The Ultimate Guide to "Bosch" Locations in LA
Landmarks, hotels, bars and restaurants
Based on the bestselling series of crime novels by Michael Connelly, Bosch stars Titus Welliver in the titular role of LAPD detective Hieronymus "Harry" Bosch. Driven by his mantra "Everybody Counts or Nobody Counts," Bosch relentlessly pursues justice on the streets of LA and beyond.
From the opening scene of the pilot through seven seasons, Los Angeles plays an essential role in Bosch, the longest-running Amazon Original Series.
In October 2023, Harry Bosch was recognized as the longest-running character on streaming TV. To celebrate Season 2 of the spinoff series Bosch: Legacy, read on and discover more than two dozen Bosch locations across LA. (MILD SPOILERS AHEAD)
Ace Hotel + Theatre at Ace Hotel
Opened in January 2014, the Ace Hotel was originally built as the United Artists Building in 1927. The adjacent Theatre at Ace Hotel was UA's flagship movie palace - restored to its former glory, the 1,600-seat theatre is now one of LA's top live music venues.
The title of the sixth episode of Season 6 says it all: "The Ace Hotel." Bosch, his partner Jerry Edgar (Jamie Hector), and FBI agent Sylvia Reece (Julia Ann Emery) are in pursuit of a suspect. The foot chase starts in the hotel and takes them into the theatre, before it comes to a violent end in an alley.
Amoeba Music
Throughout the series, Harry plays jazz records at his house in the Hollywood Hills. The second episode of Season 3, "The Four Last Things" opens with Harry and his girlfriend, Deputy DA Anita Benitez (Paola Turbay) shopping at the original location of Amoeba Music at Sunset and Vine.
Boasting an inventory of millions of new and used titles on CD, DVD and vinyl, Amoeba moved to a 20,000 square-foot space on Hollywood Boulevard that opened in April 2021.
Angels Flight® Railway
Glimpsed in the series pilot, Angels Flight takes center stage in Season 4, which is based on the sixth Bosch book (also called Angels Flight) and features Harry investigating the murder of civil rights attorney Howard Elias on the funicular.
Originally opened in 1901, the 298-foot Angels Flight takes passengers between the Lower Station on Hill Street and the Top Station at California Plaza on Bunker Hill. "The shortest railway in the world" was added to the National Register of Historic Places in October 2000.
Angels Flight has starred in the film noir Criss Cross, the 1951 remake of M, The Glenn Miller Story, Kiss Me Deadly, Angel's Flight, and La La Land. Angels Flight has also appeared in TV shows like Perry Mason (both the original and the 2020 HBO series) and the classic Dragnet.
The Biltmore Los Angeles
Located in the heart of Downtown LA overlooking Pershing Square, The Biltmore Los Angeles is one of Southern California’s most historic and grandest properties. Built in 1923, the Biltmore hosted eight Academy Awards ceremonies and stars in hundreds of movie and TV productions, from Chinatown, Ghostbusters and Beverly Hills Cop to Entourage and Mad Men.
In the Season 4 opener, Bosch is tracking Bradley Walker (John Getz), who is connected to his mother's murder. Harry sneaks into Walker's fundraiser at the Biltmore and follows him to the Gallery Bar, where Bosch tries to eavesdrop on the councilman's phone call. The Gallery Bar also appears in Seasons 2 and 3.
Boardners Inc
A Hollywood nightlife destination since 1942, Boardner's has appeared in L.A. Confidential, Swingers, Ed Wood, Leaving Las Vegas and many more. Boardner's B52 Club hosts Bar Sinister, a goth-industrial mainstay on Saturday nights for over 20 years, and the long-running Blue Mondays, featuring '80s jams in the main room and rotating themes on the patio.
A favorite watering hole for Hollywood Homicide, Boardner's appears in Season 1 and twice in Season 4. In Season 6's "Hard Feelings," Sgt. John "Mank" Mankiewicz (Scott Klace) gives a memorable toast at a memorial party for a retired detective. At the same party, Det. Johnson (aka "Barrel," played by Troy Evans) is given a cassette tape that turns out to have an important recording on it.
Bradbury Building
Season 4 opens with the murder of attorney Howard Elias, who has a corner office at the landmark Bradbury Building in Downtown LA. In the next episode ("Dreams of Bunker Hill"), the building's stunning atrium is seen when Harry takes a wrought iron elevator to Elias' office, where he encounters his frenemy, Honey Chandler (Mimi Rogers).
Located on Broadway across from Grand Central Market, the Bradbury has appeared in movies, TV, music videos, and is mentioned frequently in literature. Built in 1893, the building was featured prominently in the original Blade Runner and also appears in Best Picture winner, The Artist. Film noir fans will recognize the Bradbury from Chinatown, Double Indemnity, D.O.A., and I, The Jury. The Bradbury was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977, one of only four office buildings in LA to receive the honor.
