Fatty’s Tattoos & Piercings Dupont Circle

From the moment I walked in I was kindly greeted and felt welcomed by staff. (In other tattoo shops they seem to lack simple communication) I came in for a piercing where I then paid first and had the details explained to me by a friendly guy who works at the front desk. My piercer was also really nice and helpful, everything went really smooth and quick. My piercing also didn’t hurt much at all. You can tell the piercer is experienced and has her technique down to a science. Anyways will be going back for all future piercings. Definitely would recommend. Very impressed by my first walk-​in.

I’m going to write a review on the entire Fattys franchise. I got this done at the silver spring location but they don’t have a Unilocal page so here we go…
Got a tattoo on a whim beginning of April today is May 27^th. I called April 13^th because I noticed all my scabs fell off and my Tatt was missing a couple of lines. I wasn’t mad at all I know hand tatts are not guaranteed, HOWEVER, I paid $ 120 for this and was informed call back in a week or two to make sure it’s completely healed. I call today and they say, it’s $ 100-​$ 120 to touch up!!!
Ooooook right. I wouldn’t recommend going here. They’re more about money than making sure your tattoo is up to par. Never going here again.
Ps my friend paid $ 130 for an entire thigh tattoo in waldorf no touch up needed.

I didn’t get any work done here, but not because there is anything wrong with them. Fatty’s is located in a tough to find converted townhouse — I walked right by it before I noticed the curb sign! Waking up the stairs (it’s on the 3^rd floor), the place isn’t all them, and it looks, well, gross. Yucky carpet, an empty second floor, creaky steps… And then you walk into the shop itself and it’s like you stepped out of the wardrobe and into Narnia. The floors are gleaming wood, there are custom paintings on all the walls, and a nice, well organized jewelry display. I was absolutely stunned by how nice it was relative to the outside. I spoke to the piercer, Michelle, and she answered all my questions with ease.
Bottom line, I would definitely feel comfortable coming here to get work done.

I recently got a small tattoo from Matt Slime. He went too deep while outlining. It scarred, and I am now stuck with a botched tattoo for the rest of my life. The tattoo is raised and can be felt.
The people at the shop were nice, and everyone has their own suggestion on how to fix the problem. However, being nice and offering suggestions did not fix the scar on my back.
The shop is nice, but in the end… my tattoo there ended up being a giant mistake.

All-​around excellent. Went in without an appointment and got inked 2 – 3 hours later, and they communicated well throughout the waiting and waiver process. Sarah was friendly and designed an awesome tattoo on the spot based on a shitty rendition that I’d put together in MS Paint. Asked her for several tweaks throughout the process and she was accommodating and friendly each time. Price was reasonable by DC standards, especially given the shop’s biker-​friendly Dupont location, but might be a tad jarring if you’re visiting from the Midwest. Will go back!

**This review is for the Silver Spring location**
The shop is clean and organized and the people working are nice, but most importantly the guy (Zac) who did my tattoo was fantastic. He custom designed the thigh tattoo I wanted — which also served as a cover up for a smaller tattoo I had on my thigh. I went into the shop to talk to someone one night, which ended up being him, and told him what I wanted. I ended up emailing him photos of stuff I liked and he came up with something that was conceptually just what I wanted. It’s beautiful. In addition to the great work he is a nice person who cares about his customer and his work. I will def come back for my future tattoos.

I received a gift card for this shop, so I decided to get a piercing. The prices for the piercing are listed online, which I liked, but do not include the cost of jewelry. I was expecting something like $ 10 for the basic option, which would make the overall price comparable to other shops in the area and is what I’ve paid for jewelry from a tattoo/​piercing shop before. But even a super basic curved barbell was $ 35! So I ended up spending more than the giftcard valve, rather than having some leftover as I expected. After paying, I waited twice as long for my turn than I was told. That being said, the shop was clean and the piercer was quick and explained everything she was doing, which I like. I would come to her again but I’m not interested in overpaying for jewelry.

This review is for the Silver Spring location on Colesville Rd.
Me and my best friend had an awesome experience at Fattys with Zac! The whole staff was very professional and friendly. We came in close to 6pm on a Sunday after being turned away and treated poorly at another shop in Bethesda so this experience was a breath of fresh air!
Zac was able complete both me and my friends tattoos before closing at 8 without rushing! We loved that he was so honest about placement, sizing, and long term effects. We’ve already reached out to Zac about our next tattoos.
Thanks for a great experience, Fatty’s! We’ve found our new tattoo artist and shop!

