The NYC Bar That Inspired How I Met Your Mother's MacLaren's Pub

There have been several shows throughout television history with iconic hangout spots. In "Friends," it was Central Perk. In "Seinfeld," it was Monk's Cafe. And in "How I Met Your Mother," it was MacLaren's Pub.

The beloved meeting place of Ted, Robin, Marshall, Barney, and Lily was the unofficial sixth member of the gang and became the location of many of the sitcom's most memorable moments. Fans can even make a few legen— wait for it — dary memories of their own the next time they're in New York City at the real-life bar that inspired MacLaren's, McGees Pub. Located on 55th street just three blocks from Times Square, the three-story Irish tavern was a frequent meeting spot for "HIMYM" creators Craig Thomas and Carter Bays during their days of writing for "The Late Show With David Letterman," and later served as the blueprint for MacLaren's while they were writing the show.

Unfortunately, there is no potentially vampiric bartender named Carl slinging drinks like in "How I Met Your Mother" (at least, we assume there isn't). However, the NYC hot spot is furnished with a massive mural similar to the one seen in the background in some scenes. Additionally, McGee's is furnished with red leather booths just like the ones the famous friend group sat in as they schemed and contemplated life in the city, where patrons can relax while enjoying "How I Met Your Mother"-themed food and drinks.

On its website, McGee's Pub proudly claims that it is "the bar that inspired 'How I Met Your Mother.'" However, in a 2008 interview with Watch! Magazine, the show's creators, Craig Thomas and Carter Bays, explained that four different spots around NYC  influenced the sitcom's famous meeting spot.

In addition to McGee's, Thomas and Bays drew from Chumley's, a speakeasy-style bar in Greenwich Village, for MacLaren's "rustic touches." A bar on Eighth Avenue called McHale's provided MacLaren's dimly lit atmosphere. Fez, a spot on the Upper West Side, not only inspired the round booths at the fictitious pub but was also where Bays and Carter befriended Josh Mosby, the real-life DJ who inspired the surname for their main character, Ted Mosby, portrayed by actor Josh Radnor.

Unfortunately, all three bars have closed their doors for good, making McGee's the last remaining go-to spot in New York City for "HIMYM" fans. However, if you find yourself in Berlin, there's a second option. The capital of Germany is home to an actual MacLaren's Pub, opened in 2011 by an architect and a law school student. Sound familiar? Modeled after MacLaren's, the bar's decor has several callbacks to the series, including an intervention sign, a pair of swords, a yellow umbrella, and a blue French horn strategically chained to the wall.