You can visit dozens of real Breaking Bad locations in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and most of them are ordinary businesses open to anyone: the burger-and-burrito restaurant that played Los Pollos Hermanos, a drive-in famous for chili dogs, a downtown diner, and the car wash where Walter White worked. The main exception is the White family home, which is a private residence whose owners have asked fans to stay away.
The show was set in Albuquerque and filmed there too. Wikipedia’s article on the series notes that the scripts were originally set in Riverside, California, and that Sony suggested Albuquerque because of New Mexico’s financial incentives, after which the setting was changed. Filming took place primarily at Albuquerque Studios, so interiors such as the lab were built on stages, but the streets, restaurants and motels are real.
Quick facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Location | Sites across Albuquerque, including South Valley, Downtown, Old Town and the Northeast Heights |
| City/State | Albuquerque, New Mexico |
| Film or show | Breaking Bad (AMC), with overlap with Better Call Saul and El Camino |
| Can you visit? | Yes for restaurants, shops and public buildings. Exterior views only for some sites. No access to private homes. |
| Cost | Self-guided stops are free except what you buy. Visit Albuquerque lists a guided RV tour at $95 per person, as of October 2026. |
| Best time to go | Daytime, during business hours. Restaurants keep their own hours, so check before you plan a route. |
Places you can visit
Visit Albuquerque’s film tourism page, the city’s tourism bureau, and its list of Breaking Bad filming locations (published August 2021) are the best starting points. Some businesses may have changed since then, so verify before you go.
Twisters (Los Pollos Hermanos)
The restaurant on Isleta Boulevard SW in Albuquerque’s South Valley was used as Los Pollos Hermanos, Gus Fring’s chicken chain, in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, according to Wikipedia’s entry on Twisters). In real life it is a New Mexican fast-food restaurant, and Visit Albuquerque’s set-jetting guide (June 2026) says it serves burritos and green chile cheeseburgers and displays souvenirs, including posters signed by the cast. It is a working restaurant, so order something and be mindful of other customers.
Dog House Drive In
The same set-jetting guide calls the Dog House Drive In a chili-dog spot featured in both Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and notes that its neon sign makes a good photo.
Car wash, Downtown and other stops
According to Visit Albuquerque’s location list, the car wash used in the show is now a Mister Car Wash. Other stops include:
- Simms Building (Downtown): the exterior used as the DEA headquarters.
- Crossroads Motel: the building Hank nicknamed “The Crystal Palace.”
- Java Joe’s: Tuco’s headquarters, now a coffee and breakfast spot.
- The Grove Cafe & Market: a setting for a Season 5 scene with Walt and Lydia, serving breakfast and lunch.
- Loyola’s Family Restaurant: Mike’s meeting place, and, per the June 2026 guide, a booth where Saul Goodman sat in Better Call Saul.
- Isleta Resort and Casino: the real-life “Serenity” rehab center.
- Anderson-Abruzzo International Balloon Museum: dressed to look like a shoe store in one scene.
The Breaking Bad Store
Visit Albuquerque’s set-jetting guide describes a shop and small museum in Old Town where you can buy show merchandise. The store at 2049 S. Plaza Street NW is also the pickup point for the RV tour.
Guided tours
- Breaking Bad RV Tours: The tour visits spots including Jesse’s house and the car wash, per Visit Albuquerque. As of October 2026, its Visit Albuquerque listing says tickets are $95 per person with lunch at Los Pollos Hermanos, with vegan options. The listing’s days and times are inconsistent, so confirm when booking. It adds that there are no restrooms on board, the tour is rated PG-13 and is not wheelchair accessible.
- Biking Bad: Routes Bicycle Tours & Rentals runs a bike tour that, according to Visit Albuquerque, reaches some spots you cannot drive to.
Self-guided route
Distances in Albuquerque are long, so group stops by area.
- Old Town: start at the Breaking Bad Store.
- Downtown: the Simms Building, plus Java Joe’s and The Grove if you want a coffee or meal.
- South Valley: Twisters on Isleta Boulevard SW for lunch.
- Anywhere with a car: Dog House Drive In and Loyola’s, depending on where you are staying.
Visit Albuquerque also points to a Netflix in Your Neighborhood map for filming locations, though that map is organized around Better Call Saul.
The Walter White house
The house used for the White family exterior is a private home in an Albuquerque residential neighborhood. This guide does not give an address. Visit Albuquerque’s location list says the owners do not allow visitors on the property.
The owners’ experience is a reason to stay away. In 2015, series creator Vince Gilligan publicly asked fans to stop throwing pizzas onto the roof, and ABC reported his statement that visitors wander onto the owner’s property and are rude when she tells them they are trespassing. Later news reports, including one from WIVB, said the owners were putting up a six-foot fence along with cameras, signs and cones after fans parked in the driveway and threw pizzas.
If you pass by on an RV or bike tour, stay on the street, keep your voice down, and do not stop in the driveway, step on the lawn or throw anything. A slow drive-by is plenty for a photo.
Planning tips
- Parking for the RV tour: The Visit Albuquerque listing says paid parking is available in Old Town and free parking is at the Walgreens off Rio Grande and Central. Confirm this when you book.
- Check before you go: The location list was published in 2021, so restaurants may have changed hands or hours. A quick call or a look at the business’s own page avoids a wasted trip.
- Other shows: The Isleta Boulevard Twisters also makes a brief cameo in the film El Camino, according to Wikipedia, and several stops double as Better Call Saul sites, so fans of the spin-off can combine both on one route.
Visiting etiquette
- Treat every location as a real business or home. Buy something at restaurants and shops.
- Do not trespass on private property, including to recreate scenes.
- Do not park in driveways or block residential streets.
- Photograph from public sidewalks and keep noise down in neighborhoods.
- Do not film or photograph employees or customers without asking.
- Our filming location etiquette guide and set-jetting planning guide cover more.
Nearby spots
Visit Albuquerque’s set-jetting guide also lists El Camino Dining Room, a Route 66 diner serving New Mexican food since 1955, where a Better Call Saul scene was filmed.
FAQs
Where was Breaking Bad filmed?
Albuquerque, New Mexico. According to Wikipedia, filming took place primarily at Albuquerque Studios, with many exteriors shot at real locations around the city.
Can you visit the Breaking Bad house?
You can see it from the public street, but it is a private home and the owners do not allow visitors on the property. Do not enter the property or throw anything at the roof.
Is Los Pollos Hermanos real?
The restaurant in the show is fictional, but the exterior was a real Twisters restaurant on Isleta Boulevard SW in Albuquerque, which you can visit.
Is there a Breaking Bad tour in Albuquerque?
Yes. Breaking Bad RV Tours and a bike tour called Biking Bad are both listed by Visit Albuquerque. Check the operators for current prices and schedules.
Do you need a car in Albuquerque?
For a self-guided route, yes. The sites are spread across the city, which is why many visitors choose a guided tour.
