City Roundups

I’m All the Way Up: Must-Go Rooftops in NY from Manhattan to Brooklyn

Posted by Kimia Kalbasi on

Oh rooftop season! Honestly, it should be considered a designated season on its own if you ask me. Certainly can’t beat the heat without some fresh air and sweeping views of endless high-rises and skyscrapers (extra plus when the fiery sunset comes out to play).

Local? Tourist? Either way, here is your guide to all the rooftops around the Big Apple divided by district! Whether you’re staying near Times Square or on the other side of the bridge, there’s a rooftop nearby closer than ya may think.

Cheers to great views, better company and tasty sips to top it all off while at the top!

Battery Park

  • Loopy Doopy – Contemporary craft cocktail lounge on the Conrad Hotel roof, great views and perfect for small plates

Chelsea

  • Hotel Americano – Mediterranean bar & grill with panoramic city views located at the Hôtel Americano
  • Gallow Green – Open in the summer, this roof lounge with a green-garden vibe serves chic cocktails & punch bowls at the McKittrick Hotel. Oh and Sleep No More happens at the hotel too
  • Lovage Rooftop – On the rooftop of Magnolia, this plush, glassed-in lounge delivers panoramic views
  • Rare View – 23 floors up you’ll find a wooden bar with a limited menu and a focus on the view
  • The Beach – 23 floors up you’ll find a wooden bar with a limited menu and a focus on the view
  • PHD Rooftop Lounge at Dream Downtown – Posh cocktail lounge with outdoor seating & skyscraper views located atop the Dream Downtown hotel

Carroll Gardens

  • Alma – Mexican food, ground-floor bar & year-round roof deck with a Manhattan view

Chinatown

  • Rooftop 93 Bar & Lounge – Premier nightlife destination located in the heart of downtown Manhattan. Perched at the top two floors of the award winning Wyndham Garden Hotel

Downtown Brooklyn

  • Kimoto Rooftop – Minimalist-chic rooftop lounge offering Asian-inspired bar eats, cocktails & beer, plus city views

East Williamsburg

  • Our Wicked Lady – Complex of rehearsal spaces, art studios & a roomy rooftop bar with live music, films & pop-up eats

Financial District

  • Living Room Bar & Terrace – Stylish 5th-floor bar in the W Downtown with a wrap-around terrace & striking LED light feature
  • Watermark Bar – Stylish, open-air cocktail spot overlooking the East River features burgers & bar bites

Flatiron District

  • 230 5th – Vast, greenery-lined rooftop bar with postcard-ready Midtown views
  • Sabbia – Scenic rooftop setting for elevated Italian cuisine, house brewed ales & high-end imported beer

Greenpoint

  • Northern Territory – Comfortable tavern offering Australian fare, beers & inventive cocktails in woody surrounds

Hell’s Kitchen

  • Cantina Rooftop – Modern venue with year-round rooftop seating offering updated Mexican dishes & specialty drinks
  • Four at Yotel – Unique cocktails plus breathtaking views of the hustle and bustle of Times Square without the stress or crowds
  • Hudson Terrace – Two-level, DJ’ed club featuring plush interiors, a garden & a year-round roof deck with river views
  • Social Bar, Grill, & Lounge – Spacious, 3-level Irish pub with an after-work scene fueled by happy-hour specials
  • The Press Lounge – On the roof of the Ink48 Hotel, this swanky bar features 360-degree city and Hudson River views

Kip’s Bay

  • Riverpark – Farm-to-table American cuisine served in an architecturally rich dining room, patio & bar area

Long Island City

Lower East Side

  • Hotel Chantelle – Views of Downtown frame the setting at this rooftop spot serving a New American menu & cocktails
  • Mr. Purple – On the Hotel Indigo’s 15th floor, this posh spot with terraces serves elevated bar food & cocktails
  • The Delancey – Nightlife spot includes a plush lounge, canopied roof deck & basement performance space
  • The DL – Cool, multi-level venue with a chandelier-lit restaurant & lively rooftop lounge with skyline views

Meatpacking District

  • Brass Monkey – Unpretentious Meatpacking District pub with an extensive beer selection & a roof deck
  • Catch Roof – Slick, bi-level space known for celebrity sightings, creative seafood-focused food & a rooftop
  • Le Bain at The Standard – There’s a disco, bar, seasonal plunge pool & crêperie, all on the roof of the Standard Hotel and lotsa turf
  • Plunge Rooftop Bar & Lounge – Stylish rooftop hotel bar with loungy seating, cocktails, DJ parties & skyline views
  • STK Downtown & Rooftop – Low-lit lounge with prime cuts of beef, burgers and cocktails

Midtown

  • Monarch Rooftop Lounge – Spacious penthouse cocktail bar with clubby decor, light fare, indoor/outdoor seating & urban views
  • Refinery Rooftop – rustic-chic rooftop spot in the Refinery Hotel featuring cocktails, light bites & majestic views
  • Sky Room – Bi-level nightclub with indoor & outdoor seats, a retractable roof & sweeping city views
  • Top of the Strand – Intimate rooftop lounge at the Strand Hotel featuring dramatic views, cocktails & retractable roof.
  • Upstairs – All-season rooftop lounge serving cocktails along with views of Midtown & the Chrysler Building

