where was seinfeld filmed
Seinfeld Filming Locations Unveiled Seinfeld, the iconic "show about nothing," was set in New York City but primarily filmed in Los Angeles studios to capture its neurotic urban vibe. This mix of real NYC exteriors and LA soundstages created the illusion of Jerry's Upper West Side life.
Primary Studio Sites
Most interior scenes unfolded at CBS Studio Center (now Radford Studio Center) in Studio City, Los Angeles. Seasons 1-3 used Stage 19 for Jerry's apartment and Monk's Cafe, then shifted to the larger Stage 9.
- Pilot episode: Shot at Stage 8, Red Studios (formerly Desilu Cahuenga), 846 N. Cahuenga Blvd., Hollywood.
- Backlot exteriors: Universal Studios' Brownstone Street for New York-style walks; CBS's New York Street and Central Park backlots.
The pilot's raw energy came from these early LA stages, where Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David honed the multi-camera setup before the show's explosive popularity.
Iconic Apartment Exterior
Jerry's famous brownstone was 757 New Hampshire, Los Angeles, CA —a real spot fans still visit for photos. No actual interiors were filmed there; all inside action stayed on soundstages.
"While the show is set in New York City, most of the scenes were filmed in Los Angeles, California. Filming locations included CBS Studio Center."
Monk's Cafe & NYC Touches
Monk's exterior drew from Tom's Restaurant at 2880 Broadway, NYC—a real diner that became a pilgrimage site. LA backlots handled street scenes, blending authenticity with efficiency.
Other NYC spots appeared in establishing shots:
- 1049 5th Ave (Season 6, Episode 6).
- 1125 Park Ave (Beth's apartment).
- Various like 114 W 16th St for specific episodes.
Behind-the-Scenes Insights
Production designer Thomas Azzari noted the chaos: "We had so many sets that the stage wasn’t big enough—we had to move to the biggest stage on the lot." Larry David pushed for perfection, often rewriting jokes on the fly.
Fun fact: Episodes like "The Trip" flipped the script with real LA locations, like Radford Studio Center's gate crash. Over 1,380 sets across nine seasons fueled the show's detailed world.
Fan Perspectives & Trending Spots
Fans on forums geek out over then-vs-now tours, like YouTube's "Real Seinfeld Filming Locations" videos from LA pilgrimages. As of 2026, these sites trend on location-hunting TikToks and Reddit threads—no major changes post-2025 finale anniversaries.
Location Type| LA Site Used| NYC Counterpart/Role
---|---|---
Main Studios| CBS Studio Center, Stage 9/19| Interiors (apartments, cafe) 9
Jerry's Exterior| 757 New Hampshire| Upper West Side brownstone 1
Monk's Exterior| N/A (stock shots)| Tom's Restaurant, 2880 Broadway 5
Streets/Parks| Universal/CBS backlots| NYC walks & Central Park 1
TL;DR: Seinfeld's heart beat in LA studios like CBS Studio Center, with NYC exteriors for flavor—perfect for its "nothing" genius.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.