***Teeny tiny disclaimer – if you’re here to read a hard hitting, unbiased, objective review dripping with journalistic seriousness, maybe this ain’t it. Maybe this is something with more exclamation marks. Maybe this is written with all the excitement of a once middle school girl who’s bedroom was plastered with posters of NKOTB and who was quite literally on a boat with Donnie Wahlberg for the NKOTB cruise the day it was announced that Hollywood Racino in Dayton would be getting a Wahlburgers. Maybe there was screaming. And maybe we all need something to be this giddy over when it’s so dang cold and gross outside.

Beginning at 11:00 am on Thursday, December 29, the Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway will now have “The Right Stuff”! Regular hours will be 11am – 9pm Wed, Thurs & Sun, and 11am – 11pm on Friday and Saturday.

The latest location for a Wahlburgers, made popular by the A&E reality tv show with the same name, and even more popular because of the three brothers that started it. Donnie Wahlberg of New Kids On The Block (*cue screaming and jumping up and down) and now Blue Bloods, Marky Mark Wahlberg who’s good vibrations turned into a film career, and Paul Wahlburg who took his love of cooking for the family and brought it to the public. They have done this in locations all across the country with humor, hype, and at the heart of it all, honoring their mother Alma.

Wahlburgers sign and menu boards inside Hollywood Gaming Dayton Raceway

Paying homage to their hardscrabble roots in Dorchester, MA, the center of their menu is the “Our Burger” complete with “Government Cheese”. It’s a solid choice, a great classic burger that checks all the boxes. To answer the next question people always have, I pulled this straight from the Wahlburgers website: Government Cheese? “Today at Wahlburgers, we use a premium American cheese to top our burgers, but give a wink and a nod to where we came from. Growing up in a house with 9 kids, things were tight. Back then, blocks of cheese, known as “government cheese”, were given out to folks who needed a hand up. And we were so thankful.”

You can fancy up your burger with Donnie’s choice:

BBQ BACON
beef burger, white cheddar, bacon, fresh jalapeños, BBQ sauce & avocado

You can even go full Hollywood with Mark’s choice:

THE IMPOSSIBLE BURGER
plant-based patty, smoked cheddar, lettuce, caramelized onions, housemade chili spiced tomatoes & Paul’s signature Wahl Sauce

While the Dayton location doesn’t have the larger menu that other Wahlburgers have, you are also able to order chicken sandwiches (yep, even Jenn’s chicken!), salads, and of course, Alma’s favorite chili. Wash it down with one of their famous milkshakes or a Wahlbrewski.

No matter what you choose, you’ve gotta grab some tater tots and Wahl Sauce. It just makes sense.

Wahlburgers cheese burger and BBQ bacon burger with tater tots and onion rings at the Dayton, Ohio location

Personally, I have only been to the Racino once for an event, but knowing this is so close, I bet that changes. Maybe this will bring a whole new demographic to “Hang Tough” at the slot machines? After all, we did say “I’ll Be Loving (Them) Forever”. I know I’m down to grab some friends and have a “Block Party” there. Ok, Ok, I’ll stop now!

Writer, Nikki Nett, posing in front of green selfie station and mural of Mark, Paul, and Donnie Wahlberg at the Dayton Ohio location of Wahlburgers inside Hollywood Gaming and Racino

***One detail to note for other local Blockheads that are familiar with the layout and photo ops at various Wahlburgers locations (like St. Charles, IL), being inside a casino there are certain photography restrictions, but fear not! They have created a specific area by the merch for all of our selfie-ing just like our favorite Selfie King himself – Donnie! Would you expect anything less?

TL;DR for people who care about none of the above: Good burgers, first floor of casino, back left corner, get the tots & Wahl sauce with anything you order, there weren’t actually that many exclamation marks used here.