I got my first tattoo here yesterday. It was very spontaneous decision. Me and a friend were hanging out in DC and I always wanted to get this tattoo. I originally was nervous and scared at first but after talking to Sarah I felt so much more confident in the decision. She answered all my questions and made me feel comfortable throughout the whole process. Fortunately they had walk in sessions at that time so I was able to get it done at that moment.
I’d absolutely recommend this place to all my friends that want to get a tattoo or a piercing. I’ll definitely come back here when I get another tattoo.

My boyfriend and I were walk-​ins and the whole experience from start to finish was wonderful! The staff is very nice and our tattoo artist felt like an old friend. We loved the work he did!

Fantastic experience at Fatty’s yesterday. It was my birthday and I wanted to get a tattoo. I figured midday on a Monday might not be too busy, and as luck would have it, there was a cancellation. The guy at the front desk was busy with a piercing client and juggling phone calls, but Bryan took my info and my drawing and told me Sarah could take me when she got in. Everyone was very friendly and professional, and the place was immaculately clean. I signed the release form and the front desk guy walked me through after care, etc.
Sarah did a great job on my tattoo, and was very friendly and chatty during the session. We talked about the new technologies in tattooing, and she took her time and made sure I was comfortable the whole time. I’m very happy with the results, and will most certainly be back. Highly recommended!

I was recently tattooed again by Gilda and I just wanted to update and say how amazing she is. I was first tattooed by her over 4 years ago, and while she was very talented then, she’s amazing now. This time I provided some photos of my tortoiseshell cat and she did a photorealistic piece, with shading so beautifully and precisely executed that a friend of mine instinctively grabbed and stroked it because she thought would feel like fur and my dad, when I sent him a photo of the tattoo, thought it was a photo of the actual cat. She also did a large back piece that I get endless compliments on – I’ve never seen shading and texture done quite as skillfully as Gilda does it. The colors and texture of her tattoos stay vibrant long after healing is complete, which is the ultimate test of an artist’s skill. Her line work is also spot on. I can’t recommend her highly enough.
During my times being tattooed by Gilda, I’ve also had the opportunity to watch James Haun work since he shares a studio with her, and while I haven’t been tattooed by him myself I’ve seen his artistry in action and would also recommend him.
Also, the shop is well run. As people who are into tattoos know, this can be a rarity, and is probably why Fatty’s managed to open three successful shops. Even if you don’t have a particular artist in mind, I’d recommend Fatty’s.

I’ve never had professional piercing before, just the mall experience (much cheaper). The mall is pretty far from DC, so I dropped into this place with an appointment. Got the pair of my ears re-​pierced after they had closed. The environment is very classy, modern, and decent sized hallways with art on the wall. Nice counter and friendly staff. Much nicer than some of the other tattoo shops I stopped by earlier. The girl at the counter was nice, and knowledgeable. The piercer was great, sanitary, and delivered a painless experience. Overall a good experience. A little on pricey side, but i guess that’s the price for a good place in DC. Hope it heals well. I would recommend this place, as its clean, friendly and not intimidating.

I just had my nose re-​pierced here. I took it out when I moved to DC, thinking that all of DC would be super stuffy and that, since I was in grad school, I should present a more professional face. Although I still think DC is a bit stuffy, nose rings are hardly the most rebellious or out-​there piercing, and I see tons of people here with them who still look perfectly respectable so I don’t know what I was on about. (And, you know, also who cares what other people think?)
Anyway, I had been contemplating it for awhile and finally went one day after work on a whim. They were able to fit me in immediately, and the front desk guy was phenomenal. He walked me through the whole procedure, talked about after-​care, different jewelry, etc. He did kind of sigh when I said I found them on Unilocal,I guess because it’s sooo not edgy to find a tattoo or piercing place on Unilocal?but I disagree and think Unilocaling is super cool and edgy.
My piercer was the consummate professional, talking me through every step of the process and what she was doing, and, when my eyes watered, even left me with my dignity, saying it happens to a lot of people. I haven’t had any problems with after-​care – the piercing looks great, the cleaning supplies they have there have worked really well and, other than the initial needle, it hasn’t hurt at all. The nose isn’t necessarily the cleanest part on anyone’s body, and I’ve had friends who’ve been pierced and had issues with healing. I think Fatty’s did a great job of not only making sure it was clean and sterile before piercing but also in teaching me how to clean it afterwards, so I haven’t experienced that. I know many people would consider this a baby piercing, but if you’re getting more serious stuff pierced, a reputable piercer who takes every piercing seriously is a good thing, and something to consider!
I’ve been debating a tattoo for at least as long as I’ve been wanting the nose re-​pierced, and had some time in the waiting room while the tools were being sterilized to peruse their albums and was very impressed. I can’t recall the artist’s name now who I liked, but his work was just so colorful and detailed that I may be coming back to review again once I finally get the lady-​balls to get inked.

