Diner

Seven (1995)

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David Fincher’s 1995 thriller “Seven” filmed primarily in downtown Los Angeles, against muted color tones and an onslaught of rain towers.  Detective Mills, played by Brad Pitt, first meets Detective Somerset, played by Morgan Freeman, at a murder scene in the Flower District of downtown.  As they exit the building, Somerset invites Mills for a drink, but is promptly declined.  The two walk along the building as they continue talking.

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LOCATION: 746 1/2 San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

The pair are introduced to the seven deadly sin killings with the “Gluttony” murder scene, filmed in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles.

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LOCATION: 720 Beacon Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90017

They make their way across a then-vacant lot, along the side of the property to a rear entrance.

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Somerset researches the seven deadly sins at the city library.  This was filmed at the A.G. Bartlett Building in downtown Los Angeles.  The building is currently used for a variety of businesses and lofts.  The property has been seen in countless other films, including “They Live” “The Mask,” “The Wedding Singer,” “L.A. Story,” “The Prestige,” “Ghost,” “Bridesmaids,” “13 Going On 30” and many more.  This area cannot normally be accessed by pedestrians.  However, portions are visible from the street in a couple areas through the windows.

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LOCATION: 650 S Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

Mills runs across the street in the rain to his car, parked across from this ramp to the Millennium Biltmore Hotel on S Grand Ave.  Lady Gaga walks up the same ramp in the opening of “A Star Is Born” and it can also be seen from the opposite view on S Olive St in the film “Chinatown.”

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LOCATION: 530 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071

After the “greed” crime, Mills and Somerset speak with Mrs. Gould at the at the former Ambassador Hotel, where she notices a painting is upside down in one of the crime scene photos. The hotel was a staple of film and television, appearing in such films as “The Graduate,” “Forrest Gump,” “True Romance,” “Bobby,” “True Lies,” “L.A. Story,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “The Mask” and dozens more. The hotel has since been demolished, with only this post and statue from the original building remaining.

LOCATION: 3400 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (now demolished)

Thinking they’ve located the killer, the police raid leads instead to the discovery of the “Sloth” victim at the former Pan American Building, now known as the Pan American Lofts.  The building had a distinctive “Giant Penny Store” sign along the bottom, which is now gone.  However, much of the architecture otherwise remains the same.  The shots seen in the film are actually from the side of the building on W 3rd St.

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LOCATION: 253 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Tracy asks Somerset to meet her at a diner, which was the former Quality Cafe in downtown.  The diner was a one-time staple of films, appearing in “Training Day,” “Ghost World,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Another Day In Paradise,” “(500) Days Of Summer” “Million Dollar Baby,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and many more.  However, it was not an actual restaurant open to the public.  Instead it was used solely for filming (much like Johnie’s Coffee Shop in mid-town L.A.).  Unless the building was being set up for a production, most of the time it was closed up and locked by a large metal door covering the front windows.  So catching a glimpse of it was rare. Sadly, it ceased to function as a filming location and was completely renovated in 2014. The interior of the property no longer bears any resemblance inside to how it appeared in so many films.

LOCATION: 1238 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (since closed and remodeled)

Later in the film, Somerset emerges from this doorway of the Chester Williams Building.

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LOCATION: 215 W 5th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

The fictitious Wild Bill’s Leather could be found on E 6th St in downtown Los Angeles, next to the Nite Owl from “L.A. Confidential” and across the street from where Forrest and Lieutenant Dan celebrate New Year’s in “Forrest Gump.”

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LOCATION: 123 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90013

The police station was a composite of a few different buildings, but the exterior can be found on Mateo St.

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LOCATION: 673 Mateo St, Los Angeles, CA 90021

The film’s infamous ending was shot in Lancaster.  While there are quite a few electrical towers out there, it’s not as dense as what’s seen in the film, indicating some use of visual effects.

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LOCATION: 10482 W Ave I, Lancaster, CA 93536

Related articles: The Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2002), Zodiac (2007), The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (2008), The Social Network (2010), Mindhunter, Mank (2020)

When Harry Met Sally… (1989)

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The 1989 romantic comedy “When Harry Met Sally…” was filmed in New York City, Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California. After driving across the country together, Sally, played by Meg Ryan, drops off Harry, played by Billy Crystal in front of Washington Square Park in New York City. The park has been seen in countless films, including “Kids,” “Chasing Amy,” “I Am Legend,” “Ghostbusters II,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “Serpico” and many more.

LOCATION: Washington Square, New York, NY 10012

The most famous scene in in the film is of course when Sally fakes an orgasm for Harry while sitting in the middle of a deli.  The deli in question would be Katz’s Delicatessen, located in Manhattan’s Lower East Side.  Opened in 1888, the deli is wildly popular for it’s sandwiches, consistently ranking among the highest rated in New York City.  The restaurant has been seen in many films, including “Enchanted,” “Across The Universe,” “Donnie Brasco,” “We Own the Night” and many more, but it remains most synonymous with “When Harry Met Sally…”

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LOCATION: 205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002

This plaque can be found on the sidewalk in front of the building.

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The inside still heavily resembles how it appeared in the film.  The walls are completely covered with photos of endless celebrities who have visited over the years.  Here is a shot of the backdrop behind Harry and Sally’s table.

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Here is the exact spot where Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal filmed their famous scene.

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The deli makes the table quite easy to identify by hanging this sign above it, which references the scene’s famous punchline, stating, “Where Harry met Sally… Hope you have what she had!  Enjoy!”

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If you find yourself in Manhattan and you’re looking for a good sandwich, you can’t go wrong with Katz’s.  The prices aren’t cheap, but the portions are large and the deli itself is just as much of an attraction as the food itself.

