(UPDATED: 24 August 2022 – to update the season 9 locations and the changes to some of the bars/ restaurants)
I know I’m not the only one out there who enjoys tracking down locations used in their favourite television shows and films and before the pandemic arrived, I incorporated this hobby in to my trips to two cities used for filming of one of my favourite shows, Suits, which are of course Toronto (where the series was based since season one) and New York (where the pilot was filmed and also home of Darvey’s restaurants)!
Using existing resources (see the links at the bottom of this article) for some of the locations from seasons 1-6 and my own detective skills for a few from seasons 7, 8 and 9, I wanted to write this post as a record of my holidays, but also to help other Suits (and Darvey fans) making similar trips in the future! Special thanks to @darvey247 for her help with most of the screenshots (which are of course the property of Suits USA)! This article has continued to be popular with fans since the series ended and so I thought it may be useful to update it again, in 2022, as certain bars / restaurants have sadly closed or changed ownership following the pandemic and the tough time it caused the hospitality sector. If I don’t say that the place is closed, then don’t worry, that means, as at the date of this update, it’s still open.
So, let’s get started!
1.) Everyone’s favourite office building!!
There have technically been two locations used for the Suits office lobby and exterior, but I’ll start with the one that has served as the location throughout the series in Toronto and that’s the Bay Adelaide Centre! With the white marble-effect floors, wooden-effect detailing on the walls, the light panels along the side and those revolving doors, it’s a location that has seen so many fantastic scenes and walking around it is such a thrill!
Although the Bay Adelaide Centre has become the location over the years, the location used for the pilot episode was 601 Lexington Avenue, New York. During my 2018 trip to NYC, there was a lot of construction going on around this building, but it’s recognisable stilt-like structure and lobby could still be seen.
Tips – Head down the escalators in the Bay Adelaide Centre office building to reach the food outlets, other shops and public toilets. It also has free wifi, which means you can sit in the little seating area outside the building and still access the internet!
Toronto – Bay Adelaide Centre – 333 Bay Street; NYC – 601 Lexington Avenue.
All those iconic #Darvey locations are a must for any fan headed to Toronto & NYC!
2.) THE Diner (season 3, ep 7 “The Other Time”)
What better place to start than one of the most iconic Darvey moments in Suits and that’s the diner in which we see Harvey ask Donna to work for him again, where they agree to forget The Other Time, where the can opener idea is born and where, years later, Harvey admits Donna’s relationship with Stephen bothers him (shocker!). The location is The Lakeview Diner and as you’ll see from the photos, it hasn’t changed (other than the artwork) and for those wanting the right booth, it’s the last one on the row along the wall as you enter, with the bar stools across the aisle. It’s certainly smaller in real-life than it is on screen, so I imagine it was a tight squeeze with the cameras in there!
Tip – They do a great chocolate milkshake! Also, if heading there from Downtown, I recommend the 505 bus. You need coins to pay on the bus, but it’ll be quicker than walking! Get off at the Ossington Avenue stop.
The Lakeview Diner, 1132 Dundas Street West – http://www.thelakeviewrestaurant.ca
3.) Harvey & Donna first meet (season 4, ep. 16 “Not Just A Pretty Face”)
The bar where it all began! This is the place where Donna walked boldly up to Harvey at the bar and the rest has been history. Here was also where Forstman made Harvey his offer of employment, from across the room after Donna turns down Harvey’s advances! These scenes were filmed at Citizen, one of my favourite bars of my trips in 2018 and 2019. Unfortunately, Citizen closed in 2021 and has since undergone refurbishment, before reopening as Myth, a Greek restaurant. The good thing for Suits fans visiting Toronto in 2022 is that, from the photos I’ve seen online, it seems that there is still a square bar area in the same central spot inside, so although it no longer looks like the show, or my photo above, you could still have a drink in the same spot as Harvey & Donna.
