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Illustration by Ellen Surrey

The filming locations of Frasier’s one truly Seattle episode

The long-running series made only one visit to the Emerald City

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Illustration by Ellen Surrey

Frasier, as locals know, was never filmed in Seattle. Well, almost never: There’s one notable exception.

The show’s 100th episode features Niles and Frasier Crane frantically scrambling through downtown Seattle—the actual downtown Seattle—struggling to get to a celebration of Frasier’s 1,000th episode of his radio show-within-a-show. (We see what you did there, Frasier.)

While the series is pretty notable for getting a lot of things wrong about Seattle—to be fair, it was largely written and filmed in Los Angeles—the episode, “the 1000th Show,” at least doesn’t make any of the major geographical mistakes other Seattle-set media is notorious for. Location scouts were smart and kept things relatively linear within two miles south of the celebration at the Space Needle, so nobody’s taking a right turn out of Queen Anne into West Seattle, and nothing’s off by more than a couple of blocks.

Instead, we just get to watch the brothers Crane bumble around Pioneer Square, downtown, and Belltown in a mostly direct line, except for that time they take a wrong turn. Oh, Dr. Crane, how do you not know your way around downtown Seattle after ostensibly more than four years living and working in the area?

We’ve mapped out nine locations that the crew just couldn’t replicate at Paramount Studios.

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Space Needle

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The first Seattle on-location shot we see is at the Space Needle, as Roz frantically prepares a 1,000th-episode celebration where the mayor—played by then-actual-Seattle mayor Norm Rice—is set to declare “Frasier Crane Day.”

Pioneer Square by the old trolley stop

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Rumor has it that Cafe Nervosa was inspired by the cafe in Elliott Bay Books when it was located in Pioneer Square, so it tracks, kind of, that Frasier and Niles start their journey in Pioneer Square just southwest of Occidental Square—there are also a few references to a square outside the cafe, although Elliott Bay didn’t border Occidental. Viewers can see the old Waterfront Trolley making its way from the Pioneer Square stop; that line ceased operations in 2005, but the station is still there, although out of use (the First Hill Streetcar stops a block south at a more modern station).

Pike Place Fish Market

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Niles and Frasier have an apparently uneventful journey until they reach the obligatory Pike Place Market scene. While passing the famous Pike Place Fish Market—the one where the fishmongers throw fish to each other—Niles gets hit by passing seafood and spills his half-caf cappuccino with a dash of cinnamon (this is a big deal) on Frasier’s suede shoes. This, of course, will not do, so they set out to buy new shoes.

First and Pine

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Also a filming location during Sleepless in Seattles trip to Pike Place Market, Niles and Frasier exit the market via Pine Street—an ideal shot, since it gets both a hill and the “public market” sign on film.

Second Avenue between Battery and Wall

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Frasier, of course, absolutely must stop and buy new shoes—how can he greet his fans with a coffee stain on his footwear? He and Niles stop at a shoe store in Belltown, with a sign for real former coffeehouse La Pesce Cafe visible in the background. Now, Hawaiian-Japanese restaurant Karaage Setsuna is located there.

Regrade Park

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Soon after leaving the shoe store, Frasier and Niles try to cut through an alley (to avoid fans) and get mugged. The episode cuts straight from the shoe store to an alley by Regrade Park—so only a few blocks off.

Regrade Park is now known primarily as Belltown’s dog park, but back in 1997, it was almost unrecognizable as the same park, with a grassy area and children’s play equipment. At the time, the park was known as a hotbed of drug use. It was converted to a dog park in 2004 on a trial basis, which clearly became a permanent program.

The Doctors Crane approach a pay phone next to a park, but don’t have change, so they attempt to steal a quarter out of a blind musician’s saxophone case. Actual local Girl Scouts played the kids that chased them away toward First Avenue.

Westlake Center

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Somehow, after being chased west by the mob of Girl Scouts, Frasier and Niles find themselves southeast of their previous location—and comment that the Space Needle is even further away. This is true: They’re at the northeast corner of Westlake Center by the office tower entrance, a truly embarrassing navigational gaffe for someone who ostensibly has lived here for a while.

You can see a Washington Mutual branch behind them; while the bank would eventually be absorbed by Chase (and there’s not a branch there anymore), the building still reads “Washington Mutual Savings Bank” today.

