Best Tattoo Artists in Sydney

Anyone who lives in Sydney knows that the streets are littered with tattoo artists. Every one of these artists will say that they are the best tattoo artists in Sydney, but few are. In fact, the majority of tattoo artists in Sydney have barely been operating for over a year. However, the art of tattooing goes beyond just gender, age, cultural history, and is rooted in talent. That being said, Australians are now more interested in getting inked than ever before, with 19% of the population sporting some type of ink, Australia is now challenging Thailand as a country with the highest number of inked citizens… Did you know that 80% of all Pattaya girls sport some type of sexy ink?

All this is despite the fact that tattoos are unforgiving, painful, and permanent? That’s why you’ll want to take your time to find the best tattoo parlor or an expert.

While you could try almost all of the tattoo parlors licensed in the city to find the best one, that’s going to take a lot of skin real estate. That being said, we’ve taken care of all the heavy lifting and are pretty proud of the list we’ve put together. So, without ado, let’s jump right into it.

Authentink

Location: Suite 306 4-14 Buckingham St Surry Hills, Sydney NSW 2010

Authentink is considered one of the best tattoo parlors located in Sydney’s Surrey Hills. According to the business owner, it is a culmination of over 25 years of traveling the world and the dedication of the founder Master Kian. Now not being people to take their word for it, after investigating the folks at Authentink and speaking to some of their clients, we’ve arrived at the conclusion that they are, in fact, authentic masters of the craft. The talent here is diverse, and the established roster of guest artists and resident tattoo artists is capable of creating authentic realism genre designs as well as geometric patterns and dotwork. In fact, you’ll find more variety here than in most other places; that’s probably because the walls are littered with art that should inspire your next tattoo.

Little Tokyo

Location: Suite 505, 342 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills, Sydney NSW 2010

Little Tokyo is a tattoo parlor that’s hidden in a spot that overlooks Central Station. It is a treasure trove of body art with tattoo relics and memorabilia from across the world loaded across the shelves and corners. The eclectic and brightly lit studio offers Japanese-style tattooing while they also boast of a highly seasoned team of tattoo artists capable of handling any style. However, getting a tattoo by walking in is nearly impossible, so it’s only visiting by appointment. That being said, the company has said that they try their best to deal with walk-ins who need to get inked today!

Lighthouse Tattoo
Location: 1 Pemberton Street, Botany, Sydney NSW 2019

Lighthouse Tattoo is home to twelve artists, every one of whom is a master in their style of tattooing located in south-Eastern Sydney. Some artists choose to stick with only doing custom pieces by taking their ideas and coming up with something that’s truly unique. Furthermore, they offer many different styles of tattooing from traditional Japanese style to script, portraiture, and illustrative tattoos.

Hunter & Fox

Location: 422 Botany Rd, Beaconsfield, Sydney NSW 2015

The parlor has an affinity for bold colors, old-school style art, and traditional styles, a combination that has earned Hunter & Fox a reputation amongst ink enthusiasts in Sydney. If anything, we’d go so far as to say that they are one of the best tattoo artists in Sydney. It is an excellent place to get a tattoo if you have an idea but are not sure of the eventual design. The artists here can come up with a tattoo based on your idea and their own creativity. While you can get inked by appointment, the parlor encourages people to walk in for a tattoo. In addition to getting inked, you can also get the ink removed with their on-site laser removal.

LDF Tattoo

Location: 26 King Street, Newtown, Sydney NSW 2042

Now whether it was tattooing or painting, Les Rice, the owner of LDF Tattoo, is a true artist. He draws inspiration from a lineage of artists that stretch back to the 50s when his father started to offer tattooing services in Brisbane. Today, LDF attracts a pretty solid lineup of the best tattoo artists from across Sydney, all of whom are specialists in their particular style of tattooing. Plus, whether it is simple art or a walk-in complex illustration request, the pros can handle it all.

The Darling Parlour

Location: 4/13 Beattie Street, Balmain, Sydney NSW 2041

We have to say this, but The Darling Parlour is one of the most aesthetically pleasing places to get a tattoo. The parlour is split across two levels and uses a lot of natural light. Space is stacked with all types of artwork, from artifacts to paintings, to inspire a design. Furthermore, the parlor is manned by a team of excellent tattooists and a roster of international talent from across the world, including from Japan and America. The Darling Parlour also offers Fade Laser, which means you get industry-leading tattoo removal if and when needed.

Tora Sumi

Location: 381 Darling Street, Balmain, Sydney NSW 2041

It is a contemporary tattoo parlor that has a well-appointed layout of art and artists. Tora Sumi is home to 12 of the best tattoo artists in Sydney who are always more than willing to discuss your next inspiration. Whether you want a unique-looking tattoo or something more customized, these people have the skills and experience to help turn it into art on your skin.

Getting a tattoo in Sydney may appear easy enough. However, with so many tattoo artists on almost every street corner, finding one that delivers quality can be challenging. Fortunately, we’ve handled all the heavy lifting to list the best in the city. While we acknowledge that there could be others that didn’t make it to the list in addition to a few independent artists, in our opinion, this is a great place to start.