Tony’s Baltimore Grill, an iconic fixture in Atlantic City since 1927, known for its retro décor, throwback jukebox, late-night crowds and an endless stream of pizza pies, has filed for bankruptcy protection.
The joint -- an always dim bar on one side, with a cavernous dining room with paneling and decorations straight out of the 1960s – remains open at the 2800 block of Atlantic Ave., hoping to reorganize its debt.
That’s primarily a $715,000 one-time charge for withdrawing from a union pension fund for UNITE-HERE Local 54, according to The Press of Atlantic City.
There are also government liens for unpaid bills.
The owners, the Tarsitano family, fault the union’s high cost; the union counters by saying the business could have avoided the charge by staying in the pension fund.
While the restaurant is open 24 hours a day, its orange neon sign glowing through the night, the place’s reputation is built primarily on its pizza and modest prices.
Its signature pie – covered in mushrooms and sausage – is priced at $11.50, and a basic pie goes for just $9.25.
The pizza ovens stay on until 3 a.m. The late-night crowds are a mix of locals, cops, shift-workers and the occasional celebrity.
To read the complete story in The Press of Atlantic City, go here.