If you know me at all, you should know that Friends is (and forever will be) my favorite TV show. I’m actually wearing my Friends t-shirt while I’m working on this post! It’s only since re-watching the series over the last month or two that I’ve really realized that so many of my quotes, expressions, and mannerisms can be traced back to Friends. Whether that’s a good or bad thing remains to be seen… But on my first trip to New York City, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see the apartment building where the gang lived in real life!

All of the interior shots were filmed in studio, and you need to visit the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Hollywood in order to see it. BUT, the outside apartment is indeed real, and located in NYC’s West Village!

The address you’ll want to find is 90 Bedford Street, New York, NY 10014, at the crossing of Bedford and Grove streets in Greenwich Village.

The exterior street signs, with the junction of Bedford and Grove Streets, are shown frequently throughout many Friends episodes.

The Little Owl restaurant is on the ground floor of the building (and open for business like any regular restaurant, 11:45am-2:30pm Monday-Friday for lunch, 9:30am-2:30pm Saturday-Sunday for brunch, and daily for dinner 5:00-11:00pm).

And don’t miss the owl perched on the building across the street, a reference to the restaurant!

This is a shot of what the apartment building looks like in the show.

Unfortunately, Ugly Naked Guy’s Apartment (where Ross also lives from Season 5 onwards) was under construction when I visited.

But you can still visit it at 19-21 Grove Street, directly across from the Friends apartment building.

Here’s what Ugly Naked Guy/Ross’s apartment building looks like in the show.

Also, I read somewhere that people think that the Friends beginning credits theme song shots, where the gang is playing around in a fountain, was filmed in Washington Square Park.

It definitely wasn’t, since the fountain in Washington Square Park doesn’t look at all like the one from Friends!

Greenwich Village (and specifically the West Village) is a very beautiful, residential neighborhood. If you’re in the neighborhood, you can also visit Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment at 66 Perry Street!

And don’t miss the chance to eat anything and everything (but especially cupcakes) at Magnolia Bakery (401 Bleecker Street). Funny enough, I met two Australian girls at the Friends apartment, and we ended up at Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment and Magnolia Bakery all at the same time, visiting each in the same order!

If you’re a fan of Friends, this is one thing you can’t miss on a visit to New York City!

Have you ever visited any filming locations? Let me know in the comments below!