The Best Tattoo Studios in Leeds

Whether you want finger dots, fine line florals or a full sleeve of your favourite things, here are the best places in Leeds to get sick tats.

You’re ready. It might be your first tattoo, it might be your 50th, but you’re feeling the need to feel that buzzing pain, set to walk away with an incredible piece of artwork, part of your body forever. You know what you want, but where should you go to get it done? Leeds is full of cool tattoo studios packed with talented tattooists, so we’ve rounded up the best ones in the city. All you have to do is choose!

Red Tattoo and Piercing

Red Tattoo and Piercing are a stalwart of the scene in Leeds. They’ve been around since 2007, and they’ve found their forever home in the form of a light and airy studio in Leeds Corn Exchange. There are four resident artists, including owner Ruth Rollin, and they’ve got an eclectic mix of styles. You could walk away with a medieval-style knight, a colourful neo-traditional portrait of your dog, a black stippled sword or a trad snake head. You can also grab ink from guest artists here too!

Red Tattoo and Piercing, Leeds Corn Exchange, 42 Call Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 7BR. Bookings are made through the individual artist.

Rude Studios

Rude Studios is one of the best tattoo studios in Leeds. They’ve got three locations across the city, and each one is purpose-built for your safety, comfort and privacy. Their tattoo artists are all apprentice-trained, offering a wide variety of styles – they’ve got at least eight, so you’re sure to find one that’s right for you. We’re talking Beetlejuice sandworms and pink French fancies to battle-axes and scorpions. Can’t find what you want on the flash wall? Talk to an artist about custom work.

Rude Studios, 6 Vicar Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7JF; Unit 28, Merrion Centre, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 8NG; and 13B North Lane, Headingley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 3HG. Bookings are made through individual artists.

Buzz Club Tattoo Studio

Buzz Club Tattoo Studio is a fully vegan tattoo shop with studios in Headingley and Leeds city centre. They don’t use animal products in their ink, their tattoo glide or their stencil paper. They even use latex-free gloves! You can get a number of tattoo styles here, but they specialise in fine line, traditional and realism. Want a tattoo but don’t think you could hack it? Beautifully delicate hand poke tattoos are available here – it takes longer, but it’s a less intense, less painful experience.

Buzz Club Tattoo Studio, 60 Wellington Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 2EE and 154 Hyde Park Road, Woodhouse, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 1AG. Appointment only. Bookings are made through the website.

Sacred Electric Tattoo

Sacred Electric looks like your typical tattoo parlour from the outside. Based in the centre of Leeds, it’s all big black walls covered in flash, but once you get inside, you realise it’s full of friendly humans waiting to give you cool, fresh ink. If ever there was a place to get an epic traditional tattoo in Leeds, it’s here. Bold and iconic, with minimal shading, all the artists here nail this style. Fancy some art for your walls as well as your body? You can grab original paintings and prints from the tattoo artists too!

Sacred Electric Tattoo, 2-3 Mill Hill, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5DQ. Bookings are made through email or phone call.

Ultimate Skin

Ultimate Skin is one of the best and most well-known tattoo studios in Leeds, having been around since 1997. They’ve got seven full-time tattoo artists on their roster, specialising in traditional, neo-trad, pattern work and Japanese tattoo styles. There’s a regular line up of incredible guest artists from around the country as well as a set of realism tattooists from Spain. They’re all friendly and knowledgeable, making it the perfect place to get your first tattoo. Want rid of old ink? They do laser removal here too.

Ultimate Skin, 33 New Briggate, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 8JD. Bookings are made through email or the website contact form.

Snake & Tiger

Snake & Tiger is a tattoo studio for tattoo lovers. They’re super nerdy about the history of tattooing – even their name is a reference to an iconic Japanese tattoo design which has stood the test of time. There are four resident tattoo artists catering to a range of styles, including traditional and Japanese (naturally). You can also get delicate fine line ink here, as well as dot work and more. They’ve got a couple of claims to fame too – they’ve tattooed actress Lena Headey and Olympic boxer Nicola Adams.

Snake & Tiger, 11 Thorntons Arcade, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6LQ. Bookings are made through the studio and through individual artists.

Anthologie

Anthologie is one of the more unusual tattoo studios in Leeds, in that it feels more like a spa than a typical tattoo shop. Think tonal neutrals, natural materials and lots of plants. There’s even a mixed-genre playlist with songs chosen to calm and uplift you in equal measure. It’s a private studio owned by Olivia Fayne, the sole tattoo artist here. She designs ornamental, floral tattoos in a fine line, single needle style. You can grab a flash design from her store or work with her to create your own custom tattoo.

Anthologie, 25-26 Grand Arcade, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6PQ. Appointment only. Bookings are made through the studio or Instagram.

Black Crown

Black Crown has been around since 2009, giving people from up and down the country their favourite tattoos. They’re a friendly bunch of incredibly talented tattoo artists, with many of them able to draw perfectly in several different styles. We’re talking photo-realistic birds, intricate mandalas, fine line florals, traditional swallows – you name it, you can have it. Their studio space is moody yet modern – it’s painted red, with big Chesterfield sofas to wait on and lots of framed flash to admire on the walls.

Black Crown, 59 Great George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 3BB. Bookings are made through the individual artists.

Grimm Tattoo

Grimm Tattoo is a four-year-old studio offering a modern and welcoming tattoo experience. They have four resident tattoo artists and, while they offer a range of styles, they specialise in realism, surrealism, black work and geometric tattoos. Keep your eye on their guest artist spots too, they play host to some absolute corkers. Unusually, they have a dedicated studio manager, who sorts out quotes and books you in with your chosen artist – the result is a really quick response and a smooth process end-to-end.

Grimm Tattoo, 234 Easterly Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 3ES. Bookings are made through social media messages.

Urban Ink

Urban Ink is a tattoo studio with experienced artists. You can talk to them about exactly what it is that you want, and they’ll be able to tell you how it might work as a tattoo. Once you’re booked in, you’ll find that they go to lengths to make sure you’re comfortable. While getting tattooed you’ll have your own room with a TV, so you can watch something to help you relax. Whether you’re after something big and eye-catching or delicate and concealable, this is the place to get tattooed.

Urban Ink, 5 Hyde Park Road, Burley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS6 1PY. Bookings are made through the studio or social media messages.

Cover image credit: CW Photographics & Rude Studios