The Mercy Seat Tattoo Studio and Gallery

Great work by Megan Mac. Other staff’s work is fantastic as well. Super clean, very polite, and top notch work. I will definitely be returning.

Saint Jason did a great job! It was my first tattoo and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience!

Awesome shop, clean! Chris Orr… my man. His lines are super clean and steady. He did a custom piece for me on shoulder extending just above my elbow, about 7 hours over 3 sessions. He is super cool and laid back, has a unique ear for music. He’s one of those people you meet and think I could easily drink a few beers with and listen to his stories. The shop staff are very inviting and easy to work with. Everything is cleaned, sterilized and professional. They all share their pieces with other artists after you’re finished and they like to come peek in on your sessions if not busy. Very sociable peeps.
Pricing depends on the artist. REMEMBER… YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Never go cheap on tattoos. I would highly recommend Mercy Seat to anyone looking for a QUALITY tattoo experience.

Wonderful shop!!! Everyone was super friendly. The shop has a very cool feel to it. Everything is very clean and professional. Dana is amazing! I gave her an idea of what I wanted and she really helped me expand on it and make it into an amazing tattoo. I’m very happy with the finished product. I will definitely be back!

My family and I went in with very simple tattoo ideas for our first tattoos and the guy who greeted us was incredibly rude. He made it pretty clear that what we wanted was beneath them and a waste of their time. We walked out immediately and knew this was not the place we wanted for our first tattoos.
I would not recommend this place simply because the staff was very rude and disrespectful. I only had one encounter with the shop, so I cannot speak for their services.

This is one of the most excellent tattoo shops in all of KC! The staff is incredibly knowledgable, creative, talented, hilarious and helpful! After the last several years going to Mercy Seat, my Husband and I have had the opportunity to get to know many on staff and consider ourselves very lucky to know the crew. The shop is incredibly staged, comfortably spaced, and packed with eclectic ambiance. They also show local art and help to promote the local KC scene. Mercy Seat just celebrated 10 years of service and I have zero doubts that they will be celebrating many more. Thanks for everything Mercy Seat!!!

It has been almost 10 months since Scott was tattooing me as a guest artist at sailor’s grave tattoo in Omaha, NE. Great artist. Great line work. Great color. My pin up still looks just as good as she did day 1. I went in with a rough idea and let Scott take the reigns and I couldn’t be happier. I would 100% recommend Scott to anyone looking to get a quality tattoo.

Hands down, Wesley rocks!!! Clean and comfy, even through 7 hours in the chair for my first sitting. I would definitely recommend anyone looking for a tattoo shop to check them out. They don’t take appointments over the phone, first come first serve if you walk in the door unless you talk to the artist themself. I’ll be back in to finish up my half sleeve once I can get off the road for more than 2 days.

I just called mercy seat and requested an appointment tomorrow at 2. My son died four years ago tomorrow and my 16 year old and I want his initials (very small) to remember and commemorate. The gentleman that answered the phone said that they don’t do minors and don’t schedule over the phone. Totally and entirely their prerogative, but when I mentioned the reason for the tattoo he cut me off and strongly reminded me of their policy. Whole interaction was seconds but I sure would have liked an I’m sorry and I understand… I would not have tried to persuade… I guess I was just trying to explain why I would ever allow my 16 year old to get a tattoo… Oh well, the royals are on so maybe I was taking him away from the game…

«People say we’re the best around, but, whatever because we really are the best in town.»
Jim greeted me with a hearty hello. I stood there wringing my hands because I was so nervous. Jim informed me that they weren’t taking anymore clients for the evening but after explaining to him that I don’t live in Kansas City (I am a flight attendant.) Wesley was able to squeeze me in as his last client at 20:30 on a Sunday night. (The shop closes at 21:00.) After confessing that this was indeed my first tattooing experience and how nervous I was he immediately took the focus off of my beating heart with light hearted conversation.
I liked that he didn’t call attention to how I was alone at 20:30 on a Sunday night, bursting into a tattoo parlor, asking for service, palms sweaty and alone. I preferred to go alone so as to not have the influence of rallying friends and their «helpful» opinions. «Get this tattoo! Get that tattoo!»
I got a cross on the back of my neck. Wesley made sure that I loved the placement and the look of the tattoo before beginning. For first timers — no it did not hurt. It felt like someone scraping my skin with a needle. More annoying than painful. And, it didn’t hurt that the tattoo artist was very handsome especially when he popped on his little glasses to starting the service. Anyways, I focused my attention on his voice and talked a bit about my life, as well as asking Wesley questions about his.
After I was done, Wesley even walked me to my car! The next time I’m in Kansas City I will surely come here to get my next tattoo! Hopefully by Wesley the Lefty!
Take note, they do not take credit card but they do have an ATM. I forgot to tip. Oops! Catch you next time, Wesley!

