The show Parenthood is one of the most treasured TV dramas in recent years, and the Luncheonette is one of its most recognizable sets. Despite its convincing appearance, however, the Luncheonette is not a real recording studio. Its interior was located on a sound stage at Universal Studios in Hollywood, while the exterior was filmed on Universal's backlot. Despite that, it's easy to suspend belief in the Luncheonette because of the believable history Parenthood creates for it.
Parenthood is a dramedy that follows the Braverman siblings — Adam, Sarah, Crosby, and Julia — as they navigate the highs andthe lows of parenthood. Jason Katims (also known for the TV series Friday Night Lights) created the series that ran on NBC from 2010-2015. Parenthood had an incredible ensemble, great guest stars, and storytelling that always pulled heartstrings. As for the recording studio, Crosby and Adam bought the Luncheonette in Season 3 after Adam lost his job at T&S shoes.
The Luncheonette is a landmark recording studio that saw legendary musicians like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, the Grateful Dead and many others. It's a legendary location, according to the rich canon Parenthood creates for it. With names like that attached, it's easy to assume the Luncheonette is a real place that anyone can visit. It becomes even more exciting when the brothers get it back up and running to sustain its aforementioned legacy.
That recording studio became a staple location for the series. Of course, it was the space for so many iconic performances before the show's existence, but that party didn't stop when Parenthood started. The series actually brought real-world musicians into the Luncheonette. CeeLo Green and Tyson Ritter of The All-American Rejects, to name some, appeared on Parenthood. They became integral characters to the story — affecting Adam, Crosby, and even Amber Holt.
Adam and Crosby's niece Amber (played by Mae Whitman) forged a special connection to the Luncheonette and became influential in its success. So much so, Jason Katims launched a four-part digital companion series that followed Amber's day-to-day responsibilities at the Luncheonette. It was called Friday Night at the Luncheonette. It was a highly-anticipated project for Parenthood and FNL fans because it combined the shows through a shared appreciation of music.
The Luncheonette was, of course, the heart of that epic crossover. FNL's Landy Clarke and his band Crucifictorious recorded at the studio, and Derek Phillips' Billy Riggins stopped by the Luncheonette, too. Those characters' appearances were incredibly hilarious, considering multiple cast members (including Matt Lauria and Michael B. Jordan) from FNL appeared on Parenthood as different characters. The Luncheonette defied fiction and reality because it combined them in meaningful ways.
Parenthood let the Luncheonette be a character on the show as if it was another Braverman. Memorable moments (however small) happened there. It brought the family together and tore them apart a few times. It's a fake recording studio, but it's a part of the fabric of the show. And it's something that characters and fans alike said goodbye to when the series ended. Just like Red Bedroom Records became something more than a One Tree Hill set to fans, the Luncheonette's resonance extends beyond its fictitious existence.