Tattoo Parlor Near Me on St Marks Place: Fun City Turns 50

Fun City Tattoo throws its 50th anniversary party at the shop on Friday, October 23, and the rest of the week it runs on a simple routine: open daily from 12 pm to 8 pm at 94 St Marks Place in the East Village, with walk-ins signing in on a kiosk by the door and waiting for their name to be called. For anyone searching tattoo parlor near me between Tompkins Square Park and Astor Place, this is the block's longest-running needle.

Jonathan Shaw founded Fun City in 1976, during the years when tattooing was still illegal in New York City, and the shop has been on St Marks Place since the 1970s. It now bills itself as Manhattan's oldest tattoo shop. Shaw eventually retired to South America, and the business is run today by Big Steve Pedone, whose roots in the trade go back to an apprenticeship with Shaw at Fun City itself.

The roster of past clients is part of the street lore. The shop's own list includes SZA, Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, and Time Out has named Johnny Depp, Jim Jarmusch, Dee Dee Ramone, Miley Cyrus and Iggy Pop among the people who have sat here. In 2021 Fun City expanded into the neighboring storefront, giving the crew more room without moving off the block that made its name.

The current lineup lists Big Steve, Mina Aoki, Ryan E, Jesus Antonio, Alberto Lelli, Simone Sorbi, Dunks, Joel Baca, Diego Prieto, Noah Drysdale, Will Sheldon and Jessie Fora. Between them the shop covers Japanese, black and gray, traditional and fine line work, and it says traditional tattooing has been part of its DNA since the 1970s. The website shows a live calendar of each artist's open days for the coming week.

That calendar is the tool to use. Choose a style first, then look at who is in on the day you can come. A crisp traditional swallow and a delicate fine line script call for different hands, and the board tells you who is free before you get on the train. If your first-choice artist is booked solid, the calendar also shows who else works the same style that week.

Fun City is built for walk-ins. The shop says it loves them for small and medium tattoos, flash designs and spontaneous ideas. When you arrive, check in on the kiosk by the door and the staff will call your name when an artist is ready.

For larger or custom work, the shop recommends booking so you get time with your chosen artist. A deposit locks the spot. Save the number, since that thread becomes the record of everything you agreed before the session starts.

Opening time at noon on a weekday is the calmest moment to walk in. Friday and Saturday evenings on St Marks are loud and crowded, which is not the setting most people want for a first tattoo. The anniversary party on October 23 will be a celebration rather than a quiet chance to get tattooed, so go for the atmosphere and come back another day if you want a relaxed session.

If the wait stretches past an hour, the honest move is to put your name down for another day rather than force a rushed piece. A ten-minute walk to the Bowery brings you to Kings Avenue Tattoo, which also takes walk-ins when an artist is free. Coming back to Fun City on a quiet Tuesday afternoon will usually give you more of your artist's attention.

New York requires tattoo clients to be at least 18, with no parental consent option, so carry photo ID. Eat a real meal first, skip the drinks on St Marks beforehand, and wear something that leaves the placement easy to reach. Bring reference images, and be ready to talk size and placement at the counter, because small and medium flash pieces are what the walk-in system handles best.

Prices are worked out with your artist over text or at the counter rather than from a public menu, so ask for the number before the stencil goes on and factor in a tip. If you are getting a first tattoo, picking from the shop's traditional flash keeps the session short and gives you a piece of the house style from Manhattan's longest-running shop.

Fun City sits between First Avenue and Avenue A, so Tompkins Square Park is a minute away for a bench and some shade after the session. Walk the park's paths past the dog run and the chess tables while the adrenaline wears off. Astor Place on the 6 and First Avenue on the L are the closest subway stations, both an easy walk along St Marks.

For food, Veselka on Second Avenue serves Ukrainian pierogi and borscht and has been an East Village fixture for decades, a natural pairing with a shop of similar age. St Marks itself is lined with ramen counters, record stores and vintage shops. Keep a fresh tattoo covered while you browse, and stay out of the park's sprinklers until it has healed.

Fun City Tattoo is at 94 St Marks Place, New York, in the East Village between First Avenue and Avenue A. Hours are 12 pm to 8 pm every day. Walk-ins check in on the kiosk by the door; larger and custom pieces are booked by text with a deposit to hold the spot.

The 50th anniversary party is at the shop on Friday, October 23. Clients must be 18 with ID. The closest stations are Astor Place and First Avenue. If you want help planning dinner or a drink in the East Village around your appointment, ask Karpo in the Karpo APP for what is open nearby when you finish.