The first time I walked into Black Magic Tattoo, it was late afternoon, the kind of Arizona day where the sun feels like it’s trying to melt your face off. I wasn’t planning to get anything done—I just wanted to look around, maybe talk to someone.
I’d heard the name tossed around enough times by friends who couldn’t stop flashing their ink like it came from some secret society. Turns out, they weren’t exaggerating.
There’s something about this place that hits different. You walk in and immediately feel like you’re in a creative bunker. It’s colorful, but not in a loud, trying-too-hard way. It’s confident. Lived-in. Like every inch of that shop has seen stories unfold and end up permanently marked on someone’s body.
I didn’t meet Phil the first day, but his name came up more than once. “He’s been tattooing since the early ‘90s,” someone told me like it was common knowledge. You could feel the weight of that kind of experience just in the way people said his name. One woman I chatted with—Kate, I think—was there with two friends for one of those Friday the 13th flash events. She’d been waiting for hours and still called it “totally worth it.” Said the crew had been tattooing non-stop and somehow still managed to make everyone feel seen, not rushed. That stuck with me.
A few weeks later, I came back with an actual idea in mind. Nothing huge—just something personal I’d been thinking about since last winter. The vibe hadn’t changed. Still warm, still grounded. The guy who greeted me didn’t treat me like another transaction. We talked through the idea like we were sketching it together from scratch. I didn’t feel dumb for asking too many questions, which I always do. He just nodded, explained what would work, what wouldn’t, and where the piece could really come alive.
During the session, I remember hearing someone mention they had followed one of the artists—Mike—for 14 years. “I go wherever he goes,” she said casually while checking out in the front. Turns out she’s been getting tattooed by him long before Black Magic even opened its doors. Now she swears by this place because, in her words, “It just feels right here.”
And look, there are shops with hype, and then there are shops with heart. Black Magic is the second one. You can feel it in the way they talk to you, in how clean and calm the space is, and in the work they turn out—ridiculously solid pieces, no matter the style. Traditional, Japanese, black and grey, hyper-detailed custom designs—they’ve got someone who can knock it out without blinking.
Aftercare? Nailed. I got more detailed instructions than I expected, and the artist walked me through everything without making it sound like a lecture. You can tell they want your tattoo to heal as well as it was applied.
Before I booked, I got nosey and did what everyone does—I read everything. The Google reviews were stacked with love. Like, actual paragraphs of people gushing. Facebook had photo after photo of fresh ink, most of it captioned like a love letter. And Yelp, which is usually a war zone? It was full of people talking about how Black Magic made them feel welcome, comfortable, even empowered. That’s rare.
And if you’re like me—constantly wondering what this kind of art is going to cost you—it’s worth messing around with our Tattoo Cost Calculator. It gave me a ballpark number before I even committed, which helped me go in with realistic expectations. It’s not about bargain hunting; it’s about knowing what you’re getting into so you’re not sitting there doing mental math mid-consultation.
Bottom line? Black Magic Tattoo isn’t just a shop—it’s a place where stories are told with ink. If you’re thinking about getting something meaningful, or even just something beautiful, you owe it to yourself to walk in and feel the energy for yourself. Just be ready to want more after you leave.
—Maya R., Glendale, AZ
Contact Information
Shop Name: Black Magic Tattoo
Address: 13812 N 51st Ave, Glendale, AZ 85306
Website: http://www.blackmagictattooaz.com/
Phone: +1 602-942-1063
Email: blackmagictattooaz@gmail.com
