The Amazon Prime series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has quickly become an award-winning show from the team behind Gilmore Girls. It tells of a woman who is left by her husband and her new career as a stand-up comedienne.
It’s based in New York City during the 1950s and 60s, especially in the Jewish communities and in Greenwich Village. The show features real people from history as well as venues from the time period. The best part is that you can see some of these places in real life!
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Mrs. Maisel’s Marvelous Tour of New York City
On Location Tours, the top filming locations tour company of New York City, launched their Mrs. Maisel’s Marvelous Tour of New York City tour recently to showcase the best places from the show. They also have tours of Sex and the City (which I’ve been on!), Gossip Girl, and The Sopranos locations.
The tour began in mid-December and runs on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 12 to 2:30 pm. The guide is one of three local actresses dressed like Midge. It operates rain or shine and includes a portion on the bus and on foot. The tour costs $52.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Filming Locations
The best part about the show is that so much is filmed on location throughout the city. While some are in the studio in Brooklyn, this tour visits many Mrs. Maisel filming locations. Some are stops you can walk in while others are quickly pointed out on the bus. Many of these places are small so set aside time to come back later for the full experience.
City University of New York Graduate Center
The tour starts at the City University of New York Graduate Center, one part of the university’s sprawling campus. The exterior staircase is the set for the entrance to B. Altman’s department store where Midge works in the call center and later the makeup counter.
What makes it so unique is that the building is the original location of the real-life department store. While the interior was a set in Brooklyn, the team used archive information from the brands the store carried.
365 5th Avenue, NoMad
The National Arts Club
The National Arts Club is a real private club where members and their guests can have lunch. It’s here that Joel brings Penny to meet his parents. They famously say “no” about her and “shiksas are for practice.”
While you can’t go inside, you can get a quick peek in the window. Instead, have a bite at Pete’s Tavern, a bar that has been continuously operating since 1864.
15 Gramercy Park South, Gramercy Park
Old Town Bar
Just a few blocks away is the Old Town Bar which opened in 1891 and survived prohibition as a “restaurant.” They have the original dumbwaiter and pressed tin ceiling. It’s only 55 feet long but has beer, wine, and spirits. It’s here that Joel and Archie drink so often that people know to reach them there.
45 E 18th Street, Gramercy Park
McSorley’s Old Ale House
McSorley’s Old Ale House is one of those essential New York experiences. It’s the oldest Irish bar in the city, opened in 1854, and didn’t allow women until the 1970s. The bartenders are actually Irish and the decor on the walls has remained relatively unchanged. Sawdust covers the floors. Only two types of beer are offered, dark and light, and drinks are cash only. You can get 2 beers for $6.
The bar stood in as the real Cedar Tavern since Midge wouldn’t have been allowed into McSorley’s during this time. It’s here that Benjamin and Midge come to see artists and where she runs into Jane Jacobs.
15 E 7th Street, East Village
Albanese Meats & Poultry
Latzi’s is the deli that Midge comes to get her meats to cook dinner for the rabbi that previously attended her wedding. But things go awry when the dinner turns into her divorce becoming public. In the second season, Midge and Rose return to get another leg of lamb for this rabbi, shouting the famous line “We got the rabbi!”
In real life, it’s Albanese Meats & Poultry, a real family-owned deli by the late Moe the Butcher, who even had his own Instagram handle. If you’re not in the market for meats, admire the painted red shop from the window.
238 Elizabeth Street, Little Italy
Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park is an icon within Greenwich Village, created in 1871. Its arch was designed by Stanford White, whose life and death inspired the novel “Ragtime,” and modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. It’s a favorite hangout of nearby NYU students.
In the show, Midge finds herself at a protest led by Jane Jacobs, a real-life activist. It was a real protest against a proposed highway coming through Village. As you can guess, the protest was successful in stopping the roadway.
5th Avenue and West 4th Street, West Village
Caffe Reggio
Caffe Reggio is a brightly painted cafe in the heart of the West Village. In 1927, it boasted the first cappuccino machine in America. The Italian-style cafe also has the fan from Casablanca in its collection. In The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Abe meets with a lawyer while enjoying a cappuccino here.
119 Macdougal Street, West Village
Music Inn
The Music Inn is equal parts record store and music instrument depot, selling items spanning every part of the world. They’ve been open since 1958 and offer classes in various styles of music. It’s here that Suzie and Joel separately hear the unauthorized recording of Midge’s first comedy show.
169 West 4th Street, West Village
Village Vanguard
Nearby is the iconic Village Vanguard, a venue that started as a place for poetry and jazz and was one of the first to be integrated. It’s here where Lenny Bruce and Midge get high one night after performing.
178 7th Avenue South, West Village
La Bonbonniere
La Bonbonniere is, despite its French name, a classic American diner serving traditional dishes without the excess flourish found in the brunch spots nearby. It’s the last stop of the tour, a short walk from the subway, and is cash only.
The restaurant is the stand-in for City Spoon, Joel and Midge’s favorite diner, where they get engaged and hook up after their wedding. The street in front was actually used for that proposal dance sequence, complete with classic cars.
28 8th Avenue, West Village
Where to Eat Nearby
Xian Foods 
Bourke Street Bakery
Because of the time that the tour starts and finishes, you might want to grab a bite before or after. You can also bring food onboard the bus, but no alcohol is allowed.
Near the starting point, you can grab Australian pastries and coffee from Bourke Street Bakery. There’s also a location of the New York chain Xi’an Famous Foods, which sells delicious hand-pulled noodles and dumplings.
Near the end point, grab a quick bite at Artichoke Basille’s Pizza or Mamoun’s, a famous falafel joint. With more time, dine at Minetta Tavern, a French-inspired restaurant dating back to 1937.
Comedy in New York City
I’d be remiss not to mention the most important element of the show, which is comedy in New York City. While places like The Gaslight are long gone (although the old location is still there), the Village is still the heart of the comedy scene.
You’ll find clubs throughout the city of varying styles and never know who you might see. The Comedy Cellar is one of the best, bringing in big-name acts. The Fat Black Pussycat is their sister bar with both early shows and late-night drinks located in the former Kettle of Fish space.
Where to Stay Nearby
Looking for a place to stay during your Mrs. Maisel tour of New York? The Kimpton Hotel Eventi is a few blocks from the CUNY Graduate Center and has an in-house restaurant and coffee shop as well as views of the Empire State Building.
The Jane Hotel is right around the corner from La Bonbonniere and is one of my favorite places to stay (read my review). The rooms are small but the hotel is convenient to the High Line with a rooftop bar and adjoining restaurant.
The Jane Hotel has since closed.
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Book your Mrs. Maisel’s Marvelous Tour of New York City.
I received a complimentary Mrs. Maisel’s Marvelous Tour of New York City.
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