The TD Centre's black steel towers serve as the home of Pierce & Pierce, Bateman's investment firm. Both office interiors and exteriors were filmed here, including the running sequences and the mistaken identity climax, with the identical towers deliberately chosen to echo the story's themes of doubling. The public plaza and exteriors are freely accessible today, though the interiors remain private offices. Visitors can walk the plaza and photograph the architecture that made Bateman's world feel interchangeable and cold.
The Short Answer
American Psycho was filmed mainly in Toronto, Ontario, which doubled for Manhattan. Patrick Bateman's Pierce & Pierce office scenes used the Toronto-Dominion Centre, while restaurants, bars, and nightclubs were shot across downtown Toronto. A smaller number of establishing shots and street exteriors, including Federal Hall and the Financial District, were captured in New York City.
American Psycho, released in 2000 and directed by Mary Harron, presents a vision of late 1980s Manhattan greed and violence that was largely manufactured in Canada. Principal photography ran from February 28 to April 23, 1999, almost entirely in Toronto, whose financial district and Entertainment District convincingly stood in for New York.
The production was not without drama. Anti-violence groups protested in Toronto and nearly shut down filming over the film's content and its links to a Canadian serial killer case. The crew also made unusual creative choices along the way: the film was originally planned in black and white and aimed for an X rating, and nearly 30% of the story unfolds inside Bateman's office, built as a set for greater lighting and camera control.
Every Location At A Glance
| Location | Where | What was filmed | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toronto-Dominion Centre (TD Centre) | Toronto, Canada | Bateman's Pierce & Pierce office interiors and exteriors, including running scenes and mistaken identity climax | Outside only |
| Pearl Street (between Duncan & Simcoe) | Toronto, Canada | Alley shootout and police chase scene with exploding car | Free to see |
| The Omni King Edward Hotel (Consort Bar) | Toronto, Canada | Lounge and bar scenes including Ed Gein quote and business card discussion | Ticketed |
| Federal Hall | New York, United States | Bateman running past the statue of George Washington | Free to see |
| Senator Restaurant | Toronto, Canada | Restaurant scenes including Texarkana/Ballroom Bowl equivalent | Ticketed |
| Monsoon Restaurant (formerly at 100 Simcoe Street) | Toronto, Canada | Barcadia passed off as Dorsia restaurant scene | Closed |
| Shark City Bar and Grill | Toronto, Canada | Nightclub and bar scenes | Closed |
| Phoenix Concert Theater | Toronto, Canada | Nightclub scenes | Ticketed |
| Rector Street / Madison Avenue area (Arader Gallery vicinity) | New York, United States | ATM scene with stray cat command | Free to see |
| Greenwich Street / Carlisle Street | New York, United States | Street scenes including setting off car alarms | Free to see |
Filming Locations Map
10 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Location By Location
This public street in Toronto's Entertainment District hosted the alley shootout and police chase, complete with an exploding car. It remains a working downtown block and a popular filming location for productions shooting in the city. Fans of the film's chaotic final act can simply walk the stretch between Duncan and Simcoe and recognize the alley from the sequence. No tickets or special access are needed, making it one of the easiest locations to visit on foot.
The Consort Bar at the Omni King Edward Hotel stands in for the upscale lounge where Bateman delivers the Ed Gein quote and the infamous business card discussion unfolds. The hotel is a historic luxury property, and the bar and public areas can be visited through a hotel stay or by dining there. It offers one of the few chances to sit inside an actual interior used in the film rather than just an exterior.
One of the genuine New York locations, Federal Hall on Wall Street appears when Bateman runs past the statue of George Washington. The building is a national memorial with public access to its exterior and grounds, so travelers can recreate the moment easily. Unlike the Toronto locations, this spot delivers authentic Manhattan atmosphere, which is fitting since the film is set in New York. It pairs well with the other Financial District locations used in the shoot.
This long-standing Toronto diner-style restaurant stood in for several restaurant scenes in the film, including the Texarkana and Ballroom Bowl equivalents. It operates as a public restaurant, so anyone can eat where the cast filmed. Its name and status have changed over the years, so visitors should check its current situation before planning a meal. It sits north of the downtown core, a short trip from the main cluster of filming locations.
Monsoon Restaurant played Dorsia, the impossibly exclusive eatery Bateman cannot secure a reservation at, with its space passed off as the fictional hotspot Barcadia in one scene. The location at 100 Simcoe Street no longer operates as the original restaurant, so fans should not expect to dine in Bateman's shoes here. The address still exists in downtown Toronto near the other core locations, and the exterior can be viewed from the street.
