Yeah, I have 3 tattoos. On my chest and on my left upper shoulder. Did it hurt? Well, yeah. Think about it - there's a needle going in and out of your skin many times per second. But it's not an excruciating pain - more of an annoying pain. It's a little hard to describe - almost feels like something hot in a tiny area. And it gets better after a couple of minutes - endorphins start activating and it gets easier to take. And the tattoo artist has a lot to do with how you handle it - if he/she talks with you to give you something else to think about, that helps.
Go for it if it's something you want - but make sure. It is permanent, mostly. Yeah, they can be removed by laser, but I've heard that's more painful than the tattoo itself.
:2 cents: