Poker Face Filming Locations: Episode 2 – “The Night Shift”

Moriarty & Albuquerque, New Mexico • Kingman, Arizona

Intro

“The Night Shift” drops Charlie Cale right into the kind of place that always pulls me in—a small town along Route 66 with a classic roadside business at its center.

I first got interested in Poker Face almost by accident while binge-watching Columbo. When Peacock kept pushing the show—and I saw it described as a modern homage—I gave it a shot. What really hooked me wasn’t just the format, but the locations.

After recognizing Laughlin, Nevada in Episode 1, this episode made it official. The setting here—dusty New Mexico, wide open sky, and a vintage service station—felt like stepping into places I’ve actually spent time exploring.

And that’s where this one really stands out: it looks like a single location, but it’s actually stitched together from multiple Route 66 stops.

Episode Snapshot

Episode: The Night Shift
Season: 1
Air Date: January 26, 2023
Setting: Near Albuquerque, New Mexico
Filming Locations: Moriarty, NM • Albuquerque, NM • Kingman, AZ

Notable Details

The episode presents itself as one small town location, but was filmed across three different Route 66 locations
Primary filming location: Moriarty, New Mexico
Roadhouse exterior: Albuquerque
Roadhouse interior: Kingman, Arizona
Based on proximity, this episode was likely filmed during the same production run as Episode 1 in the Laughlin/Bullhead City area

Brief Synopsis

On the run after Episode 1, Charlie ends up in a small New Mexico town when her car breaks down—quickly finding herself at a roadside service station.

Like every episode, it doesn’t take long before something isn’t right, and she’s pulled into another mystery, using her ability to tell when someone is lying to piece things together.

Filming Locations

Sal & Inez’s Service Station (Abe’s Auto & RV Repair)

“The Last Honest Mechanic in New Mexico”
📍 421 Route 66, Moriarty, NM

What Happens Here

Charlie’s car breaks down here
Abe (John Ratzenberger) owns the station
Abe’s nephew Jed (Colton Ryan) works as the mechanic
Most of the episode takes place at this location

Behind the Scenes vs Reality

This is a former Whiting Bros. filling station along Route 66
Production added a second garage building for filming (which has since been removed)
The canopy roof was temporarily flattened to allow for rooftop scenes
Interior colors and layout were modified for the show

Observations

Directly across Route 66 is the Mini Mart location (tack shop)
The temporary Subway set was nearby as well

Road Trip Note

We visited this spot in July 2023 on our way home from Albuquerque. We pulled in just before sunset, and Sal came out to talk with us and even turned on the neon sign.

That’s one of those Route 66 moments you don’t forget.

He mentioned that production was there for about three months, which gave him the opportunity to take a vacation. Even without keeping the additional building, he seemed genuinely happy to have been part of it.