Tattoo shops in San Jose
Thinking about ink in San Jose, CA? Start with the studios: 32 are mapped here. All 32 are mapped as tattoo studios proper, and each one is worth a portfolio browse before you commit — style varies more between shops than towns. A consultation costs nothing and tells you everything about how a shop runs.
This guide covers every tattoo shop we could verify in and around San Jose (within about 40 km), built from OpenStreetMap's community-maintained data. Names you'll run into include Redwood Tatoo Co. and Revolution Ink, plus Sammy Rain's Custom Tattooz. If a studio's missing from San Jose's list, it probably just hasn't been mapped yet — the scene is bigger than any single dataset.
The San Jose tattoo lineup
32 mapped within about 40 km:
Redwood Tatoo Co.
Tattoo studio
Redwood Tatoo Co. — Tattoo studio, found on 831 Broadway in Redwood City. Also worth knowing about Redwood Tatoo Co.: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip.
831 Broadway, Redwood City, 94063
Phone: +1-650-701-1301
Revolution Ink
Tattoo studio
Revolution Ink — Tattoo studio.
Sammy Rain's Custom Tattooz
Tattoo studio
Sammy Rain's Custom Tattooz is Tattoo studio.
Da Wei Tattoo
Tattoo studio
Da Wei Tattoo is Tattoo studio.
Blood Alley
Tattoo studio
Blood Alley is Tattoo studio.
State of Grace
Tattoo studio
State of Grace is Tattoo studio on 221 Jackson Street, San Jose. State of Grace also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
221 Jackson Street, San Jose, 95112
Taylor Ink
Tattoo studio
Taylor Ink — Tattoo studio, found on 2955 Senter Road in San Jose.
2955 Senter Road, San Jose, 95111
Art of the Heart Tattoo
Tattoo studio
Art of the Heart Tattoo is Tattoo studio on 237 West Main Avenue, Morgan Hill. Art of the Heart Tattoo also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
237 West Main Avenue, Morgan Hill, 95037
Blacksuit Tattoo
Tattoo studio
Blacksuit Tattoo is Tattoo studio on 17 South 2nd Street, San Jose. Blacksuit Tattoo also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
17 South 2nd Street, San Jose, 95113
Death Before Dishonor - Tatoos
Tattoo studio
Death Before Dishonor - Tatoos is Tattoo studio on 306 South 3rd Street, San Jose.
306 South 3rd Street, San Jose, 95112
Legacy Tattoo
Tattoo studio
Legacy Tattoo — Tattoo studio, found on 1427 The Alameda in San Jose.
1427 The Alameda, San Jose, 95126
Always Create
Tattoo studio
Always Create — Tattoo studio, found on 265 Meridian Avenue in San Jose.
265 Meridian Avenue, San Jose, 95126
9 Dragons Ink
Tattoo studio
9 Dragons Ink is Tattoo studio on 999 Story Road, San Jose. 9 Dragons Ink also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
999 Story Road, San Jose, 95122
The Heart & The Anvil Tattoo
Tattoo studio
The Heart & The Anvil Tattoo is Tattoo studio on 745 North 13th Street, San Jose.
745 North 13th Street, San Jose, 95112
nYou Image Ink
Tattoo studio
nYou Image Ink is Tattoo studio on 4606 Meridian Avenue, San Jose.
4606 Meridian Avenue, San Jose, 95124
Pyramid Tattoo
Tattoo studio
Pyramid Tattoo — Tattoo studio, found on 7034 Santa Teresa Boulevard in San Jose. Also worth knowing about Pyramid Tattoo: the map lists its hours as 12:00-20:00.
7034 Santa Teresa Boulevard, San Jose, 95139
Hours: 12:00-20:00
Lucid Illusions Tattoo
Tattoo studio
Lucid Illusions Tattoo is Tattoo studio on 265 Meridian Avenue, San Jose.
265 Meridian Avenue, San Jose, 95126
Ink Now
Tattoo studio
Ink Now is Tattoo studio on 1828 Tully Road, San Jose.
1828 Tully Road, San Jose, 95122
New Generation Tattoo
Tattoo studio
New Generation Tattoo is Tattoo studio on 1189 Branham Lane, San Jose.
1189 Branham Lane, San Jose, 95118
Irezumi Tattoo Studio
Tattoo studio
Irezumi Tattoo Studio — Tattoo studio, found on 1970 Aborn Road in San Jose.
1970 Aborn Road, San Jose, 95121
Lucky Stars Tattoo
Tattoo studioRun by Gods & Monsters LLC
Run by Gods & Monsters LLC, Lucky Stars Tattoo is Tattoo studio, found on 1050 Blossom Hill Road in San Jose.
