Reviews of Tattoos by Strangers (Tattoo Shop)

Gracie LeBlanc

My mom and I got tattoos (it was my first one) done by Eileen last year and she did a wonderful job and we were very happy with the work. The artists at the studio are very talented and I was planning on going back in the future. My grandmother was coming to visit for ten days over Christmas and her and I wanted tattoos together, so I called at the beginning of November to see if we could book with them. I gave them over a month and a half noticed that we had to be book between the 20-30 but any of those days would work. On the call, they said they were completely open for booking then and they could totally do that for us and asked me to email them my inspiration photos which I did after the call. I didn’t hear from them for 3 days so I resent the email thinking it my have not went through. After that I didn’t hear from them for 2 weeks and they said “is there anyway we can have a consultation with you” I responded very quickly and said of course we can. It is now January 9th and I still have yet to receive an email from them. I also had called multiple times before my grandmother came out and left messages that they never called me back too. My grandmother and I were running out of time to find a place and another studio was nice enough to squeeze us in considering such a short noticed we gave her. When I had called in November they said they had many openings for December 20-30 so I knew they weren’t full when I was trying to book in advance, I saw on their Instagram in December that they had a lot of inquiries. So all of the sudden I knew they would be busy however my grandmother and I should’ve been at top of list since we tried booking so much earlier Even if they were busy they should have contacted me in some type of way so I could have searched somewhere else to get us in. It was very inconsiderate and unprofessional and they still haven’t gotten back to that email to this day yet I see on their Instagram that walk-ins are now available. Very disappointed because I did like this studio.

Changkyun and Changbin Is a Snack

Got a cute tattoo of this cat from Eileen. The way she walked me through how she will do the tattoo to me was very clear and easy to understand. I would rate the pain 2/10 since she is very gentle with her hands. All in all, the vibe of the tattoo shop was very nice, the staffs are very welcoming and they make you comfortable.

Brendan Moles

Best

Sia Mashhouri

Eileen did my first ever tatto and it is amazing! I like it. See you soon guys :)

Lana Strilchuk

Had a walk in done with Guka, she did an amazing job! Shop is clean, staff are very friendly. Would definitely recommend.

J T

Guka is in the process of doing a full sleeve on my arm and she has been nothing short of professional and I am very pleased with how it is going so far! Will definitely be returning to her for future work!!

hungrelle

Got my first tattoo here from Eileen and had a very pleasant experience, everyone was nice and they made me feel welcome and comfortable. Totally will recommend this tattoo place to my friends and family.

Franco Alo

UPDATE: new review August 1, 2020 explaining why this old review is now a 1-star. If you read my old review 1 year ago you would have seen that I said this was some of the best Japanese artwork I got tattooed, out of a total of over 36hrs done on my body - but the cost (problems caused) is too high and I don't recommend this shop. My first consultation with Guka at Black Gold 2+ yrs ago, she arrived twenty minutes late. I showed her what I wanted and she criticized it for being to neo-Japanese (she's allowed to her opinion) and that she could do something similar but change this and that. I didn't follow-up because she didn't make me feel comfortable and I felt like SHE was the one deciding what I wanted and judging me. Had another consultation with her when she opened up her own shop. Showed her same images, mentioned it would maybe look more traditional but she could do it. I told her specifically once again how I wanted it, colours, etc and she agreed. Going forward I've rated this place a 1-star because she refused once we started the work to essentially draw the piece as we had discussed "too many colours she would say", or criticize my old pieces for not being super Japanese in the way they followed my body. After spending more than 4 thousand dollars at her shop, she now refuses to tattoo me. Why? Because apparently we have no chemistry and she doesn't feel comfortable tattooing me. Want to know why? The why is because when she did some shading work which I was not happy with (my body right?) and told her to simply use the same colours but 'fill' in the lines more, she said oh my vision is so different so just point here and tell her what colour I want - always using our lack of common language as a communication issue. She would take 20min breaks every hr and I've timed it, was charged more than the number of hours we had decided on. What's more, when she started tattooing me made me feel guilty and said "most of my clients book 6 hr sessions so you need to as well". I'm sorry but how about I book the number of hours I feel comfortable with, but sure I booked six hr sessions. When I saw she was taking these 20min breaks every hour and I wasn't ready to pay for that, I let her know and received excuses instead how that's how she performs best and her other clients are happy with her work. I never said I am not happy with her work, but I am not paying for her smoking breaks at $170/hr. Once before a session, she asked her apprentice to drill into her toolbox to change the location of the Scott Towel rack, apprentice seemed uneasy but did what he was told. Oh yeah like that's sanitary, tiny shards of metal around what's supposed to be one of the cleanest places so you can you know, not get an infection from being tattooed. So Guka, you say you were uncomfortable tattooing me and I did not allow you to do your best work, why because I had an opinion and simply fought for my rights to have you tattoo what you initially agreed on? Getting tattooed shouldn't be this hard. We agreed on something hence the consultation you do the work and I pay you. Not pay for your smoke breaks or let you tattoo however you want on me without saying a word. If you don't want anyone to tell you how to work and it's your expression of art 100%, here's some advice don't tattoo someone's body because it's theres and they are telling you what they'd like. If you don't agree say no but not yes then use language as a barrier and be all upset when someone asks you to change a colour. People love the half sleeve you made me, but I will no longer tell people to go see you because the experience was not worth it - in fact my recommendation is to not go see you because of the issues you caused me. Thanks for after not being direct and costing me $4k having me have to find another artist for my other arm. Good luck on your business ventures.