Michelle the piercer amazing!!! Absolutely the best! Very much suggest seeing her! So gentle! Easy to talk to. The experience was by far the best! Thank you!

I highly recommend Fatty’s! I had a birthday coming up and had an idea of the tattoo I wanted but no idea where to go in the DMV area to get one. Being that I depend on Unilocal to get the run down on any business I entertain I turned to Unilocal looking for a tattoo artist. Unilocal immediately brought me to Fatty’s Tattoo where I spent hours looking through reviews, trying to see if any of the artists had work on Instagram and reading up on any news articles about Fatty’s. This is permanent and I wanted to be confident with my decision.
I finally decided on getting my tattoo with Fatty himself. I sent him an email with what my current tattoo that I wanted covered and a reference pic along the lines of what I was looking for. He quickly responded with a quote and directed me to come in and make the deposit. Fatty’s books up pretty quick but I was able to get an appointment with him within two weeks at the new Silver Spring, MD location. Making the deposit was an easy process and the woman at the desk was nice and very helpful.
The day of I was running a few minutes late after work due to traffic but I called ahead and Fatty and the receptionist were extremely nice about it. I came in, signed the paperwork and immediately started chatting with Fatty. I loved every second of it. He didn’t just want to slap the reference pic I sent on top of my old tat. He free handed the pic, paying particular attention to angles. I was truly amazed at Fatty’s artistry. After the final sketch I paid the remainder, he made sure I was comfortable and we started the tattoo.
Through the entire session, Fatty made sure I was comfortable. We spent the time just chatting away about life and the purpose of my tat, while the music played in the background.
My tattoo turned out AMAZING! Fatty, thanks for your professionalism and the amazing piece!
SN: I haven’t been to the other locations but the Silver Spring location is very nice! It doesn’t look like your typical tattoo shop with tattoo drawings all over the walls. Instead, it’s a really clean studio with a few pretty cool paintings on the wall.

My daughter who has kindly reminded me for the past 11 months that when she returned home for the holidays, she wanted to change up her jewelry & look into getting a Tattoo. Who would of thought a high school graduation present of a belly piercing would lead to a variety of hardware on & in her ears… hence my trusty Unilocal App & reviews led us here.
After a quick cardio of 3 flights of stairs, we walked into a very well designed & spacious environment. We were greeted by Matt who was behind a jewelry filled display/​counter who stated he would be with us momentarily. He circled back & said if my daughter/​sister, I liked the latter compliment, was over 18, I didn’t have to wait. Well I was waiting as she was on my home turf now & wanted to make sure she didn’t go impulse piercing on me.
After a 10 minute wait or so, Matt called her to the counter & they had their quick tete a tete & few minutes later, she went down the hall for her consultation.
FYI…there is a $ 10 consultation fee, which I totally embrace as I’d rather spend $ 10 then much more & not be sure & or happy with my decision of something that is not refundable & perhaps comes with a little bit of anxious/​pain.
Speaking of prices, they seem to be pretty reasonable for the area & more so the experience & quality they offer. This by far, is not your ordinary Tatt Parlor. They even offer unique artwork for sale, man the pieces were so vibrant with rare visibilities of unique techniques donning the wall.
My WomanBaby came back out, shared me with her agenda, & went back to get a one of her hardware removed. The Piercer Michelle, knows HER craft. As she allowed me to pop my head in while she was doing the removing. She also schooled us on the proper diligence when seeking body piercing, the after care & the awareness to have even months/​years after the fact.
As usual, I was in inquisitive mode & did a scan of her room, everything was neatly in order, had massive sanitizing apparatuses, boxes of plastic gloves & masks.
After the removal, my daughter made an appointment to return at a later date to re-​do one of her current piercing & get another one.
I needed to occupy the restroom before we left, & there was a «tattooed» toilet seat on the door — CLASSIC. The restroom was surprisingly very clean & disinfected smelling. They even have signs posted all over the place stating to wash your hands and NOT to remove any jewelry or piercing due to health/​safety precautions, how very impressive. They even had a sign stated they would be more than happy to remove/​replace for you.
& yes it was not my intent coming out of the restroom & looking into another room being occupied by the Artist & their client, yet same cleaned, organized & colorful looking room. Speaking of colorful & more client friendly employees to write about, there were identical twins one with green hair I presume was a Tatt Artist as she was on the computer (later proven correctly) & the other with burgundy hair watching her, who ended up being Tatted on… ink family in full effect.
My daughter grabbed Hilda’s (Tatt Artist) card who comes highly recommended per the guests in the reception area, as she now wants to add ink to her artistic body movement. & as a parent & Tatt beholder, I am very confident that this is place to get it done… you can keep the piercing for someone else.
What an enjoyable, artistic & exceptional customer service experience we had today.