From the photos online at Myth’s website, it seems the central bar area now looks like this:
I haven’t been myself, but as a guide if you do go along, as you enter the restaurant (the door seems to be in the same place), you want to have a bar stool on the side of the central bar nearest to you as you walk in, so as you stand at the bar, the doorway will be behind you. In that spot, you’ll be in the same place physical place that the actors were. Looking at the above photo, I can’t be 100% sure, but I think the doorway could be in the top right of the photo. If that’s right, you’d want be positioned on the one side of the square bar not clearly visible in this photo (hopefully that makes sense – someone visit it and let me know)!
The refurbishment has also, unsurprisingly, resulted in the back wall table area, where Harvey and Donna have their first conversation, changing dramatically to fit the new setting. I’ve kept my photos below of the scene from the show and how it looked before, but location-wise, this was the area directly behind where they stood at the bar, so once you’ve identified that (see my rough guide above), then it’ll be the corner against the wall behind you!
The area where Forstman sits has also changed. This used to be a raised bar area to the right side of the inside space. I can’t be sure without visiting what it looks like now, but below is the scene and photo from my visit when it was still Citizen.
So, it may no longer look the same (which I’m not going to lie, makes me sad!), but a visit to the place it was filmed at and a drink in the same spot is still something Suits fans can do. Plus, Greek food and wine are always good choices!
Myth Restaurant, 522 King Street West (entrance on Brant Street) – https://mythrestaurant.com/
4.) Donna’s apartment exterior no.1 (season 2 ep.7 “Sucker Punch”)
Up to now Suits has used three exterior locations for Donna’s apartment and the first, at 176 John Street, was during season 2, including the scene where Harvey is waiting outside to ask her to do the mock trial. I visited this location in 2018 and found it had changed quite a lot since filming. This year I didn’t go back, but there appeared to be construction of the street, but hopefully it can still be recognised by die-hard fans, if those metal awnings jutting out next to it are still there.
5.) Donna’s apartment exterior no.2 (season 3 ep.9 “Bad Faith”)
By the next big Darvey moment outside Donna’s apartment, the filming location had moved to 11 Duncan Street and has remained there until season 8. It was here where Harvey was waiting for Donna to take her for breakfast at Nougatine in season 3, and where he was waiting to confront her after he discovered her actions in the Liberty Rail case at the start of Intent in season 4. Nothing has really changed here (heck, there was even a black car outside when I went!), so I wonder why they changed for season 8.
6.) Because She Earned It! (Season 8, episode 7 “Sour Grapes”)
No Darvey fan will forget this intense moment from season 8, when Donna let rip at Harvey’s comment that he put her in her job! I still can’t stand that he said that, but it’s a great scene (and I’m only a tiny bit bitter that I missed seeing the filming of this by minutes)! It was shot next door to the firm’s lobby location, in the lobby of the Deloitte office building at Bay Adelaide East, 8 Adelaide Street West.
7.) Harvey tells Donna that he needs her (season 2, ep.9 “Asterisk”)
Another great Darvey moment was when Harvey, determined to get Donna back, stops her on the street and tells her he needs her. It’s such a lovely scene and was filmed on King Street West, near Portland Street. It’s harder to recognise now, but the orange signage behind Harvey is still visible and the trees remain!
8.) Del Posto – The #Darvey restaurant!
Any fan of Darvey knows about Del Posto. It’s the restaurant that they go to every year to celebrate the anniversary of Donna working for Harvey. As the series was filmed in Toronto, the scenes from season 5 were not shot in the actual restaurant, but it did exist in NYC and I was able to visit it for lunch for my birthday a few years ago! The food was superb, the drinks were fantastic and it was the only restaurant I’ve been to where they provided a small cushioned footstool for my handbag! The pianist even started playing The Scientist while we were waiting for our table to be ready! (Fans of the show Succession will have seen it on screen during the season 2 opener when Kendall goes to meet Stewy and Sandy, heading down the central staircase to its lower level).
Del Posto closed during the pandemic, but its former executive chef Melissa Rodriguez, partnered with its former restaurant manager Jeff Katz and together they have now opened a new Italian restaurant in the same space, called Al Coro. It is in the same high price bracket as its predecessor and lunch no longer seems to be an option, which is a shame, but I’m pleased for the chef and staff that they are back and wish them every success.