YBKYungDre213

Guka did a great job on my chest piece yesterday. Can’t wait to finish it and have her do some more tattoos for me ????????????

David Parker

Small, well run business, with a lot of talent. Went for the first time and will definitely be going back in the future.

Richard High

Amazing skill.. brought a friend here and was the artists second customer in this shop.. great experience.. happy customer! Solid business ess owners!!! It was a pride tattoo too!! Thanks for taking time humans!!

S B

3rd time there and still impressed. Everyone there is very friendly/helpful.

Racquel Lussier

Eileen was a great tattoo artist and I love how my tattoo's turned out. One thing I was disappointed about was they didn't let me know ahead of my appointment that my tattoo design couldn't be done. I felt a little frazzled since I had to think on the spot whether I wanted a different tattoo or not. It was my first tattoo so it wasn't the best experience even though the tattoos turned out great.

Lanz Gatmaitan

Went as a walk in and was acknowledged right away. Had my first tattoo done by Eden and love it. She was relaxed and composed which made me felt the same way. Definitely recommended and will be back to get more pieces done.

Kenneth Matijevic

Amazing artists! Geoff did my first ever tattoo and absolutely nailed it. It looks amazing and I couldn't have envisioned it better. Highly recommend trying them. Drop in is awesome and prices are very reasonable.

Shayne Yap

Got my first tattoo here with Guka (half sleeve/half chest). The staff here is very friendly and hospitable, and I feel like they are constantly making small improvements as a business. They even helped me book my following sessions earlier than planned with other client cancellations. During my first session, I was amazed at Guka’s free-hand talent, the level of detail is just what I was looking for in terms of irezumi style. I was confident in her abilities to make the bolder design decisions and don’t regret it, I love my tattoo. Will definitely go back here for another big one in the future, or smaller tattoos with Eileen.

Kayla Morin

Visited TBS for a couple small tattoos by Eileen. She did such an amazing job and did exactly what I wanted in a quick and timely manner. It was so good that I'm already planning on my next few I want her to do. I would 100% recommend!

Trisha GD Delgado

I really love my tattoos and I got it all from here. All the artist are really professional with their job. Quality over anything. Very friendly and I like the vibe in the shop. I got a small tattoo from Guka and she's truly amazing and super talented. Eileen also did my Gemini piece and I got so many compliments from my friends and even other people. Lastly, I got small tattoo from Mildo and she included all the details of it even tho with such a small piece. I love all my tattoos that I got from here. I would totally recommend people to get tattoos here.

