Tinjune has officially opened in downtown Newark. The Asian-inspired restaurant, located at 494 Broad Street, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 13th with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, local leaders, and other neighbors and supporters. The eatery is described as a place where dining meets nightlife and features signature dishes, dim sum, bao buns, and so much more. Read on for more information about the newest addition to Newark’s dining scene, Tinjune.
Photo Credit: @tinjunedowntown
Opening in Newark
Owned by Tami Brown, Tinjune has taken over the large space at 494 Broad Street that was formerly occupied by Barcade, which was known for having vintage arcade games. Tami has taken on Tinjune with her business partner, Modia “Mo” Butler, who is also an investor and a partner at Mercury, one of the state’s top public affairs firms, and is known for being one of New Jersey’s most powerful political insiders.
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Tami and Modia are the same owners behind Bar Vanquish, a popular oyster bar and lounge near the Prudential Center. “I wanted to do something out of the ordinary, something different, something that people wouldn’t expect me to do, especially being black-owned in an Asian restaurant. So, that’s why I was like, ‘Let me try this out,’” Tami, who has been in the business for 18 years, told The Montclair Girl.
Photo Credit: @tinjunedowntown
There was no better fit than to open Tinjune in Newark, given the serial entrepreneur’s background in the bustling city. Tami explained, “My first sports bar I opened was in Newark. I’ve done business in Newark and I just like giving back to my community. I like hiring locally. I like using local farmers and local ingredients. And I think Newark is definitely up and coming is revitalizing itself…I pride myself on giving back to the community and I’m never going to stop doing that.”
The team got to work back in January and was able to have its soft opening on August 10th, 2023.
About the Menu
The menu was curated by Tami, herself, with help from chefs from Bar Vanquish. It features a variety of dim sum dishes including pork and vegetables, Kung Pao chicken, Peking duck, and vegan vegetables; bao buns including beef short rib, fried chicken, and lobster; and signature bites including chicken satays, crispy rock shrimp and mixed Asian salad.
Photo Credit: @tinjunedowntown
The wok stir fry dishes come with either fried rice or lo mein. Guests can choose from one of the following proteins: chicken, oxtail, filet mignon, shrimp, or lobster. There’s also a vegetarian option. In addition, the prime cuts dishes feature lamb chops, ribeye steak, and Tomahawk steak. The signature dishes are general Tso chicken, seared scallops, and Shanghai salmon.
Tami noted some of the popular dishes thus far: oxtail stir fry, Tomahawk steak, salmon with ginger sauce, and rum bread pudding. The Xo Seafood Cakes have also become big sellers, but they are only available on Sundays.
Brunch, available on Sundays starting at 12PM, includes a more New American selection “with a little twist of soul.” The items include crème brûlée French toast, Cajun shrimp and grits, a Greek veggie omelet, and steak and eggs among other items.
Last but not least, customers who just want to relax at the bar can check out the variety of signature drinks or choose what they like from the stocked bar. The signature drinks include the black Manhattan, Sake Up (sake with cherry and lemon), Watermelon Spice (pictured below), Bourbon Ice Tea, and Cucumber Mint Lemon Drop, among other cocktails.
Check It Out
Having officially been open for a month now, the owner shared that Tinjune is getting a great response, which is something she’s really happy about. She added, “It’s been good. It’s been steady, it’s growing. People are realizing that we’re here and loving the cuisine. That’s all I can ask for is that everyone loves the food, and then that word of mouth will grow along with some other marketing and the tables will be full on a daily basis. That’s the goal.”
Tami is also hoping that in the coming weeks, the nighttime vibe will expand and Tinjune will welcome live bands. “We are a restaurant with a cool vibe. So you could come in, you have music now, but on Friday we’ll have a DJ for after work,” she explained.
Photo Credit: @tinjunedowntown
Reservations can be made online or by calling the restaurant. Tami recommends making a reservation sooner rather than later, especially since there are large group bookings and holiday parties are already booked for December.
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Tinjune is open from 4:30PM to 11PM Tuesday through Thursday; 4:30PM to midnight on Fridays; 5PM to midnight on Saturdays; and from 12PM to 7PM on Sundays. Happy hour is Tuesday through Friday from 5PM to 8PM.
For more information, visit the website.
