Black 13 Tattoo Parlor

Got my first tattoo today with Kirk, and I could not be happier. Super clean and everyone was really friendly.

Kirk is the jam. Went in for my first tattoo, left with no regrets. Everyone was great!

I wanted a minimalist tattoo, and they delivered. I wanted this tattoo done in Nashville, for sentimental reasons, and I was impressed. This is the nicest shop I’ve ever visited. They are wonderful from their friendly artists to their cleanliness. I would recommend Black 13 to anyone.

Amanda is the best person on the planet. The rest of those dudes are pretty rad also. I won’t go anywhere else to get tattooed. I’ll fly from San Diego to Nashville just for Amanda to tattoo me. Seriously.

I got my first tattoo today at Black 13 by Josh Woods! I am absolutely in love with it. Everyone in the shop was kind and welcoming. I kept twitching during the process but Josh was patient with me and the tattoo still turned out amazing! No complaints here. I can’t wait to get another

I had a 24 year old, faded tattoo on my shoulder that needed to be covered. After being introduced to the work of Amanda Grace Leadman at Black 13, I knew she was the artist for the job. She met with me for a consultation several weeks before the work began. I shared a few photos with her and explained briefly what I had in mind. This process took about 20 minutes. Honestly, I left wondering if I had done a good job /​spent enough time sharing my ideas with her. However, when I returned on June 19 and she handed me the design, I felt tears welling up in my eyes. It was more beautiful than anything I had imagined! We spent the next 8.5 hours talking and tattooing. At one point, I asked her what time it was. Three hours had passed and to me if felt like one … Later, when the seconds seemed to last minutes, she got me through. So kind, patient, and supportive! I left at 9:30 PM with more than just a beautiful tattoo … Black 13 provides an «experience» with brilliant artists /​amazing humans and I am just as grateful for that as I am my new KICK ASS tattoo. Highly recommend!!!

I got my first tattoo here by Ryan Thomas back in April, he did such an amazing job! I’m very impressed with their shop. Very clean and professional! The staff is nice and the vibe is just wonderful. I was very nervous at first and Ryan was understanding and explained everything he was doing. I also got to meet a lady who’s gotten multiple tattoos from everyone in the shop and they are all very incredible artists. I feel very spoiled to have gotten my first there since I’ve moved out of the state and haven’t seen shops even half as nice as theirs! I would buy a plane ticket and fly back just to get more done, 5 stars is an understatement!

I’ve been wanting to get a tattoo from Black 13 for a while. The reason why I haven’t is because I only go get tattoos when I know what I want in the moment. With their impeccable work, they have an understandably long wait for most of the artists. A friend of mine informed me that they have a walk in artist so I walked in and he happened to be booked up. By happenstance, one of the other artists had finished up with one of his appointments earlier than expected so they went ahead and saw me. I only got lettering done so it wasn’t a lengthy appointment but they weren’t obligated to accommodate me in that way. I saw Jon Ragoe. He is so super awesome. Very personable and does very good work. He didn’t make me feel intimidated which tends to happen being a female. I’m just blown away that they took the time to work me in with an artist that’s not even accepting appointments due to his fully booked schedule. That meant a lot. The facility is so awesome! Very clean. The secretary was great as well as the manager Patrick (he was clearly off shift as he had his stuff on waking out the door) who stopped to help me get in Jon when I couldn’t get into the walk in artist. Bottom line — impeccable customer service, awesome facility, kind artists and what’s most important, GREAT quality work. What more could you ask for?! That’s why they have a wait and that’s why it’s worth it.

I chose Black 13 for my first tattoo because they seemed to be the most sanitary and have the highest quality artwork and I’m honestly so glad I did.
From the moment I sent them my first email they were nothing but friendly and polite and undeniably helpful. Even when I was at my most confused and probably asked some stupid questions, they always answered with a smile.
When it came to getting the tattoo, the artist (Steve Martin) was not only super invested but super nice! He cared about the details and how I felt and was really easy to talk to. He also took into consideration it was my first tattoo, and was encouraging and never condescending when I reacted to the pain.
The environment was clean and sterile and all the other artists would walk by to comment on the work he was doing and they were all SUPER friendly too and funny. My tattoo came to a total of around 900 dollars which was entirely worth it. I couldn’t have asked for a better first experience. They explained the aftercare process clearly, too. Which is a bonus because, yes please tell me how to not fuck this up because I do not want that LOL.
All in all they were wonderful, sweet and passionate people and I’ll definitely go back. Not to mention the artwork kicked major ass.

