Where Was Mr. Robot Filmed? Hint: It’s One of the Best Sets in the World
The mad genius hackers of Mr. Robot deserved an impressive backdrop.
What makes Mr. Robot such a great psychological thriller? There are the intense and unsettling characters, including the underground hackers portrayed by Christian Slater and Rami Malek. And the mind-bending storylines, that might make you question reality just a little bit. But not to be overlooked is the location where the USA Network original series was set. Going beyond the usual establishing shots and generic accents, Mr. Robot immortalized something distinct and new about the city that never sleeps — a place that has been portrayed a million times on screen.
Where was Mr. Robot filmed?
You might have guessed it: Mr. Robot was filmed in New York City. With its gleaming skyscrapers, gritty tenement buildings, and anxious pace, it’s the perfect backdrop for a show about a network of shadowy hackers trying to take down global corporations. In fact, images of New York burst from practically every frame. But you won’t see touristy shots of the Empire State Building or Central Park. Mr. Robot captures a different slice of the Big Apple, one that is much more realistic and finds beauty in the chaos.
What are the famous filming locations of Mr. Robot?
From subway platforms to 24-hour diners in Brooklyn and pizza joints in Queens, Mr. Robot often took viewers to hidden pockets on the outskirts of the city's most-known places, all outlined by Curbed NYC.
If you want a real look at gritty New York, the secret hideout of hacker group “fsociety” in Coney Island is it. The show depicts it as a desolate and rundown arcade, but the actual location, Eldorado Bumper Cars and Arcade, is a longtime local favorite and remains open to visitors.
Of course, you can’t beat Manhattan’s iconic skyline, and some of the most memorable scenes were shot right in the city. A skyscraper on “Billionaire’s Row” — along 57th Street in midtown Manhattan — served as the exterior for the headquarters of E Corp (which stands for Evil Corp, by the way), the main antagonist in the series. E Corp's eerie, white interiors were shot at the former Trump Soho Hotel, which turned into The Dominick in 2017 during the show's run.
A stunning mid-century glass tower at 655 Third Avenue was the location of Allsafe Cybersecurity, where Elliot (Malek’s character) worked as an engineer before he turned to the dark side. Obviously, Times Square provides a glittering backdrop for many important scenes, including the Season 1 finale, where masked rioters take to the streets to celebrate fsociety’s successful hack.
A Greenwich Village coffee shop (filmed at Think Coffee on 4th Avenue) and a classic Lower East Side tenement building at 217 E. Broadway (Elliot’s fictional home) give the series a shot-on-location immediacy that enhances the thrills. Battery Park, Grand Central Terminal, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Queens Museum also pop up throughout Mr. Robot's four seasons. It’s almost as if New York itself is another character in the series, offering a sort of surreal yet fascinating tour of the city.