I went to Mercy Seat for my first tattoo last weekend. I was soooooo nervous and scared and excited that I was literally shaking. Because I was getting something small on my wrist, I didn’t make an appointment and just walked in on Saturday. I had read some reviews on Unilocal and looked on their website and I knew the two artists I would prefer to have work with me and I hit the jackpot with Saint Jason! He was so kind and gentle with me and all of my nervousness! He was very intuitive about what I needed to calm down and made me laugh the entire time I was there. He talked me through the entire experience showing his expertise in working with people and in his artistry!
The whole group of artists at Mercy Seat have created this wonderful, interesting, and fun atmosphere that was perfect for me and my first tattoo! And I plan on going back for… a few… more!

We had a wonderful experience! My friend and I brought a picture in and Saint Jason did both of our tattoos. They turned out great, it was reasonably price and we had no problems. It is cash only, but they have an ATM there.

Lets just say that I do not have a high pain tolerance… so I was a bit scared when I went in to get my first tattoo. However the guys here made me feel very comfortable. My tattoo artist was Jason and he was very laid back and nice he also took his time with me and explained everything… he was truly very nice. If I did ever decide to have another tattoo I would go here hands down. Professional and friendly

First tattoo ever. Met with Wesley for a consultation to show him what i wanted. He did an EXCELLENT job. Was better than the picture I gave him. Highly recommend Wesley. When i figure out my next tattoo, I’ll be back to see Wesley.

Out of the three I’ve gotten at separate places, this was hands down the best tattoo experience I’ve ever had and I seriously doubt I’ll ever go anywhere else again.
After Unilocaling The Mercy Seat, I visited their business site and found some personal work of Mikey’s. Since the tat I wanted done was specifically detailed line work, I instantly knew he was my guy; all of his portfolio work exhibited amazing detail and fine lining. For both my consultation and my appointment, he was enthusiastic, kind, talkative, and made sure the details and finishing touches were to my liking.
Plus, the price was great — Mikey is a speed demon tattooer, but it didn’t retract from the quality of work he did, so I was in and out in an hour despite getting roughly a 3″ x 4″ tattoo. Since I drove three hours to get my tattoo done by him (no joke!), it was kind of nice that I didn’t end up being in the seat all day.
Finally, the aesthetic of The Mercy Seat is wicked, and I mean that in both the slang usage and the traditional use of the word. It’s decorated with skulls and dark colors and creepy-​cool art, and it’s also just badass.
I already asked Mikey to do some future work on tattoos I already have, but I’m totally sold on the studio itself for future work. Five well-​deserved stars. Oh, and I would post evidence of my new favorite piece, but I’m actually kind of worried someone might dig it a little bit too much and steal it. I joke. But maybe not.
FINALLY FINALLY: pro tip, they don’t accept cards, but they do have an ATM. If you’re stingy about the $ 3-​ish surcharge, bring cash ahead of time. And remember to tip well!

I went to Mercy Seat for my first tattoo awhile back. The first initial meeting to talk about what I wanted and possible drawings, was just alright… The guy at the front wasn’t the nicest. After I put the deposit down and set an appointment, I came back to see Chris. What a different experience! He was so awesome. Extremely nice guy and the pain was minimal. He changed the sketch to exactly what I wanted, no changing my mind.
Make sure you are ON TIME for your appointment and ask for Chris! He makes great conversation and he’s awesome at what he does.

Absolutely outstanding work from an even gnarlier artist! Jason is the epitome of what a tattoo artist should be. He sat down with me, patiently listened as I explained the meaning behind my design of choice, and answered every last question. The sketch he returned with 10 minutes later was everything I never knew I wanted :) It was as if he knew me like the back of his hand. I was stunned!
I walked in as a stranger without an appointment and left feeling like the favorite family member that everyone had been waiting to see. From the moment I stepped foot in the studio, each and every artist and staff member made me feel genuinely welcome. Mercy Seat is, by far, the BEST studio in KC!

