12 Best Tattoo Shops in Brisbane

Choosing the best tattoo shop in Brisbane is almost as hard as settling on the design. This guide is for anyone booking ink in the city, whether it is a first tattoo, a cover-up or the next piece in a growing collection. Every studio here has a style it does best, from American traditional, realism and neo-traditional to Japanese, stick-and-poke and pop art, so you can match the artist to the work you want.

Our editors compiled this list independently, drawing on first-hand experience of Brisbane's tattoo scene, research and customer reviews, because a tattoo is permanent and the wrong studio is an expensive mistake. Each shop below earned its place on precision and craftsmanship, considered design and clean execution. Here are the best tattoo shops in Brisbane.

Best Tattoo Shops in Brisbane at a Glance

From traditional flash to fine-line detail, Brisbane’s tattoo studios cater to nearly every style and experience level.

• Best overall: Tradition Tattoo, Fortitude Valley. Its seven-person team works across classic sailor, Japanese, American and blackwork tattoos, with laser removal also available through MJD.
• Best for Japanese tattoos: Shinko Tattoo, Albion. The nine-artist team covers every style imaginable while listing Japanese, blackwork, realism, neo-traditional and Americana among its specialities.
• Best for holistic aftercare: Fox and Moon Tattoo Collective, Windsor. Pink walls, vegan cruelty-free aftercare and guest artists shape a holistic tattoo experience, while its all-female parlour status marks a fresh local voice.
• Best for walk-ins: Valley Ink, Fortitude Valley. This clean, crisp and highly professional studio accepts walk-ins, while also encouraging bookings for those planning ahead.
• Best for pet tattoos: Parliament House Studio, Kangaroo Point. Its four-person team specialises in pet prints and fine-line work, bringing custom designs to life from a studio beneath the Story Bridge.

Now that you’ve read our favourites, let’s check out the complete list.

Hours and Prices checked as of August 2026.

Best Brisbane Tattoo Shops

1. Tradition Tattoo

Brisbane’s self-described ‘best tattooists’ (oussss big call) Tradition Tattoo is a seven-person studio with a focus on the classic sailor tattoos of yore. Understanding that tradition needs to started somewhere they also have a dab hand in Japanese, American and blackwork tattoos. The team also offering laser removal by way of MJD, showing that even they understand that sometimes tradition needs to be scrubbed. If you are after quality work, you really can’t go past guys like Ben Rouke, JonFTW and Hamish Clarke, who are not only some of the best tattoo artist in Brisbane, but some of the best traditional tattooers in Australia.

• Address: 83 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley
• Phone: (07) 3854 1735
• Hours: Tue-Sat 11am-6pm

2. Shinko Tattoo

Started in 2014, Justin Smeeth and J.J Allinson have wasted no time in building Shinko Tattoo into a phenomenally-talented nine artist strong team to help realise your tattoo fantasy in the flesh. They cover every style imaginable but claim speciality Japanese, blackwork, realism, neo-traditional, and Americana. We see no reason not to go all-in.

• Address: 340 Sandgate Rd, Albion
• Phone: (07) 3262 6574
• Hours: Tue-Sat 10am-6pm

3. Westside Tattoo

For over 20 years, Westside Tattoo has offered up some amazing artwork from Brisbane’s best tattoo artists. With esteemed artists Matt Cunnington and David Ransome (pictured) leading the charge, Westside has the full experience on lock. Focusing on American traditional and Japanese as stalwarts, the West End tattoo studio is a beacon for those looking to elevate their work.

• Address: 83 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006
• Phone: (07) 3844 0711
• Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-6pm; Sun by appointment
• Instagram: @westside_tattoo_brisbane

4. Wild at Heart

Wild at Heart has spent almost 30 years living up to the name. Founded in 1992 they have been in Brisbane’s CBD longer than anyone. With so much skin in the game, it’s hard to deny they have had a big hand in shaping the cities tattoo tastes. Focus on traditional tattoos here. Don’t be afraid to step into floral territory though.

