“Euphoria” Filming Locations Guide To Los Angeles

The second “Euphoria” special episode, uniquely named “Fuck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob,” explores Jules’s thoughts on gender, femininity and what it means to be a trans woman. As she opens up with a therapist (Lauren Weedman) about everything from family issues to her relationship with her on-again, off-again best friend-slash-lover Rue, we eventually see Jules on a sandy beach surrounded by massive sea stacks and rock arches. Jules talks about how she wants to be strong and feminine like the ocean as she swims and discusses the spirituality of being trans on the beach. In spite of the dream-like, otherworldly nature of the scene, it was filmed at El Matador State Beach in Malibu, a stunning and beloved beach along the Pacific Coast Highway. The beach is the most popular of three beaches within Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach and is a favorite for swimming and cave exploration.

In the second episode of season two, “Euphoria” displays some of its best cinematography when Jules, Kat Hernandez (Barbie Ferreira), and Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) bowl in slow-motion as Kat’s boyfriend Ethan Daley (Austin Abrams) watches on. The girls take Polaroid pictures of each other on the bowling lanes and eventually, Maddy and Rue talk about darkness versus sweetness in love as they watch Kat and Ethan bowl. The bowling scenes are almost as iconic as Maddy’s eye makeup and were filmed at Bowlium Lanes in Montclair, which is 32 miles east of downtown L.A. Visit on Friday or Saturday nights when Bowlium hosts cosmic bowling nights and, of course, make sure to wear extra glitter.

Situated in L.A.’s Westchester neighborhood, close to LAX, Pann’s Restaurant is an iconic diner that first opened in 1958. The restaurant is known for its futuristic, Jetsons-esque, ’50s architecture, an askew neon sign and its role in films like “Bewitched,” “Matchstick Men” (highly underrated film) and Vin Diesel’s magnum opus, “xXx.” The Los Angeles Conservancy Preservation Award-winning diner was used in “Euphoria” as the set of a first meeting between Rue and her future Narcotics Anonymous sponsor, Ali Muhammad (Colman Domingo), wherein the pair have a deep conversation about Rue’s relationship with drugs. We recommend sliding into one of the cherry red booths and ordering a heaping stack of pancakes in honor of Rue — with a strawberry milkshake on the side, of course.

Arguably the most sociopathic and volatile character in “Euphoria,” Cal Jacobs’ (Eric Dane) suppressed journey to one-night stands at the Travel Inn started back in high school when he fell in love with his best friend Derek (Henry Eikenberry). During a flashback in the third episode of season two, Derek takes young Cal (Elias Kacavas) to a Western-themed gay bar one rainy night where they danced to “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS before sharing an emotional kiss. In the following episode, present-day Cal gets kicked out of the bar while drunkenly trying to wrestle with patrons as Sinead O’Connor’s “Drink Before the War” crescendos in the background. Though it’s not a gay bar in real life, Hideaway Bar & Grill is a Western dive bar you can visit in Sylmar, which is at the top of the San Fernando Valley. Maybe stick to beer and liquor here, as their menu states that drinks bartenders have to look up, blend or think too hard about will cost $10.

Ulysses S. Grant High School has been the set for numerous films, television shows and music videos filmed in the Los Angeles area, including the film “Clueless,” shows like “Freaks and Geeks” and “Malcolm in the Middle” and music videos for one-hit wonder songs “Fancy” by Iggy Azalea and “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus. Most recently, the high school has been heavily used for exterior shots “Euphoria” as the set of East Highland High School, though the interior scenes at the school were filmed on set at Sony Picture Studios in Culver City. While you may not be able to go inside the school, you’re free to cruise by and check out where all the drama went down.

The first of two special episodes between seasons one and two is named “Trouble Don’t Last Always,” and follows Rue after she relapses on Christmas Eve. Almost the entire episode was set and filmed at Frank’s Coffee Shop where Rue meets up with her sponsor, Ali, to discuss her sobriety — or lack thereof — and relationship with Jules. Located outside the Portofino Inn Hotel in Burbank, the diner temporarily closed in December 2020 and currently does not have plans of reopening. That said, you can still visit the location and take photos outside of the classic building where scenes from “Mad Men” and “Gone Girl” were also filmed. Afterward, head half a mile down the road to The Tallyrand Restaurant where you can still enjoy classic diner breakfasts and massive cinnamon rolls.

Milk East Highland is the convenience store owned by Fezco (Angus Cloud) where he and Ashtray (Javon Walton) conduct the majority of their underground business. Throughout the series, characters in the show visit the store regularly for drugs, or just a malted beverage in the case of Lexi Howard (Maude Apatow). The scenes at Fez’s convenience store were filmed at a chain location of Alta Dena Dairy in Temple City, which is about 17 miles east of downtown L.A. It has since closed, though you can still pull your car into the covered drive and see where the footage was shot.

Located off of Victory Boulevard in Burbank, Favorite Liquor is an unassuming liquor store that was used as a set for episode four of season two, “You Who Cannot See, Think of Those Who Can.” After Jules and Elliot (Dominic Fike) kiss at the beginning of the episode, Rue and the pair head to the liquor store where Jules and Elliot steal a case of beer before peeling out of the parking lot. Since filming, the store has undergone some renovations and now has a deli where Krispy Krunchy Chicken sells an assortment of fried foods like corn dogs, wings and boudin bites.

As far as whimsical, neon scenes go, you can’t do much better than when Rue, Jules and Lexi visit Moonlight Rollerway and skate under the disco ball to “Run the Road” by Santigold. It’s a rare moment where we see a sober Rue carefree and happily skating with her friends. Bearing the same name as the rink in the show, Moonlight Rollerway is located in Glendale and has been hosting roller-skaters since the ’50s. Rent a pair of skates and roll through the next time you’re in Los Angeles.

In episode four of season two, Rue storms off after Jules admonishes her for drinking. Like so many other times during the series, Rue turns to drugs for comfort, only this time, she has an emotionally charged hallucination wherein she imagines she’s in a church while simultaneously holding her late father, Robert Bennett (Bruce Wexler), in her arms in the family home. Zendaya collaborated with British musician Labrinth for the song “I’m Tired,” which Labrinth performed in the church scene as he held Rue. The scene rapidly changes between Labrinth holding Rue near the altar and Rue sobbing in her father’s arms at home, signaling a duality of circumstances in her life and a potential inner awakening — at least, that’s what we got from it. The unforgettable scene was filmed at Knox Presbyterian Church in the Ladera Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles. One of the most accessible times to visit the church is on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. for the Knox worship service.

The Del Amo Fashion Center is used several times in “Euphoria,” which means that you too can strut by stores like Kat while “You Should See Me in A Crown” by Billie Eilish plays loudly in your headphones. East Highland’s most terrifying cheerleader, Maddy, particularly likes hanging out at Del Amo, and it’s where Nate followed Tyler (Lukas Gage) as he shopped. The three-story mall is in Torrance and has also been featured in cult films like “Valley Girl” and “Jackie Brown.”