Midtown East

  • Aretsky’s Patroon – An upscale American spot with classic decor, including a photo collection, private rooms & roof bar
  • Bookmarks – Swanky indoor/outdoor cocktail lounge with a glass-enclosed patio on the roof of the Library Hotel
  • Bryant Park Grill – American eatery situated on a prime patch of park real estate behind the New York Public Library
  • Henry’s Rooftop Bar – Henry’s is a seasonal space, open from May until October. Admire the uninterrupted city views, enjoying signature cocktails, a full beer and wine menu, as well as snacks
  • mad46 – Seasonal bar atop the Roosevelt Hotel, outfitted with benches and canopied daybeds
  • Pod 39 Rooftop Lounge & Bar
  • Pod 51 Roof Deck
  • Salon de Ning at The Peninsula – High-end rooftop bar in the Peninsula Hotel with 1930s Shanghai decor & a small menu of nibbles

Midtown West

  • Bar 54 – 54 stories in the sky, this rooftop bar features a cocktail list by noted mixologist Julie Reiner
  • PHD Terrace at Dreamtown – Swanky lounge with a penthouse vibe, sweeping views, DJs & a menu of cocktails & gourmet bites
  • SixtyFive – On the 65th floor, this cocktail lounge offers top-tier drinks, small plates & outstanding views
  • Sky Terrace at the Hudson Hotel – Seasonal 15th-floor terrace at Hudson Hotel serving upscale cocktails amid lounge chairs & greenery
  • Supernova Bar – Stylish Manhattan restaurant, bar, and terrace in Times Square. Ideal for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and after work drinks
  • The Skylark – Glamorous 30th-floor cocktail lounge with views, a deck & bar bites
  • The View Restaurant & Lounge – Revolving American bar & grill on the 48th floor of the Marriott Marquis with Times Square views
  • Tonic Times Square -Easygoing hangout with big TVs, wood furnishings, padded-leather sofas & booths, plus happy hour
  • Up on 20 Rooftop Bar & Lounge – Chic rooftop terrace at Hyatt Herald Square offering cocktails, small plates & sweeping views
  • Vu Rooftop Bar – Relaxed, indoor/outdoor hotel bar with cocktails & light food, sofa seating & year-round heating

Morningside Heights

Murray Hill

  • Gansevoort Park Rooftop – Set twenty stories above Manhattan, this rooftop is a sky-high oasis offering six distinct venues with unhindered views of the Empire State Building and other iconic New York architecture
  • Hotel Giraffe Rooftop Garden – perfect spot to enjoy al fresco drinks under the summer sun or the NYC nighttime sky, in a relaxed and informal setting
  • Rare View, Murray Hill – Expansive summer-only rooftop bar offering multiple themed seating areas & craft cocktails
  • Salvation Taco – Michelin-rated Chef April Bloomfield’s take on upscale Mexican street food in a vibrant, colorful setting
  • Tonic East – Large TV screens on 3 levels show the game at this upscale sports bar with a roof deck
  • The Roof at Park South – Rooftop hotel bar with skyline views, cocktails & Mediterranean food by the team from Boston’s O Ya
  • Tavern29 – Two-level tavern with a rooftop beer garden offering a menu of American comfort grub

Red Hook

  • Brooklyn Crab – Tri-level seafood shack offers buckets of crab and raw oysters with outdoor seating and water views

Soho

  • Azul Rooftop – Festive rooftop bar above Hotel Hugo featuring frozen drinks, tacos & panoramic river & city views
  • Bar Hugo – This stylish rooftop bar above Hotel Hugo offers seasonal drinks, Italian bites & river views
  • Good Story at Arlo Hotel – Bar at Arlo SoHo features an excellent selection of craft beer, well-mixed cocktails and spectacular views of the Hudson River
  • Jimmy at the James Hotel – 18th-story cocktail lounge in James Hotel features an elegant, contemporary interior & rooftop deck

The Bronx

  • Pine Bar and Grill – Splashy, trendy eatery with a wide-ranging American menu & a rooftop bar & lounge

TriBeca

  • City Vineyard at Pier 26 – Music venue, restaurant, wine bar, and winery all in one, unique space to enjoy world-class wine, food, and music

Upper East Side

Upper West Side

  • LOCL – Plush hangout in the NYLO hotel with a zinc bar, piano lounge & terrace, plus seasonal cocktails
  • The Empire Rooftop Bar & Lounge – Views of Lincoln Center enliven this swanky bar sporting a retractable roof for year-round imbibing

West Village

  • The Rooftop at Jane Hotel – Great place to watch the sun set over the Hudson. Keep in mind, it’s only open Thursday through Sunday, and typically closes by 10 pm

Williamsburg

  • Berry Park – A European beer list & an expansive rooftop are the draws at this German-accented barroom
  • Bia – Classic Vietnamese fare served in a brick-lined warehouselike space with a bar & rooftop
  • Juliette – French bistro fare served in a Williamsburg space with an indoor “garden” room & a roof deck
  • Night of Joy – Herbal infusions star in the elaborate cocktails at this antiques-filled lounge with a roof patio
  • The Ides at the Withe Hotel – Sleek hotel roof lounge with citywide views offering upscale cocktails & win
  • The Roof at McCarren – Year-round sweeping views of Manhattan and McCarren Park, with cocktails highlighting local craft distillers. With live performances and DJ sets
  • Zona Rosa – Creative Mexican eats served in industrial quarters with an Airstream-trailer kitchen & rooftop bar

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