One of the most critically acclaimed films of the 1990s, Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” was shot in Southern California. The restaurant that opens and closes the film was the Hawthorne Grill in Hawthorne, California. Unfortunately, the restaurant closed in 1996 and is now an AutoZone.
LOCATION: 13763 Hawthorne Blvd, Hawthorne, CA 90250 (demolished)
Butch discusses throwing a boxing fight with Marsellus Wallace at Starz, a former strip club in Gardena. This location was identified by Rayen Belchere after he spoke with the former management, who confirmed the club was used in the film. The location is only seen from interior views in the film, but photography was not permitted inside and the club has since permanently closed. Here is what the exterior looked like.
LOCATION: 2528 Rosecrans Ave, Gardena, CA 90249
Vincent Vega takes Mia Wallace to the memorable “Jack Rabbit Slims,” which is not a real restaurant. The interiors were built on a studio stage. However, the exterior is in fact a real place, albeit not a restaurant. Located in Glendale, California, the building was originally a bowling alley called Grand Central Bowl, which has long since closed. Today, the building is owned by The Walt Disney Company, which owned Miramax, the company which released “Pulp Fiction.” The building is part of Disney’s larger Grand Central Business Center, which consists of numerous buildings in the area used as business offices. The building is actually tucked away behind a wall and fencing, but the wall is not very tall and it’s easy to get a view over top of it. What is not so easily accomplished is getting a closer view of the building. The property is only open to business staff, so the closest the public can get is the sidewalk.
LOCATION: 1435 Flower St, Glendale, CA 91201
Vincent Vega pays a visit to his friend Lance, played by Eric Stoltz, early in the film, in order to purchase some heroin. After Mia Wallace mistakes Vega’s heroin for cocaine, she overdoses and is rushed to this house in the Atwater Village neighborhood of Los Angeles, for a very tense scene in which they give her an adrenaline shot.
LOCATION: 3519 La Clede Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90039
The building where Butch’s boxing match takes place can be found in Pasadena. The marquee has since been changed. The same building was also used in “This is Spinal Tap.”
LOCATION: 129 N Raymond Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103
Later in the film, after Butch has double-crossed Marsellus Wallace, he sneaks back to his apartment, located in North Hollywood, to retrieve his gold watch.
LOCATION: 11813 Runnymede St, North Hollywood, CA 91605
After a violent confrontation at his apartment, Butch is leisurely driving away, when a chance encounter with Marsellus occurs at this intersection of Fletcher Dr. and Atwater Ave., also located in Atwater Village. Butch is facing NW on Atwater Ave. when he spots Marsellus crossing Fletcher Dr.
LOCATION: Intersection of Atwater Ave. / Fletcher Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90039
Butch quickly floors it and hits Marsellus, before getting in a car collision in the intersection. Marsellus awakens and begins firing his gun at Butch, when a bystander is hit in front of Fosters Freeze, which is at the same intersection. Forsters Freeze was also featured on the television show “GLOW.”
LOCATION: 2760 Fletcher Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90039
Marsellus chases Butch on foot SW down Fletcher Dr. from the same intersection.
LOCATION: Fletcher Dr., just past Atwater Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039
Marsellus fires one last shot in the distance at Butch, who is standing at the corner of this building in Canoga Park. This location is far away from the earlier shots in Atwater Villiage. It is actually the corner alley next to the Zed’s Pawn Shop, in which both characters make a grave mistake in entering.
LOCATION: The alley left of Crown Pawn Shop at 20933 Roscoe Blvd, Canoga Park, CA 91304
Zed’s Pawn Shop is where things take a bizarre, ugly turn for Butch and Marsellus. The real building actually is a pawn shop.
LOCATION: 20933 Roscoe Blvd, Canoga Park, CA 91304
The motel where Butch and Fabienne stay was demolished in 1996. Formerly known as the River Glen Motel, this building now stands in it’s place. Only the exteriors were used in the film. The interior of the motel was a set, albeit designed to resemble the River Glen Motel rooms.
LOCATION: 2934 Riverside Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90039 (now demolished)
What can be better lined up at the location is the view down Riverside Drive, seen as the couple leaves the motel on a chopper. Everything here still matches how it appeared in the film, with the Glendale-Hyperion Bridge visible in the distance. The same bridge was seen in the film “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”
Near the end of the film, Jules and Vincent find themselves in “The Bonnie Indecent,” in which they are in sudden, urgent need of getting rid of a body. They arrive here at Jimmy’s house, played by Quentin Tarantino. It is here they meet “The Wolf,” played by Harvey Keitel.
LOCATION: 4145 Kraft Ave, Studio City, CA 91604
The site of Monster Joe’s Truck and Tow can be found in Sun Valley. The area has changed some since filming took place.
LOCATION: 12143 Branford St, Sun Valley, CA 91352
Related articles: Reservoir Dogs (1992), Jackie Brown (1997), Kill Bill (2003), Django Unchained (2012), Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood (2019)
Film Oblivion 