Catalina Jazz Club
In the Season 2 episode "The Thing About Secrets," Harry and Lt. Grace Billets (Amy Aquino) have a drink at the Catalina Jazz Club as Grace Kelly performs "Blues For Harry Bosch." The Catalina also has a cameo in the Season 7 opener, when Harry is on a New Year's Eve date and Grammy Award winning jazz pianist John Beasley is on stage.
Living up to its slogan "Nothing But the Best In Jazz," Catalina Jazz Club has welcomed a Who's Who of jazz legends for decades, including Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Chick Corea, Max Roach, Carmen McRae, Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Redman and many more. Admission varies, plus dinner or two-drink minimum. Seating is on a first come, first served basis.
Cole's
Along with its longtime rival Philippe The Original, Cole's claims to be the originator of the French Dip. Both opened in 1908 and have their diehard fans, but one thing is indisputable - Cole's is the home of LA's longest operating saloon, the Red Car Bar. Located in the historic Pacific Electric Building, Cole's has appeared in Best Picture winner Forrest Gump, Se7en, and Mad Men.
In the Season 3 episode "El Compadre," Bosch and Edgar meet Los Angeles Times reporter Scott Anderson (Eric Ladin) at Cole's. Anderson is as tenacious with his stories as Bosch is with his cases, and refuses to give up his source.
Dodger Stadium
In the opening scene of the pilot, Bosch and Edgar are on a stakeout - Dodger Stadium looms in the background and legendary broadcaster Vin Scully is on the radio. Though Harry never goes to a game in the Amazon series, the LA Times notes the character's love for the Dodgers, the stadium, and Scully - as Bosch says in The Crossing, “There was no voice as iconic or synonymous with Los Angeles as his.” Connelly dedicated the 19th Bosch novel, The Wrong Side of Goodbye to Scully.
Besides Bosch, Dodger Stadium has appeared in movies like Rocketman, The Fast and the Furious, the first Naked Gun, Transformers and Superman Returns. Elvis Presley shot scenes for Spinout in the parking lot, which stood in for the “Santa Fe Road Race” start/finish line.
Du-par's - The Original Farmers Market
Renowned for their buttermilk hotcakes, Du-par's opened at The Original Farmers Market in 1938. In the Season 1 finale, Harry and his daughter Maddie (Madison Lintz) share a couple of short stacks - her pro move is to pour the maple syrup onto an extra plate first.
SPOILER ALERT: In the Season 4 episode "Past Lives," Harry and his ex-wife Eleanor Wish (Sarah Clarke) have a revealing chat on the patio at Du-par's. When Eleanor goes to her car, she's gunned down in front of Harry - one of the most shocking scenes in the series. In a callback scene from Season 7 ("Jury's Still Out"), Maddie is waiting for her boyfriend Antonio (Jonny Rios) on the patio and staring at the spot where her mother was murdered.
El Cholo Los Angeles - The Original
Established in 1923, El Cholo opened its Western Avenue location (aka "The Original") in 1927 and has since expanded to Downtown LA, Santa Monica and Orange County.
The Original has a key role in the series finale, "Por Sonia." When the Las Palmas gang has a summit meeting at El Cholo, Bosch snatches Mickey Peña (Gino Vento) from the FBI and arrests him for the deadly arson fire that opens Season 7.
El Compadre - Hollywood
The famous Flaming Margarita was born at the Hollywood location of El Compadre, which opened in 1975 and serves up traditional Mexican fare along with live nightly music in a rustic Old World hacienda setting.
In the Season 6 episode "Part of the Deal," Harry, Maddie and her nervous boyfriend Antonio have dinner at El Compadre - the guys clink a couple of Fat Tire bottles in a toast to jazz legend Frank Morgan.
Formosa Café
In the Season 3 episode, "Blood Under the Bridge," Harry meets Lt. Billets for a drink at the Formosa Cafe, which reopened in June 2019 after a $2.4 million renovation by LA-based 1933 Group.
Opened in 1939, the Formosa was a favorite hangout of legends like Frank Sinatra, Humphrey Bogart, Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. The Formosa is a star in its own right - in a memorable scene from L.A. Confidential set inside the Formosa, Ed Exley (Guy Pearce) mistakenly accuses actress Lana Turner (Brenda Bakke) of being a prostitute “cut to look like Lana Turner.”
Frolic Room
Located next door to the Pantages Theatre, the Frolic Room boasts one of the best neon signs of any bar and a two-panel mural by legendary artist Al Hirschfeld, which features dozens of caricatures, including Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Picasso, Albert Einstein and Louis Armstrong. The Pantages hosted the Academy Awards from 1950 to 1960 - just imagine who stopped by the Frolic after those ceremonies. Charles Bukowski was a regular, which fits right in with the Bosch ethos.