1050 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose, 95123
The DogFather Tattoo
Tattoo studio
The DogFather Tattoo is Tattoo studio. The DogFather Tattoo also notes on the map: it has a website with more detail.
Premium Clan Tattoo Studio
Tattoo studio
Premium Clan Tattoo Studio — Tattoo studio, found on 1621 Alum Rock Avenue in San Jose.
1621 Alum Rock Avenue, San Jose, 95116
Vampire Battle Mansion
Tattoo studio
Vampire Battle Mansion — Tattoo studio.
Hold Fast
Tattoo studio
Hold Fast is Tattoo studio on 1224 Main Street.
1224 Main Street
Black Lantern Tattoo
Tattoo studio
Black Lantern Tattoo is Tattoo studio on 3155 South Bascom Avenue, Campbell.
3155 South Bascom Avenue, Campbell, 95008
Graven Image Tattoo Studio
Tattoo studio
Graven Image Tattoo Studio is Tattoo studio on 1793 Lafayette Street, Santa Clara.
1793 Lafayette Street, Santa Clara, 95050
Secret Sidewalk Tattoo
Tattoo studio
Secret Sidewalk Tattoo is Tattoo studio. Secret Sidewalk Tattoo also notes on the map: the map lists its hours as Tu-Sa 12:00-19:00.
Hours: Tu-Sa 12:00-19:00
Sacred Soul Tattoo and Piercing
Tattoo studio
Sacred Soul Tattoo and Piercing — Tattoo studio on 34375 Alvarado-Niles Road. Also worth knowing about Sacred Soul Tattoo and Piercing: the map lists its hours as Tu-Sa 12:00-19:00.
34375 Alvarado-Niles Road
Hours: Tu-Sa 12:00-19:00
Sailors Ink
Tattoo studio
Sailors Ink is Tattoo studio on 15 El Toro Avenue, Morgan Hill. Sailors Ink also notes on the map: a phone number is listed — worth a call before a special trip; it has a website with more detail.
15 El Toro Avenue, Morgan Hill, 95037
Phone: +1-408-762-7352
Bad Boy Tattoo
Tattoo studio
Bad Boy Tattoo — Tattoo studio.
Strong Tattoo
Tattoo studio
Strong Tattoo is Tattoo studio on 11561 Berryessa Road, San Jose.
11561 Berryessa Road, San Jose, 95133
What the map tells us about tattoo shops in San Jose
3 of the 32 list their opening hours on the map, which is genuinely useful — tattoo studios often work by appointment, so posted hours can be more of a guideline than a promise.
6 have websites listed. Studios with websites usually show portfolios there — the fastest way to tell if a shop's style matches yours.
There's a cluster: 2 of them sit on 265 Meridian Avenue, so you can string those into one walk and drive between the rest.
The San Jose tattoo shop tour
Plot these on a map and the day plans itself: Redwood Tatoo Co. on 831 Broadway, Revolution Ink, Sammy Rain's Custom Tattooz, Da Wei Tattoo, Blood Alley, State of Grace on 221 Jackson Street, Taylor Ink on 2955 Senter Road, and Art of the Heart Tattoo on 237 West Main Avenue. That's 32 stops on the San Jose tattoo shop tour. 24 more are listed below.
Tattoo tips for San Jose
Picking a studio in San Jose? A little homework pays off:
- Document the healing at Redwood Tatoo Co.. Photos of the healing process help your artist advise you, and help you judge their work honestly.
- Ask about the deposit at Revolution Ink. Custom pieces usually need a deposit that comes off the final price. Ask how it works before you sit down, not after.
- Be honest about your pain tolerance. Ribs, feet and inner arms hurt more. A good artist will tell you straight and plan breaks.
- Walk-ins mean flash, usually. If you want custom work, book ahead. Walk-in slots are for flash designs and small pieces.
Good to know
We searched about 40 km around San Jose — that covers the town itself plus the surrounding communities you'd reasonably drive to. Listings come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by local volunteers, so a brand-new tattoo shop in San Jose can take a while to appear. Spotted a closure among the 32, or a tattoo shop we missed entirely? The map is the source of truth here — one OpenStreetMap edit corrects it for everyone.
We don't rate studios or artists, and we never list prices — those are between you and the shop. What we list is the where and the how-to-find, from places real mappers have verified.
If you run one of the 32 listed here and something's wrong — a closure, a move, new hours — the fix is the same: update the shop on OpenStreetMap and the correction flows through to this page on the next daily refresh.
Tattoo shop listings for San Jose: 32 mapped from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Photos from Wikimedia Commons contributors; individual photo credits appear in captions. Listing data was last refreshed automatically — verify hours before visiting.