Down the Harlem River Drive
From 181st Street it's about 22 minutes by car down the Harlem River Drive. By transit, plan on about 50.
Getting here
From Washington Heights and Inwood
Driving is the easy way from up here. If you're bringing gear, the studio has street-level entry.
- 22min
By car
From 181st St and St Nicholas Ave down the Harlem River Drive, 4.8 miles.
- 51min
By bus and subway
The Bx35 bus across the river to 167 St, the 4 to 125 St, then the 6 to Cypress Av and an 8-minute walk.
696 E 135th St
Bronx, NY 10454
Times from Google Maps, Oct 7, 2026, at weekday evening rush hour. Traffic and service change them.
Washington Heights and Inwood and the block
Uptown to the block
Washington Heights and Inwood sit right across the Harlem River from the Bronx, and the Harlem River Drive brings uptown down to the block in about 20 minutes.
Bring the whole crew: the studio has street-level entry, a dressing room and production lighting, and ten storefronts to move between without a company move.
Also close: Inwood · Hudson Heights · Fort George
What happens here
Shoot it, throw it, learn it
Shoot
A soundstage built like a city street
Ten storefront sets in a 5,000 sq ft soundproof studio, with lighting, crew, hair and makeup, green screen and podcast setup when you need them.
Book a shoot
Events
A night out on the block
Concerts, release parties, birthdays, comedy and salsa nights, and brand activations, with a stage, a full bar and the storefronts lit up behind the crowd.
Plan an event
Youth program
Grades 5 to 12, in a real studio
An 8-week summer music program: lyricism, beat-making, recording and a concert on the block. The 2027 waitlist is open.
Join the waitlist
- 5,000 sq ft soundstage
- 10 storefront sets
- In Mott Haven since 2019
- Google 4.9 from 16 reviews
- Written up by amNY and Great Performances
How booking works
- 1
Send a request
Tell us the project, the date and the sets you want. It takes about two minutes.
- 2
Walk through and get a quote
The team confirms availability, sets, crew and pricing, and can show you the block in person.
- 3
Shoot day
Load in at street level, light the storefronts, and roll.
Questions people ask
How do I get to La Bodega NY from Washington Heights?
By car, about 22 minutes down the Harlem River Drive. By transit, about 51 minutes from 181st St and St Nicholas Ave: the Bx35 bus to 167 St, the 4 to 125 St, then the 6 to Cypress Av.
Can I shoot a podcast or an interview there?
Yes. The studio has a podcast setup and wireless mics, and the brownstone stoop set is made for interviews and portraits.
What sets are there?
Ten storefronts: Deli Grocery, a neon Liquors store, Flat Fix, Esther's Discounts, a newsstand, a pizza shop, Chinese takeout, a brownstone stoop, a full-size city bus and a graffiti restroom.
Coming from somewhere else?