If you’re a food enthusiast and a TV fanatic, chances are you’ve already heard of FX’s sensation, The Bear. This show has taken the culinary world by storm and left viewers with an insatiable appetite for more. Even with food on screen, the main course of the show is still Jeremy Allen White, who had us all drooling over his brilliant performance in the first season, where he played Carmen, the professional chef tasked with keeping the restaurant afloat after its previous owner, Carmen’s brother, passed away.
The Bear is overwhelmingly chaotic, providing a realistic portrayal of a real business. This show has captured the hearts of thousands, if not millions, of fans across the globe who tuned in to watch this emotionally charged series with a touch of comedy and it’s no surprise that it is expected to dominate the upcoming award season. As we eagerly await the second season this summer, the restaurant is undergoing some necessary changes. This brings us to the question: Does The Original Beef of Chicagoland truly exist?
Does the restaurant from ‘The Bear’ exist in reality?
Unfortunately, if you’re like me and have been eagerly craving a Chicago-style Italian beef sandwich, I have some bad news. The restaurant depicted in The Bear is purely fictional, created to bring the show’s narrative to life. While it’s nothing more than a set nowadays, there’s an interesting twist. The first season of the series was actually filmed at a real restaurant, albeit under a different name.
The restaurant that served as the filming location is known as Mr. Beef on Orleans, a popular restaurant and deli situated in Chicago at 666 North Orleans Street. With a history spanning over three decades since its establishment in 1979, Mr. Beef has had its fair share of public attention. In fact, it previously hosted the reality show Food Wars on the Travel Channel and even made an appearance on an episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. What’s more, the restaurant is also frequently visited by celebrities hoping to get a taste of the delicious food.
Unsurprisingly, much like its fictional counterpart, Mr. Beef is renowned for its delectable Italian beef sandwiches. While you may not have the opportunity to taste Carmen’s culinary creations yourself, you can still visit the real-life restaurant that served as the bustling backdrop for two thrilling seasons of The Bear.
As for the upcoming season of The Bear, you can watch it on FX on June 22.