Most interior scenes in Firehouse 51 are filmed on a set. However, the Chicago Fire cast and crew utilize the Chicago Fire Department's Engine 18 station in the city's Little Italy neighborhood for the exterior scenes.
Most of the first responders who come and go in Firehouse 51 in Chicago Fire form close bonds, whether they are platonic or romantic in some cases. As a result, they like spending time together outside of work. Starting in season 1, the characters' go-to spot to hang out is obviously Molly's. The bar is featured in nearly every episode of Chicago Fire and has become a staple location of the NBC TV show. If the firefighters and paramedics aren't at Firehouse 51 or responding to a call, they're typically at Molly's, unwinding after a long day of work.
Molly's History In Chicago Fire Explained
Herrmann, Mouch, & Platt Own Molly's As Of Chicago Fire Season 13
Chicago Fire has had several relationships over time, including toxic ones that have paved the way for key characters and their path in Firehouse 51.
When Otis heartbreakingly dies in Chicago Fire season 8, Randall "Mouch" McHolland and his wife, Chicago PD's Trudy Platt, buy Otis' shares of Molly's. Herrmann is also forced to close Molly's North in the wake of Otis' death. So, as of Chicago Fire season 13, Herrmann, Mouch, and Platt own Molly's, while Stella Kidd is the bar's manager and works as a bartender when off shift.
Chicago Fire's Molly's Is Actually A Real Bar In Chicago
Molly's Is Inspired By Lottie's Pub
It doesn't go by Molly's, but the bar featured in Chicago Fire exists in real life, meaning fans can visit it. It's called Lottie's Pub and is located in the Bucktown neighborhood of Chicago. However, the cast and crew of the One Chicago TV show no longer use Lottie's Pub to double as Molly's while filming. According to One Chicago Center, they shot exterior and interior scenes at the bar in season 1. However, it soon became too difficult and too expensive to close off the area as frequently as necessary. Consequently, the producers had to pivot.
Instead, the Chicago Fire crew built a set inspired by Lottie's Pub on a soundstage at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios. So, starting in season 2, the NBC procedural drama utilized the soundstage for the scenes inside Molly's. It simply made more sense to build a set that replicates Lottie's Pub than to film on location, especially considering how many scenes are shot at Molly's. Fans can still visit Lottie's Pub, which features a few One Chicago-themed items on its menu, including a Chicago Fire burger, a Chicago PD burger, and a Chicago Med turkey burger.
The Bar Is A Safe Space For Firehouse 51
Molly's is arguably the most important location in Chicago Fire, excluding Firehouse 51. It has become a place where the One Chicago universe characters can go to hang out, celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and even get married. Molly's has essentially become many of the first responders' second homes. The bar is also important because it's a chance for Chicago Fire to develop characters and relationships outside their identities as firefighters/paramedics, proving that the show is more than just its action sequences.
