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Best Rooftop Bars
in New York

12 rooftop bars ranked and reviewed. The skyline at its most cinematic, with cocktails to match.

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Showing 12 of 12

230 Fifth rooftop bar New York Empire State Building view

Sponsored Rooftop Bar Flatiron

★ 4.5

230 Fifth Rooftop Bar

230 5th Ave, Flatiron · Daily 4pm–4am (Sat–Sun 10am–4am)

The Empire State Building sits directly in the sightline from 230 Fifth's 20,000-square-foot rooftop, which is why this bar appears in the background of more New York Instagram posts than any other single outdoor space. The cocktails are functional rather than inspired, but the view does all the work it needs to. Heated igloos on the rooftop extend the outdoor season year-round. Walk-in friendly during the week. Book on weekends.

Empire State Views Year Round Heated Igloos Walk-In Weekdays

$$$ View Bar Details

Bar SixtyFive Rockefeller Center rooftop New York

Rooftop Bar Midtown

★ 4.7

Bar SixtyFive at Rockefeller Center

30 Rockefeller Plaza, 65F, Midtown · Mon–Wed 5pm–12am, Thu–Sat 5pm–1am

The cocktail bar on the 65th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza is genuinely one of the finest rooms in New York. The 270-degree view of Midtown Manhattan from above 800 feet is unlike anything available elsewhere in the city at this price point. The cocktail program is serious. The atmosphere is formal but not stiff. Reservations essential. Dress code smart casual enforced.

65th Floor 270 Degree Views Dress Code Reservations

$$$$ View Bar Details

Rooftop Bar Hell's Kitchen

★ 4.6

The Press Lounge

653 11th Ave, Hell's Kitchen · Mon–Thu 5pm–1am, Fri–Sat 5pm–2am, Sun 3pm–12am

The Ink48 Hotel's rooftop bar delivers Hudson River views that the east-facing competition simply cannot offer. The Press Lounge sits on the 16th floor looking across to New Jersey and south along the Hudson, with the full Midtown skyline visible on the right. The cocktail menu is imaginative without being difficult. Heated in winter, fully open in summer.

Hudson Views Hotel Rooftop Heated West Side

$$$ View Bar Details

Westlight rooftop bar Brooklyn William Vale Hotel

Rooftop Bar Williamsburg, Brooklyn

★ 4.7

Westlight at the William Vale

111 N 12th St, Williamsburg · Mon–Thu 5pm–1am, Fri 5pm–2am, Sat 3pm–2am, Sun 3pm–12am

The William Vale Hotel's rooftop bar gives Brooklyn its best answer to Midtown's elevated bars. The view of Manhattan across the East River is one of the finest in the city, particularly at sunset when the light hits the skyline from the west. The cocktail program is strong. The crowd is Williamsburg creative with hotel guest overlap. The terrace runs the full width of the building.

Manhattan Skyline Brooklyn Sunset Views Williamsburg

$$$ View Bar Details

Rooftop Bar Midtown East

★ 4.5

Ophelia

3 Mitchell Pl, Midtown East · Mon–Sat 5pm–1am

A smaller, more intimate rooftop bar in Midtown East that sits 26 floors up with clear views of the East River and the Chrysler Building. The cocktail menu draws on classic recipes with modern technique. The space holds 60 guests at most, which creates an atmosphere that the mega-rooftops cannot replicate. Reservations recommended for weekends. Weeknight walk-ins are usually accommodated.

East River Views Chrysler Building Intimate 60 Guest Capacity

$$$ View Bar Details

Magic Hour rooftop bar Midtown Manhattan Moxy Hotel

Rooftop Bar Midtown West

★ 4.3

Magic Hour Rooftop

485 7th Ave, Midtown West · Daily 4pm–2am (Sat–Sun 12pm–2am)

The Moxy Times Square's rooftop bar serves an unobstructed view of the Empire State Building from a terrace decorated with carnival-style installations and a mini-golf course. It is deliberately playful rather than refined. The cocktails are colourful and crowd-pleasing. This is the rooftop bar to bring visitors who want the New York experience rather than regulars seeking quiet elevation.

Times Square Playful Mini Golf Empire State Views

$$$ View Bar Details

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By Neighbourhood

Rooftop Bars by Area in New York

Midtown Manhattan

Midtown concentrates the highest-altitude and most view-focused rooftop bars in New York. Bar SixtyFive at 800+ feet is in a category of its own. 230 Fifth, Magic Hour, and several others compete for the tourist and date-night market between 33rd and 50th Streets. The cocktails here generally cost $20 to $28 and the views justify the premium. Reservations are essential on Friday and Saturday evenings from April through October.

Williamsburg and Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Brooklyn's rooftop bars offer the reverse view: Manhattan from the outside. Westlight at the William Vale captures this perspective best, with the full Manhattan skyline visible across the East River. The crowd is younger and more local than Midtown, and the prices reflect it. Williamsburg rooftop bars work particularly well at sunset when the light hits the Manhattan skyline from the west.

Hell's Kitchen and Hudson Yards

The west side of Midtown offers Hudson River views that the east-facing bars cannot match. The Press Lounge at Ink48 and the Edge observation bar at Hudson Yards capture the Hudson and the New Jersey Palisades. These bars draw a slightly different crowd from the east Midtown competition: more local, more professional, less tourist-focused. The west-facing exposure means better sunset experiences.

Lower Manhattan and FiDi

The Financial District's rooftop bars sit lower than Midtown but deliver views of the harbor, the Brooklyn Bridge, and downtown Manhattan that are entirely their own. The Rooftop at 70 Pine and Bar Moga are the standout options. This neighbourhood empties after 7pm on weekdays, which means excellent rooftop bars without the evening crowds of the hotel bars further north.

Our Editorial Take

What Makes a Great Rooftop Bar in New York?

New York's rooftop bar market divides into two types: the view bar and the cocktail bar at altitude. Most rooftop bars in the city prioritize the view over the drink, which is a reasonable commercial decision given what visitors are actually paying for. The best ones refuse to make that trade-off. If the cocktails matter as much as the view, our guide to the best cocktail bars in New York covers the dedicated craft programs operating at street level.

The view matters enormously but it is not sufficient. A rooftop bar with a spectacular view and mediocre cocktails is a tourist attraction, not a bar. The bars at the top of this list deliver both elements at a level that justifies the price, which in Midtown Manhattan typically runs $22 to $35 per cocktail including service charge.

"Bar SixtyFive at 30 Rockefeller Plaza offers 270-degree views of Midtown from 800 feet up, with a cocktail program serious enough to warrant a second visit purely for the drinks."

Reservations are not optional for the best New York rooftop bars on Friday and Saturday evenings during the warm months. Bar SixtyFive books out two to three weeks ahead. 230 Fifth and The Press Lounge operate a queuing system for walk-ins but the waits on weekend evenings regularly exceed 90 minutes. Book ahead or arrive at opening time.

Weather contingency matters more for rooftop bars than any other category. Several bars in this guide operate heated indoor spaces or enclosed terraces that function year-round. 230 Fifth's heated igloos and The Press Lounge's enclosed terrace both maintain the rooftop experience through a New York winter. Check before you visit in November through March.

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