• Address: 4/84 Queen St, Brisbane City
• Phone: (07) 3003 0900
• Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-4pm; Sat 10am-4pm; Sun 11am-4pm
• Price: $120 shop minimum

5. The Inker

The Inker is a smaller studio, with just a couple of artists in it. Owner-artist Dean is insanely talented when it comes to realism, but the team is adept at a wide range of styles, take Zak’s handle on adorable pop culture pieces or Japanese beauties, for example.

• Address: 448 Enoggera Rd, Alderley
• Phone: (07) 3356 5002
• Hours: Tues-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5:30pm

The Inker’s website (theinker.com) is no longer operated by this business, the domain now belongs to an unrelated tattoo studio overseas. Call (07) 3356 5002 to check before visiting.

6. Sacred Skin

Sacred Skin covers the full range of the tattoo experience. With eight artists working in wildly different styles you can expect them to be able to manage any expectation when it comes to creating your perfect piece. Don’t leave your flesh suit boringly atheistic, turn it into a divine testament to yourself.

• Address: 8/377 Logan Rd, Stones Corner
• Phone: (07) 3397 3606
• Hours: Tue-Sat 10am-6pm

7. Fox and Moon Tattoo Collective

Proudly beamed into a holistic approach to the tattoo experience, Fox and Moon Tattoo Collective bring pink walls, vegan cruelty-free aftercare and incredible guest artists into the process. A fresh voice in Brisbane’s tattoo scene, the pieces you’ll see here are a million miles away from the biker tats of old. One of the first all-female tattoo parlours to arrive in Brisbane, you’ll have to fight for a spot with the artists here, demand is high.

• Address: 72 Brook St, Windsor
• Phone: 0411 570 360
• Hours: Tue-Sat 10am-4pm
• Instagram: @foxandmoontattoo

8. Parliament House Studio

Parliament House Studio is committed to bringing the story of your life to light, indelibly in ink. Located under the Story Bridge, the four-person team will do their absolute best to give your tattoo customs the longevity they deserve. Expect gorgeous fineline and good doggos for days. A speciality in pet print earned them a quick way into our heart.

• Address: 184 Main St, Kangaroo Point
• Phone: 0432 771 324
• Hours: Wed-Sat 10am-5pm
• Instagram: @parliament.house

9. City Body Art

City Body Art doesn’t piss about when it comes to names. They’re in the city, they want your body, and they will mark it with art. A gloriously understated online presence means that they’ve not found the need to crow about themselves to ensure frequent custom. With stunning pieces in colour and fine line, it’s easy to see why.

• Address: 201 Elizabeth St, Brisbane City
• Phone: (07) 3012 9777
• Hours: Mon-Sun 10am-5pm

10. Valley Ink

In stark contrast to the dark city dinge of the valley, Valley Ink are a clean, crisp and highly professional studio. They’ll accept walk-ins, but they know the spot they’re in. So put the effort in, get a booking down and don’t rock up at 2 am scream-crying for a bumblebee on your perineum. Where else will you get a Sexy Jutsu like this?

• Address: 4/421 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley
• Phone: 0411 351 174
• Hours: Tue-Sat 10am-6pm; Sun-Mon by appointment
• Instagram: @valleyink

11. Pacifink

Pacifink started off with Michelle and Pappy Walters branching out into Wynnum to build their own studio in 2008. Now there are four artists on board and hundreds of gorgeous pieces behind them. The team bring experience with authentic Polynesian tribal tattoos as well as insane photorealistic detail.

• Address: 84 Florence St, Wynnum QLD
• Phone: (07) 3893 1414
• Hours: Tue-Sat 9am-5pm

12. Temple Tattoo

Your body is a temple, help turn it into Angkor Wat with your own homegrown undergrowth. Temple Tattoo double up on their name by offering stunning skin mandalas to allow for permanent peace of mind. They’re an exact 30 minutes north of Brisbane’s CBD, adding to the sensation of perfect flow in their space.