This venue hosted some of the film's nightclub and bar scenes, part of Bateman's nightly circuit of drinking and posturing. The former location is now closed or redeveloped, so there is little to see of the original interior today. It sits well north of downtown Toronto, farther from the main cluster of locations. Dedicated fans tracing every site may pass by, but casual visitors will find their time better spent at the accessible downtown spots.
The Phoenix Concert Theater served as one of the film's nightclub settings, capturing the neon-lit nightlife Bateman moves through. Unlike several other venues from the production, it remains an active concert hall, and access generally depends on the event schedule, since entry is ticketed. Checking what is on during a Toronto visit could turn a film location pilgrimage into a night out. It is a rare case of a location from the film still operating in a similar capacity.
This New York street corner appears in the memorably absurd ATM scene, where the machine commands Bateman to feed it a stray cat. The prop ATM was added for filming, so do not expect it today. The surrounding block is public and freely walkable, situated in the Financial District close to Federal Hall. Fans can cover both New York exteriors in a single short walk through the neighborhood.
These Financial District streets in New York were used for general street scenes, including the sequence in which Bateman sets off car alarms. Both are ordinary public streets, easy to visit and combine with the nearby ATM scene location and Federal Hall. They give the film's New York footprint a compact footprint of its own. A short stroll through the area covers everything the production shot in Manhattan exteriors.
Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed
The film is set in New York City during the late 1980s, following Patrick Bateman through a world of corporate wealth and violence. Nearly all of it was filmed in Toronto, with select New York exteriors and establishing shots supplying authentic Manhattan texture. This makes location hunting a two-city affair, though most sites cluster conveniently in downtown Toronto.
Tours That Visit These Locations
No dedicated American Psycho tour exists, but Toronto's broader film location walk covers several downtown sites connected to the production's home city. These general film and TV tours pass through the downtown landmarks area where much of the shooting happened, making them a practical option for visitors who want context on Toronto's role as a stand-in for New York.
Guided Film And TV Tour, Toronto
Toronto: Hollywood North Experience Film & TV Tour
A guided film and TV tour of Toronto covering downtown landmarks such as David Pecaut Square, Union Station, and Nathan Phillips Square, priced at 34.36 USD, with 63 reviews from past participants.
Downtown Toronto Film Walk
Hollywood North Experience Tour In Toronto
A tour that swings through downtown Toronto locations including David Pecaut Square and Union Station, both within walking distance of the TD Centre and Pearl Street sites from the film.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Was American Psycho Filmed In Toronto Instead Of New York?
Shooting in Toronto was substantially cheaper than filming in New York, and the city's financial district architecture could convincingly double for Manhattan. Toronto's TD Centre towers, in particular, matched the corporate aesthetic the filmmakers wanted, with the identical towers reinforcing the story's mistaken identity themes.
Can You Visit The Pierce & Pierce Office Building?
Partially. The Toronto-Dominion Centre's plaza and exteriors are public and free to walk through, but the office interiors are private workspaces and not open to visitors. The production also built office interiors as a set, since nearly 30% of the film takes place there.
Is The Dorsia Restaurant Real?
Dorsia is fictional, but the space was a real Toronto restaurant, Monsoon at 100 Simcoe Street. That restaurant is no longer operating, so visitors cannot dine there today. The exterior can still be seen from the street.
Which American Psycho Locations Are Actually In New York?
Three sites: Federal Hall, where Bateman runs past the George Washington statue; the Rector Street and Madison Avenue area used for the ATM scene; and the Greenwich Street and Carlisle Street streetscape where he sets off car alarms. All sit in or near the Financial District and can be covered in one walk.
Are Any Of The Nightclub Locations Still Open?
Yes. The Phoenix Concert Theater remains an active concert venue, and access depends on its event schedule since entry is ticketed. Shark City Bar and Grill, used for other bar and nightclub scenes, has closed or been redeveloped.
Did The Production Face Any Problems While Filming?
It did. Anti-violence groups protested in Toronto and nearly shut down production over the film's content and its links to a Canadian serial killer case. The filmmakers also originally planned a black and white film aimed at an X rating before the final approach changed.
American Psycho offers one of the more compact location hunts of any major New York-set film, because most of its Manhattan exists in a few downtown Toronto blocks. Pair the TD Centre, Pearl Street, and the King Edward Hotel in a single afternoon, then add the Phoenix if a show aligns with your dates. New York visitors get a quick bonus walk through the Financial District. A general Toronto film tour rounds out the trip with context on why the city so often plays New York on screen.





