to my piercing? I will be filling a complaint. And I will tell all my friends and family to spread the word to never step foot in that store. They are just money hungry and couldn't care less about the customer. Read Less

Amazing and professional!  Plan to be a return customer!  Went in to ask about cost and about making an appointment and they were able to take me right then and there and drew what I wanted on the spot and it was absolutely amazing. Read Less

This was an awesome tattoo parlor. Jimmy was friendly and accompanying and was able to see me that day! I couldn't be happier with the tattoo I got and will definitely go back next time I need more ink. It's good to get there right as it opens to avoid a potential wait. Read Less

This is by far the best place I've gone to to get a tattoo. The other places I've been to before didn't have nearly as much preparation time and might not have followed the standards and laws of the tattoo industry. Even though I got a small tattoo, I saw someone getting a large tattoo that covered a customer's back. I can say that these tattoo artists do very good quality work. They are also pleasant, professional, and conversational. Read Less

Walked in today wanting a pretty simple tattoo and not sure if a walk in was going to happen, but was pleasantly surprised that me and my daughter's father were able to come in and get our tattoos drawn up and tattooed right then and there. I was tattooed by Drew and he was very nice and professional and LOVE my new tattoo. My daughters father was drawn by Alex and his too was very nice. I will be back for future tattoos! Thanks guys! Read Less

I have only ever done work with Karl, but the rest of the regulars seem real professional and I've seen them do some amazing work (freehand, and design work).  They do a mess of piercings too!Not the cheapest in the area, and sometimes things heal less than ideally, but they always offer free touch-ups.  Charlie is pretty awesome, don't know if he's only there on Saturdays, but he and Sandy add a nice chillness to what can be otherwise nerve-racking (either waiting, or um, getting that needle dragged across your skin for 3-6hrs).  The new tv is pretty good at giving you something other than your mind to comfort you.  I bring a Harpers Magazine to read, but lately I've been on my back so reading is outta the question..FWIW, I started off just trying to get a simple piece on my right shoulder (in black and gray) to balance out the left shoulder that had my only piece (a 10yr old Mayan image).  Then I got Karl to add to the left shoulder.  Then I get him to surround the right side.  Next came filling it in with color.  Then adding an Aztec god..and coloring it in...and adding background stuff...soon I'll have a mostly-full half sleeve of color.:)They told me that's how it would start.Through it all, Karl has helped guide me from my own bad decisions.  I bring in a bunch of ideas, he points me in a direction that makes sense, I tweak his vision a little bit, and the end result is usually not all that close to what I originally wanted, but it's definitely BETTER than what I'd first had in mind.Now I gotta get an updated photo so you can see his work... Read Less

I am a repeat customer and send my friends their way.  Fair pricing. Great artists. Clean. Friendly and laid back. Can usually take walk-ins. (which is great for those of us who decide to get a tattoo on a whim :)) Read Less

I had Doug of the Great Southern Tattoo Company in Alexandria do a tattoo in my forearm of my college logo. He did a very good job at a reasonable price. The logo on my arm is exactly the same as on my college's website, including a rather difficult color match. Good job Doug. Read Less

-- got my first tattoo just yesterday and couldn't imagine a better experience! Even the clients were friendly! Says a lot about the joint if there are repeat customers in line...results are worth the wait! Read Less

very clean store and work area. all employees very helpful. will answer any and all question before and after working on you. tell u how to care for tat. if any problems they tell u to come back or call them. uncle charlie , shorty, dee, and jason are great. they are all very friendly and tell jokes. helps to keep u relaxed. two of them have been doing tats over 30 years, 20 years for dee, and 10 years for jason. so stop bye and just visit even if your not sure , just ask and learn. good luck Read Less