Naman Shrestha
FX’s ‘The Bear‘ is a comedy-drama series that revolves around a reserved yet passionate young chef named Carmy, who grieves from his brother’s passing and turns his sandwich shop into one of Chicago’s finest fine-dining restaurants. Season 5 of the Christopher Storer creation picks up right after Carmy tells Sydney, Richie, and Natalie about his decision to retire not only from the restaurant but from the food industry altogether.
As the rest of the chefs are left with running the restaurant, the new partners must work with them to solidify the eponymous restaurant’s position in the industry — by earning a Michelin star. They weather financial challenges and the threat of a sale to realize that their restaurant is made perfect not just by what’s on the menu but by the staff. The final stretch of the story also unfolds in Chicago, Illinois, which elevates the narrative to another level.
The Bear Season 5 Filming Locations
Following the pattern of the previous seasons, the production of ‘The Bear’ season 5 was once again conducted primarily in Illinois, especially in Chicago. From what we can tell, principal photography for the fifth and final iteration of the Emmy Award-winning series began in January 2026 under the working title ‘The Fugitive.’ It continued for a couple of months before wrapping in early March of the same year.
Chicago, Illinois
The filming unit of ‘The Bear’ season 5 set up camp in the city of Chicago, situated on the western shore of Lake Michigan in the state of Illinois. During the shooting process, numerous residential streets in the neighborhood of Ukrainian Village were reportedly blocked for filming purposes. On the northwest corner of Cortez Street and Hoyne Avenue, a real-life apartment building was utilized to stand in for Richie’s apartment.
Besides that, the downtown area of the city, alongside the neighborhood of Wicker Park and the area of West Town, also served as important production destinations. The cast and crew members were also spotted taping pivotal sequences in and around The Green Door Tavern at 678 North Orleans Street in the neighborhood of River North. In the establishing shots, various of the city’s iconic buildings and landmarks can be spotted, including the Art Institute of Chicago, Buckingham Fountain, Navy Pier, the Chicago River, Lincoln Park, the Willis Tower, the St. Regis Chicago, the Aon Center, and more.
Evanston, Illinois
For the purpose of shooting, the production team of ‘The Beat’ season 5 also traveled north of Chicago to the city of Evanston. To record the scenes set in the residence of Natalie Berzatto AKA Sugar, they took over a property located near the corner of Lincoln Street and Lincolnwood Drive in Evanston. Furthermore, the area around Ewing Avenue features in several exterior shots. Other notable movies and TV shows shot in the city include ‘Road to Perdition,’ ‘Flags of Our Fathers,’ ‘The Weather Man,’ ‘A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon,’ ‘Another Happy Day,’ ‘Chain Reaction,’ ‘Nothing in Common,’ and ‘Rational Creatures.’
Read More: Where is The Bear Season 4 Filmed?
