'Seinfeld' Was Filmed in These New York City Locations
Oct. 18 2019, Updated 5:17 p.m. ET
Like Friends, Broad City, or Brooklyn Nine-Nine, 90s NBC sitcom, Seinfeld, is a quintessential New York T.V. show. And whether you live in the Big Apple, or if you're simply visiting, stopping by the show's filming locations is basically a right of passage.
Although Elaine's Chelsea townhouse recently went on the market, according to Travel and Leisure, and the facade of Jerry's apartment was filmed in Los Angeles, these are filming locations from Seinfeld that you can actually visit.
1. Tom’s Restaurant (aka Monk’s Café), 2880 Broadway, NY, NY
On the corner of Broadway and West 112th lies Tom's Restaurant, which is where the facade of the classic Seinfeld hangout spot, Monks, is located.
Although the inside was filmed on a set, Tom's has since remodeled its inside dining area to reflect how it looked in the show, according to Free Tours By Foot. So bottom line: you could get some pretty hilarious Insta pics in there while dining on a "big salad."
2. The Original Soup Man, 259-A W 55th Street
Yes, the Original Soup Man chain from Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi" episode exists, and it's located at West 55th Street. According to City Lab, the real life Soup Man is named Al Yeganeh. Rumor has it that he actually kind of resembles the show's abrasive character.
However, Al was unsurprisingly unamused by Jerry's portrayal, and has banned the comedian from entering his restaurant. He does, however, lean into the joke, boasting a sign that cleverly reads, "Soup for you!" in his stall.
3. The Improv, 358 W. 44th Street
According to City Lab, Jerry's monologue openings were filmed at The Improv, which is a former comedy club. It was also the starting point for the Kramer Reality Tour, which was led by the real-life person Kramer's character was based on.
Sadly, the venue filed for bankruptcy in 1992 and shut down in 1993. Nowadays, it's home to the Producers Club, which is a "creative space" for actors and producers.
4. Metro Theater, 2626 Broadway
Elaine's infamous "you can't spare a square?" bit took place in the bathroom of the Metro Theatre. That's where Jerry, Elaine, and the gang often went to hang out and go on dates.
The facade of the Upper West Side cinema is located at 2626 Broadway, between 99th and 100th street, according to ILoveTheUpperWestSide.com, and if you do decide to go, make sure to spare your stall neighbor a damn square.
5. West Side YMCA, 5 W. 63rd Street
In case you don't recall, former Mets super star, Keith Hernandez and Jerry meet at the West Side YMCA, according to Free Tours By Foot, and the scene was actually filmed there. Newman and Kramer come after him for spitting on them, but then, Elaine starts dating him.
There are so many fun spots where Seinfeld was filmed, and visiting them makes your New York experience seem so much more authentic. At this point, I almost want to buy Elaine's apartment for myself... anyone want to pitch in?