The Monorail

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Niles realizes that while he and Frasier are farther away from the Space Needle, they are right next to a transportation option that goes to the Needle: the Monorail. They board at Westlake (without paying fare!), only to have the train come to a halt right above the Frasier Crane rally due to an electrical problem. The train heads back to Westlake.

Ralph’s Grocery

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Points to Frasier for plugging actual Seattle locations into the green screen on the way to the Space Needle while Dr. Crane is en route in a cab. Before he ultimately gets dropped off next to the Frasier Crane Day rally, the cab passes Ralph’s Grocery (not to be confused with California grocery chain Ralph’s), instantly recognizable because of its produce-and-cheese-filled neon awning. It was open 31 years before its closure in 2015; now, it’s a CVS.

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Space Needle

The first Seattle on-location shot we see is at the Space Needle, as Roz frantically prepares a 1,000th-episode celebration where the mayor—played by then-actual-Seattle mayor Norm Rice—is set to declare “Frasier Crane Day.”

Pioneer Square by the old trolley stop

Rumor has it that Cafe Nervosa was inspired by the cafe in Elliott Bay Books when it was located in Pioneer Square, so it tracks, kind of, that Frasier and Niles start their journey in Pioneer Square just southwest of Occidental Square—there are also a few references to a square outside the cafe, although Elliott Bay didn’t border Occidental. Viewers can see the old Waterfront Trolley making its way from the Pioneer Square stop; that line ceased operations in 2005, but the station is still there, although out of use (the First Hill Streetcar stops a block south at a more modern station).

Pike Place Fish Market

Niles and Frasier have an apparently uneventful journey until they reach the obligatory Pike Place Market scene. While passing the famous Pike Place Fish Market—the one where the fishmongers throw fish to each other—Niles gets hit by passing seafood and spills his half-caf cappuccino with a dash of cinnamon (this is a big deal) on Frasier’s suede shoes. This, of course, will not do, so they set out to buy new shoes.

First and Pine

Also a filming location during Sleepless in Seattles trip to Pike Place Market, Niles and Frasier exit the market via Pine Street—an ideal shot, since it gets both a hill and the “public market” sign on film.

Second Avenue between Battery and Wall

Frasier, of course, absolutely must stop and buy new shoes—how can he greet his fans with a coffee stain on his footwear? He and Niles stop at a shoe store in Belltown, with a sign for real former coffeehouse La Pesce Cafe visible in the background. Now, Hawaiian-Japanese restaurant Karaage Setsuna is located there.

Regrade Park

Soon after leaving the shoe store, Frasier and Niles try to cut through an alley (to avoid fans) and get mugged. The episode cuts straight from the shoe store to an alley by Regrade Park—so only a few blocks off.

Regrade Park is now known primarily as Belltown’s dog park, but back in 1997, it was almost unrecognizable as the same park, with a grassy area and children’s play equipment. At the time, the park was known as a hotbed of drug use. It was converted to a dog park in 2004 on a trial basis, which clearly became a permanent program.

The Doctors Crane approach a pay phone next to a park, but don’t have change, so they attempt to steal a quarter out of a blind musician’s saxophone case. Actual local Girl Scouts played the kids that chased them away toward First Avenue.

Westlake Center

Somehow, after being chased west by the mob of Girl Scouts, Frasier and Niles find themselves southeast of their previous location—and comment that the Space Needle is even further away. This is true: They’re at the northeast corner of Westlake Center by the office tower entrance, a truly embarrassing navigational gaffe for someone who ostensibly has lived here for a while.

You can see a Washington Mutual branch behind them; while the bank would eventually be absorbed by Chase (and there’s not a branch there anymore), the building still reads “Washington Mutual Savings Bank” today.

The Monorail

Niles realizes that while he and Frasier are farther away from the Space Needle, they are right next to a transportation option that goes to the Needle: the Monorail. They board at Westlake (without paying fare!), only to have the train come to a halt right above the Frasier Crane rally due to an electrical problem. The train heads back to Westlake.

Ralph’s Grocery

Points to Frasier for plugging actual Seattle locations into the green screen on the way to the Space Needle while Dr. Crane is en route in a cab. Before he ultimately gets dropped off next to the Frasier Crane Day rally, the cab passes Ralph’s Grocery (not to be confused with California grocery chain Ralph’s), instantly recognizable because of its produce-and-cheese-filled neon awning. It was open 31 years before its closure in 2015; now, it’s a CVS.