By: Isaac Linsk, Follow South Jersey Intern
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Free tattoos and festive fare were on the menu recently during a pop-up event at Tony’s Baltimore Grill, one of Atlantic City’s oldest and most storied restaurants.
Dedicated patrons of Tony’s, also affectionately referred to as The Joint, were treated to free tattoos through a lottery system and a cocktail and snack menu themed to the event. Starting at one o’clock, event organizer, menu planner, and bartender Julia Vain had those interested in a free tattoo wrap around the side of the building onto South Iowa Avenue in Atlantic City. By the time all participants were outside, the line stretched onto Stenton Place, the small road surrounding the restaurant.
Those in line gave their ID to a staff member to photograph before returning into the building. Once inside, customers could order a number of themed cocktails and snacks as they waited for their name to be called during the lottery style selection of tattoo recipients. The names were called in groups of 2-4 in intervals of 15 to 30 minutes depending on the speed of the tattoo artist and the size/complexity of the design they chose.
“In all honesty, we think it’s because the people who support Tony’s see part of themselves in what we do,” said Vain. “It’s got nothing to do with pizza and everything to do with shared values.”
Vain has been working at Tony’s since 2022. Her first event hosted while working at The Joint was Christmas in July that same year. Since then Vain and the rest of the team at Tony’s Baltimore Grill have hosted 12 events including 3 sold out brunches.
“The tattoo event was a culmination of the last few years at Tony’s and the relationships we’ve built together,” she said.
The TBG Red, Chefs Kiss, and Since 1927 were the cocktails on offer for the event, all of which celebrate the history and camaraderie of the joint, The Seed Beer’s dark lager was also on tap, The Seed Beer being a local atlantic city brewery located on Delaware Ave.
Snacks Included roast beef sliders, the Olive The Joint mini pizza, and the TBG x Diving Horse mini pie. The sliders celebrate the hot roast beef that has been a prominent fixture on Tony’s menu since the restaurant’s inception and the olive pizza was merely wordplay. But the Diving Horse mini pizza however has layers to its theming.
Diving horse is both the name of the traditional style tattoo shop where artist Dylan Gregory is based out of as well as the name of a famous attraction from Atlantic City’s past.
Gregory was the artist tattooing the guests in the Union Hall Arts studio. A former glaziers union hall located next to the restaurant which was converted into an art studio in 2021. Guests selected to be tattooed could select one of 6 tattoo designs from what is known as a flash sheet.
By the end of the day a total of 37 tattoos were given out across about 6 hours.
“The craziest part is that we turned down more than 37 people who would have gotten one if we had enough time,” said Vain.
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