Best Tattoo Parlors In Boston

For those too young to remember, tattooing was outlawed in Massachusetts for 38 years leading up to October of 2000. In the past 12 years, the art form has made a strong return to the area and has continued to grow in popularity nationwide. And of the estimated 45 million Americans (based on Pew and Harris research polls), about 7 million people end up regretting it.

So, if you're one of the many thinking about inking, our best advice is to always remember: TATTOOS ARE PERMANENT (laser removal is expensive and isn't always effective). One way to cut down on the possibility of regret is to find yourself a talented tattoo artist. You can start here with a list of some of the best tattoo parlors in Boston.

Update: We've updated our picks for Boston's best tattoo parlors. Find it here.

CBS Boston Photo Gallery: The Tattooed Women Of Hollywood

Foursquare Favorite: Stingray Body Art & More
1 Harvard Ave
Boston, MA 02134
(617) 254-0666
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There's more to the Boston tattoo scene than shamrocks and team logos. Check out Stingray for some of the most creative body ink in Beantown, as well as piercings. On top of that, you can also shop for custom jewelry designs.

Head to Foursquare to sort reviews by these tastes:

Redemption Tattoo opened up in '02 and has continued to build on a strong reputation. The parlor has received rave reviews across the board and has scored a number of Best Tattoo Parlor awards, including the WBZ-TV A-List Winner back in 2007.

Chameleon lays claim as "the first licensed tattoo and body piercing shop" in Cambridge. They opened for business in April 2001 and perpetually rank among the top tattoo shops in the Boston area. Its artists are said to be superb and most fans give Chameleon kudos for friendliness and cleanliness.

The two-story parlor recently underwent a renovation. But don't let the facade fool you. Pino Bros. is another shop that's been around since the beginning. And to this date, you'll be hard pressed to find someone utter a bad word about this place. Don't believe us? Feel free to cross check with reviews on other sites.

Good Faith Tattoos was a bit of a latecomer to the ink scene, but they were quick to make up for it. The Brookline location opened up in 2009 and has grown enormously in popularity and reputation since.

Fat Ram's prides itself on the ability to create some of the coolest custom tattoos around. They showed up at their current location in JP back in May 2011, but Fat Ram's has been in business since the end of tattoo prohibition in Massachusetts.