Al Coro, 85 Tenth Avenue, New York City, NY 10011- https://www.alcoro-nyc.com/
9.) Breakfast at Nougatine! (season 3, episode 9 “Bad Faith”)
The other Darvey location on my NYC list was of course breakfast at Nougatine! The restaurant is located on the ground floor of Trump International Hotel (no comment), but you don’t need to be a hotel guest to eat there and I simply made a reservation. It’s just by Central Park, so nicely situated for a day where you’re planning to explore that part of the city. If you want to go for your own breakfast, it’s available 8-10:30 a.m.
Nougatine, 1 Central Park West, New York City, NY 10023 – https://www.jean-georges.com/restaurants/united-states/new-york/nougatine-at-jean-georges
Harvey & Mike – the best bromance on TV!
Season 9 will see our favourite bromance reunited for at least one episode. It’s a friendship that has seen so many special moments and some of those have been on location.
10.) Mike asks Harvey if Donna’s “The One” (season 7 ep.14 “Pulling The Goalie”)
It was the question we all wanted to ask Harvey following his split from Paula Agard, when he chose having Donna in his life over her (thank god!) – did he realise Paula wasn’t The One because Donna was? I always love this scene and tracked it down purely by chance (I literally walked past and happened to look in and see the glass kitchen area!) and this was my favourite bar of my Toronto trips, called Weslodge. It hadn’t changed since the filming, so I took a seat at the end of the bar just like Harvey & Mike! As I was on my own, the bar staff were lovely and even let me sample a new cocktail! Sadly, the pandemic has seen the closure of Weslodge, but the good news for Suits fans is that the new fish restaurant, Pink Sky, that has now opened there looks largely the same inside. The photos above are from the scene and my visit, but from information and images online of Pink Sky, the bar is still in the same spot, with a similar looking kitchen to the side (which is visible in the scene when the camera is on Harvey, so sit at that end of the bar).
Pink Sky Toronto, 480 King St West – https://pinkskytoronto.com/
11.) Harvey takes Mike for whiskey on his release from prison (season 6 ep. 10 “P.S.L”)
Besides Rachel, no one was happier to see Mike released from prison than Harvey, who welcomed him back by taking him for celebratory drinks and presenting him with a job offer (albeit one he didn’t take). The location for this was the fabulous Drake One Fifty, located at 150 York Street. Sadly, it closed not too long ago and as yet, I’ve not found any information on if anything will replace it.
All the other homes of our favourite characters
As you’ll already have seen with Donna’s apartment, the crew have not always used the same location for the apartment exteriors of the Suits gang. I haven’t been able to find them all (yet!), with Harvey’s first apartment exterior and Louis’s current home being the ones still a mystery, but if you want to see the others, then they are below!
12.) Harvey’s current apartment (including season 4, ep.16 “Not Just A Pretty Face”; and season 7 ep. 10 “Donna”)
Full credit for solving this mystery goes to my friend @ireneirm when the brilliant Torontoist articles (see links below) couldn’t help (and whose photo is the one above). This location, at 80 John Street, remains Harvey’s current residence on screen, recognisable from his arrival home in the season 4 finale, after dropping the “You Know I Love You” bomb on Donna, as well as the scene of his confrontation with Malik in the season 7 mid-season finale. It almost looks the same, but the blue rock-like circles on the wall you can see behind the lobby desk have been recently removed.
13.) Mike & Rachel’s apartment (seen most in season 6)
We saw this location, at 3 Church Street, mostly during season six, including 6.01 when Harvey is waiting for Rachel to return after dropping Mike off at Danbury and when Harvey gets Mike out of prison for a few hours in the hope seeing Rachel will make him see sense and take the deal on the table. It’s also literally around the corner from the legal clinic location.
14.) Donna’s current apartment exterior (season 8, episode 12 “Whale Hunt”)
Season has seen a third exterior used for Donna’s apartment, this one located at 88 Scott, just below the corner of Yonge Street & Colborne Street and seen during the scene where she returns home from her date with Thomas Kessler. The road was under construction during my trip this year, but from the photos you can (just about) see it’s the right place, especially the crests on the wall either side of the door. However, this does make me think that if they need an exterior scene outside Donna’s in season 9, then perhaps they’ll return to the last one!
