Nearly 25 years have passed since the “show about nothing” went off the air, bringing an end to a nine season run that will forever be remembered among televisions best. Despite being set on the Upper West Side, the idea for Seinfeld, the tv show, was born right here on the Upper East Side, when Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David were comedians performing here on the UES.
Catch A Rising Star [CLOSED]
1487 First Avenue
Episode: The Movie
Jerry Seinfeld got his start performing stand-up comedy on the Upper East Side and the club Catch a Rising Star, which was located on First Avenue between East 77th and 78th Streets, became part of a storyline in a season four episode where the gang meets up at the movies.
After showing up to perform a 9:50 pm set at Catch a Rising Star, Jerry finds out that he missed his spot because his stage time was actually 9:15 pm and an obnoxious comedian named Pat Buckles took his place.
Beach Cafe [OPEN]
1326 Second Avenue
Episodes: The Switch, The Money
When George thinks his model girlfriend is bulimic, he seeks out a bathroom matron at Beach Cafe to spy on her, Babs Kramer. Babs is Kramer’s estranged mother, however, after reconciling with her son, Babs quits her job at Beach Cafe and the whole plan backfires on George.
We see Beach Cafe again later in the series when George, who feels like Elaine is “sticking it to him” by buying him a bag of coffee beans— Arabian mocha java— takes Elaine, Jerry, Morty and Helen Seinfeld to an expensive dinner to show he’s got money too.
Frank and Estelle Constanza show up at Beach Cafe while they’re dining, announcing they’ve come for an “upscale dinner” after decided to blow their life savings instead of leaving it to their son.
“Look George, it’s a Pierre Cardin!”
Fitzpatrick’s [CLOSED]
1641 Second Avenue
Episodes: The Boyfriend, The Hot Tub
This former Upper East Side watering hole sitting at the corner of Second Avenue and East 84th Street makes two appearances in the long running series.
First seen in ‘The Boyfriend’ during Senfeld’s third season, it’s the bar where former Mets first-baseman Keith Hernandez takes Elaine on their second date, flirting over drinks and a series of baseball-related puns.
Things go south for the burgeoning couple when Hernandez sparks up a cigarette, which immediately grosses out Elaine. Jerry later compares her to the Surgeon General.
Fitzpatrick’s would appear again in the show as the bar where George takes those sons’ of bitches from the Houston Astros out for drinks after being assigned by Mr. Wilhelm to show them a good time because George seems burnt out from work.
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Poppie’s [FICTIONAL]
1394 Third Avenue
Episodes: The Pie, The Couch
Jerry’s girlfriend Audrey— the one who wouldn’t try the apple pie at Monk’s— takes him to her father’s restaurant, Poppie’s, for dinner, when Jerry sees that “Poppie got a little sloppy” and was preparing food without washing his hands after using the toilet.
In the same episode, Audrey, the hostess at Poppie’s tells a caller on the phone that the restaurant is on 77th, but eagle-eyed Seinfeld fans have identified the storefront as being on Third Avenue near East 79th Street— located in what is now Luke’s Bar and Grill.
Jerry and Elaine later come back to Poppie’s to try the duck, which must be ordered in advance, but get into an argument over abortion and storm out. Poppie’s is also where Kramer unsuccessfully tests his make-your-own pizzeria concept.
Westbury Hotel [CLOSED]
15 East 69th Street
Episode: The Jacket
In season two, Jerry and George met Elaine’s father, acclaimed author Alton Benes, in the lobby of the now-defunct Westbury Hotel on East 69th Street before heading to dinner. While waiting for Elaine to arrive — who is running late because she’s helping Kramer pick up birds to babysit while a friend is out of town — Mr. Benes’ gruff demeanor makes Jerry and George very uncomfortable.
At one point, Mr. Benes tells Jerry he reminds him of the tail gunner of his platoon while serving in the Korean War.
“They blew his brains all over the Pacific,” said Mr. Benes, “there’s nothing funny about that.”
The Westbury Hotel would later be converted into condominiums and is now slated to become home to a ritzy members-only club.
Melody Stationers [CLOSED]
1070 Madison Avenue
Episodes: The Invitations, The Summer of George
The very real but very defunct Melody Stationers on Madison Avenue is where George, being “very careful” with money as Elaine describes him, picks out ugly, cheap wedding invitations with his fiancé Susan Ross. The clerk warns the invitations have weak adhesive on them, so George says he’ll pick up some Elmer’s glue. He doesn’t, Susan licks dozens of envelopes and keels over— killed by toxic adhesive on the envelopes.
Melody Stationers returns to the show when George becomes Jerry’s relationship intern to help him keep up with his new girlfriend Lanette– an ethically non-monogamous waitress who dumps her primary partner, Lyle, for the comedian.
George slips on an invatation he picked up for Jerry and falls down a flight of stairs, severely injuring his legs ending The Summer of George.
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Pasteur Pharmacy [OPEN]
806 Lexington Avenue
Episode: The Sponge
If it weren’t for Elaine Benes, we wouldn’t have the word spongeworthy. Thankfully we do and it’s all because she was able to score a case of 60 recalled Today Sponges.
“They’re for sex!” the pharmacy tells the small town Massachusetts courtroom where the gang is on trial in the final episode, serving as a character reference for the prosecution.
Metropolitan Hospital Center [OPEN]
1901 First Avenue
Episodes: The Suicide, The Contest, The English Patient
The first time we see Metropolitan Hospital Center, located on East 97th Street in East Harlem, is the same episode where Newman makes his first appearance on the series in the show’s third season.
Jerry’s neighbor Martin is in a coma at Metropolitan after attempting suicide in a jealous rage because Jerry flirted with his girlfriend Gina. Jerry moves from flirting to making out with Gina and Newman threatens to rat him out, however, the postman’s silence is bought with a full-size Drake’s Coffee Cake. Elaine, hallucinating from hunger while fasting for an ulcer test, ruins the deal by eating Newman’s coffee cake.
Metropolitan Hospital Center’s most important appearance on Seinfeld comes midway through the fourth season when George’s mother catches him, you know— he was alone. Anyway, Estelle Costanza falls after seeing him “using his body as an amusement park” and is in traction at Metropolitan.
The East Harlem medical center is seen once more in the series when Neil— boyfriend to Danielle, who confuses George for him at Monk’s— is hospitalized with burns to his face from crepes rolled too tight.
Coming up in part two of our Seinfeld Fan’s Guide to the Upper East Side, we’ll have two additional neighborhood restaurants featured in the show that are still open for business, the UES hospital where Susan Ross was pronounced dead and one famous location not seen in the show— the Lenox Hill deli where Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld conceived the idea for ‘a show about nothing.‘
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