EDMONTON—Even the Hooters girls want him.

Teen pop sensation Justin Bieber turned more than a few heads when he dropped into the Hooters restaurant in the West Edmonton Mall on Saturday.

"Within 30 to 45 seconds from him walking in the door we had anywhere from 150 to 200 people standing out front," explained assistant manager Les Johansen, who said he offered to let Bieber take pictures with the Hooter girls.

"He's like, 'That's what I'm here for.'"

Bieber, who is in Edmonton for a performance Sunday, went for a stroll through Canada's largest mall on Saturday afternoon.

The 16-year-old stayed in Hooters just long enough to pose for photos with some of the waitresses who were in their famous curve-hugging white and orange outfits.

The impromptu appearance was spurred by a performance from the band which provides backup vocals for Bieber's show.

The group was in the restaurant earlier singing in return for a free meal when assistant manager Les Johansen told the singers they should bring Bieber by if he was in the mall.

Johansen says about 15 minutes later, Bieber arrived.

"Our front entrance was just packed with people instantly. He lined up and took some pictures, and then peaced out," Johansen said.

"The whole crowd followed him."

Servers at the Hooters were a bit starstruck.

"I quickly ran upstairs and grabbed the camera and then came back down," said Richelle, a server who didn't give her last name.

And her first reaction when asked what Bieber was like?

"Short," she said, adding quickly, "he seems like a very nice boy."

Johansen said there was no problem admitting the teenager. He said Hooters is more like a family restaurant than a bar, and that minors are welcome.

"We have colouring pages and stuff like that," he said.