Caught in the Act

Channing Tatum's 32nd Birthday Present? A Surprise, Dancing Flash Mob!

04/27/2012 at 06:30 PM EDT

Channing Tatum's 32nd birthday packed quite the (musical) surprise.

The Magic Mike star thought he was meeting his pals for a mellow birthday dinner on Thursday night at Southern Hospitality BBQ Restaurant in N.Y.C. – but, instead, it turned into an all-out dance party.

"Jenna Dewan surprised him with a choreographed flash mob," a source tells PEOPLE. After the actor arrived, "I've Had the Time of My Life" from Dirty Dancing began to play. Explains the source: "Much to his surprise, the nearby tables of what he thought were restaurant patrons jumped up, ripped off their regular shirts to reveal 'Happy Birthday Channing' tees and began dancing."

According to the source, the actor looked "completely surprised." And, mid-song, he grabbed Jenna and lifted her over his head, parallel to the floor – "just like the famous final scene in the movie," the source says.



At one point during the evening, Tatum even started breakdancing, with partygoers chanting, "Go Channing!"

After working up an appetite, the gang nibbled on the restaurant's famous fried pickles, BBQ nachos and ribs, while toasting to another year with Armand de Brignac Brut Gold Champagne. They called it a night around 10 p.m.
– Carlos Greer