The Manhattan Bridge framed by the historic brick buildings of DUMBO, Brooklyn, during sunset. Photo by eFlexion / Shutterstock.
New York City has never needed a Hollywood backlot. Its streets, parks, restaurants, hotels, bridges, stations, and landmark buildings have given filmmakers settings no studio could fully reproduce. Many of those places are still part of everyday New York, so movie fans can stand where famous scenes were actually filmed rather than looking at locations that disappeared years ago.
The twenty locations below stretch across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. Some are businesses you can enter, while others are active public buildings, residential properties, streets, parks, or transportation facilities that you should view respectfully. Hours, access, and operating conditions can change, so it is always worth checking ahead before making a special trip. From Katz’s Delicatessen and the Ghostbusters firehouse to the Joker Stairs, Grand Central Terminal, Coney Island, and the unforgettable DUMBO view from Once Upon a Time in America, these are twenty New York City movie locations you can still visit today.
Katz’s Delicatessen (When Harry Met Sally…)
Address: 205 East Houston Street, Lower East Side, Manhattan
The Scene: Rob Reiner’s 1989 romantic comedy gave Katz’s one of the most famous restaurant scenes in movie history. Harry, played by Billy Crystal, and Sally, played by Meg Ryan, sit across from each other while debating whether men can tell when a woman is faking sexual satisfaction. Sally then proves her point, after which an older customer, played by Reiner’s mother, Estelle Reiner, delivers the unforgettable line, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
What You Can Visit: Katz’s remains a working Lower East Side delicatessen at the same East Houston Street location. The table associated with the scene is marked inside the restaurant, and the deli continues to embrace its connection to the film.
Hook & Ladder Company 8 (Ghostbusters)
Address: 14 North Moore Street, Tribeca, Manhattan
The Scene: The exterior of this Tribeca firehouse became Ghostbusters headquarters in Ivan Reitman’s 1984 film. Peter Venkman, Ray Stantz, Egon Spengler, and Winston Zeddemore operate from the building while the Ecto-1 comes and goes through the apparatus doors. The firehouse interiors were filmed at a former fire station in Los Angeles, but the unmistakable New York exterior is the real Hook & Ladder Company 8.
What You Can Visit: Hook & Ladder 8 is still an active FDNY firehouse, not a movie museum. Fans can photograph the exterior from the public sidewalk, but visitors should never block the doors, interfere with firefighters, or enter the station without permission.
Tiffany & Co. Landmark (Breakfast at Tiffany’s)
Address: 727 Fifth Avenue at 57th Street, Midtown Manhattan
The Scene: Blake Edwards’s 1961 film opens with Audrey Hepburn’s Holly Golightly arriving on an almost empty Fifth Avenue at dawn. Wearing her black Givenchy dress and sunglasses, she eats breakfast while looking through the windows of Tiffany & Co., creating one of the defining images of New York movie history.
What You Can Visit: Tiffany’s Fifth Avenue flagship, now called The Landmark, remains at 727 Fifth Avenue and reopened after a major redesign in 2023. Visitors can explore the store, and the Blue Box Café offers breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner with reservations.
The Plaza Hotel (Home Alone 2: Lost in New York)
Address: 768 Fifth Avenue at Central Park South, Midtown Manhattan
The Scene: In Chris Columbus’s 1992 sequel, Kevin McCallister arrives at The Plaza alone and uses his father’s credit card to check into one of New York’s most famous hotels. The film uses the hotel’s entrance and interiors as Kevin turns his unexpected trip to New York into an extravagant adventure.
What You Can Visit: The Plaza remains a working luxury hotel and still celebrates its connection to Home Alone 2. The Fifth Avenue exterior is easy to see from the public sidewalk, while non-guests can experience parts of the hotel through dining, shopping, and other reservations. Interior access can vary depending on hotel operations and events.
Washington Street at Water Street (Once Upon a Time in America)
Address: Washington Street and Water Street, DUMBO, Brooklyn
The Scene: Sergio Leone’s 1984 crime epic produced one of the most recognizable Brooklyn images ever put on film: young members of the neighborhood gang walking along Washington Street with the Manhattan Bridge filling the background. The bridge, red-brick warehouse buildings, and distant Empire State Building create a composition that became inseparable from the film.
What You Can Visit: Washington Street remains a public street in DUMBO, and the famous Manhattan Bridge view is still there. The neighborhood is considerably busier than it appears in the film, so visitors should stay out of the roadway and respect residents and businesses while taking photographs.
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library (Ghostbusters)
Address: 476 Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, Midtown Manhattan
The Scene: Ghostbusters opens at the New York Public Library, where supernatural activity sends a librarian fleeing through the building. Exterior scenes and footage on the main floor and in the reading room were filmed at the Fifth Avenue library, while portions of the basement-stack sequence were created elsewhere.
