How I Met Your Mother Filming Locations

How I Met Your Mother features authentic Big Apple filming locations, despite being filmed on a soundstage like other famous New York-based sitcoms like Friends and Seinfeld. Marshall mocks real-life New York burger joints like Corner Bistro and Paul’s Da Burger Joint in his eight-year long search for “The Best Burger in New York.” The quest finally leads him to 106th St and Manhattan Ave, which in reality is Ichie Japanese Restaurant. In this same episode, we visit Barney hard at work at Goliath National Bank, located on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. In the episode “Woooo!” the gang visits a country-western style bar that resembles Cowgirl Hall of Fame on 519 Hudson Street. The bar was also featured on an episode of Sex and the City and can be seen on our Sex and the City Hotspots Tour. But the most famous hang-out spot of the How I Met Your Mother crew is without a doubt MacLaren’s.

Stay up to date with what’s filming in New York on our Blog for a chance see your favorite shows and TV stars in action in New York.

Still Wondering about other How I Met Your Mother Filming Locations? Including the bar from How I Met Your Mother?

One of the most recognizable filming locations from How I met Your Mother is the fictional MacLaren’s which was inspired by McGee’s Pub on West 55th Street. How I Met Your Mother creators Craig Thomas and Carter Bays were regulars at McGee’s when they were writers for The Late Show with David Letterman, and they loved the pub’s mural so much they wanted to incorporate it into the show. So where did the name “MacLaren’s” come from? Carter Bays’ assistant is named Carl MacLaren. The writers also named the show’s bartender Carl. McGee’s itself gets a shout-out when Marshall makes a pie chart of his favorite bars in the episode “Right Place, Right Time.” Tour goers are treated to a special discount to McGee’s pub when they take either of our New York TV and movie-themed tours.

* In an effort to stay current, we are constantly updating our tours with new locations and cannot guarantee the presence of locations mentioned on our site. If you have a particular interest in locations from a specific TV show or movie, please let your tour guide know and we will do our best to accommodate your request.