10 Best Shows Like ‘The Bear’

The Bear is a hit Hulu original show that premiered in 2022 and follows a young chef named Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) from the fine dining industry who, following the tragic death of a family member, returns to Chicago to manage the sandwich restaurant owned by his family.

The program received widespread acclaim in a short period of time and season 2 was swiftly released on June 23rd, 2023. The release date for the third season, which has also been renewed, is unknown. Most recently, The Bear was nominated for multiple Golden Globes, with Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach being nominees. Thus, this article will explore similar shows to The Bear in terms of plot, themes, and character development so fans of the show can indulge while waiting for season 3 to drop.

Watch on Hulu

10 ‘This is Going to Hurt’ (2022)

Created by Adam Kay

Based on the bestselling memoir of the same name by Adam Kay, who also serves as the series writer and executive producer, This is Going to Hurt follows a junior doctor named Adam, played by Ben Whishaw, as he navigates the challenges of working in the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. The title, This is Going to Hurt, reflects both the physical and emotional toll that the medical profession can take on individuals.

Although this show sounds like a strange option for the list, hospitals are possibly the only places where the stress level is higher than in restaurants. This Is Going to Hurt, like The Bear, moves at a breakneck pace and may switch quickly between comedy and medical-themed drama in the show, shedding focus on the minor tragedies that occur every day in the life of a working person.

Watch on Amazon Prime

9 ‘Shameless’ (2011 – 2021)

Created by Paul Abbott

Set in the South Side of Chicago, Shameless focuses on the dysfunctional Gallagher family, led by Frank Gallagher (William H. Macy), a single father of six. While his children learn how to care for themselves, he spends his days being wasted, high, or looking for misfortunes. With Frank unreliable and often inebriated, the responsibility of raising the family falls on his oldest daughter, Fiona, played by Emmy Rossum.

Shameless is an interesting option because Jeremy Allen White also had a significant role in this series and the characters in both shows share a strong bond with their families and exhibit explosive tempers and exceptional intelligence. Moreover, viewers are immediately taken to The Bear since Shameless is also set in Chicago and centers on a family living with drug and alcohol addiction.

Watch on Netflix

8 ‘Ramy’ (2019 – )

Created by Ramy Youssef; Ari Katcher; Ryan Welch

Created by and starring comedian Ramy Youssef, Ramy follows a first-generation Egyptian-American Muslim who is trying to navigate the complexities of his identity and find his place in the world. Ramy grapples with the challenges of being a millennial Muslim in a politically charged and culturally diverse America.

Viewers may recognize a few similar cinematic decisions in Ramy because Christopher Storer directed episodes of this show before producing The Bear. The program also has a character who is constantly at odds with himself and torn between belief and self-knowledge. However, Ramy doesn’t quite reach The Bear‘s frenzied heights, but it still has all of Storer’s indie film sensibilities and serves as an enlightening and moving examination of faith, family, and how being a jerk won’t actually get you very far in life.

Watch on Hulu

7 ‘Atlanta’ (2016 – 2022)

Created by Donald Glover

Atlanta is a critically acclaimed television series created by and starring Donald Glover that follows the lives of two cousins, rapper Alfred “Paper Boi” Miles (Brian Tyree Henry), a college dropout, and a music manager, Earnest “Earn” Marks (Glover) as they navigate the odd, almost otherworldly Atlanta hip-hop culture as well as the challenges of everyday life.

Atlanta doesn’t have a culinary theme, but it does involve a man going back to his birthplace and attempting to make it, much like Carmy. Additionally, Atlanta also features a storytelling format that allows each episode to stand alone, reminding viewers of The Bear, with each day in the kitchen providing a unique glimpse into life at The Original Beef. Moreover, Atlanta‘s very best episodes showcase the series’ genre-defying nature, seamlessly blending elements of surrealism, social commentary, and character-driven storytelling.

Watch on Hulu

6 ‘Family Business’ (2019 – 2021)

Created by Igor Gotesman

Family Business centers on Joseph, a bankrupt businessman played by Jonathan Cohen, who learns that cannabis will soon be legalized in France, presenting a potentially lucrative business opportunity. In response, he decides to transform his family’s struggling kosher butcher shop into a marijuana coffee shop. The Hazan family, including Joseph’s parents, wife, and brother, becomes entangled in the world of cannabis cultivation and distribution, encountering both legal and illegal challenges along the way.

The show’s protagonist, Joseph, has all the traits of The Bear’s main characters such as Carmy’s business spirit, Richie’s affinity for hanging around with drug dealers, and both of their strong familial origins. Moreover, Carmy incorporates his family in the success of his plan for the restaurant, just like Joseph did with his marijuana-related scheme.

