Speakeasy is owned by Patrick Cornolo and is the home to world renowned artists each dedicated to giving you the best service and tattoo available. We are not your average tattoo shop. Speakeasy is an Appointment Only custom tattoo shop, designed not only to be a highly functional, clean work environment, but also to have a very comfortable, relaxed atmosphere that puts both the Artists and Clients at ease.
Your experience should be as memorable as the piece of art you leave with. All of our artists do their own appointments and most have a wait to get in so please be patient with wait and response times. If you want to rush in to a tattoo, this may not be the shop for you. Our shop mainly focuses on larger custom tattoos, but some of our artists do also take on plenty of smaller pieces.
Your experience should be as memorable as the piece of art you leave with. All of our artists do their own appointments and most have a wait to get in so please be patient with wait and response times. If you want to rush in to a tattoo, this may not be the shop for you. Our shop mainly focuses on larger custom tattoos, but some of our artists do also take on plenty of smaller pieces.
Services
Originally from Lockport, IL, Patrick has been tattooing since 1994 and has had the good fortune of working alongside some of the best tattooers in the business and continues to grow and learn from other artists. In the Spring of 2008 Patrick opened his own shop, Speakeasy Custom Tattoo in the heart of Chicago's Wicker Park Neighborhood.
I began tattooing in central Illinois, working for several years in Champaign-Urbana, before moving to Chicago in 2007, then starting at Speakeasy in 2009. I mostly work with colorful, more illustrative imagery, though I think black and grey is a hoot. The most important thing to me is to take a concept and develop that into something that both my client and I can really get excited about bringing to life.
Hailing from Seoul, South Korea, Zen is a Japanese influenced artist known for his clean designs and unique pieces with a traditional feel. Zen's work reflects his original style and mix of both traditional Korean and Japanese art. Zen got his start in tattooing in 2006 and has spent most of his career rooted in the underground urban culture scene in Seoul, Korea.
Brigitta is a Hungarian tattooist coming our way via London. Brigitta did a couple guest spots with Speakeasy in 2018 and then decided to move to Chicago and make Speakeasy her tattoo home. She specialized in color realism tattoos. We hope you all love her & her work as much as we do. Brigitta is obsessed with teeth, novels and movies and loves to tattoo color realistic things along those lines, but is open to almost anything.
Gady (pronounced Gotti) is originally from Puerto Rico where he owned his own tattoo shop for 12 years before his shop was destroyed by Hurricane Maria in 2017. He then moved his family to Florida, and now Chicago. Gady can tattoo a wide variety of styles including but not limited to: fine line/single needle black work & illustrative color or black and grey.
Reviews (18)
Mindy M.
Jan 21, 2022
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I had my first Chicago tattoo experience with Gady yesterday, and I have to say I am super impressed. The shop as a whole is really well designed and comfortable. Gady's eye and design and attention to detail made the experience all the better. The communication with my artist was streamlined and I swear all my questions were answered preemptively before I even walked in the door.
Gady is very in tune with his designs and his clients, and exceptionally skilled as an artist. The color, lines, shading... all surpassed what I had envisioned for my largest piece. He was able to take a random
Gady is very in tune with his designs and his clients, and exceptionally skilled as an artist. The color, lines, shading... all surpassed what I had envisioned for my largest piece. He was able to take a random
Daniel P.
Jan 11, 2022
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Came here for my first tattoo and had the pleasure of working with David Sugihara. When I got there, the design he made was exactly what I had in mind and I'm 100% satisfied with how it turned out.
I felt extremely comfortable and enjoyed the conversation throughout the appointment. The shop provided water/candy for customers and the entire staff was super friendly and welcoming.
Shop was 10/10 in regard to sanitation and cleanliness. Highly recommend David S. and Speakeasy. Exceeded my expectations for sure. Great atmosphere and definitely hope to come back soon.
I felt extremely comfortable and enjoyed the conversation throughout the appointment. The shop provided water/candy for customers and the entire staff was super friendly and welcoming.
Shop was 10/10 in regard to sanitation and cleanliness. Highly recommend David S. and Speakeasy. Exceeded my expectations for sure. Great atmosphere and definitely hope to come back soon.
Cas R.
