Hourglass Tattoo Studio

I got my first tattoo ever here on Sunday. No wait for a walk-​in, clean, inviting studio (cushy couches and a pool table). And I’m so happy with Sanjay. He took my design and cleaned it up, and it looks as perfect as I’d pictured it.

Went in to get some information about a tattoo idea I have and the guy at the front desk seemed annoyed that he had to talk with a customer. He told me everything is custom made and couldn’t help me. He went back to his drawing and I left. I won’t be returning.

Suze is the best. Unlike other artists I’ve worked with, she took my ideas seriously and worked wonders with my initial designs. The tattoos she put on me are crisp, beautiful, and healed super fast. I’ll be going to her for all my tattooing from now on.

My sister got tattooed by Andrew, it came out fantastic so I was inspired to surprise my boyfriend and took him to work on his sleeve. Unfortunately Andrew wasn’t there so we settled for another guy. Not sure of his name but he’s a man with a long braid. Anyways, biggest mistake, we are both livid. My boyfriend’s sleeve is in memory of his father who has passed and means a great deal to him. Well now it’s ruined. It literally looks like a 5 year old scribbled on his arm. My boyfriend didn’t like the idea that the artist initially sketched, aggravated he started drawing on my boyfriends arm with permanent marker. It looked like shit, but my boyfriend just figured he knew what he was doing. What was supposed to be rays beaming down from clouds looks like popcorn with stripes coming out of them. Not to mention there was no shading or blending whatsoever. You can see the lines from the needle. Terrible job, and now will have to spend a large amount of money to get it fixed, which could’ve completely been avoided if this dude knew what he was doing. Never will I ever return to this studio again nor will I recommend it.

Usually never write reviews, but my dude Breyner hooked it up so I had to leave a positive review for him.
I had my first tattoo today, it was a simple cursive script tattoo on the inside of my left upper arm. I came in around 3:30 PM and was out by 5 PM because the only people ahead of me were already finishing up when I first walked in. The place isn’t super fancy but it’s clean and has a really chill vibe, and everyone there was very friendly.
I was pretty nervous about my first tattoo, and was so relieved when Breyner was not weird about it at all! He worked with me over a few versions of the tattoo so that the font was perfectly to my liking, and then was very helpful when telling me how to lie down and to relax when it was getting done.
The tattoo process itself was totally a breeze! Breyner and I just talked through the whole thing and had a really wonderful conversation, I barely felt the pain.
I definitely would recommend this guy to anyone walking in there! I got a script tattoo but he specializes in black and grey realism and his art work looks bomb :)

Bullshit Andrew, 3 year later and you still ripped me off. You changed my idea. I showed you a google image and you said yes. I said it could literally printed off and tatted on me, you spent time on a drawing I DIDNT want. And then you stole my $ 100 deposit. Fuck you

Today I walked in about half an hour after they opened and Andrew took me right away. My original idea we discussed wouldn’t fit where I wanted it to so luckily I had a back up idea just in case. He drew something up for me which took no time at all since it was small.
When I was under the needle we chit chatted about The Wire and he had some music playing which was nice during those times I zoned out a bit. It was overall a relaxing experience. And after I was done he gave me some extra ideas about my original tattoo, which was great knowing that he gave it a bit more thought. I would definitely love to come back and get some more one on one time with him for my original idea.