What You Can Visit: The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building remains one of New York’s great public interiors. Visitors can enter the landmark building, explore exhibitions and public spaces, and see the Rose Main Reading Room during designated visiting hours or official tours.
The West 167th Street Stairs (Joker)
Address: West 167th Street between Shakespeare and Anderson Avenues, Highbridge, the Bronx
The Scene: Todd Phillips’s 2019 film repeatedly shows Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, climbing the steep public staircase. Near the film’s climax, a transformed Fleck dances down the steps in his Joker suit, turning an ordinary Bronx step street into an internationally recognized movie location.
What You Can Visit: The so-called Joker Stairs are a real public pedestrian connection used by neighborhood residents every day. They can be visited freely, but this is a residential area rather than an attraction built for tourists, so photographs should be taken without blocking the stairs or disturbing people who live nearby.
Grand Central Terminal (The Fisher King)
Address: 89 East 42nd Street at Park Avenue, Midtown Manhattan
The Scene: Terry Gilliam’s 1991 film contains one of the most beautiful fantasy sequences ever filmed inside Grand Central. As Parry, played by Robin Williams, follows Lydia, played by Amanda Plummer, hundreds of commuters in the Main Concourse suddenly become ballroom dancers and sweep across the terminal in an enormous waltz.
What You Can Visit: Grand Central remains one of the busiest transportation landmarks in the country and is open to the public daily. Visitors can walk through the Main Concourse beneath the celestial ceiling, see the famous information-booth clock, visit the Whispering Gallery, shop, dine, or take an official tour.
Bethesda Terrace and Fountain (Elf, Enchanted, and John Wick: Chapter 2)
Address: Central Park at approximately 72nd Street, Manhattan
The Scene: Bethesda Terrace is one of New York’s most frequently filmed public spaces. It appears during the Central Park sequences in Elf, became a centerpiece of the huge “That’s How You Know” musical number in Enchanted, and appears near the end of John Wick: Chapter 2 when John meets Winston after breaking the rules of the Continental.
What You Can Visit: Bethesda Terrace and Fountain remain at the architectural heart of Central Park. Visitors can walk through the Minton-tiled arcade, look across the Lake, and stand beside the Angel of the Waters fountain without paying admission.
Empire Diner (Men in Black II)
Address: 210 Tenth Avenue at West 22nd Street, Chelsea, Manhattan
The Scene: The stainless-steel Empire Diner appears in Barry Sonnenfeld’s 2002 sequel Men in Black II. Agent J, played by Will Smith, brings Laura Vasquez, played by Rosario Dawson, to the diner as the story moves through a collection of recognizable New York locations.
What You Can Visit: The Empire Diner is still operating at 210 Tenth Avenue. The landmark diner has been updated over the years, but the distinctive exterior remains recognizable and the restaurant continues to serve customers in Chelsea.
The Unisphere and New York State Pavilion (Men in Black)
Address: Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens
The Scene: Barry Sonnenfeld’s 1997 Men in Black turns the surviving structures of the 1964–1965 New York World’s Fair into part of its alien mythology. The New York State Pavilion’s observation towers are revealed as disguised spacecraft, and the climactic battle sends a downed alien ship crashing through the Unisphere.
What You Can Visit: The Unisphere remains the great visual symbol of Flushing Meadows Corona Park and can be viewed from the surrounding public paths. The New York State Pavilion also survives nearby, although access to individual structures can be restricted depending on restoration and park operations.
Sutton Square and Riverview Terrace (Manhattan)
Address: Sutton Square and Riverview Terrace near East 58th Street, Manhattan
The Scene: In Woody Allen’s 1979 film Manhattan, Isaac and Mary, played by Allen and Diane Keaton, sit in the predawn darkness and look toward the illuminated Queensboro Bridge. The black-and-white composition became one of the film’s defining images and was used in its promotional artwork.
What You Can Visit: The East River overlook and bridge view remain, although the bench seen in the movie was a prop and is not there today. Visitors can still reach the Sutton Square and Riverview Terrace area and see the Queensboro Bridge from approximately the same angle.
55 Central Park West (Ghostbusters)
Address: 55 Central Park West at West 66th Street, Upper West Side, Manhattan
The Scene: This Art Deco apartment building became “Spook Central,” the home of Dana Barrett and the site of the climactic confrontation with Gozer in Ghostbusters. The real building provided the exterior, while filmmakers added extra stories and the enormous rooftop temple through sets, models, and matte effects.
What You Can Visit: 55 Central Park West is still a private residential building. The exterior can be viewed from the public sidewalk and from across Central Park West, but visitors should respect residents and should not attempt to enter the property.