15.) Jessica’s apartment (including season 6, episode 2 “Accounts Payable”)
The rather grand exterior to Jessica Pearson’s apartment was seen in season six when Harvey picked her up to take her to the office and when Jack Soloff later came looking for his buy-in money. The stone arch is instantly recognisable from the scenes and is located at Prince Arthur Condos, 38 Avenue Road.
16.) Alex Williams’s apartment exterior (season 8, ep. “Right-Hand Man”)
One of the newer additions to the Suits gang, but we’ve already seen Harvey pay a visit to Alex’s home, greeting him on his return from his morning run. I instantly recognised it on screen from my trip last year and went back to take this photo this summer. can be found at 37 Front Street East which is not far from a few other locations on this list!
There are also a few other key locations that are well worth a visit!
17.) Mike’s church (season 5, episode 16 “25th Hour”)
We’d seen Mike visit his church before, both in the present and in flashback, but it’s probably best known for being the scene of the almost wedding of Mike and Rachel in the season five finale, before Mike went off to prison. The location is St Paul’s Basilica, located at the corner of Power Street & Queen Street East. It was closed when I visited, so I couldn’t take any interior photos.
18.) “Teeth, Nose, Teeth” – where Harvey & Louis have a heart to heart (season 6, episode 13 “Teeth, Nose, Teeth”)
I loved this scene from the show and so a visit was a must for me. The location for this funny scene, in which Louis asks Harvey for relationship advice, was Batch located at 75, Victoria Street, a fantastic place for craft beer and food. It was also used for the scene in which Samantha Wheeler tricks her opponent with the help of Alex’s teenage daughter in season 8. Sadly, Batch also closed during the pandemic, with the brewer saying it wouldn’t reopen. As yet, I’ve not found any information about whether another bar/restaurant will open in its place.
19.) Marcus’s restaurant (season 8, episode 5 “Good Mudding”)
Before my trip this year, I’d been hoping to find the location used for Marcus’s restaurant, but it seems that two different places have already been used and therefore this one, Cibo Wine Bar, which I managed to locate using my best detective skills, is the one seen most recently in season 8, when Harvey travels to help Marcus with his divorce. It definitely isn’t the same one used for the fabulous scene between Harvey and his mother in season 7, which is somewhere I’d still love to find, but it was satisfying to tick this off the list!
Tip – The food was great here. I can recommend the carpaccio, fettuccine with shrimp, tiramisu & the peach sangria cocktail!
Cibo Wine Bar, 522 King St. West – http://www.cibowinebar.com/cibo_ks/index_ks.html
20.) Marcus asks Harvey for money to start a restaurant (season 4, ep. 16 “Not Just A Pretty Face”)
Before Marcus had made a success of his restaurant, he needed money to open it and of course, the first person he asked for help was his brother, who was still a young district attorney at the time. The scene was filmed at The Gabardine, which was a small, but fantastic place to eat, located at 372 Bay Street, so literally around the corner from the office lobby location! Sadly, the owners announced its closure and it closed its doors in 2019. It’s not yet known what will replace it.
21.) Harvey visits the cemetery to share a drink with his father (season 2, episode 8 “Rewind”)
In the largely flashback episode of season 2, we saw Harvey take a trip out of town, only to discover later that his destination was the cemetery to visit his father’s grave. This was filmed at the Toronto Necropolis, with the white archway at its entrance very recognisable.
Toronto Necropolis, 200 Winchester Street
22.) The 100th & Donna and Louis each head for a hotel rendezvous (season 7, episode 8 “100”)
I’ve chosen the 100th to refer to this location, but on a rewatch you notice just how often the Fairmont Royal York hotel has been used in Suits, mainly when meeting clients, but as we saw here, it was where both Donna and Louis arrived to meet dates they shouldn’t. As well as the entrance, you’ll likely have noticed the hotel’s old-fashioned clock at the centre of a spiral staircase. Sadly this clock and staircase have been removed in the recent refurbishment and replaced by a new bar in the centre of the lobby, complete with a new clock.
