Wahlburgers Restaurant Review
Category: RestaurantsCategory: Travel
Paul Wahlberg, aka Chef Paul, has concocted some interesting burgers, salads, and sandwiches. Along with his family and acting brothers Donnie and Mark, Wahlburgers restaurants have been a favorite for many burger lovers around the country. We recently tried a couple burgers at their Morongo Casino restaurant near Palm Springs, California.
This is not an enter, sit, dine restaurant. It’s a walk-up inside the casino however they do bring your food to your table. The tables are located in a section just off to the side of the gambling machines, so yes, it is a bit noisy and the music in the casino blasts through every speaker. That said, the ambiance isn’t the greatest however the food did deliver.
What we tried
The Pepperoni Smash Burger ($12.90) is made of two Angus Beef patties, melted provolone cheese, julienne pepperoni, Chef Paul’s rosemary tomato jam, and garlic butter. It was a bit dry so we asked for some of Chef Paul’s special Wahlsauce which made it much better and the sauce is very tasty.
The Impossible Burger ($17.95) comes with smoked cheddar cheese, lettuce, chili spiced tomatoes, caramelized onions, and the special Wahlsauce.
The buns are tasty themselves and have a little bit of butter. They’re very soft and add to the flavor of the burgers.
We also ordered the Tater Tots ($1.95 on a special) as a side. What can I say about Tater Tots? They’re nothing special but when you dip them in the Wahlsauce they are more tasty than without. Wahlsauce or ketchup? Take your pick.
Wahlsauce
What exactly is in the special Wahlsauce? From what I could find out it is made from ketchup, sugar, vinegar, sea salt, dehydrated onion, garlic powder, soybean oil, corn syrup, water, egg yolks, distilled vinegar, and prepared mustard and a few other ingredients.
(https://www.wahlburgersathome.com/products/wahl-sauce)
Wahlburgers and the Wahlbergs
So, where can you get a Wahlburger? So far there are locations in California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Illinois, Tennessee, Ohio, South Carolina New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts where it all began. The story goes that Chef Paul wanted to create a family restaurant with fresh ingredients. They opened the first restaurant in 2011 in Hingham, Massachusetts.
Paul, along with his brothers Mark and Donnie and their mother and family all joined in in an A&E reality show that boosted the brand and lifted their recognition. There are eight Wahlberg siblings, however the two most recognizable are of course Mark and Donnie.
Okay, the bottom line…The food was tasty and it was a fun experience to try a burger I had heard so much about. To be honest, the night before I had a burger from Red Robin which was horrible. The difference between that one and the Wahlburger was like night and day.
The total for our two burgers and tater tots came to $33.24. The prices can vary depending on location and specials. The offerings range from approximately $10 to $21.55.
By the way, the Wahlsauce is available on Amazon and there is a store via the Wahlburgers website where products can be purchased.
Was it a good burger? Yes.
About the Reviewer
Francine Brokaw has been covering products, travel, and all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 35 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.