Ouch. I’m pretty sure getting tattooed hurts more as you get older. And yet, here I am, two days after my most recent tattoo (which does indeed still hurt a bit!), ready to go back and get another one. Like, now.
I saw Wesley again, and just like the last time, he did a fantastic job. Even though I am in no way healed yet, my tattoo is beautiful, just what I wanted, and I’m so happy with it. Actually, it’s better than I expected, and I am absolutely in love with it.
Wesley was just as kind as the first time he tattooed me, and didn’t get impatient with me once, even though I certainly got a bit twitchy near the end (I couldn’t help it, but I’m sure it was annoying. Regardless, he was totally cool about it). He kept up a good flow of conversation when I needed it, checked in with me frequently to make sure I was doing alright and as comfortable as possible, and again provided some thoughts and suggestions on how to make my design my own — and more dynamic. He also was happy to put in a lot of color into the piece, which is exactly what I wanted, as I love color. The more the better!
My tattoo ended up being larger than I had planned this time around, but Wesley took plenty of time to make sure that was fine with me, that the placement was perfect (and worked well with my last piece), and that everything ended up being just how I wanted it. Since this will be on me for life, I certainly appreciate the amount of time and effort he took to make everything just right.
Wesley does some great fine line work, which is perfect for someone like me, whose artwork leans towards intricate Celtic knots. In fact, the last tattoo he did for me (also Celtic) still looks pristine 3 years on. He did touch up a couple of tiny spots of color for me, but the line work in my «old» tattoo could’ve been done months ago, instead of years — that’s how lovely it still looks.
I really can’t say enough good about Wesley and the Mercy Seat. Once I heal up, I’ll be back for more.

Epic weddings deserve epic afterparties. After my BFF got married in Kansas City and we sent her and her new husband off in style, the next logical step was tattoos. I called Mercy Seat for their hours and heard they closed at 10pm. 10pm on a Saturday night?! Oh, Midwest. You’re just so SENSIBLE.
I looked at the clock and realized it was less than an hour before closing time. My friend and fellow bridesmaid, S, decided we were going to do this and hurriedly changed clothes. We walked in before 9:30 and were told that we’d have to wait and see if anyone wanted to stick around for the work. (Again, OH MIDWEST.)
Luckily Dana agreed to do my friend’s piece, and Jason took mine. I showed Jason the script that I wanted to use for my tattoo – the word «friends» in Irish – and this was my first clue that Mercy Seat is nicer than your average tattoo shop. After I had a little bit of trouble with my iPhone, he asked me «Can I show you how to send a picture? It’s really neat!» At first I thought he was being facetious, because tattoo artists have a reputation for being more than a little standoffish. But as I found out, he was being genuinely nice.
Dana cranked out my friend’s tattoo in record time – as it was a wee 1.5″ square piece, she was done in no time flat and before mine even got started. Jason took a while to draw out my stencil as he was trying to copy the typeface exactly, but as I’m putting it on my body forever, I’ll take care over speed.
Once we got started, Jason was great. Avuncular and soft-​spoken, his apron embroidered with the title «Saint Jason» is apt. He wanted to make sure I was comfortable, since I had picked a spot on the body that’s not too kind to needles, and we just generally chatted about Lord of the Rings, kale, and my recent marrow donation. He’s a lovely man and now that my piece has healed, I know he’s an equally lovely artist.
On top of the niceness of the folks who work here, the shop itself is just great looking. It’s in an old building (it’s in KC, everything is old) in the Crossroads and has some fabulous décor going for it. Cash only, but there’s an ATM in the shop.
I’m surprised it’s taken seven visits to KC to finally visit The Mercy Seat, but I have a feeling this won’t be my last. Highly recommended if you ever get the itch for ink in Kansas City – just make sure your craving comes at a sensible hour!

Definitely the best place to go in the KC area for tattoos! I found this place based on recommendations from various people with some amazing artwork. I went in on a Thursday afternoon to talk about getting a new tattoo and was lucky enough to be giving awesome advice regarding text in tattoos (and therefore decided against it) and was able to get an appointment a few days later with Chris Orr.
I was at first hesitant to book an appointment that quickly without meeting the artist, but after seeing his portfolio I was comfortable with having him as my artist. Every tattoo that he had in the portfolio showed amazingly clean lines and really detailed work. This was my fourth tattoo and I was expecting a great deal of pain (based on previous experience) but Chris was amazing in minimizing the amount of pain I felt. Especially considering my previous tattoo had me in so much pain I was holding my breath. After a little under two hours I saw the amazing finished product — he did such amazing work. I love the detail and clean lines of my simple compass tattoo — it’s everything that I wanted and much more.
Will definitely be back for my next tattoo and will definitely ask him to do the next design as well! Everyone is amazingly professional while keeping it an entertaining, although painful (expected), experience. Should definitely be your go to place for amazing tattoos.