I couldn’t possibly come up with enough superlatives to properly explain how incredible my experience with Fatty’s and James at Fatty’s was. This was my first tattoo and I only had an abstract idea of what I wanted to get. I gave James my idea and a couple photos and with it he came up with an incredible and unique design, both in form and in color, that he inked on me flawlessly.
If you want a tattoo and you’ve decided that you want a good tattoo, something that is beautiful and unique and meaningful, go to Fatty’s and ask for James. It isn’t cheap but at Fatty’s you get what you pay for and considering the canvas is your body, it’s more than worth it.
Couldn’t ask for anything else.

I am by no means a beginner, but also not an expert when it comes to receiving. All I know is after comparing the 5 I now have this is probably the most pleased I am with getting one. I now know that if an artist says they can’t do what you are envisioning, then you should go to a different artist and never settle.
I came with my idea to James at Fatty’s. I had the idea for years. Even paid some girl $ 100 to draw it up for me. She took my downpayment and disappeared. Twat. Anyway, 2 years later my climb of mount Kilimanjaro popped up on facebook and I decided to give it another try.
I first walked into a shop in Georgetown and got quoted way to high of a price over there. Next I stumbled into Fatty’s and James quoted me at $ 175/​hr which is a little more than I have paid in the past but it has been like 4 years since I got a tattoo (inflation) and this is smack in the middle of a major US city (expected quality + higher rents) so I figured higher prices make sense.
I told him my idea, dropped my $ 100 downpayment (hoping this time that down payment would workout) and gave him a few pictures from the internet and voila, the idea was drawn out better than I could have ever imagined on a piece of see through paper ready to go for the tat.
After 2 sessions, a bit over $ 400, some sore ribs, I now have a a sweet looking piece of art that tells the story of my trip to Tanzania. Thanks for bringing my thoughts to life (or rather my body), James.

Very clean shop. Good selection of jewelry. Prices are a bit high and customer service could definitely use some work.

Quality work but their prices are outrageous. I’ve told artists at other shops what I was charged for a medium-​sized piece at Fattys (not by Fatty himself, who, it turns out, isn’t even fat) — all agreed that Fattys ripped me off. There are other shops out there that have artists just as good — if not better — than those at Fattys. Do your research!

Fattys is by far the best tattoo parlor in the DC area. They’re well known for their custom work and have the most talented artists on staff.
Sarah did my tattoo (which was my first ever) and was wonderful. She completed eased any of my discomfort, took the time to really listen to what I needed and why and absolutely perfected all of my specific and intricate requests. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience!
James did my friends tattoo the same day and gave her an equally exemplary experience. His line work is unparalleled (get it?)
Matt at the front desk is great too! Thank you to everyone at Fattys!

I went in on a Tuesday night probably 5 p.m. and was able to get seen right away by Bryan and contrary to other reviews he was neither condescending or patranizing. I found him to be a great and quite interesting conversationalist while he was doing my tattoo.
My tattoo came out exactly as I wanted it with no issues whatsoever. It looks exactly like the image I gave him with good solid lines I am Not sure I could be any happier. While the price may have been slightly higher than other places I was quoted you do get what you pay for and I was unwilling to go cheap on something I would have to live with for the rest of my life.
The girl who whined about Bryan not doing her tattoo what did she want him to go ahead and do something that he said he was not comfortable attempting to do because the task was near impossible? If he had and it had come out horrible would she have been okay with that? Isn’t it better to be told no than to get something that comes out looking like in impossible to figure out what it is blob? My response to that girl is suck it up and be happy that he did not attempt something that he was not comfortable doing.
I am giving a 4 star review not because the service wasn’t fantastic but because too many stars and you seem like a fanboy too little stars and you seem like a whiny witch.

