Located in Utica, Big Top Tattoo proves itself to be a great local option for anyone looking to get a new tattoo or touch up a fading piece.

Upon first entrance, the shop felt notably inviting; multiple artists made an effort to greet our party and service us as soon as possible, despite being occupied with a few other clients. Though it was a weekday afternoon, the shop seemed moderately busy, which was a bit concerning at first—myself and a friend opted to do a walk-in session, as opposed to scheduling an appointment. The shop maintains the policy that an appointment must be made in person prior to the date. However, after leaving one of our numbers to call if there was an opening, we were contacted only 30 minutes later informing us that they were available to do our tattoos in between appointments.

The artist, Davey James, had no hesitation with either of our desired designs—a minimalist butterfly on the forearm and a quote on the wrist—and was sure to get our approval for the sketches and placements before going any further.

While prepping for the tattooing, multiple cleaning solutions were used on the equipment, skin and bed, ensuring client safety. Additionally, the shop overall looked clean and had a noticeable scent of cleaning solution that felt assuring that everything was sanitary. There was also a calming energy about the shop, as the artists maintained friendly, casual attitudes and the music’s low volume allowed nervous minds to distract themselves without experiencing a sensory overload.

The tattoos, despite having fairly intricate linework, only took about 10 minutes each. Before bandaging, James allowed us to view our tattoos and snap as many pictures as we wanted. Contrary to the short amount of time they took, the tattoos showed strong, even lines proving his experienced level of craftsmanship.

Overall, the experience was extremely satisfying and the outcomes of the tattoos exceeded expectations. The sociable artists made the excursion much less nerve-wracking and the impressive artwork they created ensured a positive experience.

Big Top Tattoo rates a 5/5 stars for their efficiency, talent and positivity.