Sep 06, 2021
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This was my third appointment at the Speakeasy. My artist was Colin and I've only ever had a great time there. His art is very crisp and he has a good grasp of colors. He has the cleanest lines I've ever experienced and a very deft, steady hand. It's a pleasure to work with him and if you like his portfolio, I would definitely recommend him.
The parlor itself is very clean and they're both very friendly and very professional. If you're worried about hygiene this is a wonderful place to go!
The parlor itself is very clean and they're both very friendly and very professional. If you're worried about hygiene this is a wonderful place to go!
Nicholas C.
Jun 27, 2021
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Alicia M.
Apr 12, 2021
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Marisa C.
Mar 24, 2021
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Sometimes it's better to be patient with your tattoos, and that is the case with Speakeasy Custom Tattoo! If you can get on Brigitta's books, DO IT! She is one of the best artists I have come across in Chicago and working with her was absolutely fantastic. I've never had a color piece done before and after a wait of a few months (Again, it's worth it), her ideas just seemed to totally fit what I was looking for. She was so personable and a joy to talk to during our session. My healing process was super slow probably because of how sensitive my body tends to be but she's
Alex K.
Dec 17, 2020
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Buddy was very nice and did a wonderful job, especially considering I was so wiggly during the whole thing. It hurt due to location, but I feel like it could've hurt much more. They were excellent to communicate with and I felt like I was in good hands from the beginning. I absolutely love my new tattoo and will definitely come back to buddy for any future ones.
The studio itself was very clean and felt like a very welcoming environment.
The studio itself was very clean and felt like a very welcoming environment.
Phoebe H.
Oct 26, 2020
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I got my first bigger piece done by Gady and I was so pleased with the entire experience even though the pain was quite unpleasant. Gady was super thorough in the design and incredibly detail-oriented. He took a ROUGH sketch and turned it into the most beautiful work of art. I couldn't be happier with how he brought my vision to life.
My pain tolerance is very low. It took channeling all my brain power to force myself to sit still for the 6 hour session yet I still twitched involuntarily. Gady was very understanding and accommodating and is clearly a skilled artist when it comes to beginners
My pain tolerance is very low. It took channeling all my brain power to force myself to sit still for the 6 hour session yet I still twitched involuntarily. Gady was very understanding and accommodating and is clearly a skilled artist when it comes to beginners
Julie W.
Jul 27, 2020
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Buddy is AMAZING. Their energy was so calm and comforting for me, as this was my first tattoo. I was so happy with the process from design to execution. The studio was clean, sanitation expectations for clients and artists was taken very seriously. I felt safe and confident in the space at all times. I highly recommend Buddy, as well as the whole studio team.
Cara L.
Jun 13, 2020
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I have been a huge fan this tattoo parlor on Instagram for quite some time now. I had someone refer me to buddy and they were able to squeeze me in for a decently last minute due to a cancelation! I was elated! buddy's wait list was booked through August and for good reason - they're the BEST!
A quick preface: My appointment was for June 11, so right after the shop reopened for patrons.
When I first arrived for my appointment, I called from my car to let them know I was there. They made sure I had a mask on and made sure I washed my hands right when I arrived. Every station was so
A quick preface: My appointment was for June 11, so right after the shop reopened for patrons.
When I first arrived for my appointment, I called from my car to let them know I was there. They made sure I had a mask on and made sure I washed my hands right when I arrived. Every station was so
Chris C.
Dec 20, 2019
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Back at it again with wanting to add more to we here Patrick left off. Tattoo has a lot of meaning for me. Original tattoo was heart tattooed left chest symbolizing my roots where I came from. Also where I was lost and finding my self again with city skyline. Wrapped toward my shoulder with my first born son. Years later I wanted to add my second son and continue where I left off. I lived in Chicago when I started. Now I live in Texas and I flew to him once a month for almost a year for him to finish off not only adding second son but completing it with a full sleeve.
I just finished about
I just finished about
Henry L.
Jun 09, 2019
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Was searching instagram for the best black and grey artists in Chicago and Mike Dubois work caught my eye ended up scheduling a consultation and moving forward! Mike was super easy to work with giving me lots of breaks being my first tattoo. I was not 100% sure on placement or size and Mike helped position it in the perfect spot to really flow with my body.
