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In 2011, chef Paul Wahlberg opened the first Wahlburgers restaurant in a strip mall in Hingham, Massachusetts, just steps from his upscale Italian restaurant Alma Nove.
His brothers—former New Kids on the Block singer Donnie and actor Mark Wahlberg—joined as business partners, leveraging their celebrity to draw initial crowds.
The restaurant's menu centered on family recipes like fresh-ground beef burgers served on toasted buns.
Their mother Alma's creamy macaroni salad, loaded with diced vegetables and herbs, became a signature side dish.
Other family recipes included thick milk shakes blended with house-made syrup and "Mom's Sloppy Joe" made with seasoned ground beef and tangy tomato sauce.
The brothers designed Wahlburgers as a casual spot where guests could watch sports at the bar, order at counter-service during lunch, or sit down for table service at dinner.
They insisted on premium ingredients.
The restaurant's green-and-black color scheme, family photos on the walls, and menu items named after Wahlberg family members—like "Paul's Choice" burger and "Donnie's Choice" sandwich—embedded their family story into the dining experience.
It was a hit from a start and the single Massachusetts location expanded into a national chain.
In 2012, Edward St. Croix, who owned 23% of Wahlburgers restaurant chain, filed a lawsuit against Mark and Donnie Wahlberg in Massachusetts Superior Court.
His suit alleged that the brothers diverted restaurant profits into separate companies and excluded him from key business decisions.
In 2013, St. Croix escalated the conflict by filing a second lawsuit.
This suit claimed the Wahlberg brothers created shell companies to channel restaurant revenue away from the original business partnership, reducing St. Croix's profit share.
He sought $1.2 million in damages plus reinstatement of his full partnership rights.
The A&E network aired "Wahlburgers" from January 22, 2014 to July 31, 2019.
The reality series documented the Wahlberg family's growing burger restaurant business.
The show ran for 95 episodes across 10 seasons.
In 2014, the Television Academy recognized "Wahlburgers" with an Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program category, positioning it alongside established shows like "Deadliest Catch" and "Wild Things with Dominic Monaghan."
The series leveraged the Wahlberg brothers' Boston connections and Hollywood relationships to feature prominent athletes and entertainers.
Most famously, the New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski cooked behind the grill in a 2015 episode, while teammate Julian Edelman taste-tested new menu items.
In May 2017, Wahlburgers opened its first in-store restaurant inside a Meijer supermarket in Royal Oak, Michigan.
The company then launched locations in three additional Meijer stores across Michigan and Ohio by December 2017.
In November 2018, Wahlburgers partnered with Hy-Vee to build 26 standalone restaurants across seven Midwestern states.
The deal also placed Wahlburgers-branded hamburgers, side dishes, and beverages on the menus at Hy-Vee's Market Grille restaurants in 84 locations.
In November 2014, Wahlburgers opened its first international restaurant in Toronto, Canada.
The chain's leadership announced bold Asian expansion plans in 2017, declaring they would establish 100 restaurants across the continent.
But it never materialized.
The brand made its European debut in 2019, selecting London's bustling Covent Garden district.
This location served customers for less than a year before COVID-19 forced its permanent closure in 2020.
On February 17, 2022, Wahlburgers launched in Sydney, Australia.
As of March 2023, Wahlburgers operates 90 restaurants spanning four countries:
At Wahlburgers, Chef Paul Wahlberg insists that each patty be hand-formed daily from fresh beef and grilled to order at precisely 160 degrees.
Before launching each location, management meets with local food suppliers and interviews staff from the neighborhood.
The restaurants host weekly community events, from Little League team celebrations to fundraisers for nearby schools.
Every location displays family photos and recipes from the Wahlberg's childhood home.
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