This place is the best!
I wanted typewriter lettering and am very picky about font since I am a graphic designer. I wanted Kirk to do the tattoo. after having looked at various tattoo parlors in town and portfolios, his line work seemed to be consistently crisp and straight when needed.
Doy was amazing in discussing the design with me and making suggestions as to placement. He took the time to listen to exactly what I wanted and to explain the process to me. This was my first tattoo, and I’m sure it gets old explaining things to newbies! The ink they use at Black13 is organic and vegan, and they won’t even do designs that are so small they will eventually bleed together over time. I initially wanted to get the lettering on the back of my neck, but Doy explained it was going to be too small there to look good later. He suggested another placement– the inside of my upper arm. I am so happy with the new placement, and I absolutely love the quality of the line work Kirk did.
Thanks guys!

5 stars mostly goes out to the counter lady… long black hair; super helpful and friendly! Such a nice change from a lot of ‘shops’, where you can be greeted by ‘too cool’ types, boring tattoo elitist types… Shop is very clean, had limited time (no tattoos done), they have good tshirts (and fair prices; bought kids, wife, self a few). If I’m in nashville, I’d get work done without hesitation; looks great, has the quality of a shop that the owners/​staff actually care about… refreshing.

I went to Black 13 a few years ago to get a new tattoo. I’ve known Doy since I was in college and I’d heard nothing but great things about this place. The experience was incredible. I had a great consultation and the final art was better than I ever expected. The shop is clean and comfortable, and the people are artistic but also very professional.
The prices are pretty much exactly what you pay elsewhere, but more importantly, the art that ends up on your body is so much better than anywhere else I’ve been. Ultimately, since you have to live with your tattoos, you gotta pay for quality work and this is the absolute best place to go. I highly recommend going here for your tattoo experience in Nashville.

There is really no question that this is one of the best tattoo shops in town. If you regularly follow any local forums the topic of best tattoo shop comes up often and inevitably Black 13 always gets the most endorsements. I would certainly tell you it’s the best and it seems like the majority are with me on this. Further accolades include being voted best tattoo shop by the Nashville Scene the last 5 years in a row.
I could go on and on telling you about the quality of their work but really that would be a waste of time. All you have to do is take a look at their portfolio and you’ll see that it speaks for itself. As far as facilities go the place is very well kept. It always has a fresh and clean feeling right down to the the way the place smells. I have to admit I get excited these days when I get here just from the smell — it’s very distinct and comforting.
As for their prices — it’s my understanding that they are pretty much on par with all the other top shops in town. Some may consider that high but I don’t know and don’t care. The real question is whether it’s reasonable considering the quality of the work and the answer is YES a million times over.
A couple of pointers: I’ve been through five sessions here and found that while email communication does work it can be slow. You are better off making your arrangements for consultations /​appointments over the phone or in person. Also their artists are very popular so be prepared to wait your turn — my guy (Steve) is usually on a couple week waiting list for consultations and several months for actual bookings. Cummings Station is pretty neat building but the downside is that cheap parking is a hassle. The paid lot across is the street is rather expensive, especially on the weekends. Try to look for street parking which is free after 5 on weekdays and I think weekends too.

I was in Nashville for a weekend and randomly decided to get a tattoo (one I had considered for a long time, but had never gotten around to. Not that spontaneous!).
This is an extremely clean, well-​appointed, and professional shop. Everyone was super nice and helpful. I was getting script with a small design and asked the artist (gah, can’t remember his name!) to size it down three times. He was really nice about fixing it and getting it to where I wanted.
His work was clean and quick and I am quite happy with the tattoo. The «writing» is beautifully done and I’ve gotten a number of compliments in the short time I’ve had it.
Also, I have gone to shops home in DC where the shop minimum was something crazy like $ 200+ for any tattoo, however small or simple. Get out of town, man. If I am getting a tattoo that is taking 10 – 20 min of your time, that is freakin’ ridiculous. (And I don’t mind paying what items/​services are worth. I resent being overcharged.) So, I was also pleasantly surprised at the fair price at Black 13.
Go here if you want a tattoo in Nashville.
Thanks!

