Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City hosted part of the production and remains one of the most visitable studio sites connected to the film. The studio runs its own Studio Tour, which takes visitors through working backlot sets and sound stages on the hillside lot. It is the easiest way to see where studio-based Hollywood filmmaking happens, including areas of the type used for period recreations like those in this production.
The Short Answer
The film was shot mainly across the Los Angeles area in California in 2019. Production designer Barbara Ling and location manager Rick Schuler redressed streets like Hollywood Boulevard and used real landmarks including Musso & Frank Grill, the Cinerama Dome and Corriganville Park in Simi Valley, which stood in for Spahn Ranch. Studios involved were Universal Studios Hollywood, Paramount Studios and Melody Ranch in Newhall.
Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood arrived in 2019 with a brief to rebuild 1969 Los Angeles without relying entirely on sound stages. The production chose a mix of surviving period locations, cleverly redressed streets and studio backlots, keeping much of the geography authentic to the Hollywood the story inhabits.
The result is a film where many locations still exist and can be visited, from a bar booth Sharon Tate herself once sat in to a public park in Simi Valley that doubled for one of the darker settings in the story.
Every Location At A Glance
| Location | Where | What was filmed | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musso & Frank Grill | Los Angeles | Rick Dalton meets agent Marvin Schwarzs | Free to see |
| Cinerama Dome | Los Angeles | Exterior driving shots and marquee scenes | Ticketed |
| Regency Village Theatre / Bruin Theatre | Los Angeles | Sharon Tate watches The Wrecking Crew | Ticketed |
| Corriganville Park | Simi Valley | Spahn Ranch scenes with Manson family | Free to see |
| El Coyote Cafe | Los Angeles | Dinner scene; same booth as real Sharon Tate | Free to see |
| Casa Vega | Sherman Oaks | Rick and Cliff dine on climactic night | Free to see |
| Paramount Drive-In Theatres | Paramount | Cliff Booth's trailer and drive-in scenes | Outside only |
| Cameron Nature Preserve at Puerco Canyon | Malibu | The F.B.I. TV show scenes | Free to see |
| Playboy Mansion | Los Angeles | Party scenes (exterior) | Private property |
| 10969 Alta View Dr | Studio City | Rick Dalton's house exterior | Outside only |
Filming Locations Map
10 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Location By Location
Melody Ranch in Newhall served as a production site for the film. The working movie ranch has a long Western backlot history and is not generally open for casual public visits, so travellers should not plan an unannounced trip here. It occasionally hosts ticketed events, but access depends on scheduling. Fans can appreciate it as one of the authentic old-Hollywood facilities Tarantino's team used rather than a standard tourist stop.
Paramount Studios in Los Angeles was another studio home for the shoot, and like Universal it offers a Studio Tour to the public. The historic lot dates back generations and its streets and sound stages have appeared in countless productions. Booking the official tour gives visitors a look at working facilities of the kind used to stage the 1969 Hollywood depicted in the film, with guides covering the lot's film and television history along the way.
Location 04
Musso & Frank Grill
Hollywood, Los Angeles Free to see
Filmed here: Rick Dalton meets agent Marvin Schwarzs
The scene where Rick Dalton meets his agent Marvin Schwarzs was filmed at Musso & Frank Grill on Hollywood Boulevard, and the interiors needed almost no changes because they still matched the restaurant's 1919 opening. That makes it one of the most authentic stops for fans. The historic restaurant is open for dining and reservations are recommended, so visitors can sit in the same room where the scene plays out.
Location 05
Cinerama Dome
Hollywood, Los Angeles Ticketed
Filmed here: Exterior driving shots and marquee scenes
The Cinerama Dome on Sunset Boulevard appears in exterior driving shots and marquee scenes, with its distinctive geodesic dome standing in for the film's 1969 streetscape. It is part of the ArcLight complex, and travellers should check the current status for screenings before planning a visit, since access is ticketed when open. Even viewed from the street, the dome remains one of the most recognizable pieces of Hollywood architecture captured in the film.
Location 06
Regency Village Theatre / Bruin Theatre
Westwood, Los Angeles Ticketed
Filmed here: Sharon Tate watches The Wrecking Crew
The Westwood Village theaters stand in for the moment Sharon Tate goes to watch herself in The Wrecking Crew. The Regency Village Theatre and Bruin Theatre are historic movie houses that still operate, so fans can buy a ticket and see a film in the very setting used for one of the film's most tender sequences. Both face onto the same Westwood block, making them easy to visit together on foot.
Location 07
Corriganville Park
Ventura County, Simi Valley Free to see
Filmed here: Spahn Ranch scenes with Manson family
The Spahn Ranch scenes with the Manson family were shot at Corriganville Park in Simi Valley because the original ranch site had changed too much to use. Today it is a public park in Ventura County with trails and historical markers, open from dawn to dusk. The former movie ranch grounds offer a genuinely atmospheric hike, and the markers explain the site's long history as a Western filming location before this production arrived.
Location 08
El Coyote Cafe
Beverly Grove, Los Angeles Free to see
Filmed here: Dinner scene; same booth as real Sharon Tate
El Coyote Cafe in Beverly Grove provided the setting for a dinner scene, and the production used the exact booth where the real Sharon Tate ate her last meal. The Mexican restaurant is open daily and remains a popular spot, so fans can request the booth and dine in place. It sits a short drive from other Hollywood sites, making it an easy addition to a locations itinerary.
