New York’s rooftop bars are one of our personal highlights. Think about it – what could possibly be better than enjoying stunning views of the city while slurping delicious cocktails? For that reason, we created the ultimate Rooftop Bar Guide for you to go out and explore the best rooftop bars in New York’s neighborhoods. Cheers!
⚠️Don’t forget: The minimum age for admission is 21. Typically, you will be asked to present your ID upon entering the bar.
Why You Should Visit our 34 Best Rooftop Bars in New York
New York is home to hundreds of rooftop bars, so it’s not easy to find the best of the best, especially if your time in this beautiful city is limited. If you do have the time, we definitely recommend strolling around your favorite neighborhoods to explore on your own. However, we wanted to save you some precious time, so we explored New York’s rooftop bars for you! What we discovered? 34 amazing rooftop bars with breathtaking views of the city that are totally worth a visit… and a drink!
Best Rooftop Bars near Times Square
Seemingly infinite skyscrapers, crowded streets and all sorts of noises – that’s how most people would describe their experience at Times Square, the bustling heart of Manhattan. A rooftop bar in that area will let you look at the flurry from a bird’s eye view. We picked out the very best rooftop bars around Times Square for you.
1. Sky Room Bar
One of the most popular lounges is located 400 feet above Manhattan, on the roof of the Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Times Square. The name says it all: The Sky Room Rooftop Bar lets you have spectacular sights on pretty much everything thanks to its 360-degree view.
2. Haven – Rooftop & Restaurant
If you are looking for a very unique spot that combines a rooftop bar and restaurant, then we’ve got you covered! The Haven Rooftop & Restaurant at Times Square will be exactly what you’re looking for.
3. mad46 – Rooftop Lounge
You can find the rooftop lounge on top of the Roosevelt Hotel New York, located on Madison Avenue near Bryant Park. mad46 is a true insider tip, as it is lesser known among tourists and therefore also less crowded.
4. Magic Hour Rooftop
Magic Hour Rooftop is the largest indoor/outdoor hotel rooftop in all of NYC. The place includes a bar and an amusement type lounge. It’s a great place to meet friends and co-workers. Their menu is a play on your typical “carnival” bites such as sausage and peppers, Maine lobster rolls and many more. It is located inside the Moxy Times Square Hotel at 485 7th Ave 18th floor, New York, NY 10018.
5. Refinery – Rooftop Bar
You will find Refinery Rooftop Bar in walking distance to Bryant Park. Its cute and compact terrace lets you gaze at the beauty of the Empire State Building. Having only 3,200 square feet, it is surely not the largest on the list. Regardless, Refinery is still one of the best rooftop bars in New York, with its terrific location and great drinks.
6. Bar 54 – Rooftop Bar & Lounge
Bar 54 is one of the most popular rooftop bars around Times Square. You will find it above Hotel Hyatt Times Square New York, specifically on the 54th floor (hence the name). Bar 54 is an excellent choice no matter the weather! In case of rain, you can simply relax in their indoor lounge. What strikes us most about the rooftop bar is that the owner takes great care to ensure that all used ingredients are produced locally. Oh, and there is an outdoor fireplace!
Best Rooftop Bars in the Meatpacking District
The Meatpacking District is one of New York’s hippest districts. People in the Meatpacking District surely know how to party and splurge on excellent restaurants. We explored roofs and streets for you.
7. Plunge Rooftop – Rooftop Bar & Lounge
This rooftop bar and lounge is located above The Gansevoort Hotel – one of many fantastic upscale hotels in New York. Come here if you’re into fancy decor and relaxing music. Plunge Rooftop Bar is also known for celebrity sightings. Better have your cell phone ready!
8. Catch Roof – Rooftop Bar
CATCH Roof is our newest discovery! Say goodbye to having poor weather ruining your New York rooftop experience – CATCH Roof is prepared and offers a lounge with extremely large windows that make you feel pretty close to sitting outside.
Best Rooftop Bars in Midtown Manhattan
The heart of Manhattan is the ultimate tourist draw. New York’s most known attractions and skyscrapers, such as the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building, are located here. A large number of skyscrapers in the area is the perfect setting for awesome rooftop bars.
9. 230 Fifth – Rooftop Bar: The Perfect View of the Empire State Building
230 Fifth is a real gem. Located centrally on 5th Avenue, its marvelous view makes it one of our favorite rooftop bars in Manhattan. The view of the Empire State Building from here can’t be beaten. In the winter, you can sit down in their heated igloos and experience the views from there: A must-do during the cold months! The igloos are incredibly popular, so be ready to possibly wait in line. We say it is worth the wait, as it ranks very highly among the best rooftop bars in New York.
