Wahlburgers — Restaurant in Gold Coast City

As a tourist hotspot Surfer's Paradise is densely packed with restaurants for every budget and pallet. From Ramen chefs, to an Irish pub, to a well made Aussie steak, if you can think it Surfers Paradise has an answer for you. It's in this context that we find Marky Mark's Wahlburgers tucked in along the main esplanade at Cavill Ave. Mere metres from the beach on paper it should be a picturesque and ideal place to wick away your troubles.

As I walked into the oddly lit establishment with my family, our ears were assaulted, not by sweetly coring seagulls and lapping waves as one might imagine, but by the reving of engines, horns blaring and squealing of tyres from little men, in little cars, lapping on a Wednesday night. Not to be outdone, a chorus of women screaming into the night complimented the traffic. As if jealous of the assault of sound, we were blinded at entry by the wall of light in front of us, even if half of the bulbs were blown. Truly a red carpet experience.

Our reserved table had us in a booth, conveniently located right up against the large video wall and illuminated Surfer's Paradise sign which had blinded us moments earlier. This surprisingly served as a plus, owing to the dimness of those parts of this tightly spaced restaurant not thrust upon the sign. Seemingly this was the only functional light source. Don't wait to be seated however, even with a reservation, no one will come. One must push forth with confidence and find their table on their own.

Once seated, no one came. There was no service, there was no explanation of the dining experience or what a guest should expect. Just a small QR code the size of a postage stamp,printed onto a napkin dispenser. Usually this is not only fine but preferred, however for a burger joint styled as a West Dorchester burger cafe, to not have table service felt strangely offputting. It was clear from the design that table service to some extent was intended, it just hasn't been implemented here.

We ordered our meal, 3 burgers which do not come with any sides by default, and a kids chicken tenders which does come with fires. Despite the fact we were one of 4 parties in the establishment, we spent the next 43 minutes taking in the decor and chatting, while we waited for our food to be served. The sympathy of traffic an enduring soundtrack to our evening. The restaurant is decorated with TVs lining the ceiling, 95% of which were not just off but actively smashed and broken. Glitching colours streaming where images should be. Of the four that were working, 3 played a cricket match of all things, whilst the forth curiously played a never ending ad for foxtel, all in complete silence. The speaker system seemingly having burnt out some time in the previous 2 years since opeming and hasn't been repaired. But, there's always the traffic.

A small collection of tiny black and white photos are clumped on a wall in the centre of the restaurant, and movie posters for Marky Mark's movies are sparsely scattered around. The ceiling has plants, seemingly intended to have grown across the space they are in an active state of decay. Above our booth is a metal block dangling with the titles of Marky Mark's films. The blight infesting the restaurant sees a brief discussion between us on the likelihood it falls. Dystopian laughs ensue.

Finally our food arrives, tossed on the table by two south american women. The burgers, at $23 each, are small and served on bread plates. They take up only a small area in the middle with plenty of empty space on the plate. The kids chicken tenders and fries are presented with that carelessly thrown on there aesthetic one might expect from a McDonald's on a Friday night. It too was served on a bread plate. Now for that all important first bite that would decide if it had all been worthwhile. Afterall the decomposing decor and zero service could be forgiven in an instant if the food was good. Instead what was offered up were dry, slightly burned beef patties, hidden beneath a small ration of sauce, toppings and a plain bun. The...

Literally, the definition of Tourist trap! The best way to define this place is a bullet point summary, to be honest: Location: I mean, it's beach front, it's in one of the newer buildings of Surfers paradise, it's a hip spot, nice and clean, plenty of natural light and fresh air. It's a great spot. Therein lies the first hint of what's to come Service: What service? You literally get welcomed by someone who possibly works there? Could barely tell. They ask how many and just kind of point or lead you towards some seats or table. It was fairly busy, and I'm certain they weren't understaffed, but maybe they were? The ordering system is QR code. No one was going to come by and ask to take an order, that's for sure. What is really, really bad is the 10% Sunday surcharge... what exactly is that 10% for? I always laugh at the tip option for online ordering when there is little to no interaction with staff. Food and drinks get dropped off at your table in a rush. Basically, this place is definitely not service oriented Atmosphere: It's a good atmosphere, as I said the location is great. You obviously don't come to a place like this to avoid crowds or noise, so if you're after a quiet spot, avoid at all costs. The tables/ chairs are simple, there's booths, there's the barstool/ bench top on the beach front, and yeah, the decor is pretty cool. Food: It's a Burger place, so of course I'm getting a Burger. I did come here back in '22, and yeah, the burger was OK, nothing to write home about. The fact I haven't been back until now may imply what's coming up. The burger I had today was good, not amazing, but good. Would I get it again? If it were priced more accordingly, yeah, I would. A big meaty beef patty with melted Swiss cheese, a great sauce, mushrooms, not enough of them, and bacon that was half decent and crispy. Loaded cheesy Fries were fantastic, so good we licked the bowl clean, but it was just so expensive! Cost: This is the downfall and why this place is such a tourist trap. Stupidly high priced for what you get, and the hide to charge 10% on Sundays... although I will say from 2022 till now the burgers have only gone up 50 cents, that is in some ways pretty good. But they didn't have to go up much, seeing as they were so overpriced already.

My overall take is that Wahlburgers should really be a one-off or long time in between...

What a fantastic experience at Wahlburgers Surfers Paradise!

My partner and I decided to swing by for a romantic dinner, and we couldn’t have picked a better spot. We arrived about 30 minutes before closing, and despite the late hour, the staff were incredibly welcoming, serving us with big smiles and ensuring we had everything we needed. Talk about service with a personal touch!

The atmosphere was perfect for our little “month-😍-versary” celebration.

We were the only ones in the restaurant, which made it feel like I had secretly booked out the entire place just for us (not that I’m taking all the credit, but hey, it was a special night 😆).

The walls are adorned with awesome memorabilia, posters, and photos—perfect for any Mark Wahlberg fan. It felt like being in the middle of a movie set, with all the nostalgia and charm of Hollywood wrapped around us.

Now, let’s talk about the food. The burgers and fries were downright tasty. Honestly, I felt like I was in one of those classic Wahlberg flicks, like The Fighter, where he says, “It’s not about how you start; it’s about how you finish.” And boy, did this meal finish strong! The burger was juicy, packed with flavour, and the fries were crisped to perfection. It was a culinary knockout—no need to be a chef from Chef to appreciate the craft here!

I’ll admit, I was secretly hoping that Mark Wahlberg might make a surprise appearance wearing his Air Jordan V Transformers, swoop in, and say something like, “Say hi to your mother for me,” as he handed me my order. But alas, it wasn’t meant to be this time. Maybe next visit, Mark! 😂

In all seriousness, Wahlburgers is not just a restaurant; it’s an experience. Whether you’re a fan of the Wahlberg family or just in the mood for a great meal in a fantastic atmosphere, this place won’t disappoint. I can’t recommend it enough for anyone looking for a unique dining experience in Surfers Paradise.

We’ll definitely be back—who knows, maybe I’ll see Mark behind the counter next time 😝

//

#Wahlberg #Wahlburgers #surfersparadise #Queensland #MarkWahlberg #BurgerJoint #Jordanv...