I remember watching the first episode of Tulsa King and thinking, "That city looks real." The streets, the buildings, the energy it all felt genuine. And a lot of it was.
Tulsa King follows Dwight "The General" Manfredi, a New York mob boss exiled by the Invernizzi crime family and sent to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The show makes the city feel like a real character. But not every scene was actually shot there.
After researching production details and cross-referencing fan reports, location databases, and official sources, I can tell you exactly where Tulsa King was filmed.
Some scenes used real Tulsa landmarks. Others were shot in Oklahoma City. Season 2 moved to Atlanta entirely.
This guide covers every major filming location, key scenes, and visit tips.
Where Is Tulsa King Filmed?
The short answer is that Tulsa King was filmed across multiple cities. Taylor Sheridan, the creator behind Yellowstone and 1883, chose Tulsa for its gritty identity and recognizable Art Deco architecture.
Local landmarks and streets gave Season 1 its authentic Oklahoma feel on Paramount+. But Tulsa alone could not meet every production need.
Oklahoma City stepped in, with Prairie Surf Studios providing the sound stages and controlled environments required for interior scenes.
Several scenes that look like Tulsa were actually shot in OKC. By Season 2, extreme filming heat and Georgia's strong film tax incentives pushed production to Atlanta entirely.
Real Tulsa Filming Locations You Can Visit
Tulsa gave the show some of its most recognizable scenery. Several of these spots are open to visitors and worth checking out if you are a fan of the series.
Boston Avenue and the Deco District
Boston Avenue in downtown Tulsa runs through the heart of the Deco District, packed with Art Deco landmarks like the Philcade Building and the Boston Avenue Methodist Church.
Both appear in the background of the show's most famous street-level shots. The show leaned into that heavily throughout Season 1.
In one memorable moment, Dwight crosses Boston Avenue at 4th Street, pauses at the Don't Walk sign, and says, "I've been waiting all my life." That crossing is real, and you can stand in the exact same spot today.
If you walk along Boston Avenue, you will recognize stretches of it immediately. After your photo op, the nearby Roppongi restaurant is worth a stop for ramen.
The Mayo Hotel
The Mayo Hotel is one of Tulsa's most iconic buildings, and it shows up in Tulsa King in a big way.
Built in 1925, the hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was once the tallest building in Oklahoma.
It has hosted guests like Babe Ruth, Mae West, and John F. Kennedy.
The hotel is located at 115 West 5th Street in downtown Tulsa. It is a real working hotel, so you can book a stay.
It is worth noting that the interior hotel room scenes in the show were filmed on a Prairie Surf Studios sound stage, not inside the Mayo itself.
But the exterior and lobby are real. If you go, head up to the Penthouse Rooftop Bar for drinks and a view of the downtown skyline.
Center of the Universe
The Center of the Universe is a real acoustic phenomenon in Tulsa, located above the last active railway in downtown.
Stand in the center of a small brick circle and your voice echoes back louder than you spoke it. People standing just outside the circle cannot hear the echo at all.
Episode 2 of Tulsa King is actually named "Center of the Universe." Dwight stumbles upon the spot, yells "Horse!" when a white pony gallops by, and later returns to make an emotional confession.
That white horse, named Pilot, becomes a recurring symbol throughout the show.
The spot is free to visit, open 24 hours, and located at 1 South Boston Avenue. While you are there, take a look at the nearby Tulsa Union Depot, a striking Art Deco former rail station just steps away.
Tulsa International Airport
Tulsa International Airport appears in the show during arrival and departure scenes. After being exiled by Pete and Chickie Invernizzi, Dwight lands in Tulsa for the first time here.
He steps outside and gets sprayed with holy water by a stranger. It is a real, functioning airport. If you are flying in or out of Tulsa, you will recognize parts of it from the series.
Look for the "IMAGINE" mural by local artist Carmen Taylor near the terminal.
Triangle Coffee Location (Now Coracle Coffee)
The coffee shop featured in Tulsa King was Triangle Coffee Roasters. Dwight orders a double espresso here and watches Pilot the white horse outside the window.
He also meets barista Spencer, played by Scarlet Rose Stallone, Sylvester Stallone's real daughter, who later becomes Pilot's caretaker at Fennario Ranch.
Triangle Coffee has since closed and the location, at 314 South Cincinnati Avenue, now operates as Coracle Coffee.
It is still open and still worth a visit. The building itself dates to 1907 and has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking what was once a historic parking garage from Tulsa's oil boom days.
Golden Driller
The Golden Driller is a massive 76-foot statue of an oil worker, weighing around 43,500 pounds, located at the Tulsa Expo Center on East 21st Street.
It is an official Oklahoma state monument and one of the tallest statues in the country.
The statue appears in the Tulsa King intro and makes cameo appearances throughout the show alongside other Route 66 landmarks including the Neon Sign Park and the Meadow Gold Sign.
It is free to view and close to Route 66, making it an easy stop.
Oklahoma City Locations Featured in Tulsa King
Several key scenes in Tulsa King were actually shot in Oklahoma City, not Tulsa. Here is where those took place.
Prairie Surf Studios
Prairie Surf Studios in Oklahoma City served as the main production hub for much of Tulsa King.
Built inside the former Cox Convention Center, it is a 1.3 million square foot facility with five soundstages, one of which measures 35,000 square feet.
The show used it for controlled indoor scenes and set builds including the hotel room sequences that look like they were shot inside the Mayo Hotel.
Prairie Surf has also been used for Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon and the 2024 film Twisters.
It is not open to the public, but it is worth knowing that a significant portion of what you see on screen came from here.