I was having a horrible week at work and I had been wanting a tattoo before turning the BIG 50 next year and «thinking» about it for years. On top of this horrible week at work, my husband mixes up our 16^th anniversary and thinks it’s our 15^th anniversary. I was just in a bad mood so spur of the moment I say I want to go to Harvard Square and get a tattoo. However, Chameleon Tattoos had ‘Winter’ hours and could not take us, so my husband found Hourglass who said we could come over. Suze greeted us gave us some ideas and advice and introduced us to Andrew who gave me some great advice as I wanted a tattoo on my finger after seeing some pretty cool finger tattoos on the internet. I had no idea that they could fade after awhile and I was really bummed to hear this because some of the pictures on the net looked amazing. But that told me that he has integrity and was a real professional and wasn’t trying to not do something I wanted but just inform me that down the road it’s going to be more maintenance or just look bad. He could have just done what I wanted and made some cash off of me but he’s not that type of guy.
I really wanted a butterfly somewhere if not on my finger but I had no real idea what I wanted and because it was a spur of the moment decision, I left it up to him to come up with something.
He drew up a butterfly and did some wonderful colors in turquoise and blues. I love the position on my wrist/​hand as it looks like the butterfly landed there.
He stayed late on a Friday night, we didn’t get there until almost 9 PM. I have had not one issue with the healing. I’ve followed his instructions to the T. No itching, very little scabbing and it’s been healing nicely. I think he’s wonderful. His shop is very cool, clean and I would highly recommend him to anyone, friends, family and co workers. Everyone was very laid back and personable.
In fact, my husband wants a tattoo and I have a feeling we will be back for more in the years to come. I feel that everything happens for a reason and there was a reason we ended up here. Andrew is a wonderful artist. I loved his art in his room. He seemed to listen to what I wanted and made his recommendations based on his experience and I just know I am going to love my tattoo and the colorings once it is healed.
For a real spur of the moment decision, I am very happy with the outcome and feel that the Universe guided us here and we will be back! Thank you Andrew and Suze for making the night very memorable for us!

What a great experience!
We went here on a Friday night. We called them from in front of another tattoo place that told us they weren’t open (even though their website said they were, but the guy behind the counter said it was their «winter hours». Whatever, jerk-​off.)
So when we called Hour Glass they said they had one or two already waiting but would be glad to take care of us.
We got there and found them to be very friendly and helpful in the process of designing my wife’s tattoo. Andrew, the owner, did the work. He took all the time needed to make sure it was just right, even though we were their very late. His calming demeanor helped her relax, plus he was just a fascinating person to talk to. He also made sure we understood the care and healing instructions.
The end result was beautiful. She couldn’t be more pleased and went on and on about it all the way home. It was our 16^th anniversary, and she said it was the best gift ever.
Great experience and fantastic results.
Highly recommended!

I love Hourglass Tattoo. Very very friendly and professional talented staff who go out of their way to make you comfortable and create a beautiful piece of work! Very reasonably priced and convenient location for me, looking forward to working with them again for another tattoo.

I am definitely a fan of Hourglass!
Their staff is super friendly and as someone mentioned before, you feel like you’re at a friend’s house. Albeit, a pretty cool friend.
I was given an appointment for a consultation with Suze and the consultation turned into a walk-​in tattoo. Keep in mind this was my first tattoo. I felt so comfortable that I just decided to get it right then and there. Suze instructed me about the changes I needed to do to my design in order for it to have a good «life». My design was too small at the beginning and she advised making it a bit bigger so, as it ages, it doesn’t all blend together. (A few weeks after this, I talked with a friend who got a small’ish tattoo and in a matter of years it all blended together, now it’s a bit of a blur, glad I listened to Suze). She showed me how all the equipment was up to spec and up to date. How everything was hygienic and in their intended packaging with proper expiration dates. She instructed me to ask for this info wherever I go get my next tattoo. Again, caring about the costumer rather than the bucks. The tattoo was promptly finished and I was sent on my way with a list of clear instructions to follow.
So why the missing star you ask? It’s simple, and perhaps I’m being picky. Just 2 things:
— I wasn’t aware it was cash only. I had to run across the street to get some cash, just wish they would have made note of it before I got the tat or on their website. It was a bit awkward to go pay and be surprised by this fact.
— Their shop is extremely clean. It smells like disinfectant everywhere (keep this in mind if you’re sensitive to smells); however I found the private tattoo room a bit cluttered. They can definitely benefit from arranging things a bit differently and opening up some space in the back rooms.
Other than that, extremely happy with this place and the artist. Super friendly, nice people. And I’ve received countless compliments on my tattoo already, mostly by random strangers that come up to me. I’ve recommended them all over to Hourglass. =)

My husband is getting his second tattoo at hourglass today. I have gotten a tattoo here as well. I have an appointment booked already for my next. I put a deposit down and getting sketches done for my leg sleeve. The people in the shop are great. Suze and Chris are both amazing. Love this shop. Great people and great work.

