US Trends

where was suits filmed

Short answer:
Suits is set in New York City, but almost all of it was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, Canada , with only the pilot and a few exterior/title-sequence shots filmed in New York City itself.

Main filming locations

  • Primary city: Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
  • Story setting: Manhattan, New York City (the show’s fictional law firm is in NYC, even though filming was mostly in Canada).
  • Pilot episode: Filmed in New York City, including real NYC exteriors and law-office interiors.
  • Studio interiors: Downsview Park Studios in Toronto, where the firm’s office sets were built to mimic high-end Manhattan law offices.

Notable Toronto spots that “played” New York

  • Bay Adelaide Centre / Bay Adelaide West – Used for the sleek corporate exteriors of the law firm and surrounding “NYC” financial district streets.
  • Richmond-Adelaide Centre and nearby financial district streets – Frequent street-walking, power-talking scenes with Harvey and Mike.
  • Ritz-Carlton, Toronto (181 Wellington St W) – Location for some of the show’s luxury hotel and meeting scenes.
  • Cloud Gardens and other downtown Toronto spots – Used for outdoor conversations and walk-and-talk scenes.
  • Sobeys Stadium (North York) – Used when the story needed a Queens/tennis setting.

Why they filmed Suits in Toronto

  • Cost and incentives: Toronto offered attractive production tax credits and was more cost-effective than filming full-time in New York City.
  • Visual match: Toronto’s financial district skyscrapers and modern glass towers closely resemble Manhattan, making it easy to “cheat” the look of NYC.
  • Studio space: Large stages like Downsview Park Studios made it practical to build and maintain the show’s detailed office interiors for many seasons.

In other words, when you’re watching Harvey Specter stare out over “Manhattan,” you’re almost always looking at Toronto cleverly dressed up as New York.

TL;DR:

  • Set in: New York City (Manhattan).
  • Mostly filmed in: Toronto, Ontario (financial district + studios).
  • Actual NYC filming: Mainly the pilot and a handful of exterior/title shots.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.