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10 Best Tattoo Shops in Portland, OR

Portland, Oregon is famous — not just across the US, but the entire world — for being a city of writers and artists. Authors, comic book creators, comedians, designers, every kind of creative is drawn to the life and scene of Portland, OR.

This, of course, includes tattoo artists. It should be no surprise, then, that the Portland tattoo shops and tattoo artists are some of the coolest and most unique in the US. Here, you’ll find some of the best tattoo shops in Portland, OR.

tattoo shops in portland

Must-Visit Portland Tattoo Shops

Whether you live in Portland and are looking for new Portland tattoo shops to check out, or you’re just visiting and want to commemorate your trip, these are the best tattoo shops in Portland, Oregon.

Tattoo 34

Perhaps the most important and inspiring of all Portland tattoo shops, Tattoo 34 is a proudly indigenous and Black-owned business that hosts guest artists as well as in-house Portland tattoo artists.

The artists at Tattoo 34 come from a variety of backgrounds, and bring different influences to the artistic output of the shop. Black-and-grey and colour. Modern, neotrad, and old school. Vibrant pop art and subtle, muted tones. There’s a huge variety on display here.

We are huge fans of the ethos, the style, and the community focus of Tattoo 34. We love their emphasis on celebrating art, especially art by minority creators. They are good and wholesome people, and Tattoo 34 is one of the best tattoo shops in Portland OR.

Atlas Tattoo

Atlas Tattoo is a behemoth of the Portland, Oregon tattoo scene, and rightly so! This is one of the absolute best tattoo shops in Portland. It’s not often you’re blessed with this much variety of design and style that is also of outstanding quality.

We all know the phrase “jack of all trades, master of none” but what does it look like to have a tattoo shop that really is master of all? Well, it looks like Atlas Tattoo.

The artists at Atlas Tattoo are the best at neotrad. They’re the best at authentic Japanese-inspired tattoo art, and they’re the best at true traditional old school designs. This really is one of the absolute best Portland tattoo shops, hands down.

Scapegoat Tattoo

In terms of its popularity, Scapegoat Tattoo is one of the biggest and best tattoo shops in Portlant OR. Take a quick scroll through their portfolio or Instagram page and you’ll see why that is. It’s justified popularity, that’s for sure.

At Scapegoat Tattoo, you’re getting a true, timeless piece of tattoo art on your skin. Whether you prefer bold colours that pop, or deep but soothing blacks and greys, you’ll be stunned by the quality of artistry on display by the artists at Scapegoat Tattoo in Portlant.

We are particularly big fans of the way they take old school designs and motifs, and blend them into newer, more original designs; truly, this is neotrad tattooing at its sharpest.

Cypress Tattoo Studio

Mickey Warner is a home-grown Portland tattoo artist from a family of artists. His studio, Cypress Tattoo Studio, is one of the best tattoo shops in Portland OR, and he himself stands out as an excellent artist of hyper-realistic black-and-grey tattoos.

Warner excels in the realm of black-and-grey art, especially statuesque portraiture. His tattoo adaptations of Greek gods and warriors are a step above those of most other artists out there.

Cypress Tattoo Studios is one of the absolute must-visit Portland tattoo shops, especially for those ink lovers in search of the finest black-and-grey realism. There are few artists out there with Warners’ chops.

Illuminati Tattoo Parlor

We should make it clear right now that this isn’t actually a Portland tattoo shop. Illuminati can be found across the river/state line in Vancouver WA. But given just how close the two are, it felt almost unfair to not include Illuminati on this list.

It takes just as long to get from Portlant Union Station to Illuminati Tattoo Parlor as it does to get across town to Street Station, so we’re counting it. We also want an excuse to talk about this awesome tattoo shop.

We adore the style and delivery of the custom tattoos done at Illuminati Tattoo Parlor.

There’s a wonderful amount of variety on show at this tattoo shop, but the artists at Illuminati really excel when it comes to bold colours, and especially the contracts between splashes of colour and bold linework.

Ever True Tattoo

Some of the best Portland tattoo artists can be found at Ever True Tattoo. These artists have a real focus on old school and neotrad tattoos — the kinds that never go out of fashion and always look deliciously fresh.

Both black-and-grey and colour tattoos can be found at Ever True Tattoo, as well as both Eastern and Western inspired tattoo designs. This is a real American tattoo shop.

If, like us, you’re a devoted fan of traditional tattoos done with a modern eye and a modern aesthetic, Ever True Tattoo is what you’re looking for. One of the best tattoo shops in Portland OR, absolutely.

New Rose Tattoo

It’s something of a theme in this city that the best Portland tattoo shops are the ones that offer a variety amongst their artists, while also having a clearly defined theme.

New Rose Tattoo, like many of the best tattoo shops in Portland, Oregon, has a penchant for neotrad and old school tattoos, both traditional American and Japanese-inspired. There’s a romanticism to their designs that never goes out of style.

Whether you’re inspired by pop art and popular culture, or the traditional stylings of the great golden age American tattoo artists, you’ll find an artist at New Rose Tattoo that can do your ideas justice.

Martian Arts Tattoo

A Portland tattoo shop with a name like Martian Arts is not going to disappoint. It’s exactly the kind of name you’d expect to find in the city that’s home to The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium.

The art found at Martian Arts is a delightful mix of modern and old school. You’ll find tattoos inspired by geek culture (anime and cartoons, especially), as well as Japanese-inspired tattoo art and old school designs both colour and black-and-grey.

If you’re a fan of old school tattoo art, geeky custom tattoos, and original neotrad designs, pop into Martian Arts Tattoo, one of the best tattoo shops in Portland OR.

Icon Tattoo Studio

Icon Tattoo Studio isn’t only one of the best Portland tattoo shops; it’s also one of the most famous, and for good reason! In true Portland OR style, Icon is a tattoo shop that excels at bringing its clients fantastic old school, neotrad, and black-and-grey tattoos.

The linework on display at Icon is particularly impressive, showcasing clearly that some of the best Portland tattoo artists are working under this roof. These are tight, crisp, bold lines that consistently make the tattoo art of Icon pop and sparkle.

Minimalism is another valuable skill you can see on display at Icon. Some of the best art at this Portland tattoo shop takes a less-is-more approach to design and execution, especially where the old school tattoos are concerned, and we love it.

Grizzly Tattoo

If you’ve read this list in order so far, you’ll be wondering how the hell Portland has so many outstanding tattoo shops that do old school and neotrad so damn well. We don’t have the answer but we’re grateful either way!

Grizzly Tattoo is one of the best Portland tattoo shops when it comes to proper old school tattoo art. The artists at this Portland tattoo shop are masters of the skull, the tiger, the flame, the rose, and the snake.

These are designs as timeless as any, but the artists at Grizzly present them afresh, with originality and plenty of heart. We adore Grizzly to pieces; one of the best tattoo shops in Portland OR.

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