13 Best Rooftop Bars in New York City
A city that excels in making the most of the space that it's got, New York has a roster of rooftop bars that is second to none, and in these times we’ve earned the right to partake in some revelry in the highest of heights. Given Manhattan's stunning skyline, water vantages, and sky-high real estate, the views are reliably compelling. While about decade ago most rooftop bars fell into some predictable camps (stuffy hotel bars or rowdy after-work spots), today there's a delightful range of sky-high bars offering world-class cocktails, craft beer brewed right downstairs, and some settings that are downright whimsical. Here are our picks for the best rooftop bars in NYC.
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This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.
Francesco Sapienza/ArlobarA.R.T. NoMad
$$Thirty-one stories up in the air is the A.R.T.—aka, the Arlo Roof Top—at the boutique hotel's NoMad location, with views of the nearby Empire State Building, Midtown, and beyond. The ample modern loungers provide an approachable atmosphere, perfect for sipping on fun cocktails like the Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Ketel One Botanical, aloe, mint, cucumber, and lime) or the frozen beverage of the day. For the daring who want to take advantage of their elevation, A.R.T. NoMad also has a sky walk glass floor. The acrophobic may want to stay seated, though.
Courtesy Harriet's Rooftop & LoungebarHarriet's Rooftop & Lounge
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Gold List 2021Revel in some of the city's most cinematic views—spanning the Statue of Liberty all the way to Uptown Manhattan—at this 4,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor venue atop 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. The space is oh-so-Brooklyn industrial chic: outdoors, there’s stadium-like seating made from pine beams of Brooklyn’s original Domino Sugar Factory, fire pits, and vertical gardens. Indoors, expect a new-fashioned take on an old-fashioned cocktail lounge. Book a table at either space online and look forward to glamorous and refined—yet unfussy—affair.
Warren JaggerbarMagic Hour Rooftop Bar & Lounge
$$New York City’s largest indoor/outdoor all-season hotel rooftop bar and lounge is a carnivalesque adult playground—a topiary garden, rotating carousel-style seating, and a mini-golf course (currently closed for COVID-19)—set to the sounds of nightly DJs and sky-scraping vistas of the Empire State Building. This year Magic Hour is pretty in pink with the debut of its Pink Rose Garden, bedecked with more than 10,000 roses, pink porch swings lining the carousel, and even a “Pink AF Pancake Stack” piled high with hot pink cotton candy. There’s pink drinks, too, on the menu; Schitt’s Creek fans will revel in the Moira Rose, a mix of rose petal gin, raspberry tea, fresh lemon, and Prosecco.
Greenpoint Beer & Ale CobarGreenpoint Beer & Ale Co.
$$The green stained glass water tower by Brooklyn-based artist Tom Fruin shines like a beacon sitting atop Ed Raven’s cavernous brewery on Manhattan Avenue. After having to close at the end of 2018, Raven seemingly won the luck of the draw when he reopened at the beginning of 2020, increasing production four-fold and going from a 5-barrel to a 20-barrel system, making it one of the largest breweries in Brooklyn. Head up top to the 2,000-square-foot rooftop and survey much of Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan while noshing on craveable bar food like loaded Belgian fries, Chinese pork dumplings, bratwurst, and Nashville Hot Chicken sandwiches.
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Berry ParkbarBerry Park
$$It’s tough to pull off a sports bar and a see-and-be-seen rooftop at the same time, but that's the scene at Williamsburg's Berry Park, where bros and non-bros alike gather for a rousing round of pints while watching soccer (or football) games on the big screen. As crowds generally ascend upon Berry Park in droves—it’s practically across the street from neighboring McCarren Park, after all—it’s best to get here early to commandeer coveted rooftop space. Specializing in German beers with solid bar bites like wings and brats to match, Berry Park also offers up quaffable cocktails like frozen piña coladas, rosemary gimlets, and the Porch Pounder, a mix of rye bourbon, cointreau, sweet vermouth, lemon, and Luxardo cherry.
Courtesy The Crown Rooftop Bar and LoungebarThe Crown
$$$Turns out you don’t have to be in Brooklyn to get jaw-dropping views of Manhattan. Instead, consider the 21st floor of Chinatown’s Hotel 50 Bowery, where you'll find this intimate lounge with two rooftop patios and unobstructed views of the Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, and One World Trade Center. The drinks are great, too, and this year’s menu sings songs of summer with drinks like vodka-spiked cucumber lemonade, and the Chinatown Spritz, featuring Grey Goose vodka, St. Germain, lime juice, and Prosecco.