I moved to Nashville from the DC area in January. I was looking to finally get one of my tattoos either covered up or fixed — I’d had it for nearly 3 years and was extremely embarrassed by it. I was constantly explaining it to everyone before they saw it so I wouldn’t be «judged».
I began looking for artists in the area, and a friend of mine down here recommended Steve Martin from Black 13. He has a good amount of work done by the guy, and I was impressed by what I saw. I finally met up with Steve in May, and we went over the piece — he encouraged me to add different elements to my tattoo versus cover it up — it would be bigger, and the black that I currently have in the piece would be difficult to mask with another design.
We finally had our appointment yesterday (and yes, I was filled with much trepidation), but after only a couple of hours, it was done — and now looks so much better than I could ever have imagined. Steve, thank you for fixing up what I thought would always haunt me. It is amazing that simple changes could invoke such a powerful end-​product. I can’t wait for it to heal and show it off (and I also can’t wait to come back for my next piece!).
May I also add, the rest of the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. I feel very at ease in the environment — y’all are a great group of people!

Never had a more pleasant and professional tattoo experience in my life. I mentioned in my emails I would be on vacation shortly after the next available appointment and the girl got me in early due to a cancellation, so they really pay attention to your needs from the get go. Everyone was amazingly friendly (none of that — this is my artwork, so you’ll take what I give you and if you don’t like it I will make you uncomfortable for this entire experience — attitude).
These people actually care about what you want, and they want to make you happy most of all. Not to mention they do phenomenal work so making you happy kinda comes easy to them. Jay recommended something I wasn’t comfortable with, and when I said I’d rather not do that, he was beyond gracious, said «ok, that’s cool!» and gave me exactly what I wanted. And I only had to say it once. NO attitude or pressuring whatsoever. I was so grateful for that.
Jay has a featherlight touch. I felt no pain whatsoever. My nerves were immediately calmed, and he was just really nice and pleasant the whole time. He fixed my pre existing tattoo far beyond my expectations. Now I have something I can actually be proud of, and I’m itching to go back for more!
I could go on and on about how amazing this shop is. As long as I am in a close vicinity to Nashville, I would be insane to go anywhere else.
Thank you guys!!!

I absolutely 100% recommend this tattoo shop as well as Steve Martin. From the moment I walked in I felt comfortable. Patrick quickly greeted me and was super nice. I filled out a quick sheet agreeing that I was 18, wasn’t drunk, high or anything else and that I knew all the rules.
Steve brought me back to his chair and he took a lot of time figuring out exactly what I wanted and what would look good. I know I put a lot of pressure on him since the only guidelines I had sent beforehand was that I wanted a sweets themed half sleeve with a breast cancer ribbon and a tokidoki character somewhere in it. That’s all I gave him. He took that and ran with it in an amazing direction.
I took my phone, charger and headphones because I knew I would be in there for hours. I didn’t end up needing my charger or headphones. Steve was very nice and we talked quite a bit. Marty came by a couple of times to look at how the tattoo was coming along and joked with us.
We only got to the outline and shading of my half sleeve but I already love it and can’t wait until it’s finished. I can tell why they’re popular but now I have to wait 2 months until I can get another session done.
Patrick was very nice once again as I was paying and set up my next appt. He made sure I knew everything I needed to know before I walked out the door.
I was just so impressed by everyone I encountered and the shop itself. Very clean and smelled good.

There is a reason this shop wins best tattoo shop of Nashville every damn year. Not the gritty shop you may be used to when visiting some tattoo shops. Some people don’t care for that since the professionalism and niceness here isnt exactly ‘old school’ but whatever. If the artists are legit who the hell cares. It’s probably the best I’ve ever set foot in.
Some people give negative reviews due to price without really researching what industry standard is for a decent tattoo. Plus is it really something you want to cheap out on? Ink is pretty permanent last time I checked.
Steve is my artist here and brilliant.

