Walk ins welcome · Open Friday to Wednesday
Walk In Tattoos in Slabtown, NW Portland
Walk-ins are welcome between noon and 6 PM. Waits vary with the day and the work being requested, but are often around 30 minutes.
Walk in tattoos
Walk-In Tattoos, With a Little Planning.
Well, a walk-in tattoo is still a permanent mark on your body. Booking it the same day doesn’t make it less important, so we approach it with the same care as a planned, larger piece.
At Mesa, walk-ins are approached with the same attention to color, saturation, and placement that we bring to larger projects. The owner has more than 20 years in the industry, and every artist here is formally trained.
That starts with a conversation about placement and size, including how the design may read on your skin and the part of the body you choose. Walk-ins have less planning time than scheduled projects, but there is still room to talk through the important decisions before work begins.
The goal is to make thoughtful choices about clarity and saturation, whether you come in that day or book ahead.
We keep you involved in the process and talk through any limitations we see before getting started.
The studio
A Little About the Studio.
Mesa is a private loft on NW Upshur St in Slabtown. The space is set up so your artist can focus on the technical side of the work, from the first conversation through aftercare.
Every artist on the floor is formally trained. Artists share feedback with one another during planning, and we pay attention to how tattoos heal over time.
- OwnerRian Othus, 20+ years in the tattoo industry
- RegulationFormer Oregon Health Licensing Office Vice Chair for tattoo and piercing, and helped write Oregon’s safety rules for tattooing
- TrainingTrained in 4 disciplines through four formal apprenticeships (large scale design, fine line, color and composition, general application)
- Experience4 shops owned and 15 more managed
Your visit
What to Expect at Your Walk In.
A No-Pressure Conversation
We talk through placement, size, and what to expect as the tattoo heals and ages. Your artist will explain the options before any work begins.
Mesa is a judgment-free, ADA-compliant studio. Ask questions, take time to consider the options, or ask your artist for a second opinion if you’re unsure about an idea. We’ll explain our concerns if we think a design may not age the way you expect.
Thinking About How It Heals
Fine-line work and solid color each come with different considerations. Your artist will talk through line weight, spacing, color, and other choices that can affect how the tattoo heals and changes over time.
Aftercare Information
Your artist will review aftercare with you before you leave. There are a few approaches to healing a new tattoo, and we’ll explain the instructions recommended for your piece.
The full protocol is in our aftercare guide.
Before you walk in
Walk In Questions.
Do I need an appointment for a walk in tattoo?
No appointment is needed. Walk-ins are welcome Friday through Wednesday, noon to 6 PM. Wait times vary, so please allow some flexibility. Bring a valid photo ID.
Is my idea a good fit for a walk in, or should I book a consultation?
Flash and small to medium custom pieces work well as walk ins, and so do lettering and symbols. Large scale pieces, designs that need revisions, cover ups and requests for a specific artist go better as a consultation. Those projects need more planning on placement and saturation than a same day visit can give them.
Will a walk in tattoo hold up as well as a scheduled piece?
We use the same considerations for color, saturation, and placement. The design options may be more limited during a walk-in visit because there is less time for planning.
What if I don’t know what I want?
Well, that’s totally fine. Bring a reference photo, or even just a feeling about what you want, and your artist will help you shape it into a design during your visit.
What should I bring, and how do I pay?
A valid photo ID is required. We take card, cash, Venmo and CashApp.
Flash Offerings, Updated Weekly
These are the newest sheets (there’s plenty more on the walls in the shop).
Plan your visit
Walk In Logistics.
We are an ADA compliant space.
You don’t need an appointment or a finished design. Walk in and talk with an artist about what may be possible that day.
- No appointment required. Wait times vary, and are often around 30 minutes.
- Flash is often available for same-day work. Small to medium custom pieces and lettering may also be possible, depending on the design and the day.
- Large-scale work, cover-ups, designs that need several revisions, and requests for a specific artist are usually better suited to a scheduled consultation.
- Bring a valid photo ID. We take card, cash, Venmo and CashApp.
- Open Friday through Wednesday, noon to 6 PM. Closed Thursdays.
- 1801 NW Upshur St, Unit 350, in Slabtown, NW Portland.
Street parking is available, and there’s a lot on the north side of the building.
Questions before you come in?
Send Us a Note.
If you have a question about a walk-in or want to talk through a project that needs more planning, use the form below. For same-day availability, calling the shop is usually the quickest option.