Burgermaster is set to put a shovel in the ground this week on its newest restaurant, a Marysville location set to open in 2027 at 8925 35th Ave. NE, just ahead of the family-owned chain's 75th anniversary. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, with remarks expected from third-generation owner and CEO Alex Jensen.
The Seattle-area drive-in chain confirmed the plans in a report from MyNorthwest.com, which first detailed the new restaurant's address and the Thursday ceremony. While construction moves forward, Burgermaster plans to operate a temporary kitchen so it can keep serving customers in Marysville throughout the build-out, according to the same report.
The Marysville restaurant will become Burgermaster's sixth location, following the chain's five current spots in Bellevue, Issaquah, Mill Creek, Mount Vernon and on Aurora Avenue in Seattle, the outlet's report notes. It marks the latest step in a broader northward push for the company, which has spent the past couple of years reshaping its footprint across the region.
A Mixed-Use Vision Takes Shape
The Marysville project isn't just a standalone burger stand. Earlier reporting from The Puget Sound Business Journal described a mixed-use development planned by Burgermaster's CEO that includes a drive-in restaurant alongside a building with offices and 17 residential units. That outlet's report frames the Marysville site as part of a larger real-estate play rather than a simple restaurant expansion.
The push north comes about five months after Burgermaster launched drive-in dining at its Issaquah location in May 2026, the station's report notes. Founded in 1952, the chain has built its reputation on grass-fed beef burgers, locally sourced ingredients, and classic milkshakes and malts, per the same account.
Closing a 73-Year Chapter in the U District
The Marysville groundbreaking lands against the backdrop of a bittersweet closure. In January 2025, Burgermaster announced it would not renew its lease at its flagship University District location, with the report noting the restaurant's final day of service came on Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, after nearly 73 years in operation.
In a post on its own website at the time, the company confirmed the lease would be terminated, writing that “our lease will be terminated and our small slice of Seattle history will close toward the end of February,” according to Burgermaster. The same post emphasized that the business remains owned and operated by the Jensen family, identifying Alex Jensen as Phil and Mary's grandson and the company's third-generation owner, with plans to keep growing “new locations across Western Washington.”
A January 2025 report from Eater Seattle described Burgermaster as a six-restaurant chain before the University District location closed on Feb. 23, 2025; MyNorthwest's more recent reporting puts the current count at five remaining locations.
A New Root Beer Named for the Founder
Alongside the Marysville expansion, Burgermaster has also been rolling out a new product tied to its origins. Grandpa Phil's Root Beer, named for founder Phil Jensen, became available at all Burgermaster locations on July 1, the station's report states. The soda was developed under the direction of his grandson, Alex Jensen, and contains real cane sugar with no artificial flavors, per the same report.
It's a fitting tribute as the family-owned business approaches its 75th anniversary. With a new restaurant on the way in Marysville and a temporary kitchen set to keep burgers and shakes flowing during construction, Burgermaster appears intent on carrying its decades-old recipe into a new chapter north of Seattle.
