Netflix takes us on a tour of all ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ filming locations

First, it was a (and is) a very successful series of books by crime thriller novelist Michael Connelly. Then, it was a big motion picture starring then-future Oscar winner and catchphrase maven Matthew McConaughey. Now The Lincoln Lawyer is a Netflix series in the first part of its second season. In that show, there are a bunch of recognizable L.A. locations. Netflix recently shared a tour of those.

In case you don’t know, The Lincoln Lawyer follows the misadventures of Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), a Los Angeles lawyer who likes to handle business in his Lincoln (hence the title). The show is a collaboration between the author and super producer David E. Kelley (The Practice, Ally McBeal).

The creators are shooting for authenticity at every turn, so that mean Haller is cruising through spots from the Pacific Coast Highway to Mulholland Drive. Showrunner Ted Humphrey told Netflix that shooting in the legendary city is “like shooting in front of the greatest” backdrop in the world.

If you’re familiar with the classic detective stories by Raymond Chandler, like The Long Goodbye, then you know the vibe he’s going for.

“LA is this mysterious, brooding entity. It’s bright and sunny but that just serves to accentuate the darkness lurking around every corner. There’s a lot of history here, not all of it nice, that echoes off the streets Mickey drives. And of course it is an endlessly diverse place, a remarkable melting pot even in a nation of melting pots.” 

That definitely doesn’t mean it leans into those tourist attractions that most people are familiar with, like Mann’s Chinese Theater or Universal Studios, per location manager Richard DiPatri.

“LA, while iconic, is very recognizable — for better or for worse. I think the key is to present locations that fit the story and the scripts, but also to stay away from the main tourist attractions. Most of that credit goes to the directors and DPs that ground our scenes in the reality of LA while still making it recognizable.” 

So what locations are we talking about? In the first episode, Haller, a foodie, visits one of the most famous restaurants in the city: elysian. Not the real one, by the way.

“The art department turned that into what it looks like in the show,” DiPatri said. “It had all the elements that the scripts called for in the bones of the space, and we were able to make it into the restaurant that we wanted for The Lincoln Lawyer.”

Other locations include The Paseo Club, the 6th Street Bridge, LA River Walk and the Highly Likely Café. To see those locations and much more, check out the show, which is streaming now.