Tip – if you do have time for a cocktail, the Reign bar (at the side of the lobby) had some fantastic cocktails, including a lovely White Russian!
Fairmont Royal York, 100 Front Street West – Fairmont Royal York
23.) Mike’s legal clinic (seen during the back half of season 6 and season 7)
Following his release from prison, Mike took a job at a legal clinic, which introduced us to new characters and new conflicts with PSL. Filmed at 74, The Esplanade, this location is also literally around the corner from where Mike and Rachel’s apartment exterior was filmed!
24.) Mike & Trevor at university (season 3, ep. 6 “The Other Time”)
It was in flashback where we got to see the story Mike described to Harvey in the pilot, the story of how he’d been kicked out of college. Typically it was all Trevor’s fault (he was so awful, wasn’t he?!). The scene in which Trevor is apprehended by campus security/police for selling the maths test was filmed on location at the Quad at University College, which is open for public access, as well as students.
The Quad at University College, 15 King’s College Circle
25.) Harvey’s encounter with Anita Gibbs, where he asks about Mike getting in to the Bar (season 6, episode 11 “She’s Gone”)
Following Mike’s release from prison, a legal career seemed unlikely, but Harvey attempted to try and get Anita Gibbs on side, something that didn’t really work out the way he’d hoped! This scene was filmed at Market Street Balzac’s, a really lovely coffee shop, which is also around the corner from the legal clinic location!
Market Street Balzac’s, 10, Market Street – http://www.balzacs.com/locations/market-street/
26.) Jessica and Harvey’s heated discussion about the possible merger with Darby International (season 2, episode 16 “War”)
Oh, poor Harvey. This was the moment when he gambled on the merger with Darby failing, only for Jessica to get the better of him. It’s here where he agreed to extend his non-compete and suck it up if things didn’t go his way and it was filmed outside Commerce Court, 199 Bay Street.
27.) Person Hardman’s last big party (season 2, episode 16 “War”)
The outside may have been at Commerce Court, but the inside location for the firm’s party was filmed at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, which included the deleted scene of Donna in the stunning black outfit talking to Scottie. This was also the location for the scene in which Harvey asks Scottie whether she told the authorities about Mike in season 5, episode 11. It’s always worth seeing if they have any shows on during your stay in the city.
Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen Street West – https://www.coc.ca/plan-your-visit/fourseasonscentre
28.) The first appearance of Scottie (season 1, episode 7 “Play The Man”)
The first time we met Scottie was way back in season 1, when she was Harvey’s opposing counsel. It was clear that there was history there and that things were about to get interesting. The scene was filmed in the lobby of the Ritz Carlton Hotel, 181 Welington Street West. Although some decor has changed, the chandelier & staircase remain.
29.) Rachel really thought Harvey was giving her his lunch?! (season 2 ep. 13 “Zane vs. Zane”)
This was a lovely scene between these two characters, who’d had little contact until this episode. Seeing Rachel genuinely think he’s offering her his lunch is always fun to watch! The scene, like so many others over the years, was filmed at the back of the Bay Adelaide Centre, on Temperence Street! This was also where the Cloud Gardens location was situated (used for scenes such as Donna talking to Stu in season 8). Sadly the gardens area is gone until 2020, while construction takes place.
30.) Mike guilt trips Donna in to doing the mock trial (season 2 ep. 7 “Sucker Punch”)
An unemployed Donna can’t even go to a yoga class in peace without Mike appearing to convince her to take part in Harvey’s mock trial. Despite her protests, you know she’s going to turn up. The scene was shot just around the corner from Donna’s first apartment exterior, just outside the Black Market on Queen Street West.
Locations seen in season 9!
Sadly, unlike in 2018 (where I saw filming with Gabriel Macht and Dule Hill for season 8 episode 7), on my 2019 visit, I didn’t get to see any outdoor filming. However, my friend and I were still able to visit a few locations that we knew would be seen on the show in season 9; we just didn’t know what the scenes would be! Updating this article in 2022, I can now link the location to the episodes in which they appeared and the good news is both places are still open too!