There's a big reveal in Season 5's "Raise the Dead," when Harry meets retired detective Anthony Servidone (Jerry O'Donnell) for a drink at the Frolic. In Season 6, the Frolic has a cameo in the opener and pops up again in "Money, Honey" when Harry has another meeting with Servidone.
Golden Soup Restaurant
Located on the second floor of Gold World Plaza in San Gabriel, Golden Soup is a spacious Chinese restaurant that has a recurring role in Season 4. At the end of the second episode, Eleanor is playing a high-stakes poker game at Golden Soup to gather intel on Chinese nationals being investigated by the FBI. When the situation turns violent, she captures important video on her phone camera.
Bosch and Edgar trace Eleanor's video to Golden Soup in "The Wine of Youth" and learn more about the case she was working on from Agent Chuck Deng (Louis Ozawa). In "Dark Sky," Bosch and Edgar grill Ting (Peter Jae), who arranged the poker game, in the restaurant's kitchen and learn the identity of the man in Eleanor's video.
Grand Central Market
The city's largest and oldest public market, the 30,000 square-foot Grand Central Market opened in October 1917 and has been in continuous operation ever since. GCM's food vendors offer something for everyone, from half-century legacies like China Cafe, Roast to Go and Tacos Tumbras a Tomas; to new school favorites like Eggslut, Lucky Bird and Sari Sari Store. Film buffs can spot GCM in La La Land, Midnight Run and City of Angels.
Near the end of the Season 4 opener "Ask the Dust," Harry cuts through Grand Central Market to Angels Flight, which is located across Broadway from the marketplace. (GCM is seen from the exterior.) The episode is named for John Fante's 1939 novel, which is set in Depression-era LA and widely regarded as a classic - in his foreword to the reprint, Charles Bukowski wrote, "Fante was my god."
Gloria Molina Grand Park
Thanks to its proximity to City Hall, LAPD headquarters and Downtown LA courthouses, Gloria Molina Grand Park is a frequent backdrop for key conversations between various Bosch characters. Spanning 12 acres from Grand Avenue to Spring Street, Gloria Molina Grand Park is one of LA's most popular public gathering places, from DTLA workers on lunch break to Día de los Muertos and New Year's Eve festivities.
Harry Bosch's House
Introduced in the pilot, Harry's Mid-Century house and its spectacular city views appear in nearly every episode. In the series' second episode, his love interest, rookie cop Julia Brasher (Annie Wersching) looks out over the city and wonders, "Pretty nice view for a cop." Harry explains that Paramount paid him "a lot of money" to make a movie based "VERY loosely" on one of his cases. The Black Echo movie poster reappears several times in the series.
Located above Sunset Plaza, the 1,513 square-foot private residence is a cantilevered two-bedroom, two-bath built in 1958. According to Zillow, the house is valued at more than $2.1 million.
Curbed notes that one of the series' executive producers, Pieter Jan Brugge had previously used the house in Heat - it appears as the home of Eady (Amy Brenneman), who becomes involved with professional thief Neil McCauley, played by Robert De Niro.
Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Ahead of a momentous event, Chief Irvin Irving (Lance Reddick) visits the grave of his son George. The quiet scene that opens Season 6's "Money, Honey" was filmed at the landmark Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Founded as Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery in 1899, Hollywood Forever is the final resting place for scores of celebrities and LA power players. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the cemetery is featured in films like LA Story and hosts the popular Cinespia outdoor screenings, live music in the Masonic Lodge, and the annual Dia de los Muertos festival. Visitors come to pay their respects to Golden Age Hollywood legends such as Judy Garland, Cecil B. DeMille, Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr; and musicians like Chris Cornell, Scott Weiland, and Dee Dee and Johnny Ramone.
Jar
Chef Suzanne Tracht's "modern chophouse," Jar serves up retro fare like her signature Pot Roast and Kansas City Steak alongside globally influenced dishes like Char Siu Pork Chop and Lemongrass Chicken. The classy Mid-Century interior has appeared in La La Land, I Love You Man, Entourage, Mad Men, Modern Family and more.
On a dinner date at Jar in Season 4's "Dark Sky," Jun Park (Linda Park) suggests Muhammad Ali's "rope-a-dope" strategy to Chief Irving so he can implement the changes he wants in the department. Their conversation elicits a rare laugh from the intense Irving.
Lost Property Bar
In the Season 6 episode "The Ace Hotel," Bosch meets FBI agent Reece for a drink at Lost Property, located off the famed intersection of Hollywood and Vine. Opened in November 2014, the dimly-lit, handsomely designed bar features dark wood and leather, vintage luggage, and an old player piano that’s been repurposed as a DJ booth.