Overall the shop.... very clean everyone seemed down to earth and are pros in their own niches. Cool loft space in Wicker Park. Will definitely be back again!
Overall the shop.... very clean everyone seemed down to earth and are pros in their own niches. Cool loft space in Wicker Park. Will definitely be back again!
Christina Y.
Mar 02, 2019
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I came here for a cover up tattoo that I'd been meaning to get for years. I was a little hesitant to get the cover up, since it was on my ribs and I wasn't sure if I'd be able to handle the pain. But I impulsively booked an appointment with Patrick and he went above and beyond my expectations!! We had a session to brainstorm the design I was looking for and I brought in a few photos of designs that I liked. I was a bit uneasy since the final design isn't shown until the day of the actual appointment, but I ended up loving what Patrick created!!!
Patrick was extremely attentive
Patrick was extremely attentive
Octavia P.
Oct 06, 2018
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Don't know why it's taken me so long to write a review lol! Ok so I've been coming to this shop for about 4 years now. I've gathered about 3 go-to artists because of their specialties & even followed one of them to his own shop. I absolutely love the fact that the atmosphere in this shop is like many of my favorite upscale oddities shops! It's well kept & stylishly decorated. Everything here is done with a clean & professional hand. I honestly don't think there's a bad portfolio at all here!
Speakeasy is the kind of shop that you can book an appointment
Speakeasy is the kind of shop that you can book an appointment
Mallory S.
Mar 16, 2018
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I got a tattoo here today by Crystal Martinez. After emailing for a couple weeks, I finally got to see what she sketched up. Both options were amazing! The shop is super clean and just a cool lofty space. Feels very comfortable in there. Crystal is AWESOME! She is so nice and easy to talk to, super willing to work with you and make sure you're happy, and super quick and thorough with her tattooing. I had an amazing experience and can't wait to show off my new forever art! Thank you Crystal and Speakeasy!
Caroline R.
Jan 28, 2018
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So. I searched for an artist who could do coverups and hit the Jackpot. Patrick Cornolo did a great job incorporating a tattoo I wasn't happy with (different shop/artist) into something I simply love!
Hand drawn custom art and exactly the kind of thing we discussed during my consult.
3+ hour session was relaxed and comfortable with just the right amount of chat and chill.
Price was very reasonable... not cheap but who wants a cheap tattoo anyway, right?
When making the appointment I was given a date about 5 months out (he's booked because he's good). I was lucky enough though
Hand drawn custom art and exactly the kind of thing we discussed during my consult.
3+ hour session was relaxed and comfortable with just the right amount of chat and chill.
Price was very reasonable... not cheap but who wants a cheap tattoo anyway, right?
When making the appointment I was given a date about 5 months out (he's booked because he's good). I was lucky enough though
Gabriella G.
Dec 02, 2016
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I am so PLEASED with this shop. It was my very first tattoo and I had done plenty of research on many places and looked at so many portfolios before even deciding on a tattoo artist. Then I came across Crystal Martinez. http://www.paintedgypsytattoo.com/index.html She absolutely met and surpassed all my expectations and I cannot brag enough on how amazing my entire experience was.
I wasn't nervous at all walking into the shop. It was more adrenaline than anything because it was something I wanted for such a long time. The minute I met with Crystal, she was so sweet and kind! We had been
I wasn't nervous at all walking into the shop. It was more adrenaline than anything because it was something I wanted for such a long time. The minute I met with Crystal, she was so sweet and kind! We had been
Meredith M.
Aug 13, 2016
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I cannot say enough about the professionalism, level of quality, and all-around awesomeness I received from Jen Trok for my sternum piece.
To be fair, I did wait a very long time to get this done, as I first emailed her in November and got a pretty speedy reply back that said she'd contact me once she was scheduling again. Got an email back in March to set up a consult in April for a tattoo whose first session wouldn't be until early July (ended up getting pushed up to late June due to a cancellation). I had never been to an artist of this caliber before, so I figured it would be worth
To be fair, I did wait a very long time to get this done, as I first emailed her in November and got a pretty speedy reply back that said she'd contact me once she was scheduling again. Got an email back in March to set up a consult in April for a tattoo whose first session wouldn't be until early July (ended up getting pushed up to late June due to a cancellation). I had never been to an artist of this caliber before, so I figured it would be worth