31.) Donna takes Katrina for drinks (season 9 ep. 5 “If the Shoe Fits”)
This high-end steak restaurant was used for filming for season 9, episode 5. We could only work out it was a night scene, as there were blackout curtains over the windows. We didn’t see any principal cast, just a lot of extras in business formal attire leaving, so had no idea what the scene was until the episode aired and we realised it was the scene where Donna takes Katrina out for drinks and encourages her to re-connect with herself. The food was very good (although a bit pricey) and the cocktails were superb!
Tip – The Cucumber Stiletto cocktail is out of this world, as was the Strawberry Cobbler!
STK, 153 Yorkville Avenue – https://stksteakhouse.com/venues/toronto/
32.) Donna & Harvey’s dinner date! (season 9, ep. 3 “Windmills”)
This location was one my friend (the lovely @ireneirm whose photo of the front part of Buca, I’ve borrowed above) tracked down, after we saw online that a scene had been filmed there for season 9. From the instagram photos that came out of the casts’ accounts (see above), we thought this was a dinner scene involving Louis, Harvey and Donna. It looked like a stylish place, so we made a trip to it for lunch!
Hilariously, we were disappointed that we couldn’t sit in the spot from the photo above (which is at the front by the entrance and bar) and were instead taken towards the back of the restaurant, to a table next to the open kitchen area. Yet, when season 9 aired, we realised that not only was this the location of Donna and Harvey’s first on-screen date, but that we’d been seated at the exact table they were sitting at! The only difference was, for filming, it was a table for two, rather than for four and they rotated the table around 90 degrees, so the kitchen is behind Harvey in the scene, whereas it was parallel to the table in reality when we were sitting there! Frustratingly, our photos were lost of this one, but once you’re inside and if you’re seated in the back part of the restaurant, you’ll recognise it. The front area is where Louis lingers when he goes to confront them, but changes his mind.
Buca Osteria & Bar (Yorkville), 53 Scollard Street, entrance via Yorkville Avenue, through the Four Seasons courtyard – http://buca.ca/phone/yorkville.html
Planning your trip yet?!
If, like I did, you’re making plans to go to see the Suits sights, it’s well worth plotting them out on your map. What became very clear to me on doing this, was that the Suits team tend to keep locations close to each other. As an example, Weslodge (now Pink Lady), Cibo Wine Bar & Citizen (now Myth) are within 5 minutes (the last two are literally next door to each other)! So, with some planning you can easily see lots in a short space of time! Below you’ll see my map, plotting out all the locations above (see the green numbers, which correspond to the numbers in this post). I’ve included a photo of the full map, so you can see how close together most are, followed by closer-up photos of the map.
Also, the Citymapper app is invaluable for plotting quickest routes anywhere in the city and the Uber drivers in Toronto were the nicest I’ve ever experienced.
If that’s not enough for you, there are wonderful archived articles from The Torontoist’s Reel Toronto series, highlighting so many locations from the first six seasons of the show & it was from these that I started planning my own trip (those from 7 & 8 I’ve tracked down)! The links to these useful locations guides are all below!
No doubt the final season will include some other notable locations, which hopefully I’ll be able to visit some time in the future! Oh and if you find any others, then I’d love to know! I’m still annoyed I couldn’t track down Louis’s home!
– Season 1
Suits is available on Netflix in the UK, Peacock in the USA and of course available to own in all the usual formats.
Vickster51’s Culture Corner 
thank you for this list!! you made me laugh as well ❤
in Ep 12 season 8 there was 2 restaurants that looked nice I am trying to find them!
one of which Donna went on a date.
You’re welcome! Glad you liked it.
Thanks so much! I know the one you mean. I can’t be sure. I think at one point I thought it was a private event space, but if I solve the mystery I’ll update the article again!
Does anyone know where Louis and Sheila’s wedding was filmed in the finale?
Yes, we know that it was a private residence located in the Bridle Path neighbourhood of Toronto that was used in the finale.
This was brilliant – Thank you! Does anyone know where Roberts Zane’s home exterior was filmed in S8,E7? I’m assuming Toronto but does anyone know the address. It looks stunning !
Thanks! I don’t know where that location is. It will be in Toronto, but it wasn’t one I was able to locate during my trips. Maybe next time!