Neir’s Tavern (Goodfellas)
Address: 87-48 78th Street, Woodhaven, Queens
The Scene: Martin Scorsese filmed several Goodfellas scenes inside Neir’s Tavern. The Woodhaven bar is associated particularly with Jimmy Conway, played by Robert De Niro, and the aftermath of the Lufthansa robbery as Jimmy becomes increasingly furious over members of the crew drawing attention to themselves.
What You Can Visit: Neir’s remains an operating neighborhood tavern and openly celebrates its film history. Visitors can eat and drink inside the same Queens bar used in Goodfellas, where photographs and memorabilia recall its connection to the movie.
The Dakota (Rosemary’s Baby)
Address: 1 West 72nd Street at Central Park West, Manhattan
The Scene: Roman Polanski used the exterior of the Dakota as the fictional Bramford apartment building in the 1968 horror classic Rosemary’s Baby. Its massive Gothic-inspired facade and entrance gave the movie exactly the imposing New York presence needed for the home where Rosemary Woodhouse slowly realizes something is terribly wrong.
What You Can Visit: The Dakota remains one of New York’s most famous private apartment buildings. Visitors can view and photograph the exterior from the public sidewalk, but the building is residential and its interior is not a tourist attraction.
Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral (The Godfather Part III)
Address: 263 Mulberry Street, Nolita, Manhattan
The Scene: Francis Ford Coppola returned to New York church settings for The Godfather Part III. The Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral was used for the ceremony in which Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino, receives a papal honor. The Fifth Avenue St. Patrick’s Cathedral also appears as an exterior in the film, but the Old Cathedral on Mulberry and Mott Streets is the location associated with the ceremony itself.
What You Can Visit: The Old Cathedral remains an active Roman Catholic parish and historic basilica. Visitors can attend services and see the landmark church, but they should remember that it is a functioning place of worship rather than a film set.
Gapstow Bridge (Home Alone 2: Lost in New York)
Address: The Pond, Central Park East Side at approximately 62nd Street, Manhattan
The Scene: Gapstow Bridge and the surrounding Pond provide the setting for several encounters between Kevin McCallister and the Pigeon Lady in Home Alone 2. The stone bridge and Midtown skyline create one of the movie’s most recognizable Central Park settings.
What You Can Visit: Built in 1896, the present Gapstow Bridge remains open to pedestrians in the southeast corner of Central Park. It offers a classic view across the Pond toward the Plaza Hotel and the towers of Central Park South.
Radio City Music Hall (The Godfather)
Address: 1260 Avenue of the Americas at West 50th Street, Midtown Manhattan
The Scene: In The Godfather, Michael Corleone and Kay Adams leave Radio City Music Hall after seeing The Bells of St. Mary’s. Moments later, Michael spots newspaper headlines reporting that his father has been shot, pulling him back toward the family world he had hoped to avoid.
What You Can Visit: Radio City Music Hall remains one of New York’s great entertainment landmarks. Visitors can see the famous marquee from the street, attend performances, and take scheduled tours of the Art Deco interior.
The Roosevelt Island Tramway (Spider-Man)
Address: Manhattan Tramway Plaza at East 59th Street and Second Avenue to Roosevelt Island
The Scene: Sam Raimi’s 2002 Spider-Man uses the Roosevelt Island Tramway during the Green Goblin’s climactic attack, when Spider-Man is forced to choose between rescuing Mary Jane Watson and saving passengers suspended above the East River.
What You Can Visit: The Roosevelt Island Tram continues to operate year-round between Manhattan and Roosevelt Island. It accepts standard MTA fares, including OMNY, and gives riders sweeping views of the East River, Queensboro Bridge, and Manhattan skyline.
Coney Island Boardwalk and Beach (The Warriors)
Address: Riegelmann Boardwalk near Stillwell Avenue, Coney Island, Brooklyn
The Scene: Walter Hill’s 1979 cult film The Warriors follows its title gang through a dangerous overnight journey across New York’s subway system as they try to get back home to Coney Island. The final confrontation takes place on the beach after the Warriors finally return to their seaside neighborhood at dawn.
What You Can Visit: Coney Island’s boardwalk and beach remain open public destinations, while nearby attractions including Deno’s Wonder Wheel and the Cyclone continue the amusement-district atmosphere seen throughout New York movie history. Ride operations are seasonal, but the boardwalk and neighborhood can be visited throughout the year.
Movie fans can continue exploring New York on screen with our Top 15 Essential New York Movies, our history of Ghostbusters’ Role in New York’s Hook & Ladder Company 8, and our guide to Famous Movies Filmed in Central Park and Where to Find the Scenes Today. Readers can also learn more about The Attraction and History of the New York Public Library and Grand Central Terminal, A Postmodern Cathedral.