10. La Birreria – Rooftop Bar near Flatiron
Truth be told, we passed this location many times without even noticing the rooftop bar at all! We eventually discovered it after watching a documentary about New York local and beer expert Sam Calagione on DMX. He’s very creative with his beers and combines the most unique flavors. If you are looking for something special or you’re simply a beer lover, then this is the place to go!
11. Gansevoort Park Avenue NYC – Rooftop Bar with Pool
Gansevoort Park Avenue Hotel is the second Hotel of the Gansevoort Hotel Group in New York City. You already learned about the first hotel in our Meatpacking District Rooftop bars. This one is located conveniently in between Times Square and Madison Square Garden. It’s very popular among Broadway show stars, so prepared to spot one or more familiar faces when you visit.
12. The Heights – Rooftop Bar (with glass floor)
The Heights Rooftop Bar lets you look in both directions, Downtown and Uptown. Its highlight? The terrace has a glass floor that stretches beyond the edge of the building – not so much for the faint-hearted!
13. Monarch – Rooftop Lounge at Herald Square
Monarch Rooftop Lounge is one of the most beautiful lounges in the city and therefore deserves to be in our list of the best rooftop bars in New York. Its terrific location lets you enjoy an uninterrupted view of the Empire State Building.
14. Roof Garden Cafe and Martini Bar at the MET
From May to October, you can enjoy art, coffee, snacks, cocktails and breathtaking views from the Roof Garden Café and Martini Bar at the MET. Want to catch a glimpse of Central Park, Midtown or maybe the Upper East Side? You can have it ALL, thanks to an amazing panoramic view! The calm and relaxing atmosphere makes it a welcoming place for families. Important side note for the wilder ones among you: On Friday and Saturday nights the café turns into a Martini Bar.
15. Up On 20 – Rooftop Bar at Herald Square
At Up On 20, you don’t have to choose between the two most iconic landmarks of the city, the Empire State Building, and One World Trade Center, because you can see them both! This view is hard to beat.
16. SixtyFive – Rooftop Bar & Lounge at the Iconic Rainbow Room
You will find this upscale rooftop bar with terrace at the Rainbow Room, 65 stories above Rockefeller Plaza. Learn more about Bar SixtyFive here.
17. Pod 39 Hotel – Rooftop Bar
Small but impressive! Pod 39 is one of the newest rooftop bars in the city. The hotel is located by the East River. Enjoy your view of Midtown Manhattan with a yummy cocktail. For afterward we recommend exploring the many bars and pubs in the area.
18. Renaissance New York Hotel 57 – Rooftop Bar
The Renaissance New York Hotel 57 Rooftop Bar is lesser-known, hence a real insider tip! ‘Only’ located on the 17th floor, it is one of the lower rooftop bars in New York, which doesn’t mean it’s not popular – quite the opposite! Even the makers of Sex and the City decided to film part of the intro from here. Well, if that alone doesn’t make it one of the best rooftop bars in New York, then we don’t know what will!
19. Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel – Rooftop Bar & Lounge
The Chrysler building is on full display from this rooftop bar. You’ll find it on the 30th floor above Kimberly Hotel. Upstairs at the Kimberly is one of a few bars that gives you panoramic views of Manhattan.
20. The Roof – Rooftop Bar & Lounge
As you can tell from the picture, The Roof is very close to Central Park. Grab your friends and coworkers and enjoy the greenery of the park from above with some delicious drinks. It’s a popular after-work hangout for locals. A great feature is that you choose whether you want to head out on the terrace or stay in the lounge.
21. Salon de Ning – Rooftop Bar at the Peninsula Hotel
You will love this place, especially at night! It’s located right between 5th Avenue and Central Park in Midtown. Looking down on the busy streets while relaxing and enjoying a quiet drink many feet above the city’s hustle and bustle, how does that sound to you? Maybe like one of the best rooftop bars in New York? Go there and find out!
22. Spyglass – Rooftop Bar at the Empire State Building
Spyglass will impress you with its glamorous 40s and 50s style. They have truly outdone themselves! What’s even better is that this spot is still considered a secret insider tip despite its proximity to the Empire State Building. Oh, and by the way, the cocktails are pretty awesome, too!
Best Rooftop Bars in Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen & Garment District
Chelsea is one of the most popular neighborhoods. Its art scene and proximity to the tallest skyscrapers in the city make it the ideal area to visit rooftop bars. Hell’s Kitchen is known for its fantastic cuisine. No matter what sorts of food you are craving – you’ll most likely find it here! You will also find many rooftop bars that are inspired by international flair. Here’s what we discovered:
23. Cantina – Rooftop Bar
This colorful rooftop bar in Hell’s Kitchen stands out because of its Mexican flair. Enjoy as many margaritas here as you can – they are too good! We are not shocked by its high level of popularity, because it’s clearly one of the best rooftop bars in New York.
