Friends Apartment NYC — 90 Bedford Street, Greenwich Village

Every Friends fan knows the shot: the fountain, the couch, and that red-brick apartment building with the fire escape. It's one of the most photographed TV locations in New York — but most people get it wrong. The real Friends apartment is not in the West Village. It's at 90 Bedford Street, on the corner of Grove Street, in Greenwich Village.

Where exactly is the Friends building?

The building used for the exterior shots of Monica, Rachel, Chandler and Joey's apartment is at 90 Bedford Street, New York, NY 10014. The corner of Bedford and Grove Streets looks almost exactly as it did when Friends aired — which is why it has become a pilgrimage site for TV fans from around the world.

Getting there: take the 1 train to Christopher Street–Sheridan Square, or the A/C/E/B/D/F/M to West 4th Street–Washington Square. From Grand Central Terminal, it's about 25 minutes by subway or a lovely 2-mile walk through SoHo and Washington Square Park.

Can you go inside the Friends apartment?

No. 90 Bedford Street is a private residence — you can photograph the exterior from the street, but there is no public access inside. And here's the TV secret: the interiors of Monica's apartment (the purple walls, the yellow frame, the giant dog painting) were never filmed in New York at all. They were a soundstage set in Los Angeles. The exterior is real Greenwich Village; the inside is pure Hollywood.

Friends filming locations worth pairing with the apartment

The Friends apartment sits in the middle of Manhattan's most film-dense neighborhoods. A block away you'll find the Magnolia Bakery (the cupcake shop from the famous "I take the elevator" scene), and a short walk brings you to Washington Square Park, which has appeared in dozens of films.

If you're planning a day of TV history, our NYC smart-glasses movie & TV history walking tour covers Grand Central Terminal, the Chrysler Building, the New York Public Library, Times Square and Rockefeller Center — the other half of Manhattan's screen history. Combine it with your own Greenwich Village Friends pilgrimage for the full picture.

Frequently asked questions