I have gone to Hourglass Tattoo now for almost two years and every time I’ve come there I’ve had a great experience. Not only did I love what I got tattooed but I enjoyed the fun and personable experience I had hanging out at the shop with the likes of Suze M., Keith M., and Andrew Regan. They really made me feel comfortable about what I was getting done and they were very thorough about educating me on the tattoo process; They were very informative from the design standpoint (its a custom tattoo shop) all the way to the aftercare of my tattoo. On top of this, everyone is very polite at the shop and easy to work with and that is often a problem with some shops. So far, I have got all my tattoos from Chris R. Although he is fairly new at tattooing, Chris is highly advanced for the amount of experience he has. In fact, he’s a lot better than a lot of artists I’ve seen who have been tattooing much longer. If you are looking for script/​lettering tattoos then he is definitely the guy to go to. From the work that I’ve seen on his instagram account, he is also very good with flowers, animals, and people’s faces (women’s faces particularly).
I’ve actually have seen a lot of great work come out of this shop from each one of the artists there so I conclude saying this. Hourglass Tattoo is a great shop, the artists are talented, the experience is great, the tattoos come out great, and the prices are modest. I highly suggest you check out the shop t if you like any of those things I mentioned.

I simply adore Hourglass Tattoo! All of the artists are extremely talented and you’ll be pleased with anyone you work with!
I’ve gone to Chris Riley (who started as an apprentice when he first tattooed me) for a few pieces now. He is light handed, precise and an outstanding artist. His rates are perfectly reasonable and it doesn’t take too long to get an appointment with him. Additionally, (this might not be a big deal for everyone) Riley is a blast to talk with. I mean, if you’re lying around with him for 6+ hours it’s nice to have someone interesting to talk to! I always have a good time going here.
I highly recommend Hourglass. Jaw dropping work. Clean. Great location. Reasonable rates. Non-​pretentious. Fun.

Walked in to catch up with an old friend, ended up with my most personally significant tattoo thus far. Suze is a talented and humble artist with a great knack for customer service. She’ll take care of you as if you’re family. Andrew, the shop owner, is like a big brother to a very tightly knit group of hooligans. I had a great time catching up, getting tattooed on my birthday and trash talking for hours! Top notch place.

Came in as a walk in for a pretty simple tattoo and within minutes I was sitting down to get my first bit of ink.
Can’t say enough good things about this place. No flash or BS. Chill atmosphere. Step by step was clearly explained to me so there were no surprises. Ryan did an amazing job and as the shops former apprentice he certainly learned a lot from the owner!
As someone who has dealt with a lot of artists/​shops in the area, take it from me that this place rocks and deserves to be top of the list when thinking of getting a tattoo in the Boston area.
My ink looks amazing and is almost fully healed with no issues. Ignore Niamhs review as she clearly doesn’t know how tattoo artists work. Def will be going back!

So it has been awhile since I have visited Hourglass but after going through some major changes in my life I decided to reward myself with a new tattoo. I knew I wanted to go back Hourglass because the people are amazing and I was hoping to get an appointment with Andy. My next tattoo was going to be a big piece that covered my left foot and traveled to my right shin. I had a general idea of what I wanted but I really needed Andy to help guide me so I would have a beautiful piece. I was nervous as everyone had told my how painful the foot was but with Andy amazing reputation I knew I was in good hands.
My friends were right it was painful but Andy kept my laughing and I swore at him during the most painful part of the tattoo which was very therapeutic me. :) We are still working on my tattoo as my schedule is hectic and it is hard for me to get into the shop but what he has done so far is beautiful. I get tons of compliments and people are always asking me where I get my work done. I can’t not wait to finish it.
I also have to say that the team of artists at hourglass are all amazing. I have visited the studio a few times getting various stages of my tattoo complete and I have been blessed to see incredible work from all the artist there. They are all extremely talented and professional. The studio is also such a fun social place to be that you just want to hang out with everyone even after the work is done.
I hate that it took me so long to come back to Hourglass but I am so happy I did. I told Andy that this was my last tattoo but after receiving this amazing work I think there will definitely more in my future.