• Address: 2/1265 Sandgate Rd, Nundah
• Phone: 07 3705 3495
• Website: templetattoo.com.au

Things to Consider for Brisbane Tattoo Artists

It doesn’t need to be said too much, but getting the right fit for you is of the utmost performance. Do your own research, stalk an Instagram or two, and make sure your tats are the exact fit for you. If it’s not a hell yes, it’s a no. With your due diligence done, never forget that a good tattoo isn’t cheap and a cheap tattoo isn’t good. With that in mind, here’s our list of the best tattoo shops in Brisbane.

• Price: Quality artists demand quality prices and this is particularly true in the world of tattooing. While you might find a cheaper alternative, it’s always a good idea to invest heavily in the artist. Remember, it’s on you for life.
• Bookings: Brisbane is a city that loves a good tattoo, so it’s little surprise that the top Brisbane tattoo artists are usually booked out months in advance. While many shops do take walk-ins, you’re always better off booking ahead of time.
• Pain: No make mistake about it, tattoos hurt. make sure you are aware of your pain tolerance before you step foot into the shop. No one likes a quitter!

Best Brisbane Tattoo Shops by Suburb and Location

• Fortitude Valley: Tradition Tattoo, Westside Tattoo, Valley Ink
• Brisbane City: Wild at Heart, City Body Art
• Albion: Shinko Tattoo
• Alderley: The Inker
• Stones Corner: Sacred Skin
• Windsor: Fox and Moon Tattoo Collective
• Kangaroo Point: Parliament House Studio
• Wynnum: Pacifink
• Nundah: Temple Tattoo

Brisbane Tattoo Shops Compared

Studio	Suburb	Specialty	Hours
Tradition Tattoo	Fortitude Valley	American traditional, Japanese	Tue-Sat 11am-6pm
Shinko Tattoo	Albion	Japanese, blackwork, realism	Tue-Sat 10am-6pm
Westside Tattoo	Fortitude Valley	American traditional, Japanese	Mon-Sat 10am-6pm
Wild at Heart	Brisbane City	Traditional	Mon-Fri 11am-4pm; Sat 10am-4pm; Sun 11am-4pm
The Inker	Alderley	Realism, pop culture	Call to check
Sacred Skin	Stones Corner	Colour, fine line	Tue-Sat 10am-6pm
Fox and Moon Tattoo Collective	Windsor	All-female studio, guest artists	Tue-Sat 10am-4pm
Parliament House Studio	Kangaroo Point	Fine line, pet portraits	Wed-Sat 10am-5pm
City Body Art	Brisbane City	Colour, fine line	Call to check
Valley Ink	Fortitude Valley	Clean, professional studio	Tue-Sat 10am-6pm; Sun-Mon by appointment
Pacifink	Wynnum	Polynesian, photorealistic	Tue-Sat 9am-5pm
Temple Tattoo	Nundah	Mandala, custom design	Call to check

Scroll horizontally to view full table

How We Chose This List of Brisbane Tattoo Artists

As a team of art lovers and style curators, Man of Many is perfectly placed to name the best tattoo artists and shops in Brisbane. Editor-in-Chief Nick Hall has personally trialled the majority of the shops on this list, however, for those spots he hasn’t tested, the team of curators turned to reviews from the wider public.

Brisbane Tattoo FAQs

Alternatives to Brisbane Tattoo Artist

Not sure if getting a tattoo while you are in Brisbane is a good idea? Why not check out some of the other great (less permanent) things to do while you are in the Sunshine State.

• Spots for the Best Late Night Food in Brisbane
• Best Airbnbs in Brisbane For Your Next Getaway
• Best Burgers in Brisbane
• Best Walking Tracks in Brisbane

If you are looking to get the most out of your tattoos or just want a bit of inspiration, we’ve put together a number of helpful guides to the industry. Whether you are looking for a specific artist or just want a bit of advice, the tattoo sector is more than open and welcoming. Check out our other guides for more information.

Tattoo Ideas

• Best Tattoo Ideas for Men
• Sleeve Tattoos for Men
• Minimalist Tattoo Ideas

Brisbane Tattoo Studios Permanently Closed

• Seventh Circle (Woolloongabba), permanently closed.
• Trailer Trash Tattoo (Annerley), permanently closed.