Bred-2-Buck Saloon Filming Site
The Bred-2-Buck Saloon is owned by Mitch Keller, played by Garrett Hedlund, and becomes Dwight's makeshift headquarters.
The saloon scenes were filmed at the now-vacant Whisky Barrel Saloon at 4120 Newcastle Road in Oklahoma City. The production team dressed and built out the space to fit the show's look.
Donnie Shore's Auto Solutions
The auto shop scenes involve Dwight's driver Tyson Mitchell, played by Jay Will, trying to buy a Lincoln Navigator.
Things go sideways, and Dwight shows up to have a word with dealer Donnie Shore.
This was filmed at a real Oklahoma City location:Auto Solutions at 5600 Northwest 39th Street.
OKC State Fairgrounds
In Episode 4, "Visitation Place," Dwight and his crew cross paths with the Black Macadam Motorcycle Gang at the Ogallala-Land Festival.
The dispute over nitrous oxide sales turns into one of the season's first real bursts of violence.
Those festival scenes were shot at the OKC State Fairgrounds, where the Oklahoma State Fair is held each September.
Iconic Tulsa King Scenes and Where They Were Filmed
Knowing where specific scenes were shot makes rewatching the show more interesting. Here is a breakdown of some of the most recognizable moments.
Dwight's Arrival in Tulsa
After being exiled by the Invernizzi crime family, Dwight lands at Tulsa International Airport. The terminal scenes are real.
Outside, he encounters the holy water scene that sets the tone for his entire Oklahoma experience. The exterior shots that follow include real downtown Tulsa streets and landmarks.
The Center of the Universe Scene
Episode 2 takes its name from this Tulsa landmark. The production used the real acoustic effect as part of the scene, including the moment Dwight yells at the sight of Pilot.
At the end of the episode, he returns to the spot for a quiet emotional confession. It is one of the show's best uses of a real location.
Boston Avenue Crossing
The crossing at 4th and Boston is where Dwight delivers one of Season 1's most quoted lines.
The Art Deco buildings behind him, including the Boston Avenue Methodist Church visible to the south, are exactly as they appear in real life.
Hotel, Coffee Shop, and Festival Scenes
The Mayo Hotel exterior, the Coracle Coffee location, and the Ogallala-Land Festival scenes at the OKC Fairgrounds were all shot at their actual real-world locations.
These scenes give the show a grounded feel that comes from using real places rather than sets.
Can You Visit the Tulsa King Filming Locations Today?
Yes, most of the Tulsa locations are accessible to the public. Here is what you need to know before you go.
Which Locations Are Open to the Public
The Center of the Universe, Boston Avenue, the Golden Driller, and the exterior of the Mayo Hotel are all free to visit.
The Penthouse Rooftop Bar at Mayo is open Wednesday through Saturday from 4 PM.
Coracle Coffee at 314 South Cincinnati Avenue is open during regular business hours. The Mayo Hotel itself is bookable as a stay.
Prairie Surf Studios and similar production spaces in Oklahoma City are not open to the public.
Suggested Self-Guided Filming Location Tour
If you want to see the main Tulsa locations in one day, start at Tulsa International Airport, then head downtown to Boston Avenue and the Deco District.
Look for the Philcade Building and the Boston Avenue Methodist Church while you are there. From Boston Avenue, walk to the Center of the Universe and check out the Tulsa Union Depot nearby.
Then stop at Coracle Coffee before swinging by the Mayo Hotel. End the day at the Golden Driller and the Route 66 landmarks nearby.
The whole route is manageable in a single afternoon.
What Has Changed Since Filming
Triangle Coffee Roasters has closed and the space now operates as Coracle Coffee.
The Center of the Universe is set to undergo major renovations, so the echo effect may change once construction begins.
The core landmarks, including the Mayo Hotel, Golden Driller, and Boston Avenue, remain the same as they appeared on screen.
Best Time to Visit
Spring and fall offer the most comfortable weather for exploring Tulsa's filming locations on foot.
Getting Around Tulsa and Oklahoma City
Tulsa is a car-friendly city. Most filming locations are in or near downtown, which makes them walkable if you park centrally.
For Oklahoma City, you will definitely need a car or rideshare since the locations are spread out.
Nearby Attractions Worth Adding to Your Trip
If you are already in Tulsa, the Philbrook Museum of Art, the Woody Guthrie Center, and the Gathering Place are all worth adding to your trip.
In Oklahoma City, Bricktown and the Oklahoma City National Memorial are easy additions if you have extra time.
Tips for Visiting Tulsa King Filming Locations
Planning ahead makes the trip smoother. Here are a few practical tips before you go.
- Visit Boston Avenue and the Center of the Universe on a weekday morning if you want fewer people around.
- The Golden Driller is best seen in daylight, it is hard to photograph at night.
- Call the Mayo Hotel ahead of time before heading to the Penthouse Rooftop Bar, as it sometimes closes for private events.
- Rent a car if you plan to visit both Tulsa and Oklahoma City locations in the same trip, they are about 100 miles apart.
- Download a map of the Deco District before you go so you can spot more filming spots on foot without getting turned around.
Conclusion
Tulsa King uses real places in a way that most TV shows do not bother with.
From the Deco District streets and the Mayo Hotel to Prairie Surf Studios in Oklahoma City and the eventual move to Atlanta for Season 2, the show's production story is almost as interesting as the plot itself.
If you are a fan, visiting the real Tulsa King filming locations is a genuinely rewarding experience.
You will see the city through a different lens. Go stand in the Center of the Universe, walk Boston Avenue at 4th Street, and grab a coffee at Coracle.
Then come back here and drop a comment telling us which filming location you visited first. If this guide helped you, share it with a fellow fan.
