How Much Of Friends Was Actually Filmed In New York

The characters in Friends all lived and worked in Manhattan, but very little from the show was filmed there. Here’s what was actually in New York.
Although the famous sitcom Friends was set in New York City, it turns out that very little from the show was actually filmed in the Big Apple. Monica, Chandler, Ross, Rachel, Joey, and Phoebe all lived and worked in different places around Manhattan throughout the series, but filming took place on the opposite end of the country. Friends has faced criticism over the years for its accurate depiction of spacious New York apartments and how the friends could afford the rent. But executive producer Kevin Bright noted that the sets needed ample space for the camera equipment, plus enough room for the live audience to see what was going on.
Despite its inaccuracies, Friends is one of the most popular television shows of all time. The first season premiered on NBC in 1994, and the series wrapped up after its tenth season in 2004. Friends earned over 60 Emmy nominations during its broadcast run, and it has gained popularity with younger fans thanks to its availability on streaming services like Netflix and now HBO Max. On May 27, 2021, a highly-anticipated Friends reunion special debuted on HBO Max that featured the original cast members, several guest appearances, and various behind-the-scenes moments.

Although Friends coincides with New York City, filming for the show mostly took place at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California (via Condé Nast Traveler). The first season was shot on Stage 5 before production moved to the larger Stage 24 space for the rest of the show. After the series finale, the stage was renamed “The Friends Stage.” Aside from the season 4 finale, which was shot in London, filming remained in California. From Monica’s apartment to the Central Perk coffee shop, the sets were all indoors at the studio. Bright felt that filming outside of the studio negatively impacted the show’s intended humor. Even the outdoor lot, which was notably used for the gang’s football game in a Thanksgiving episode of Friends, was scarcely utilized. The fountain used for the opening credits was not one of two speculated locations in New York but actually the Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank as well.
While the interior sets from Friends were on the West Coast, the exterior of the friends’ apartment building was an actual place in New York City. On the southeast corner of Grove Street and Bedford Street in Lower Manhattan’s West Village neighborhood is the building where Monica, Rachel, Chandler, and Joey reside. Some have speculated that Ugly Naked Guy, the friends’ elusive and unclothed neighbor, lived at the real-life 19 Grove Street nearby. At one point in the show, Phoebe had mentioned that she lived on 5 Morton Street, which is just a few blocks away.
Other landmarks from Friends that are located in Manhattan include many of the characters’ workplaces. The office building where Chandler had a famous unknown job is the Solow Building located at W 57th Street. Rachel’s job at Bloomingdales would have been at the real store on Third Avenue, and Monica’s stint as a waitress at Moondance Diner was based on the former restaurant on Sixth Avenue. Friends included a lot of New York references, but the show ultimately had its home in California.