When we got a tattoo at Mercy Seat, it really flippin' hurt. But everything else about the process was pain-free, from the artists' friendly manners to the carefully applied plastic-wrap bandage. Open only two years but already a Crossroads institution, the Seat is worth visiting not just to get inked but simply to admire the classy interior. With red walls, ornate woodwork, a library room and local artwork in place of sample tattoo ideas, Mercy Seat looks like an art gallery -- the kind that gives you the distinct impression that there's a secret opium den in back. What's really in the back is owner Chet Duvenci, along with six other masters of the art, listening to Springsteen and making brilliant, screaming tats. The Seat holds art openings on First Fridays, but casual gallery crawlers take note: Once you see the place, you'll wanna get ink. We know this from experience.