True Romance (1993)

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In the 1993 Tony Scott directed, Quentin Tarantino penned film, “True Romance,” the outlaw couple of Clarence, played by Christian Slater and Alabama, played by Patricia Arquette, supposedly meet in Detroit.  In reality, most of the film was shot in Southern California.

In the opening scene of the film, Clarence sits at a bar and talks about Elvis. These scenes were filmed in San Fernando. The bar is only seen from interior views in the film, but you’ll see the distinctive glass block windows match up to those visible behind Clarence in the film.

LOCATION: 1113 San Fernando Rd, San Fernando, CA 91340

Early in the film, Clarence and Alabama watch a Sonny Chiba “Street Fighter” triple feature together.  This was filmed at the Vista Theater, one of L.A.’s best vintage theaters.

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LOCATION: 4473 Sunset Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027

After the movies, the couple goes for coffee and pie at Rae’s Restaurant in Santa Monica.  The restaurant has been used in countless films, such as “Lords Of Dogtown,” “Bowfinger” and “Starsky & Hutch.”

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LOCATION: 2901 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405

The comic book store, “Heroes For Sale,” where Clarence works, was actually “Fantastic Store,” a former comic book, music and vintage store located near the famous intersection of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave in Hollywood.  The store has unfortunately long since closed and bears little resemblance to how it appeared in the film.

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LOCATION: 1718 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028

The billboard location where the two sit outside and talk could be found in downtown Los Angeles at the Dewey Hotel Apartments.  Unfortunately, there is no longer an actual billboard on the side of the building.

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LOCATION: 721 S Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90014

The building where Drexl, played by Gary Oldman, resides was a combination of two locations.  The exterior was located in Downtown Detroit, Michigan.  It was demolished in the 1990s, to make way for a football stadium.  The interior living room, where Clarence confronts Drexl, was actually shot on the other side of the country, back in Los Angeles.  Known as The Beckett Mansion, the property, located in the West Adams neighborhood, actually operates as an event space and filming location year round.  The same house has been featured in Rob Zombie’s “Halloween,” “Neighbors,” “No Strings Attached” and many more.  It’s also located directly across the street from the house from “The People Under The Stairs.”

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LOCATION: 2218 S Harvard Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90018

The apartment of Floyd and Dick Ritchie, played by Brad Pitt and Michael Rapaport respectively, can be found in Hollywood. The scenes were filmed on the upper level unit of the Krotona Apartments. Tarantino himself lived at Krotona Apartments for a time, staying on the couch of writer-director Scott Spiegel, much like Floyd in the film. The apartment is seen only from interior views in the film. This area is on the side of the building.

LOCATION: 2122 Vista Del Mar Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068

Clarence calls Dick Ritchie from a payphone in the desert. The building in the shot has long since been demolished and now its just an empty plot of land. The mountains in the distance can be seen behind Clarence and Alabama in the payphone in multiple shots.

LOCATION: 17012 E Palmdale Blvd Palmdale, CA 93591 (now demolished)

The scene took place near the intersection of 170th St E and E Palmdale Blvd in Palmdale.

The foundation where the building stood still exists.

Dick Ritchie auditions for a role on “T.J. Hooker” at the majestic Castle Green Apartments in Pasadena. The scene was shot on the bridge of Castle Green facing S Raymond Ave. The location is only seen from interior views in the film.

LOCATION: 99 S Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91105

Here’s a closer look at the hallway, which leads into what would have been the casting office in the film. Castle Green has been featured in countless films, such as “The Sting,” “Wild At Heart,” “The Little Rascals,” “Deja Vu,” “Sneakers,” “Bugsy,” “The Last Samurai,” “Puppet Master” and many more.

Later in the film, the couple stays at this motel, supposedly located on the Sunset Strip.  The real motel, the Safari Inn, is actually located just north of L.A., in Burbank, California.

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LOCATION: 1911 W Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91506

The same motel was featured in the films “Apollo 13” and “Coach Carter.”

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The final drug deal takes place at the fictional Beverly Ambassador Hotel. The exterior used in the film is The Athenaeum, an event venue at Caltech in Pasadena. The same building was featured in the films “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Beverly Hills Cop II.”

LOCATION: 551 S Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106

The hotel interiors were filmed at the former Ambassador Hotel, which has since been demolished. The hotel was a staple of film and television, appearing in such films as “The Graduate,” “Forrest Gump,” “Seven,” “Bobby,” “True Lies,” “L.A. Story,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “The Mask” and dozens more. Only this post and statue from the original building remain at the location.

LOCATION: 3400 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010 (now demolished)

Training Day (2001)

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Jake, played by Ethan Hawke, first meets Alonzo, played by Denzel Washington, at the Quality Cafe in Antoine Fuqua’s 2001 film “Training Day.”  The diner was a one-time staple of films, appearing in “Seven,” “Ghost World,” “Catch Me If You Can,” “Another Day In Paradise,” “(500) Days Of Summer” “Million Dollar Baby,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and dozens more.  However, it was not an actual restaurant open to the public.  Instead it was used solely for filming.  Sadly, it ceased to function as a filming location and was completely renovated in 2014.  The interior of the property no longer bears any resemblance inside to how it appeared in so many films.

LOCATION: 1238 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017 (since closed and remodeled)

Later in the film, Jake finds himself set up inside this drug dealer’s house.  The house can be found perched on a hill in the Everett Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.  The home was used again in the 2009 Sam Raimi film, “Drag Me To Hell,” as the residence of Alison Lohman’s character.

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LOCATION: 1031 Everett St, Los Angeles, CA 90026