Naman Shrestha
FX’s ‘The Bear‘ is a comedy-drama series that stars Jeremy Allen White as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, a young chef who leaves his world of fine dining to take over his family’s sandwich shop in Chicago following his brother’s tragic death. Created by Christopher Storer, the second season of the workplace drama show centers upon Carmy, Sydney Adamu, and Richie, who work collectively with the rest of the staff to transform and rejuvenate their sandwich shop into more than just a decent food spot.
Along with modifying the shop, the crew must change their lives as they confront the past and try to figure out who they wish to be in the future. The comedy-drama series unfolds mainly in the same yet transformed setting of “The Original Beef of Chicagoland,” which serves as an additional and pivotal character in the show as the crew pushes the boundaries of their abilities as well as relationships within the four walls of the shop. So, if you are interested in knowing where the shooting for ‘The Bear’ season 2 took place, we have got you covered!
The Bear Season 2 Filming Locations
‘The Bear’ season 2 was filmed entirely in Illinois, particularly in Cook County. According to reports, principal photography for the sophomore round of the Jeremy Allen White starrer commenced in February 2023 and wrapped up in late April of the same year. Now, without wasting time, let’s traverse all the specific locations that can be spotted in the second season of the FX series!
Cook County, Illinois
Most pivotal sequences for ‘The Bear’ season 2 were lensed in Cook County, where the first season was shot. Although the shooting for the inaugural iteration of the show primarily took place in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, the production team had to move the production to the village of Arlington Heights, a northwestern suburb of Chicago. This was due to a dispute that took place between the show’s producers and the River North Residents Association, as the latter argued that ‘The Bear’ allegedly portrays the neighborhood in a bad light.
Several significant portions of the second season were also taped in the city of Evanston, especially on Harrison Street and Lincolnwood Drive. Moreover, as per reports, in April 2023, the cast and crew members of ‘The Bear’ season 2 rented a space for recording some key scenes in the Centennial Recreation Complex parking lot at 2300 Old Glenview Road in the village of Wilmette.
Furthermore, it is possible that the production team utilized the facilities of the Cinespace Chicago Film Studios at 2621 West 15th Place in Chicago. Spread across 1.6 million square feet, the film studio is home to 36 active sound stages, various production offices, along with several other amenities, making it a suitable filming site for different kinds of film projects.
Several establishing shots of the cityscape were also taped in Chicago. So, you will likely spot numerous popular buildings and destinations in the backdrop of some exterior scenes. Some are the Chicago Water Tower, the Museum Campus, the Chicago History Museum, the Driehaus Museum, the DuSable Museum of African American History, Millennium Park, and Buckingham Fountain. In addition, the locales of Cook County have featured in several film and TV projects over the years, such as ‘The Breakfast Club,’ ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It?,’ ‘Single Drunk Female,’ and ‘Chicago Med.’
Read More: The Bear Ending, Explained: Does Carmy Close Down the Restaurant?
