Common Sense Media Review
By Melissa Camacho
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Restaurant reality has rowdy behavior but lots of heart.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Wahlburgers
What's the Story?
WAHLBURGERS is a reality series starring members of the Wahlberg family as they work on building a hamburger franchise. It stars Paul Wahlberg, a successful chef and restauranteur who, with the help of his famous younger brothers, Donnie and Mark, opened Wahlburgers, a hamburger joint in Hingham, Massachusetts. Now looking to open a second Wahlburgers, the men must decide on what direction to take their family business next. But no decision is made without the approval of the family matriarch, their colorful mother Alma. Making business decisions that they can all agree on isn't always easy, but they never lose sight of the fact that their business is all about family.
Is It Any Good?
From deciding on a location for the second Wahlburger restaurant, to arguing over which son is Alma Wahlberg's favorite, Wahlburgers offers a voyeuristic-but-fun look at the family dynamics between the younger members of the Wahlberg clan. It also highlights the challenges that come with owning a restaurant and building a franchise, few of which are eliminated by Donnie or Mark's fame.
Some of the scenes feel contrived, but they're still entertaining thanks to the appearances of family friends like Henry "Nacho" Laun and Johnny "Drama" Alves, who inspired some of the characters in the HBO-series Entourage. But it's the anecdotes shared about the Wahlberg family, and the way the brothers interact with each other and their mother as adults, that give this show it's heart.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the reasons this reality show was created. Was it to highlight Paul Wahlberg's success as a chef? An attempt to promote the restaurant? A chance for Donnie and Mark Wahlberg to promote themselves? Would this TV series ever have come about if Paul's brothers were not celebrities?
TV Details
- Premiere date : January 22, 2014
- Cast : Donnie Wahlberg , Mark Wahlberg , Paul Wahlberg
- Network : A&E
- Genre : Reality TV
- Topics : Family Stories ( Siblings )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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