Ive gotten 3 piercings here over 2 years. The staff has always been friendly, the shop immaculately clean. There is a private room down the hall for piercing. Ive never had to wait long. I think Fatty’s old piercer was friendlier and more gentle. My industrial was completely pain free and she made sure to pick a petite gauge to due to my ear’s shape. Michelle’s handling, in comparison, is def a bit rough but she’s very professional and quick. I really like how Fatty provides a bag of sea salt with your piercing so I dont have to buy a giant box :)

Just got a simple repiercing of my ears here – it was a bit expensive, but the place was completely sterile, and the woman who pierced my ears talked me through step by step of what she was doing. At the end, she gave me a checklist on how to care for my ears for the next 2 months – and what sort of studs and metals are best for sensitive folks like me.
I’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo for a while and would definitely consider going here for it just for the cleanliness alone.

Wasn’t 100% happy with the attitudes of the staff members. I felt they were impatient and a little too sarcastic for me. Got my jewellery changed though and that was done well. Just found it was too expensive.

I went to both the H at and DuPont locations and at both had an awful experience.
I went in looking for body jewelry. At the H St location the staff all but refused to sell me a ring for my nose. She said a total of 7 times I should just go to the DuPont location because their options weren’t good. And that they don’t often have gold rings in stock because «they are popular and sell quickly but we only order a few». I’m not sure what business model says don’t keep popular items in stock. But alas I decided to go to the DuPont location.
Off I went to the DuPont location… on a wednesday evening.
Upon arrival I was informed no jewelry can be sold when a piercer isn’t on duty. (A fact conveniently left out by the H St Staff member.)
The staff had a careless, so what attitude about it.
I have been considering more tattoos and piercings but at this point rather travel outside of DC and give some place my business who is customer-​centric. Really disappointed in how they choose to treat customers.

Nice and clean, I like that. No hepatitis here, probably.
Beware: it’s a 3^rd story walk-​up with a discreet sign out front. I walked right past it the first time even though I was looking for a Fatty’s sign.
Overall, it was a very pleasant experience. And the devil art, fantastic. Hail Satan!

One of the rare places in the area that has a piercer on hand at all times! The completely sterilize their instruments and jewelry in a machine. They are a little pricey but for quality of work, i definitely recommend this place. No appointment was needed.
Also, I got a refund for my piercing because she made me bleed and the connection which was a nice perk.

Gilda=GOLD!!!
I never write reviews for places, but I couldnt resist writing one for Fatty’s…
This place is hands down the best place you can get a Tattoo in DC. The service is excellent, the place is very clean and very well managed and the artist are flat out talented.
Gilda has done three Tattoos for me now and she amazes me everytime. Everything she inks turns to GOLD.
The team there makes it very easy for you. Everyone from first timers to seasoned vets are all made to feel comefortable, and if you still are unsure about your art they will work with you to make it just right.
ALSO… dont let the fact that the place is two flights above a dry cleners (Dupont Circle Location) fool you. My first time going there I was like WTF, but as soon as you walk in you learn they are top notch.
Finally, ASK FOR GILDA you will be happy you did when shes done with you!

Fatty is the man. A true and pure artist that can take whatever tattoo idea you have and create a masterpiece.
I have several pieces of ink by Fatty and have been exclusively been going to him for over 10 years.
His shops are top notch, clean and plain wicked and he only has the best artists on staff.
There is no other… Fatty’s Custom Tattooz is the place YOU need to go.

If you are a tattoo virgin, like I was, then give no other tattoo shops any consideration; just head directly to Fatty’s!
Ask for Gilda because she is nothing short of amazing! Gilda provided me with me consultation, where we discussed the type of tattoo I’d like and the process, and then my appointment was set for two weeks later.
Nerves cannot describe how nervous I was within that two weeks but no worries. Gilda talked me off the ledge every single time. And she was right. There was absolutely nothing to be worried about!
The shop is centrally located in Dupont Circle (be ready to trek up three flights of stairs!) It’s gets a steady stream of business and the entire staff is courteous and friendly.
I was in and out in under 30 minutes (my tattoo is small) and sent on my way with ointment and aftercare instructions.
Amazing experience all around! I definitely recommend Fatty’s if you’re looking for any type of custom work!