Musso & Frank Grill
Generations of celebrities and some of the 20th century’s greatest writers have dined on classic steakhouse fare and sipped the famous Martinis at Musso & Frank Grill. Opened in 1919, Musso's has appeared in numerous movies and TV shows, from The Kominsky Method, Perry Mason (2020) and Mad Men, to Once Upon A Time in Hollywood and Ed Wood.
In the pilot, Harry and Julia Brasher have "ice cold Martinis" at Musso's - the first of several appearances. Season 3's "Birdland" opens with a flashback of a newly-orphaned Harry having Thanksgiving turkey and cranberry cobbler at Musso's. In Season 6 ("Part of the Deal"), Barrel and retired detective Ryan Rodgers (M.C. Gainey) have dinner and Martinis there.
Musso's has its most memorable appearance in the series finale. After Lt. Billets posts new assignments for the Hollywood Homicide team, everyone meets at the bar for drinks. Maddie arrives and shares important news with her dad about her future.
NORMS La Cienega
At the beginning of Season 1’s “Chapter 8: High Low,” Harry meets Eleanor for breakfast at NORMS La Cienega, where they have a heated conversation about Maddie. NORMS pops up again in the following episode, "Chapter 9: The Magic Castle," when Bosch meets with LA Times reporter Nate Tyler (Adam O'Byrne).
Opened in 1957, NORMS La Cienega is the longest-operating location in the 24-hour chain. Widely regarded as one of the best examples of Googie architecture in the country, the landmark was designed by the famed architecture firm Armet & Davis, with an interior by the pioneering architect Helen Fong.
Art aficionados will recognize the restaurant as the subject of Ed Ruscha's 1964 painting, Norm’s, La Cienega, on Fire on view at The Broad in Downtown LA.
Pink's Famous Hot Dogs
Paul and Betty Pink founded Pink’s Hot Dogs in 1939 as a pushcart near the corner of La Brea and Melrose in Hollywood. The landmark restaurant opened on North La Brea in 1946 and guests from around the world have been lining up ever since. The menu features more than 30 hot dogs, many named after celebrities and chefs like Gustavo Dudamel, Drew Barrymore, Martha Stewart, and Emeril Lagasse.
Constantly harassed by patrolmen Leonard and Norris, Lt. Billets has lunch at Pink's in Season 7 ("Jury's Still Out") with Bosch's former flame, Julia Brasher to find out more about her tormenters.
The Record Parlour
In a callback to the Season 1 finale, Maddie and her boyfriend Antonio are at The Record Parlour in the Season 6 episode, "Part of the Deal." She shows him Art Pepper's 1978 album Today and explains that the song "Patricia" was written for his daughter - he wasn't around much when she was growing up, and Maddie says that Harry used to play it for her.
The new and used vinyl collection at The Record Parlour is massive, along with restored vintage audio gear, turntables, jukeboxes and more. Follow their social media channels for their latest acquisitions and blowout sales.
Shake Shack - West Hollywood
In Season 3's fifth episode, "Blood Under the Bridge," Harry is standing in a long line with Maddie and Anita Benitez at the Shake Shack in West Hollywood. Harry impatiently says, "This is why I like In-N-Out. You’re in, you’re out.” When Maddie replies, "This is way better, trust me," her incredulous dad says, “You love In-N-Out. The Animal Fries, what's better than that?”
Danny Meyer opened the first LA location of his New York-based burger empire in March 2016. Following WeHo, Shake Shack has expanded across the city, including Downtown LA, Hollywood, Century City, El Segundo, Marina del Rey, Burbank, Glendale, Encino and more.
Swingers Diner
Opened on Beverly Boulevard in 1993, Swingers Diner closed in April 2020 - initially for good, until longtime general manager Stephanie Wilson bought the beloved late night hangout and reopened it in November. Longtime regulars and newbies alike can enjoy Swingers' signature healthy take on traditional diner fare, made with organic ingredients and plenty of veg-friendly options.
With Harry under suspicion, Edgar meets Lt. Billets at Swingers to discuss his partner in the Season 3 episode, "God Sees." They meet there again in the following episode, when Edgar shares his theory that Bosch is being set up.
The Three Clubs
Opened in 1991, The Three Clubs serves up classic cocktails in a stylish lounge setting with mahogany bars, tufted leather banquettes, "casino-style carpeting" and live entertainment. The retro interior can be seen in Swingers, Jersey Boys and the Season 2 finale of Mad Men.
After examining a murder victim's phone, Bosch meets George Langworthy (Dohn Norwood) at The Three Clubs in the Season 6 episode "Three Widows." Langworthy is a private investigator who was hired by the victim to see if his wife was having an affair.