There is an abundance of fantastic NYC rooftop bars. Which is great, but the large amount of elevated venues can almost feel overwhelming.
To help you narrow it down, and to guarantee a sky-high experience out of the ordinary, we will guide you to our favourite must-visit destinations. NYC rooftops we love, and you will see why.
One thing that never goes out of style: expansive views over the amazing Manhattan skyline. Add close-ups of the East River and the famous Brooklyn Bridge, and you have vistas for days.
To get this (and plenty more), head to Dumbo and the 11th floor of 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, where Harriet's Rooftop & Lounge invites to sip, bites and vibes.
Starting as Brooklyn Heights Social Club in 2017, and turning into Harriet's during 2019, this is more of a long-standing than a brand new NYC rooftop. But always tweaking and evolving, it's well worth to visit again if you have been before, and a must if you haven't.
Decorated with reclaimed and sustainable materials, the natural-chic rooftop blends an interior lounge with a seasonal outdoor terrace, so no matter if it's early, middle or late 2025, Harriet's is open for business. But the best time is of course during the warmer months, when the al fresco terrace up top, which feels like a luxurious roof garden, is in full swing.
Not only a year-round venue, Harriet's Rooftop is also pretty much an all-day venue, and you can come to enjoy sunny sips, cosy evenings or vibrant weekends, with DJ sets and a party-prepared crowd.
Our top recommendation is however to book a table (you should definitely book in advance) right before sunset. Watching as the sun goes down behind the Manhattan skyline is quite a magical experience. Perfect to pair with some innovative and sustainable signature cocktails and Asian-inspired light bites from the rooftop menu.
Adjacent to Harriet's is 1 Hotel's glittering rooftop pool and pool deck. While this area is mainly exclusive for registered hotel guests, a new option for outside visitors are the Sky Swim Lounge tables.
Nestled just below the pool deck, booking one of these tables means you can mix sips and bites with panoramic dips in the pool. Something we really look forward to try in 2025!
HARRIET'S ROOFTOP
By now, Bar 54 is pretty much a classic New York bucket list destination. When you offer the tallest rooftop cocktail lounge around Times Square, the city's most famous area, that is to be expected.
There is always something special about ascending high, high, high and away above the buzzing center of Manhattan, and this year is no different.
Perched on the 54th floor of Hyatt Centric Times Square, the rooftop has a modern and chic decor, which is nice but nothing out of the ordinary. The same cannot be said about the views, which are truly spectacular. From the Chrysler Building, over all of lower Manhattan, and out towards the Hudson River.
Inviting to 'Sips & Skyline', which is pretty much what you want from a NYC rooftop bar, Bar 54 offers a great selection of seasonal and creative craft cocktails, worth coming back for again and again.
Presented in an Instagram friendly way, and made with products sourced from local vendors, distillers and wineries, we are pretty sure there will be a 'new favourite' for everyone.
With both interior lounge and al fresco terrace, Bar 54 is open year round. If possible, we would recommend that you save your visit to the warmer season, when you can enjoy all of the views outside, with a warm breeze.
Make reservations on the patio, preferably in connection with a sunset, and your phone will be filled with pictures of the beautiful colors of the sky behind the city skyscrapers.
Expect intimate yet vibrant afternoons and evenings, with a variety of both tourists and locals enjoying one of the city's prime locations.
BAR 54
During 2023, Overstory was named as No. 17 among The World’s 50 Best Bars and No. 7 among North Americas 50 Best Bars. In 2024, it was named as No. 15 among The World’s 50 Best Bars and No. 3 among North Americas 50 Best Bars.
With this trajectory, a visit here during 2025 will probably give you bragging rights at the end of the year to say you have been to one of the top 10 bars in the world, and the very best in North America.
So, where to go to get these bragging rights? To Manhattan’s Financial District and 70 Pine Street, where a dedicated elevator will take you to the 63rd floor. From there, an elegant travertine stairwell will lead you up to your final destination: the 64th floor Overstory.
Way up above the lowest part of Manhattan, and described as 'an intimate oval-shaped jewel box in the sky', Overstory features a retro-chic and plush interior lounge, surrounded by a wrap-around outdoor terrace.