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Neil AlinebarLe Bain
$$$Once you get past the doorman for the Standard High Line's rooftop bar, the hardest part is over. Summer afternoons are best if you can score a seat on the Astroturf “grass” deck and relax in a woven papasan, alone or with friends. Thanks (or no thanks) to the pandemic, Le Bain has been completely reimagined into a seated-only experience with reservations being very highly recommended. COVID aside, Le Bain is still crushing the game by way of smart cocktails and its rotating roster of DJs. Arrive early on an afternoon for one of the sexier spots in town, and get a great buzz from the refreshing drinks.
Paul Gelsobello StudiobarUpstairs at the Kimberly
$$With panoramic views including an epic one of the iconic Chrysler Building, it’s hard not to love this this rooftop 30 floors above the Kimberly Hotel in Midtown East. Outfitted with a bronze bar, Venetian walls hand-painted by Anthony Chase, and lush banquette seating, guests here can partake in a menu of small plates for dinner or brunch classics (read: a variety of Benedicts) by executive chef Humberto Corona.
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barPanorama Room
$$As the name suggests, the bar situated on the 18th floor of the Graduate Roosevelt Island hotel boasts panoramic views of Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. Open Wednesday through Sunday, you can enjoy rain or shine thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and a spacious outdoor terrace. Being a new kid on the block attracts the local Cornell students, as well as folks from the outer boroughs anxious to make the trek to the happening spot. With a rotating space, the bar staff has ample room to roam about the cabin and make sure all parties are accounted for. If you want a different vantage point of the city, it's worth the trek. Heads up: there’s a dress code, so act accordingly.
Courtesy Cantina RooftopbarCantina Rooftop
$$Set high above the Stage 48 nightclub in Hell’s Kitchen is the vibrant Cantina Rooftop, where chef Saul Montiel delivers Mexican dishes like guacamole, street corn, a variety of tacos, and chile rellenos. Another option is to grab a group of friends and partake in the deftly named “Big Ass Taco,” a massive tortilla that’s fully loaded with avocado, pico de gallo, queso fresco, crema, Chihuahua cheese, pickled onions, a smattering of sauces, and your choice of chicken or steak, all for a price tag of $80. Thankfully Cantina is equipped with a climate-controlled retractable glass rooftop, which means you can enjoy that Big Ass Taco year-round.
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Overstory
$$$Located a whopping 64 floors up 70 Pine Street, Overstory can be found via its own dedicated elevator in Saga. Patrons are not playing—they're here for serious cocktails and great ambience. Bar director Harrison Ginsberg delivers cool boozy concoctions like the Easy Money, featuring vodka, coconut, yuzu, lime leaf, and soda; the Montego Slay with tequila, mango, husk cherry, lime, and apricot; and the aptly-named 212, a mix of whiskey, vermouth, cocoa nib, amaro, and black pear. Brought to you by the Crown Shy team, the service at Overstory is almost unparalleled, with a keen eye for detail.
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Liz ClaymanbarBar Blondeau
$$Head six floors up from the posh Le Crocodile in the Wythe Hotel and step inside the just-as-chic, glowing Bar Blondeau. The space draws a mix: those seeking impressive views of the Manhattan skyline and those in it for the fare brought to you by chef partners Aidan O'Neal and Jake Leiber (also of Le Crocodile and Chez Ma Tante). the menu of Les Cocktails at Bar Blondeau will set you back $17 a pop: Seasonal libations like Summer In Corfu (Mexican rum, fino sherry, aloe, and mint) and the Mutual Friend (Bourbon, thyme, and seasonal berry shrub) will make you want to sample the entire menu.
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LoHibarLoHi
$$Locals and non-locals alike gravitate to LoHi for the cocktails and food alike. The cocktail list includes the Frozen Drank (“just ask the bartender), Spottieottiedopalicious (rosemary-orange bourbon, lemon, spicy triple sec, and pineapple), and One More Cup of Coffee (cold brew spiked with vodka). The food menu, too, is not to be missed—nosh on a pressed sourdough grilled cheese, a double smashed burger, or steak frites. There’s also an exclusive Sundays-only brunch featuring kouig-amanns and chicken and waffles, Bloody Marys and Mimosas.
