The 20 Best Rooftop Restaurants in New York City
There’s nothing like a beautiful night in the city. The skyline. The river. The views. A rooftop bar or restaurant is the perfect place to fully take in the atmosphere and the vibe of New York City.
While a rooftop restaurant may be the ideal place to start your night out, it’s not always easy to get a table. Rooftop restaurants are in demand, especially on evenings with good weather.
Below is a list of 20 of the best rooftop restaurants in New York City. Make reservations early at these spots because they book up early.
1. Westlight
Located in Brooklyn on top of the trendy William Vale hotel, this rooftop restaurant has a perfect view of the Manhattan skyline. The restaurant has a wraparound terrace that looks over the river and lower Manhattan. There is also an indoor area with floor-to-ceiling windows that provide an amazing view.
Westlight is known for its craft cocktails and small plates inspired by global street food. Their menu changes frequently but includes items like tuna tartare, shrimp cocktail dumplings, spiced chicken empanadas, and even small burgers. Westlight’s food is amazing, but the view is the real star.
2. Manhatta
At 60 stories towering above the financial district in lower Manhattan, this restaurant offers amazing views of the city. Manhatta is reopened after being closed for the past two years. The menu changes on a regular basis but usually consists of favorites like oysters, lobster rolls, fried chicken, and mini cheeseburgers.
Dishes are served to be shareable, which makes Manhatta perfect for a large group that’s looking for a fun place to enjoy the view. Enjoy the restaurant’s craft cocktails and the perfect location to kick off your night.
3. Sushi Lab
Do you want beautiful views and beautiful food? Sushi Lab is the place for you. It’s a rooftop restaurant in midtown Manhattan, giving it a perfect view of the skyline and nearby parks. It’s a popular setting for Instagram photo shoots.
The food is also visually appealing. Enjoy perfectly plated rolls at either the chefs counter or at a private table. You can go with more affordable rolls that are popular at most sushi restaurants or specialty rolls covered in caviar and edible gold. Sushi Lab is the perfect place for those who love high-end sushi and high-end skyline views.
4. Hotel Chantelle
Get the girls together for brunch at this popular spot on the Lower East Side. Hotel Chantelle is incredibly popular for its selfie opportunities, and for good reason. The view is one of the best in the city.
It also offers a classic brunch menu that makes it perfect for a Saturday or Sunday morning recovery. The Parisian-style restaurant has breakfast pizza, stuffed French toast, truffle tater tots, and much more. Wash it all down with bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys. It’s the perfect place for a group of friends to relive the weekend.
5. Electric Lemon
This trendy restaurant in New York’s most popular new neighborhood offers small plates with a clean, socially conscious focus. Ingredients come from ethical, sustainable vendors. The menu is full of American standards with a sustainable twist.
The restaurant is perched on the 24th floor of the Equinox Hotel. It has an indoor dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows, along with a massive outdoor garden and a custom fountain with sculptures.
6. Bar Blondeau
This rooftop bar and restaurant is on the sixth floor of the Wythe Hotel, giving it skyline views from nearly every seat. It’s enclosed in the winter but open-air in warmer weather.
The restaurant is full of Japanese favorites, including Japanese fried chicken, Wagyu beef tongue sliders, bacalao fritters, and more. The drink list is long and expansive with a wide range of bottled and draft beers, high-end liquor, and custom cocktails. Bar Blondeau isn’t the most obvious rooftop selection but it’s a popular and highly-rated spot.
7. Laser Wolf
Laser Wolf may boast the best view in all of New York City. Set on the top of the Hoxton Hotel in Williamsburg, Laser Wolf has an expansive view of the Manhattan skyline.
The menu is Middle Eastern with a unique focus. You choose your meat and vegetables and they’re cooked over an open flame. Reservations aren’t easy to get, but they’re worth it. Between the fun food and the beautiful view, dinner at Laser Wolf is one you won’t soon forget.
8. Serra by Birreria
Another great spot for brunch with the girls, Serra is known for its explosion of greenery and flowers. The Manhattan spot offers a light Italian menu with a focus on salads and brunch items.
The aesthetic and even the menu are switched out every season to reflect a new style. The specialty cocktails are even switched out on a seasonal basis. You’ll feel like you left Manhattan and visited an Italian garden after a trip to Serra.
9. Alma
This hidden gem is only two stories up, but with its location, it offers a perfect view of lower Manhattan. It’s probably the most reasonable and casual of all the restaurants on this list. You may have a short wait when you arrive, but reservations usually aren’t necessary.
They often have deals on frozen margaritas and their arroz con queso is a must-have on every order. Follow that up with tacos, enchiladas, or any of the remaining tasty items on the Mexican-influenced menu.
10. Gallow Green
Want to drink and eat outdoors in Chelsea? This is probably your best option. As the name suggests, this restaurant on the top of the McKittrick Hotel is shrouded in greenery.
