It’s no secret that New York is one of the best cities for quality tattoo designs and some of the most reputable tattoo artists in the world.
From traditional American to realism and florals – tattoo designs have evolved throughout the years with the continuous creativity and innovation of artists.
As time went on, tattoo artists have created special events to celebrate the tattoo industry – and one of them is Friday the 13th.
You’ve probably heard about Friday the 13th and the bad luck it brings. Some people believe this is a day to be avoided because of the number 13.
However, tattoo innovators see it differently and have made it a day for celebration, instead of a day of fear.
To celebrate the day without fear, Friday the 13th tattoo shops in NYC host marathon tattoo parties and events where they offer flash design sheets at affordable prices.
The set of designs available are usually pre-made and are offered at a fixed price. It’s a full-day event for tattoo artists as some shops are even open for business for 24 hours!
It has been a tradition for many years, and what better way to celebrate it than with a quality tattoo for a cheaper price.
Don’t know where to get inked? Not to worry as I have already made a list of the best tattoo shops in New York City.
Here are the most recommended tattoo shops for quality designs:
- NYC Tattoo Shop
- Daredevil Tattoo
- Armageddon Ink Gallery
- Live By The Sword
- Citizen Ink
- Red Ink Tattoo Studio
- Gnostic Tattoo
- Sunnyside Tattoo
- Abuela’s Tattoo Parlor
- Magic Cobra Tattoo Society
1. NYC Tattoo Shop
42 West St suite 104, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-500-3095
NYC Tattoo Shop is located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that provides traditional American tattoos, black and gray, fine lines, and vegan inks. They accept appointments via website booking and also walk-ins.
Some of the services they offer are body piercing for $69.99, a flash tattoo special starting at $88.00, and a typical tattoo session starting at $200.
As part of the Friday the 13th special, they usually have a 24-hour tattoo marathon from 12:00 am to 11:59 pm or until they complete tattooing all of the customers.
You can have a tattoo for $131 and choose from more than 310 designs. Don’t forget to bring a valid state ID that shows you are 18 years old and above.
2. Daredevil Tattoo
141 Division St, New York, NY 10002
Phone: 212-533-8303
Daredevil Tattoo has been in business since 1997 and has been working with popular tattoo artists including Brad Fink, Michelle Myles, Noah Fiel, Yoon, Hillary White, Margaux Ulrich, and Damion Ross.
It’s not just a tattoo parlor but a museum as well with its very own Daredevil Tattoo Museum collection. An hour tattoo costs about $200, $400 for two hours, and $600 for three hours.
To secure a booking, you need to book an appointment online and make a deposit of $100 minimum. On Friday the 13th, Daredevil Tattoo releases special designs for only $13, plus a lucky tip for $7.
If you want to get inked ASAP, it’s recommended to come as early as possible so you can give your name and get a number for the queue.
They usually open at noon and close at 10:00 pm, which can only accommodate roughly 200 people. Make sure to bring your valid state ID and cash as they only accept cash for payment.
Regular customers are in luck as they are given priority and can accommodate special designs and specifications on Friday the 13th.
3. Armageddon Ink Gallery
7 Meserole St, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Phone: 718-486-3496
Armageddon Ink Gallery is a tattoo and piercing shop that is open seven days a week from 12:00 pm onwards. It was established in 1998 and has a sister shop called Armageddon Tattoo Studio in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
Their tattoo artists have their own specialties and are highly skilled in their craft.
For instance, Pablo’s expertise is in line with black and gray, portraits, and photorealism. Prices vary depending on how long the artist can complete your desired design.
Generally, one session cost a minimum of $100 and with additional $200 an hour.
Friday the 13th is also a special event which starts at $20 only. They are usually open between 10:00 am to 10:00 pm or until they finish all work for all clients. It is a first-come, first-served basis walk-in service.
4. Live By The Sword
218 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Phone: 718-355-8543
Live By The Sword is located in three locations: Williamsburg Brooklyn, Soho Manhattan, and Chelsea Manhattan. The services they offer are tattoos, piercings, and tooth gems.
Their tattoo service starts at $50, which can be in a variety of styles including minimalist, floral, traditional American, realism, neo-traditional, Japanese, black and gray, and Chicano, to name a few.
If you’re after their Friday the 13th deals, head over to their Williamsburg Brooklyn and Soho Manhattan locations.
They offer new Friday the 13th theme designs or you can also select from their classics which range from as low as $50 up to $200. The Friday the 13th deals are available from 10:00 am to midnight.
If you opt for multiple designs, it costs $90 for two designs and $130 for three, which are only done on arms or legs. For other parts of the body, the price may change depending on the size and complexity.
To help you decide in advance, you can select from more than 700 designs online starting at $50.
More about Live By The Sword Tattoo
5. Citizen Ink
1313 Avenue U, Brooklyn, NY 11229
Phone: 347-275-5148
Citizen Ink is located at 1313 Avenue U, Brooklyn that offers quality tattoos. Clients can bring their own design and they’ll do the rest to create it. They also have a “Get What You Get” rule where it costs $100 per spin for a black and gray design.
