They film Chicago Fire primarily on location in Chicago, using a mix of a real working firehouse, city exteriors, and studio sets.

Where Do They Film Chicago Fire?

The Real “Firehouse 51”

The most iconic filming spot is the real Chicago Fire Department firehouse that stands in for Firehouse 51.

It’s located at 1360 S. Blue Island Avenue, Chicago, IL , and is an active station (Engine 18) where the crew regularly shoots exterior scenes and some interiors when possible.

Fans often visit this spot just to grab a photo in front of the recognizable red doors and the “51” over the entrance.

Studio Work: Cinespace Chicago Film Studios

Many interiors—like detailed station sets, apartments, offices, and complex stunt setups—are filmed on soundstages at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios.

Using studios lets the production safely stage fires, explosions, and large stunt sequences with controlled lighting, sprinkler systems, and special effects.

Around the City of Chicago

Beyond the firehouse and studios, Chicago Fire shoots all over the city to keep the show visually grounded in real Chicago.

Commonly used spots include:

  • Chicago streets and neighborhoods for callout scenes and rescues
  • Chicago Fire Academy at 558 W. De Koven Street, tied to the city’s firefighting history
  • Landmark areas like Millennium Park, Navy Pier, The Bean, Chicago’s lakeshore, North Avenue Beach, and views over the Magnificent Mile and Chicago River

You’ll also occasionally see set pieces built in plazas or intersections (for example, crash sites with overturned cars and fake debris) for big action scenes.

Molly’s Bar and Other Fan-Favorite Spots

Just like the firehouse, other recurring locations are based on real Chicago places.

  • Molly’s Bar is filmed at a real neighborhood bar in Chicago that stands in for the on-screen hangout owned by Mouch, Herrmann, and Trudy.
  • Various local shops, streets, and restaurants are reused across seasons as background for character moments and relationship scenes.

Fans often build DIY “location tours” around Firehouse 51, Molly’s, and some of the downtown landmarks frequently shown in the series.

Quick HTML Table of Key Locations

[1][3][7][9][5] [3][7][1][5] [9][5] [5] [5]
Location What It Is in the Show Real-World Details
1360 S. Blue Island Ave Firehouse 51 (main station) Working CFD firehouse, Engine 18, exterior and some interior filming.
Cinespace Chicago Film Studios Interior sets, controlled stunt scenes Soundstages used for sets like firehouse interiors, apartments, offices.
Chicago Fire Academy Training & firefighting history Appears in the show; located at 558 W. De Koven Street.
Downtown Chicago landmarks City backdrops for calls and transitions Millennium Park, Navy Pier, The Bean, lakeshore, North Avenue Beach, Magnificent Mile, Chicago River views.
Local neighborhood bar (Molly’s) Molly’s Bar hangout spot Real Chicago bar used for the characters’ off-duty scenes.
**TL;DR:** _Chicago Fire_ is filmed mostly in real Chicago at the working firehouse at 1360 S. Blue Island Ave (Firehouse 51), on soundstages at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, and across many recognizable city landmarks and streets.

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