The menu changes on a seasonal basis. In the summer it could have a taco and burrito focus, while the fall could bring a pizza-centric menu. Two favorites, the burger, and the steak frites, are always served, even as the rest of the menu changes. Gallow Green offers a serve-yourself brunch on weekend mornings and a full bar.
11. Magic Hour Rooftop Bar and Lounge
This indoor/outdoor rooftop restaurant is 18 floors above the city in the middle of Manhattan and features five distinct restaurants all in one. You enter the restaurant through a risque lobby that features topiary animals in risque positions.
Once past the lobby, you can go to one of four different areas. The east side facing the Empire State Building has a garden aesthetic while the west side is much like a carnival. Magic Hour is unique in that it’s only open on Saturdays and Sundays for brunch.
12. Republica
Republica is a Dominican-themed restaurant that’s set over three floors on a rooftop in Upper Manhattan. The two lower levels are sleek and stylish while the upper level is lush and colorful with greenery.
Republica is open nightly for dinner, along with brunch servings on Saturdays and Sundays. The indoor and outdoor areas are heated so Republica is able to stay open year-round. If you want a Manhattan view, Republica is a great spot. But keep in mind that not all seats have an outdoor view.
13. Daintree
On the top floor of Hotel Hendricks, Daintree has both indoor and outdoor spaces with views of Manhattan all around. It’s well known for its up-close view of the Empire State Building.
Daintree is well known for its martinis, with a full martini menu that has a wide range of varieties. The food menu has popular favorites like oysters, steak katsu sliders, and lobster rolls. Daintree is open year-round and is a great Midtown rooftop spot.
14. Saga
In a sleek, carpeted room on the 63rd floor of a building in the Financial District, you’ll find a unique, experimental restaurant called Saga.
Saga has one thing on the menu – a 12-course Moroccan tasting menu for $295 per person. With floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook lower Manhattan, it’s difficult to know what will be more memorable, the view or the food.
15. Berry Park
This rooftop bar and restaurant in Williamsburg is a hidden gem with a casual atmosphere. Unlike many of the restaurants on this list, you don’t need to dress up or meet a dress code to have a great time at Berry Park.
Berry Park often has live music to go along with fun specialty cocktails and drink specials. The food menu has traditional bar staples like wings, sandwiches, burgers, salads, and much more. If you’re looking for a lowkey but lively rooftop spot to party, Berry Park is the place.
16. Versa NYC
Versa is on the fifth floor of the Renaissance New York Midtown Hotel. It’s not high up, but with its retractable open-air roof, it has impressive views of the Empire State Building and the Manhattan skyline.
Versa is in a convenient location just around the corner from Madison Square Garden. It’s open from morning to the late evening, serving everything from breakfast to dinner. The menu is influenced by American gastropub staples and features pasta, flatbreads, burgers, salads, and much more.
17. East Hae
Another Williamsburg rooftop restaurant with a spectacular view of downtown. East Hae is a Korean fused restaurant with staples like fried chicken wings, shrimp burgers, and a wide range of noodle and rice dishes.
East Hae is one of the rare rooftop restaurants that have late afternoon happy hours. When the sun goes down, it’s lit by string lights giving it a cozy, casual vibe. With a casual rooftop bar, it’s a fun place for dinner or for end-of-the-evening drinks.
18. Zona De Cuba
Manhattan and Brooklyn aren’t the only neighborhoods with fun rooftop restaurants. Zona De Cuba is in the Bronx and offers beautiful views with a high-energy, lively atmosphere.
As the name suggests, the restaurant offers a Caribbean and Cuban-inspired menu with Cuban dishes like mojo-marinated pork chops with plantains. The bar has signature tropical drinks and is decorated in flush greenery to give a Caribbean vibe. Live salsa bands take the stage each night. Zone De Cuba is a taste of the islands in the middle of the Bronx.
19. Mr. Purple
Mr. Purple is an energetic late-night restaurant on the 15th floor of Hotel Indigo on the Lower East Side. The hotel pool is actually in the middle of the restaurant. In the summer months, it’s not uncommon to have partygoers in the pool while restaurant and bar guests dance nearby.
The menu is full of bar staples like wings, appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, and more. Mr. Purple has live music nearly every night to keep the energy high and the party going until late into the night, and the bar is full of your favorite liquors and beers as well as signature cocktails.
20. Social Drink and Food
Social Drink and Food is the largest outdoor dining space in New York City with room for over 400 guests. While Social is only on the 4th floor of YOTEL, it has expansive views of Times Square, making it a popular spot for not only locals but also tourists.
Social’s menu has global-inspired street food like chicken schnitzel and laffa kebab. It has a loungy, casual atmosphere with couches and sofas in addition to traditional tables and booths. It also frequently hosts special events like outdoor movies, miniature golf, and more.
This is a list of just some of the best rooftop restaurants NYC. The city is full of hidden gems and fun spots scattered throughout each of the five boroughs. A rooftop restaurant can be a great way to experience the city and enjoy a beautiful view with your dinner and drinks.
