Are you ready for Wahlburgers, Johnson County families?
Soon, Kansas City foodies will have a new, exciting option for eating out. And you might just see someone famous while chowing down.
Wahlburgers, the restaurant chain owned by chef Paul Wahlberg and his two famous brothers, Mark and Donnie, is set to open soon in Olathe. It’s the first to open in the KC metro area and only the third to open in the Midwest, with the others located in the Mall of America in Minnesota and West Des Moines, Iowa.
The soft opening is Tuesday, and a grand opening will follow, according to media reports. If you are a fan of the Wahlberg family, you might want to get in line now: At least one of the famous brothers will attend, according to 41 Action News.
Donnie became a teenage heartthrob in the ’80s as a member of New Kids on the Block. Mark was also in a group — Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch — and was a Calvin Klein model, but he has garnered far greater fame for his long list of acting roles. Paul is the chef and started the Wahlburger franchise in Boston, where the family hails from.
On the Wahlburgers menu, Johnson County families will find fun food and drinks: burgers (including a plant-based option), haddock sandwich, “wahlbowls,” sloppy joe, salads, fries, tots and onion rings. Try an adult beverage such as a “Wahlbrewski,” or maybe an ice-cream and alcohol-infused “adult” frappe. The kids’ menu is for “Smahlburgs” and includes the Smahlburger, hot dog and other kid-friendly options. Don’t forget the “wahl” sauce.
The Wahlburgers motto is: “Our Family. Our Story. Our Burgers.” In keeping with that theme, the menu features a special item listed for each Wahlberg brother. Mark’s favorite is the turkey burger, Donnie’s item is the bacon cheddar burger with jalapeños and avocado, and Paul’s is the “our” burger. If you study the menu carefully, you’ll catch snippets from the Wahlbergs’ life growing up in Boston. For instance, the “O.F.D.” burger stands for “Originally from Dorchestah.”
Hy-Vee franchised the Wahlburgers restaurants in Minnesota and Iowa and is behind opening the Olathe location, too. A spokesman told 41 Action News that Hy-Vee plans to open 26 additional Wahlburger restaurants in the Midwest, and another Kansas City location is possible in the future.
For Johnson County families, however, the wait for Wahlburgers will be over soon. The 5,200-square-foot restaurant is located at 11935 South Blackbob Road in Olathe. Hours will be 11am-10pm Sunday through Thursday, and 11am-11pm Friday and Saturday.
We’ll see you there! At Team Real Estate KC, we love a good burger almost as much as we love helping Johnson County families buy their next home or sell their current one. Visit www.teamre.com for more information about how we can help you through the home buying or selling process. You might want to move now to get a little closer to Wahlburgers!