After a wintertime closing and a corporate restructuring, the celebrity chef-driven Wahlburgers restaurant at Broadway at the Beach has reopened. Corporate spokespeople were quick to say the franchisee issues that plagued its first year are part of its past and a blip on an otherwise successful launch.

To celebrate the reopening and restructuring, Paul Wahlberg, the 55-year-old chef behind the chain and one of nine Wahlberg siblings, visited the restaurant. The affable chef signed autographs and spoke with everyone who wanted to say hi and have a picture taken.

Paul Wahlberg is the star of Wahlburgers, which has been airing on A&E since 2014 with a new season ready to release. He is the middle child in a brood that includes Mark Wahlberg and Donnie Wahlberg of boy band New Kids on the Block.

Asked if he’d ever consider leaving Boston, where all the Wahlbergs were born and raised and where he became a chef at 17 years old, he said through a thick accent, “Never. I love Boston. I love the snow, but Myrtle Beach is wicked cool.”

A few changes have been made to Wahlburgers’ menu, which naturally focuses on hamburgers with unusual toppings. The burger itself is made from a proprietary blend of brisket, short rib and chuck, and comes “House” style in single, double or triple patty, plus specialty burgers such as BBQ Bacon with white cheddar, or Dorchester special with Swiss cheese, bacon, mushrooms and tomato jam, as well as at least a half-dozen additional options.

Wahlburgers is one of only a handful of area restaurants selling the Impossible Burger (when available), though Burger King will also roll it out this fall. The “burger” is a Frankenburger of sorts made by Silicon Valley neuroscientists in the laboratory. It’s meaty, bloody and red with the exact texture and taste of beef, though it’s 100 percent plant-based.

Sandwiches, sides, an extensive kids’ menu and desserts (plus a full bar) make Wahlburgers a perfect family restaurant, tailor made for the hordes of visitors craving a little celebrity splash with their dining experience.

Wahlburgers
1320 Celebrity Circle #195, Broadway at the Beach, Myrtle Beach
(843) 945-8005
wahlburgers.com/myrtlebeach
Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight daily