Given the elvated setting, it should come as no surprise that the 360° views you get here, over the New York City skyline and beyond, are simply breathtaking.
Not only a premier destination for views, an awarded cocktail bar is of course also a premier destination for drinks. Botanize among the great selection of cocktails crafted by bar director Harrison Ginsberg, where the intense 'Chai Spot' (bourbon, cognac, ginger, assam, & clarified chai milk) is our favourite.
While walk-ins are both accepted and encouraged at Overstory, the venue is small, and to make sure you don't miss out on this fantastic and elevated experience, we would recommend booking well in advance. Just note that reserved seating requires a minimum spend of $75 per person.
If you want to make your visit even more special, turn it into your pre- or post dinner cocktail spot in connection with a meal at either Crown Shy on the ground floor of of the building, or at the fine dining sister restaurant Saga one floor below.
OVERSTORY
A lush and sexy oasis during the warmer months, and a sleek and cosy respite during the colder season: The Roof is there to quench your rooftop thirst whenever you need.
Found on the 18th floor of the exclusive yet inclusive PUBLIC Hotel, high above the Lower East Side, the rooftop looks almost as beautiful as the breathtaking 360° views over New York City. Almost.
The Roof holds a glassed-in interior lounge, and the vistas you get through the panoramic windows are more than enough. But as soon as the weather allows, the landscaped outdoor terrace is where we all want to go.
Among an abundance of greenery and white lounge furniture, it's hard to find a more elevated oasis above the concrete jungle, where you can say 'cheers' to both the One World Trade Center and the Empire State Building.
However, if you find yourself looking for an NYC rooftop and the temperature really doesn't call for al fresco fun, The Roof still provides. The mentioned indoor space is one option, but even better: the highly cosy and private rooftop igloos out on the winter-dressed terrace.
Shifting with the season, and also shifting throughout the evening, this is a venue great for relaxing sips and bites with friends earlier, turning into a nightlife hot-spot later on. From Wednesday to Saturday you can expect sounds from buzzing DJs, transforming The Roof into a dancefloor in the sky.
So while it depends on what kind of vibe you are looking for, our favourite time to visit The Roof at PUBLIC Hotel is during Sunset Happy Hour (Mon-Fri 5pm-7pm). Good deals on drinks and sliders is never wrong, and for us, the views over a glowing skyline beat all other.
Tip: Looking to work in style? During daytime, there are daypasses available to purchase, and you can use The Roof as what must be one of the most beautiful offices in the world. Free if you stay at the hotel, but also accessible to the general public.
Sometimes we all want to feel unique. Or pretty often. Whatever the case, a great way to do so is to head to the fabulous Graduate Roosevelt Island 18th floor, where you find the island's first rooftop bar available to the public.
Aptly called Panorama Room, and floating above the East River between Manhattan and Queens, the location is not the only thing unique here. The views are also something out of the ordinary, with 360° panoramics over the Manhattan skyline, the river, the bridges and the boroughs.
If you are looking to sip a cocktail and get some pics that would make anyone jealous, you can just walk in to Panorama Room and grab a standing spot on the curved outdoor terrace. But if you plan to stay and explore the menu more, reserve a table at the dramatic interior lounge, hopefully by the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Then you will have plenty of time to dive into the selection of both creative and classic cocktails, and the seafood-forward food options. Order caviar nachos or an impressive seafood tower, add good friends and amazing vistas. Sounds like time well spent, right?
On our bucket-list for 2025: take the aerial Roosevelt Island Tramway from Manhattan to Roosevelt Island, and then head up to Panorama Room. A four minute panoramic ride, followed by sips with panoramic views. Pretty much a perfect afternoon or evening.
PANORAMA ROOM
Rikard has spent the last 10 years exploring, enjoying, researching and working with rooftop venues. During these years he has visited more than 700 rooftops across the globe. The experience he has gained is used to create helpful, in-depth and accessible content, and to share his knowledge and rooftop expertise with fellow rooftop-lovers.
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