Lisa Shames 2025-01-14 11:02:24
The city of Chicago, along with its iconic eateries and camera-ready landmarks, has earned top billing in a slew of popular movies and TV shows.
The Italian beef stand where it all started, Mr. Beef on Orleans (aka The Original Beef of Chicagoland) was famous among locals for its stellar sandwiches decades before it got its starring role on the hit show The Bear. Beloved for its homemade ice cream and chocolates, 90-yearold Margie’s Candies served as the location for chef Syd’s final stop on her Chicago food tour in Season 2 of the series.
Dubbed Molly’s Pub on Chicago Fire, Bucktown’s Lottie’s Pub functions as the regular hangout of the Firehouse 51 crew, while the Chicago Fire Academy makes numerous appearances in the show. Like Chicagoans, the squad members of Chicago P.D. are also fans of celebrated Route 66 diner Lou Mitchell’s in the West Loop and the South Loop’s White Palace Grill. Lottie’s Pub is also an end-of-the-day stop for the Chicago Med crew.
Chicago during the Prohibition Era served as an atmospheric backdrop for crime movie The Untouchables, with many of the city’s historic buildings playing a part. The Untouchables’ offices were located in the Loop’s beautiful Rookery Building.
The famous falling baby carriage scene was shot in Union Station on the staircase leading down from Canal Street to the Great Hall. In the movie Public Enemies, Johnny Depp starred as John Dillinger, who meets his demise outside the Biograph Theater in Lincoln Park, the actual site of the notorious gangster’s death.
In Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Ferris and his friends spent part of their day off from school at the Art Institute of Chicago viewing its renowned masterpieces, including Georges Seurat’s A Sunday on La Grande Jatte. They also took in a rousing Chicago Cubs baseball game at Wrigley Field.
The Blues Brothers and its Chicago locations live on in the memories of film fans. The Palace Hotel Ballroom, where the Blues Brothers get their first major gig, was filmed at the South Shore Cultural Center. For the film’s finale, Jake and Elwood scramble through the Loop’s Daley Plaza in a mad rush to get to City Hall.
In High Fidelity, the main character Rob relives his romantic failures throughout the city. Outside the Music Box Theatre, he’s rebuffed by his childhood sweetheart, while at Uptown’s Green Mill he muses about his one true love.
Chicago Movie Tours offers film-focused walking tours, with experts offering insider details along the way. Tours range from The Art of Ferris Bueller at the Art Institute of Chicago to Beneath the Big Screen: Chicago and Movie Underground, which features 10 locations.
On Location Tours’ Downtown Chicago TV & Movie Sites Tour is a fascinating two-hour experience that steps into the scenes of films such as Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Dark Knight, and more as you take in iconic Chicago sites. Local actors lead the tours, offering behind-the-scenes stories.
On the Yes, Chef! Chicago: A Bear-Inspired Food Tour from Chicago Food & City Tours you’ll travel to restaurants featured on this uber-popular show, as well as sample dishes. Dive into the flavors of the Logan Square, River North, and West Loop spots frequented by The Bear’s staff, including the nowfamous Mr. Beef on Orleans.
The longest-running Latino film fest in the country, the Chicago Latino Film Festival held in April features some 50 feature films and 35 shorts.
Presented in May, the Asian American Showcase provides a platform for new work by established and emerging Asian American filmmakers.
The Chicago Critics Film Festival in May features a selection of the most sought-after films of the year handpicked by Chicago Film Critics Association members.
Every September, the Chicago Underground Film Festival showcases underground and avant-garde cinema, video, and performance.
Held in October, the Chicago International Film Festival is North America’s longest-running competitive film festival, presenting the best in international cinema.
The Black Harvest Festival is Chicago’s annual November film event that explores the Black, African American, and African Diaspora experience.
Find more Chicago film festivals at chicagoscreens.org.
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