This past weekend I spent some time under the needle with Andrew Regan. This is my 4^th trip to Hourglass to see Andy. He designed a half sleeve for me and it is amazing. He has been extremely professional, creative, patient, thoughtful, and conscientious.
The studio is amazing, so clean and pretty, with amazing art on the walls, comfy couches to wait on, or look through books on, while cool movies project on the wall. There is also an awesome pool table.
Everyone that works in the shop is super mellow and friendly, something you don’t often see at tattoo parlors. There are no egos here, everyone is really into what you are getting and get really excited about tracings, and pop in to see how things are going as you get inked.
My sleeve is beautiful, the most recent addition has so much AMAZING shading and beautiful bright color combinations. Andrew is an artist at heart, and also a really nice guy to chill with while he works.
I am heavily tattooed and often travel to NY, LA, and San Francisco to find the best artists with the best vision, and I have to say Andrew and Hourglass are the best.
HIGHLY recommend both artist and studio.

I am a customer of Hourglass Tattoo and I will always be. I have 12 tattoos and wish I began my ink journey here years ago! I wanted a sexy, symbolic and colorful tattoo for my 30^th birthday and a close friend of mine recommended Andy at Hourglass tattoo. Andy was very open to my ideas and after seeing some of his beautiful designs I gave him the green light to start my custom tattoo sleeve. He was very professional and eased my nervousness before each session. He explained the different types of tattoo machines and the technique required for each. I felt 100% confident with his skills and knowledge. This guy is an outstanding artist and super creative! I have since recommended everyone I know to this spot and all have left completely satisfied.
The shop itself is super clean, bright, cheerful, and eclectic with a twist of funkiness! You can play pool, listen to great tunes or catch a movie! All of artist that I have met here are creatively insane, down to earth and inviting (they definitely cater to their customers). I have seen some real dope tattoos come out of this place.
Hourglass Tattoo is located in a fabulous area in Cambridge, MA where there is plenty of parking and also accessible by public transportation. You can walk around on Mass Avenue and have plenty of choices of outstanding restaurants and hip bars. Or you can venture over to Harvard Square for some shopping and sight-​seeing.
Great shop, great location and awesome tattoo artists! I highly recommend this spot!

I can’t express enough how much I loved my experience at Hourglass. I had seen some good Unilocal reviews so I decided to walk in and get a feel for it myself. I expected to go in and find the typical tattoo aura of «pretentious/​rough tattoo guys with judgey stares that make me feel like I’m not bad ass enough to be there», but instead, I was greeted by a very considerate guy who took my idea (a LEGO Toon Link) very seriously and thoughtfully.
As we were working through my questions/​concerns, this guy then introduced me to a different artist there, Keith Miller. I told him my idea, sparks/​geeking out ensued, and the rest is history.
Keith is AMAZING!!! Not only was he super jazzed about working with me, but he put soooo much time and effort into making sure I had the best tattoo ever. I had given him pictures I photoshopped of what I wanted, but he was so driven/​inspired by my idea that he actually ordered a LEGO mini fig on ebay to take pictures of to help him have a better sketch (which he then gave to me after my session).
During the actual tattoo process, Keith was so friendly and wonderful the whole time. I was BEYOND THRILLED with the outcome — instant happy tears. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t either rave about my experience or just look at it and smile. It is so freaking perfect.
Keith is a talent in every sense of the world, and I can’t wait to get another tatt from him! I’ve had tattoos before, but this is one of the only times that I really felt like the artist cared/​was invested in my idea and put 110% into making me completely satisfied. Thank you, Hourglass!