Summary

  • The Bear, a Hulu series, gained popularity and was renewed for a second season due to positive reviews and awards.
  • The show is set in Chicago's River North neighborhood and is filmed on location in various parts of the city.
  • The fictional restaurant, The Original Beef in the show, is based on a real Chicago restaurant called Mr. Beef, which temporarily closed so the cast and crew could film there.

The Hulu comedy-drama television series The Bear became a hit sensation during its first season, which revolved around a struggling Italian beef sandwich shop in Chicago - The Original Beef in Chicagoland. Starring Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Liza Colón-Zayas, and Abby Elliot, the series begins with Carmy (White), returning home to Illinois following his brother's suicide. Carmy's brother, Michael, left the restaurant to him, much to Carmy's dismay, since he was once a prestigious chef who worked in fine-dining establishments in New York City before he returned to Chicago.

Watch on Hulu

Hulu made the easiest decision in the world and renewed the show for a second season shortly following the season 1 finale. The Bear received an overwhelming amount of positive reviews from critics and fans alike, and it even got recognized at some award shows, so it wasn't surprising that Hulu wanted to capitalize on its success. The success of The Bear has seen many wanting to know more about where The Bear takes place.

A composite image of Carmy imposed over pictures of Sydney and Richie from The Bear
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The Bear Is Set In Chicago's River North Neighborhood

Jeremy Allen White in The Bear season 2 putting on apron

The Bear takes place in Chicago, or more specifically, the River North neighborhood, which is right in the heart of the city and where The Beef is located in the show. The cast and crew of the Hulu television series also film the show in Chicago and River North. They shoot scenes on location in different parts of the city. Still, the cast and crew of The Bear also utilize Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, where other shows like Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Chicago Med, Fargo, and more have been filmed.

Part of the season 2 episode "Forks" was filmed at Chicago restaurant Ever, which has two Michelin stars.

The Bear's Original Beef Is Inspired By A Real Chicago Restaurant

Liza Colón-Zayas at the stove in The Bear

The Original Beef of Chicagoland, or The Beef, is (or was) a fictional Italian beef sandwich shop in Hulu's The Bear, but it's based on an authentic restaurant in the River North neighborhood of Chicago called Mr. Beef. Mr. Beef is located at 666 N Orleans St, and, unlike The Beef, it is still open. Joe Zucchero, the original owner of the shop, bought the place from Carl Bonavolanto and Tony Ozzauto in 1979 and made Mr. Beef the establishment that it is today. Sadly, Zucchero died in March 2023, but the restaurant remains in the family.

Even though Mr. Beef was open when The Bear's production team came to Chicago, the restaurant still closed down so that the cast and crew could film at the Italian beef shop that inspired their show. They filmed exterior scenes at Mr. Beef and shot interior scenes at another location. However, while The Bear still pulls inspiration from Mr. Beef for season 2, the characters set out to create a whole new restaurant, named The Bear, just like the show and Carmy's family nickname.