Rob Reiner's 1989 romcom shot its most famous scenes on real New York streets and in a legendary Lower East Side deli.
When Harry Met Sally... was mainly filmed on location in New York City, including Katz's Delicatessen, Washington Square Park, the Puck Building, and Central Park. Additional scenes were shot at the University of Chicago, a New Jersey stadium site, and studios in Long Island City and Los Angeles. Principal photography ran from August 29, 1988, to November 15, 1988.
Released in 1989 and directed by Rob Reiner, When Harry Met Sally... is one of the great New York romantic comedies, and unusually for its era it earned that status honestly: most of it was genuinely shot in Manhattan rather than on California backlots.
That commitment to real locations pays off for travelers. The deli table where Sally staged her famous scene still has a sign hanging above it, the park where she dropped Harry off is free to walk through, and the museum wing where they argued over paprikash is open to anyone with a ticket. A surprising amount of the film can be tracked across a weekend in the city.
| Location | Where | What was filmed | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katz's Delicatessen | New York | The 'I'll have what she's having' faking orgasm scene | Free to see |
| Washington Square Park | New York | Sally drops Harry off upon arrival in NYC; Harry walks past at night later | Free to see |
| Puck Building | New York | Jess and Marie's wedding and New Year's Eve party scenes | Outside only |
| Loeb Boathouse | New York | Sally's lunch with friends in Central Park | Free to see |
| Metropolitan Museum of Art | New York | Pecan pie / paprikash scene in Egyptian wing / Temple of Dendur area | Ticketed |
| Café Luxembourg | New York | Double date scene with Harry, Sally, Jess, and Marie | Free to see |
| University of Chicago | Chicago | Harry and Sally meet and begin drive to New York | Free to see |
| Giants Stadium (former site) | East Rutherford | Harry tells Jess he is single | Closed |
| JFK Airport (United Airlines Terminal) | New York | Airport meeting scene 5 years later (establishing shot) | Free to see |
| Coney Island (batting cages area) | New York | Batting cage scene with Harry and Jess | Free to see |
| Shakespeare & Co. Booksellers (former) | New York | Bookstore meeting scene | Closed |
| 57 East 11th Street | New York | Harry's apartment exterior | Outside only |
12 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Manhattan, New York Free to see
Filmed here: The 'I'll have what she's having' faking orgasm scene
This is the big one. The 'I'll have what she's having' faking orgasm scene was filmed right here, and the deli has kept a permanent sign marking the table ever since. It is an operating restaurant, open daily, so anyone can sit down and order. Expect lines and high prices for sandwiches, but for fans of the film it is the single most essential stop on any itinerary.
Manhattan, New York Free to see
Filmed here: Sally drops Harry off upon arrival in NYC; Harry walks past at night later
Sally drops Harry off here upon arriving in New York, and Harry later walks past the park at night. The Washington Square Arch is clearly visible in the film and still stands today. It is a free public park and a busy tourist spot in Greenwich Village, so it costs nothing to visit and pairs easily with other downtown locations like the Puck Building a short walk away.
Manhattan, New York Free to see
Filmed here: Sally drops Harry off upon arrival in NYC; Harry walks past at night later
Sally drops Harry off here upon arriving in New York, and Harry later walks past the park at night. The Washington Square Arch is clearly visible in the film and still stands today. It is a free public park and a busy tourist spot in Greenwich Village, so it costs nothing to visit and pairs easily with other downtown locations like the Puck Building a short walk away.
The story is primarily set in New York City, with the opening in Chicago, and the filming largely matches that geography. Scenes were shot on location in New York City, Chicago, and New Jersey, with California studios and sites filling in some interiors. One notable split: the New Year's Eve party interior was filmed at the Puck Building in Manhattan, while Harry's running-in shot used the Park Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.
Interior work was handled by two studios. Silvercup Studios East in Long Island City served the New York production, while Hollywood Center Studios, also known as Sunset Las Palmas Studios, in Los Angeles handled California work. Neither studio appears on the location list as a visitor attraction, so travelers should focus on the on-location sites instead.
Two bookable tours cover New York film history and pass through Central Park locations connected to the movie, including the Loeb Boathouse area where Sally lunched with friends.
New York City: Movie and TV Show Locations Tour
At $120 with a 5 rating from 7 reviews, this broader tour reaches movie and TV locations across Manhattan, a better fit for visitors who want the When Harry Met Sally stops plus a wider screen-history sweep.
Central Park Movie Locations & Celebrity Homes Tour
At $65 with a 5 rating from 5 reviews, this tour zeroes in on Central Park, where the Loeb Boathouse scene was filmed, and adds celebrity homes to the mix.
Yes. Katz's Delicatessen is open daily, and a permanent sign hangs above the table where the 'I'll have what she's having' scene was filmed. It remains a major tourist draw, so expect lines and high prices for sandwiches.
Principal photography ran from August 29, 1988, to November 15, 1988. The film was released in 1989.
No. While most scenes were filmed on location in New York City, additional scenes were shot in Chicago, New Jersey, and California studios and sites, including the Park Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles for Harry's running-in shot.
No. The Shakespeare & Co. location on Broadway at 81st Street, where the bookstore meeting scene was filmed, closed in 1996. The building can still be viewed from the street.
Only the exterior. Jess and Marie's wedding and the New Year's Eve party were filmed inside the Puck Building, but it is a historic private events space, so visitors can view it from outside only.
Estelle Reiner, mother of director Rob Reiner, delivered the line as a customer in Katz's Delicatessen.
Few films reward location hunting as generously as this one. Katz's Delicatessen alone justifies the trip for most fans, and Washington Square Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Central Park can be stitched into a single day of walking. For those who would rather follow a guide, the two tours above cover the film's Central Park connections alongside broader New York screen history.
Before You Go
The tours travellers book most for When Harry Met Sally....