Ink is permanent.
(although there may be some painful removal services out there)
I always think long and hard about adding tattoos to my body… how many times have you seen some questionable ink out there folks? I’m looking at you Tweety Bird tramp stamp…
With that being said, perhaps ol’ Tweety Bird may have had some type of significance to the person who decided to permanently affix the little yellow bird to their lower back? Either way, you don’t want to have cruddy work on your body since you will have to look at it for the rest of your life. (and apparently there are also tattoo snobs like me who will judge you for it too)
With that being said, I have had the joy of having my work done by the ridiculously talented Michigan based Jerry Frost who owned an appointment only pop-​up shop here in Nashville for a couple of years. His work is superb and I’m thankful to have it on my body! I honestly thought that I was done with adding art to my body but due to a pivotal experience in my life, I decided to once again add something to commemorate it to my side torso.
Who do I turn to?
Black 13 of course. It’s pretty clear that they are THE place to go in Nashville if you want quality work done. Plus, I’m a sucker for their branding and hilarious advertisements that feature their artists and staff in amusing Christmas, Fight Club, or hockey game themes. They also lead up and participate in fundraisers and promotions that benefit great causes and nonprofit organizations. Those who give back, get back from me.
I contacted proprietor Doy directly to book the appointment and to get a quote and he was very thorough on expectations, cost, and handled everything efficiently. On my appointment day, I was very pleased with my artist Marty who was friendly, professional, and DAMN… was he quick! Mind you, I had decided on a small font only piece but I can still appreciate how efficient he was with the process. Let’s be honest, the less time that you have a needle poking your flesh is best for all parties involved, am I right? (unless you’re really into that sort of thing?) Marty did a fantastic job and I love my new tattoo. It’s simple and to the point but you’d be surprised how even the simplest things can be botched up, folks. While, Doy did give me a pretty tight range for my quote, I always expect that it’s going to end up at the high end and this was the case here. No surprise.
My only gripe would be for the «check-​in» process. Mind you, I did arrive 2 minutes late for my appointment (called in and left a voicemail) but it apparently wouldn’t have mattered as there was a short line of 2 people ahead of me. The staff member was deep in talks with the father/​son who were at the check-​in desk and there was a mom/​daughter (was it take our children to get ink day?) ahead of me. I didn’t want to be the jerk who jumps to the front of the line but I had an appointment. Ten minutes later, the father/​son are still getting some kind of consultation by the staff member so I finally asked the ladies in front of me if they minded if I cut ahead since my appointment was NOW. They were totally cool with it but made it a point to share with me that they had been waiting for quite some time before I arrived.
So, I finally did it… I interrupted the conversation between the father/​soon and staff member and let him know that I was there for an appointment and that it was 10 minutes ago… the staff member immediately apologized and gave me a couple of quick forms to fill out and Marty came up front to greet me a few minutes later. Not sure how to correct this situation since I’m not going to pretend that I know how to run a tattoo business but I’m sure that there is some type of process that isn’t so awkward for appointments and consultations to both be assisted when they walk in the door. The staff member was a really nice guy and when I checked out, he apologized again for the issue so I ain’t mad atcha.
Overall my experience was good and I would definitely come back to Black 13 again if I fancied another bit of ink. I also chatted with Marty about getting my back piece recolored in a year or so. Plus, I really dug the look and feel of their studio in Cummins Station. In my opinion, this is the première spot in our fair city (and possibly in the country) to get work done.
TIP: Black 13 does not disappoint when it comes to swag. They have some great gifty items in here that range from apparel, phone cases, and even coloring books. Even if you’re not ready to permanently ink yourself, but still love the art of tattoos, you can score some great items from here to showcase that appreciation.
TIP 2: Parking validation is not included so attempt to find off-​street meter parking or you’ll be responsible for the paid parking across the street. I paid $ 13 for the couple of hours that I was at Black 13 and for my late lunch at Wild Wasabi afterwards.

One of the best tattoo parlors in the country.
They employ fantastic artists and Doy runs it very professionally.
I got a great tattoo by Josh Woods and am very pleased highly recommend black 13 tattoo parlor.