In case you don’t like the design, you can always respin again for free, and $20 per spin for the next spins. If you prefer color and shading, it costs $150.
For their Friday the 13th specials, they offer various black and gray designs for the arms and legs for $50 each.
Each design is about two to three inches and can be tattooed with color for an extra $10. It’s a first-come, first-served basis, so come early to get inked right away.
On Friday the 13th, they usually close at 8:00 pm or later, depending on the time they finish inking all the clients.
6. Red Ink Tattoo Studio
315 West 54th St, New York, NY 10019
Phone: 212-600-0993
Red Ink Tattoo Studio is open seven days a week from 12:00 pm to 12:00 am and is located at 54th St, New York. Red is the owner, artist, and piercer of the studio and has been tattooing for 16 years.
Along with Red are other talented tattoo artists such as Crystal (specializing in florals, calligraphy, fonts, and fine lines), Danny (specializing in realism and traditional), and Gonzalo (specializing in mini-realistic, old school, and black and gray).
The studio also participates in the biggest event of the year, Friday the 13th, and charges $13 and $7 for tips.
They recommend booking an appointment to get accommodated. Moreover, the event starts from 12:00 pm to 12:00 am.
For a smooth and faster service, they encourage clients to choose ahead of time the preferred design. You can see their exclusive gallery from their Instagram page.
7. Gnostic Tattoo
1089 Flushing Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Phone: 347-422-0571
Gnostic Tattoo specializes in contemporary and traditional designs done by their resident artists, as well as family and friends. Their resident artists include Leaf, John Starr, Tanya, Finder, Vanesa Del Rey, and Nikoi Nieves.
You can check out their profile via the website and view their own Instagram page to see their work.
Once you have chosen your preferred artist, you can easily book a session with them through the website and indicate the tattoo location and description. Moreover, you need to choose if the tattoo ink is in black and gray or full color.
For additional details, you can also upload an image to help them decide on the tattoo complexity.
As for their Friday the 13th promo, the available set of designs depends on the tattoo artist doing the work. Each artist has a sheet of 10 designs starting at $130 each. Moreover, the design is only available for black and gray ink.
The event opens at 1:00 pm and is on a first-come, first-served basis or you can also reserve a slot when you email them. Plus, don’t forget to bring cash as they only accept cash for payment.
8. Sunnyside Tattoo
42-16 Greenpoint Ave, Sunnyside, NY 11104
Phone: 917-396-4098
Established in 2009, Sunnyside tattoo is a reputable tattoo shop in Greenpoint Ave. with three skilled tattoo artists.
The three artists are Ivan, Bones, and Max, each having their own specializations. The shop is open at 12:00 pm by appointment only.
To participate in their Friday the 13th deals, you need to deposit at least $50 to avail of a slot. The price ranges between $80 to $250 for arms and legs only and is paid in cash. Their 26 available designs are in black and gray color.
In case you can’t make it to your appointment, they accept rain checks for an additional payment of $30.
9. Abuela’s Tattoo Parlor
608 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205
Phone: 718-758-4145
Abuela’s Tattoo Parlor was named after their grandmother whom they call Abuela. Should you decide to get a tattoo from them, you might get a glimpse of their Abuela looking at their artist’s work. The shop is open from Mondays to Saturdays from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Sunday is only available for appointments. Moreover, their two artists are Blue and Jo. The Friday the 13th flash special is something to look forward to as they offer a variety of prices and designs.
Prices start at $13 for the smallest size, followed by $26, $39, and $52 for the biggest. They ask for a minimum tip of $1, all paid in cash. The tattoo is done in black and gray, with no color.
It’s on a first-come, first-served basis and is expected to last for 13 hours.
10. Magic Cobra Tattoo Society
775 Driggs Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Phone: 718-782-8287
Bring your tattoo ideas to life with the help of the Magic Cobra Tattoo Society located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The tattoo shop is open every day from noon to 9:00 pm and is welcome to walk-ins and appointments.
It was established in 2011 and has been specializing in custom designs of varying styles.
Some of their artists are Woodz, Christian Cervantes, Anthony Papallo, Claud, Danny, Ivan Ramos, Kat, and Sylar.
If you want to see their specialty and amazing work, check out their website and Instagram page to help you decide which artist fits you. Every Friday the 13th is different, depending on the month and events.
From their latest Friday the 13th event, they charged $130 for palm-sized designs and in full color. It was their special flash event that lasted from 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
The event was on a first-come, first-served basis and focused on arms and legs only. You can expect the same special deals on their next Friday the 13th events.
Get Inked on Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th doesn’t have to be unlucky. Thanks to talented tattoo artists offering the best deals, it will be the luckiest day for those wanting a tattoo. So before going to their shops, I recommend checking out their profile first to see if you vibe them.
Plus, make sure you’re 18 years old and up and bring a state ID. No ID, no tattoo. Moreover, bring cash only and get there as early as possible if you want to finish quickly.
If you don’t have a design you like from their available flash sheets, then I guess it’s better to come back the next Friday the 13th event.
Each Friday the 13th is something different, so there’s always something unique to look forward to. Ready to get a tattoo? Or already got one from the above-recommended shops? Let us know in the comments section below!