Location 09
Casa Vega
San Fernando Valley, Sherman Oaks Free to see
Filmed here: Rick and Cliff dine on climactic night
Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks is where Rick and Cliff dine on the film's climactic night. The family-owned Mexican restaurant has been serving the San Fernando Valley for generations and stays open late, with a dim, booth-lined interior that suits the film's mood. No special arrangements are needed, it is open to the public, though waits can be long at peak times. It makes a natural dinner stop on a locations tour.
Location 10
Paramount Drive-In Theatres
Los Angeles County, Paramount Outside only
Filmed here: Cliff Booth's trailer and drive-in scenes
The scenes featuring Cliff Booth's trailer and the drive-in movie were filmed at Paramount Drive-In Theatres in the city of Paramount. The Van Nuys Drive-In from the story no longer existed, so this operating drive-in was used with miniature sets added by the production. Access is exterior only for sightseers, since the venue still runs movies, but the screen towers and lot are visible from outside.
Location 11
Cameron Nature Preserve at Puerco Canyon
Los Angeles County, Malibu Free to see
Filmed here: The F.B.I. TV show scenes
The F.B.I. TV show scenes featuring Rick Dalton were filmed in Puerco Canyon in Malibu, and the footage was inserted into an actual 1960s episode of the series for authenticity. Today the area is the Cameron Nature Preserve, a public nature preserve with hiking trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. It suits travellers combining film locations with a coastal hike, and requires no ticket.
Location 12
Playboy Mansion
Holmby Hills, Los Angeles Private property
Filmed here: Party scenes (exterior)
The Playboy Mansion in Holmby Hills appears in the film's party scenes, shot from the exterior. The property is private, so drive-by viewing is the only option, and visitors should respect the privacy of the residence. The mansion's gates and grounds can be glimpsed from the street, which is enough to place it within the film's geography of late-1960s Hollywood elite haunts.
Location 13
10969 Alta View Dr
San Fernando Valley, Studio City Outside only
Filmed here: Rick Dalton's house exterior
Rick Dalton's house exterior was filmed at a private residence at 10969 Alta View Drive in Studio City. As with the Playboy Mansion, this is exterior only viewing, and the house is a private home occupied by real people, so visitors should keep to the street, be brief and respect the residents. It is a quick stop that pairs well with other San Fernando Valley locations such as Casa Vega.
Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed
The film is set in 1969 Los Angeles and was filmed primarily in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, including Hollywood, Westwood, Simi Valley, Malibu and various studio lots. Rather than build everything from scratch, the production restored and redressed surviving locations. Hollywood Boulevard facades, including the Pussycat Theater, were rebuilt or redressed for the shoot, and the Van Nuys Drive-In, which no longer exists, was replaced by Paramount Drive-In with miniature sets added.
The Studio Side
Three studios were involved. Universal Studios Hollywood in Universal City and Paramount Studios in Los Angeles both hosted production and both run public Studio Tours, making them practical stops for travellers. Melody Ranch in Newhall also served the production, but it is not generally visitable. The studio work sat alongside extensive location shooting, with Barbara Ling's production design and Rick Schuler's location management knitting real streets and backlots into a convincing 1969.
Tours That Visit These Locations
Travellers who want a guided route through Los Angeles film history have one strong option on this page, a movie locations tour that includes stops connected to this film alongside other famous shooting sites around the city.
Guided Movie Locations Drive, 3 Hours
Los Angeles: Hollywood Film Freak Movie Locations Tour
This driving tour covers famous film locations around Los Angeles, including sites tied to this film, and costs $49.99 per person. It holds a 4.5 rating from 39 reviews, a solid mark for a citywide movie tour, and suits visitors who want context and stories from a guide rather than mapping the stops alone.
From$50Check availability
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you visit the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood filming locations?
Yes, many of them. Musso & Frank Grill, El Coyote Cafe and Casa Vega are open restaurants, Corriganville Park and Puerco Canyon are public parks with trails, and the Westwood theaters still show films. The Playboy Mansion and Rick Dalton's house exterior are private and viewable only from the street.
Where were the Spahn Ranch scenes filmed?
At Corriganville Park in Simi Valley, Ventura County. The original Spahn Ranch had changed too much since 1969, so the production rebuilt the setting in this former movie ranch, which is now a public park open from dawn to dusk with hiking trails and historical markers.
Is the restaurant where Sharon Tate's last meal scene was filmed real?
Yes. El Coyote Cafe in Beverly Grove used the exact booth where the real Sharon Tate ate her final meal. The Mexican restaurant is open daily and remains popular, so visitors can dine in the same booth.
Which studios from the film can tourists tour?
Universal Studios Hollywood and Paramount Studios both hosted production and both offer public Studio Tours. Melody Ranch in Newhall also served the production but is not generally open to casual visitors.
Why does the Cinerama Dome look different today?
The dome itself is unchanged since it appears in the film's driving and marquee shots, but it is part of the ArcLight complex, and travellers should check the current status for screenings before visiting, as access is ticketed when open.
Was the drive-in in the film real?
It was a real, operating drive-in. The Van Nuys Drive-In from the story no longer existed, so the production used Paramount Drive-In Theatres in the city of Paramount and added miniature sets. The drive-in still operates, and sightseers can view it from outside.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood works as a locations film because so much of its 1969 Los Angeles survives, whether as dining rooms, theaters, parks or redressed boulevards. A self-guided route linking Musso & Frank, the Westwood theaters and El Coyote covers the most atmospheric stops in a single day, while the guided movie locations tour adds stories and context across a wider sweep of the city.
