While the weather is nice, enjoy a few cold ones high above the streets at some of the best rooftop bars and lounges in New York City. Sure, ground-floor venues may be a bit more accessible, but martinis and mojitos definitely taste better a few stories above sea level.
1. Plunge at Hotel Gansevoort
Location: 18 9th Avenue at West 13th Street
2. Roof Garden Cafe at the Metropolitan Museum
For a more cultured rooftop drinking experience, visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Tour the latest exhibits and then head to the roof for a cold beer, a glass of fine wine, or a frozen margarita (virgin or otherwise).
Location: 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, 212-535-7710
3. Salon de Ning at the Peninsula Hotel
Located on the rooftop of the Peninsula Hotel, Salon de Ning was designed to evoke the glamour of 1930's Shanghai. Enjoy Asian-inspired cocktails and bites and a view of the Manhattan skyline from upper Fifth Avenue.
Location: 700 Fifth Avenue at 55th Street, 212-903-3097
4. Bar 13
This laid-back Union Square rooftop bar attracts a mix of NYU students and downtown drinkers. Enjoy 2-for-1 happy hours and live DJ music every night.
Location: 35 East 13th Street near University Place, 212-979-6677
5. The Delancey
The nothing-specialness about this roofdeck is exactly what makes it so attractive. Chill Lower East Siders seek out this pseudo-zen garden, complete with potted palm plants and small bubbling fountains, to escape the Delancey Street madness below.
Feel free to kick back, relax, and mingle -- crowds of uptight, designer-suit-clad yuppies are nowhere to be found.
Location: 168 Delancey Street, between Clinton and Attorney Streets
6. 230 Fifth
230 Fifth's year-round rooftop bar offers amazing views of the New York skyline, including the Empire State and Chrysler Buildings. The roof is open 365 days a year and the Rooftop Garden Bar is partially heated for those chilly nights.
Location: 230 Fifth Avenue at 27th Street, 212-725-4300
7. The Rooftop at the Empire Hotel
The Rooftop at the Empire Hotel offers magnificent views of Lincoln Center and the bustling city below. The 8,000 square foot bar and lounge serves signature cocktails and small plates and features live entertainment all week long—from weekend dance parties helmed by celebrity DJs to live jazz on Mondays. The Penthouse Lounge is an indoor bar with floor to ceiling windows. The outdoor Rooftop Terrace has a glass convertible roof and gas fireplace to keep the rooftop party going through the winter.
Location: 44 West 63rd Street at near Broadway and Lincoln Center, 212-956-3313
8. The Eagle
The Eagle, one of Chelsea's hottest gay bars, features a 2,000-square foot, multi-level roof, where throngs of hot men with ripped abs rub elbows and cool off with frozen drinks and strong cocktails.
Make sure to come hungry. With a tasty menu featuring burgers, BBQ chicken, and hot dogs, this place is all about the meat.
Location: 554 West 28th Street
9. Local West
Local West is so, well, local. After work, head over to this breezy roofdeck with some coworkers for happy hour, where you can talk shop while watching the sun set over 8th Avenue.
You will be sharing the space with the Madison Square Garden and Hammerstein Ballroom folks, who often pop by for a few frozen margaritas after a show. If you need something to complain about, don't let it be Local's midtown location -- we know you're secretly thrilled that it's within walking distance of your office.
Location: 1 Penn Plaza at Eighth Avenue and 33rd Street
10. Heights Bar and Grill
Come to the Heights roofdeck after work and eavesdrop on Columbia undergrads discussing their summer internships and part-time jobs. Or watch them down carbombs and tequila shots.
Whatever your age, you can join the fun or kick back and relax; Heights is a laid-back, no-frills bar with cheap drinks and a fun vibe.
Location: 2867 Broadway, between 111th and 112th Streets