Janyne Johnson

I was paired with Geoff to get my first tattoo. He was very professional and did a wonderful job

Lana Bee

Got two tattoos from Eileen for an amazing price (~$120 before tip). I love her style, it’s one of the best places in Edmonton to get thin, minimalistic tattoos at the best price point. I’d say it’s my favourite spot in Edmonton. The apprentice Mildo did my sister’s tattoo as well (twins tattoo pictured), and it was absolutely stunning, and his technique was like a pro, despite him being in training still!!

Aileen Monyror

I just got a lotus piece done with Eden about a week ago. From start to finish, everyone at the shop were amazing to deal with. This was my first well thought out tattoo, and because I do enjoy a bit of mystery in my life; I skipped the consult and left my idea up to Eden, and she nailed it. Aftercare, like I said this is the first piece I’ve gotten that wasn’t a last minute thought, I actually followed instructions and it’s healed perfectly. I’m so incredibly happy with it. I will definitely be coming back, I think I found my artists. ☺️ It’s been a pleasure !

Alannah Strilchuk

Guka and Eden are both amazing. Really clean shop! Both my tattoos have been walk in and I couldn’t be happier!!! Can’t wait for more.

Lisa Bacon

Got a tattoo from Eileen. Super clean shop. Very small so come alone and get your friends to wait in the car. Overall great experience. She’s very professional and helps you feel comfortable right away! Will try to update this review a few months after my tattoo heals Update: my tattoo has healed perfectly. She gave me saniderm after the tattoo and it helped immensely. I won’t get a tattoo without saniderm from now on because of this. Very happy with how it turned out. I hope to come get more tatts by such talented artists in the future.

Corey Gray

Excellent experience at Tattoos by Strangers. Geoff has tattooed the majority of my leg. His creativity and desire to exceed your expectations are his highest priority. Well managed and clean shop. I will continue to get my work done here. I look forward to more exceptional pieces.

Abee Hope

Got a very amazing finger tattoo from Eileen and I am more than happy to share that it perfectly healed and hasn't faded. I always felt welcomed in their shop and always come on time since the shop is very small and they cannot accommodate even if you come early for covid safety measures because they have to disinfect their table and their tools. I'm glad that they put this measures to make sure that everyone is safe and not unnecessarily spreading bacterias even more. Shop is very clean and organized. Staffs are friendly and wonderful, always asking if I want a drink during my session. Lovely people and lovely experience. Will get more of my future tattoos here ❤️❤️

San Juson

Awesome place! Loved the vibe also Eileen is amazing :) Super clean and they're really friendly!

olympus flores

love the place , my tattoo was amazing, but couldn't understand the receptionist at all .

Brittany Abdul

Cute shop with charming decor. Excellent customer service! I was tattooed by Geoff and was very pleased with him. His customer service and attention to detail was so nice and assuring. I love my tattoo and will definitely be going back again soon. 10/10.

Renee Gabrielle

If I could give zero stars I would. Unless you're getting some extravagant Japanese peice they really don't care. Artists are great in what they do, just a very poorly run shop when it comes to communication with customers and accountablity for mistakes made.

Erik Estigoy

awesome vibe and they were really helpful in getting my tattoo.

Josh Amyotte

The whole team is really great! Clean, organized, and the work is 10/10. Huge sweet spot for Guka, her Japanese traditional is unreal.

Morgan H

Amazing work, super fast and very gentle!

Courtney Abdul

I went to Geoff and got an amazing little chest tattoo. He was great! The environment here is so comfortable and personable. Highly recommended!

Jalyse Haluszka

Eden did my first tattoo and it was very nice. Thanks so much again!

Klarissa Mootoo

Making an appointment was more difficult than it needed to be. Dealing with whoever answers email inquiries was a joke.

Julia Lopez

Got a beautiful tattoo by done Guka. The shop is very clean and everyone is super nice! I got a tattoo that's different from the irezumi style, and Guka nailed it! Will definitely be coming back in the future :)

Abby Smith

Absolutely in love with the work Mildo did. This shop is super clean, professional, and chill!! Everyone there is super super kind and I will definitely be back :)

Lucy Ortiz

I got my first tattoo here and I couldn’t be happier with it, Eileen did an amazing job

Tyler Bollman

Great to work w and very happy w the design produced! Great experience overall