# Tattoo shops in Queen Anne, Seattle

> Queen Anne pairs a quiet hilltop business district on Queen Anne Avenue North with Uptown at its base, where Seattle Center, Climate Pledge Arena and the Space Needle sit. The Seattle Tattoo Expo is held each August at Seattle Center's Exhibition Hall. It suits people who want a neighborhood studio near downtown with easy event access.

Upper Queen Anne is residential, with a small-town business strip along Queen Anne Avenue North and Seattle's classic skyline view from Kerry Park on West Highland Drive. Lower Queen Anne, also called Uptown, is livelier. Restaurants and bars ring Seattle Center, home of the Space Needle and Climate Pledge Arena.

Each August, the Seattle Tattoo Expo fills the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall at 301 Mercer Street. The 2026 show ran August 14–16, and its organizers describe it as a tradition of more than 20 years. A convention is a good way to see many artists' portfolios and healed work in person, and in Washington every artist tattooing there must hold a state license.

The RapidRide D Line runs through Uptown between downtown and Ballard, and the monorail connects Westlake Center with Seattle Center in about two minutes. Uptown street parking is paid Monday through Saturday until 10 p.m., and special event rates can apply on any day, including Sundays, when a big Climate Pledge Arena event is expected. Several bus routes climb the hill to Upper Queen Anne.

## Studios in Queen Anne (5)

- [Nightshade](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/nightshade) — 615 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 · (206) 556-4968 · https://www.nightshadeseattle.com
- [The Nova Expansion](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/the-nova-expansion) — 511 2nd Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119 · (206) 487-6024 · https://thenovaexpansion.com
- [Off-Gray Studio](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/off-gray-studio) — 114 W Denny Way, Seattle, WA 98119 · https://www.off-graystudio.com
- [Damask Tattoo](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/damask-tattoo) — 1509 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109 · (206) 257-0051
- [Electric Vision Tattoo](https://seattle-tattoo.org/studios/electric-vision-tattoo) — 17 W Thomas St, Seattle, WA 98119

## FAQ

**When is the Seattle Tattoo Expo?**
The Seattle Tattoo Expo is held each August at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, 301 Mercer Street, in Lower Queen Anne. The 2026 show ran August 14–16, with $32 day passes and $75 weekend passes. Dates for 2027 hadn't been announced as of October 2026, so check the expo's official website.

**Is parking hard near Seattle Center?**
It can be on event nights. Uptown street parking is paid Monday through Saturday until 10 p.m., and special event rates can apply on any day, including Sundays and holidays, when a major Climate Pledge Arena event is expected. The monorail from Westlake Center or the RapidRide D Line avoids the hassle.