Watch on Netflix

5 ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ (2005 – )

Created by Rob McElhenney

In a South Philadelphia neighborhood, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia follows a group of misfit, narcissistic sociopaths known as “The Gang” who operates a small, failed Irish pub named Paddy’s Pub. However, they spend most of their free time drinking, plotting, fighting, and occasionally planning intricate scams against others for their own gain, money, retaliation, or just out of boredom. It’s also the longest-running live-action sitcom in TV history.

Compared to The Bear, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is more of a comedy, although it is set in a pub and also features young and struggling lead characters. It is also very city-specific, with many parallels between Philly and Chicago, a large, established family, and a foodie establishment that has seen better days. Additionally, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia has been praised for its dark and edgy humor, as well as its willingness to tackle taboo subjects, reminding viewers of The Bear in many ways.

Watch on Hulu

4 ‘Happy Endings’ (2011 – 2020)

Created by David Caspe

Happy Endings focuses on the intertwined lives of six urban youths attempting to navigate adulthood including show owner Alex (Elisha Cuthbert) and her ex-fiancé Dave (Zachary Knighton), who owns a food truck; married and madly in love couple, Brad (Damon Wayans Jr.) and Jane (Eliza Coupe); Max (Adam Pally), who is always looking for work; and Penny (Casey Wilson), a single woman who is constantly looking for the right man.

Happy Endings is unapologetically Chicago and boasts a sandwich food truck business to boot, which will likely remind the audience of The Bear and their rowdy employees and their sandwich store. Although there are certain sections that haven’t aged well in Happy Endings, the enjoyment of seeing a bunch of eccentrics hanging out in their local and trying to make ends meet wonderfully captures the spirit of the Hulu program.

Watch on Hulu

3 ‘The Chef Show’ (2019 – 2020)

Created by Jon Favreau

The Chef Show is a Netflix cooking show hosted by actor and director Jon Favreau and chef Roy Choi. The show features the two hosts cooking and sharing their favorite recipes with celebrity guests from both industries such as Robert Downey Jr., Tom Holland, David Chang, and Andrew Rea, as well as exploring different cuisines and cooking techniques. The show is not just about cooking; it also delves into the cultural and personal connections that food creates.

Fans of the Hulu show should check out The Chef Show because of its consistent lightheartedness despite the fact that it doesn’t have the same deep subject matter or somber premise as The Bear. Additionally, just as the chefs in The Bear exhibit their love and passion for food in every frame, so does The Chef Show, which is further enhanced by a number of celebrity appearances. One of the distinctive features of the Netflix show is its casual and unscripted feel, which can remind viewers of The Bear and its chaotic one-take scenes.

Watch on Netflix

2 ‘Julia’ (2022)

Created by Daniel Goldfarb

Based on the life of legendary chef Julia Child, played by Sarah Lancashire, Julia follows her journey from a young woman working for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II to becoming a culinary icon and television personality. The series also explores Child’s passion for food and her determination to bring French cuisine to American households, as well as her personal life and relationships.

One appealing aspect of The Bear is how each character displays a passion and enthusiasm for cooking and restaurants, which is something Julia also exhibits. Also, Julia would provide fans of the Hulu show with pleasure by featuring a woman in the heart of the show as well as the kitchen, similar to Sydney and Tina who are minorities in the kitchen. Additionally, a series centered around Julia Child, renowned for pioneering the introduction of French cuisine to American homes, indirectly alludes to the French culinary setting that “The Original Beef” endeavors to incorporate into its storyline.

Watch on Max

1 ‘Sweetbitter’ (2018 – 2019)

Created by Stephanie Danler

Based on the novel of the same name by Stephanie Danler, Sweetbitter follows Tess (Ella Purnell), a young woman who moves to New York City and starts working at a prestigious restaurant. The restaurant becomes a microcosm of the intense and fast-paced world of fine dining. As Tess navigates her new job and the challenges of working in a high-end restaurant, she becomes entangled in the complex relationships and dynamics among the restaurant staff.

If viewers want a fast-paced, behind-the-scenes style of a program like The Bear, they should watch Sweetbitter. Moreover, Sweetbitter develops Tess’ relationships with her coworkers in a way that should seem familiar and comfortingly comparable to how the members of the Original Beef’s kitchen gradually transform into a dysfunctional family unit in The Bear. In addition, the characters in Sweetbitter also grapple with ambition, desire, and the pursuit of success in their personal and professional lives, much like The Bear.

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