24. The Press – Rooftop Lounge in Hell’s Kitchen
New York Magazine agrees that The Press shouldn’t be missing when talking about the very best rooftop bars in New York. In 2010 they recognized it as the city’s ‘Top New Rooftop Bar’. Why? Because, apart from its excellent service, it gives you the most impressive views of the Hudson River and Manhattan.
25. La Piscine – Rooftop Bar at High Line Parke
The motto of this rooftop bar is ‘pure relaxation’! Delicious drinks, a pool and day beds will lure you into this peaceful rooftop bar. As you might imagine, the best time to visit is summer!
26. The Skylark – Rooftop Bar
While Skylark is spread over three levels, only the top level is a rooftop bar. The other two levels are lounges. The super modern design and fantastic views of the Empire State Building lead to this rooftop bar being one of the 34 best rooftop bars in New York if you ask us!
27. The Gallow Green – Rooftop Bar in Chelsea
The grass is greener at The Gallow Green! Their vineyard-overgrown loggia is the perfect location to enjoy a long summer night with tasty cocktails, cozy lighting, and live jazz music.
Best Rooftop Bars in the Lower East Side
The Lower East Side is a trendy district in the South of Manhattan. It is the perfect place to visit unique boutiques, trendy bars, cafes, and contemporary art galleries. Why not end an amazing day of sightseeing at a rooftop bar here? We guarantee you’ll find one of the best rooftop bars in New York in the Lower East Side.
28. The DL – Rooftop Bar, Lounge & Restaurant
‘DL’ stands for Delancey & Ludlow and gives you plenty of options: A restaurant, a bar, a lounge and (naturally) a rooftop bar.
Best Rooftop Bars in Chinatown
Visiting Chinatown during your New York trip is a must. It has one of the highest populations of Chinese immigrants outside Asia. You may not necessarily associate the best rooftop bars in New York with Chinatown, but you’d be surprised at what we’ve found!
29. The Crown – Rooftop Bar
This rooftop bar sits on Hotel 50 Bowery like a crown and offers everything anyone could look for in the best rooftop bars in New York: Breathtaking views, fantastic drinks and great furnishing.
Best Rooftop Bars in the Upper West Side
You typically won’t find too many tourists in the Upper West Side. The area between the Hudson River and Central Park is one of the most culturally rich regions of Manhattan. In the late 1900s, when the Central Park project was finished, more and more beautiful buildings with views of the park rose to surround the greenery. You can bet your bottom dollar that there’s a great rooftop bar here!
30. Empire Hotel – Rooftop Bar: A Classic
From the roof of the Empire Hotel, you’ll have an amazing view of Lincoln Center and the Upper West Side. Imbibing cocktails here is quite economical compared to most other rooftop bars in Manhattan. On top of that, they offer generous happy hour deals where you could save up to 50%.
Best Rooftop Bars in the Financial District
When it comes to the Financial District people automatically think about wealth and power. The Financial District, however, is full of skyscrapers which makes it an awesome area to visit rooftop bars. You will find a ton of great rooftop bars in Lower Manhattan, but let us tell you about our favorites ones.
31. W Downtown – Rooftop Bar at the One World Trade Center
There are five W Hotels in New York. Our favorite one is the W Downtown Rooftop Bar near One World Trade Center because it allows you the perfect view of Downtown Manhattan.
Best Rooftop Bars in Brooklyn
Manhattan is packed with gorgeous rooftop bars, but in order to fully appreciate New York’s skyline, you need to cross the river! Brooklyn is a great place to enjoy Downtown views.
32. Northern Territory – Rooftop Bar
Mingle with locals at this fabulous rooftop bar! Northern Territory is located in Brooklyn, right by the East River. We think it’s one of the best rooftop bars in New York!
33. The Ides – Rooftop Bar at Wythe Hotel
Due to its breathtaking views, there may be a wait to visit Ides Rooftop Bar, but we promise you it’s worth it! This is hands down one of the best places to enjoy the twinkling lights of Manhattan. The atmosphere is super relaxed and even though it looks very fancy here, there is no particular dress code!
Best Rooftop Bars in Queens
Last but not least: Queens. This hip district reaches from Long Island City all the way to Jamaica Bay. You will find very beautiful areas, but also areas you may want to avoid. Check out our Insider Guide on Queens before you start exploring the neighborhood.
34. Penthouse 88 – Rooftop Bar & Lounge
Penthouse 88 is our favorite spot in Queens. You will find it in Long Island City, just across the East River. It will give you the ultimate view of Midtown Manhattan all year round. When it’s cold out you can take advantage of their lounge. Apart from delicious cocktails, we are also big fans of their food. The kitchen is Hawaiian and Asian inspired. If we made you curious and you plan on eating here, we recommend making a reservation beforehand.
