Nyc rooftops are at the heart of an nyc experience but with hundreds to choose from it’s difficult to know what to pick. This guide offers my top 5 Rooftop bar reccomendations in NYC 🗽With a a mix of happy hour deals, spectualcar unobstructed views and delicious eats, these rooftops are without a doubt boujee on a budget and well worth the visit. I have carefully picked out 5 rooftops that I think will enhance any visit to NYC and all offer there own unique experiences 🤍

Top 5 New York City Rooftops 🥂

GO FOR SUNSET – Firstly I need to preface that the below five rooftop bar recommendations are all optimized in experience by going at SUNSET. This means make a reservation (or try your luck by walking in) for sunset. 

 This rooftop is a French style bar with an unobstructed view of the Manhattan skyline looking over from Brooklyn. This Rooftop is defiantly the most chill of my 5 recs and makes for a great sunset drink in peace overlooking the city. Make a reservation here and specify outside to get the best view.

Bar Blondeau had my favorite drink of my entire months stay in New York and consequently it was on happy hour. It was a FROZE for $11USD and oh my god this froze was delicious!!! There happy hour, called sunset specials runs from 5pm-7pm (perfect for sunset) which along with the froze features 4 different cocktails.

The menu here is primarily seafood with French, Spanish and Portuguese influences and my god is it delicious. I went with my family, and we ordered 4 dishes to share. Highlights were the prawn cocktail and Basque County Cheesecake – so yummy!

2. Lost in Paradise Rooftop for taco Tuesday 🌮

Taco Tuesday seems to be a very big thing in New York city and I wasn’t complaining. The lost in paradise rooftop in my opinion has the best taco Tuesday experience/deal. It features $4 tacos, cheaper margaritas, and a stunning view of the whole of Manhattan skyline. The vibes at this rooftop are very much young, hip and party as there’s loud music and colorful deco. Don’t let this stop you though because I took my parents here and they thoroughly enjoyed it.

 For Taco Tuesday their deal is $10 margaritas. Whilst this isn’t necessarily the best happy hour deal it is still a steal to New York standards. It’s just a classic delicious Marg but paired with the incredible view it’s well worth it.

$4 tacos is an absolute steal in New York city and especially when there’s so much variety. You can get steak, chipotle chicken, shrimp, carnitas, Birria and several more. These tacos are also decently sized so 4 tacos is defiantly a sufficient meal. The taco Tuesday also includes other dishes such as Guacamole, wings and empanadas for a reduced price.

The Vibes here are very boujee - after work office drinks if you work on Wall Street type of place. So yes, the fancied of the rooftops but what a good excuse to dress up and pretend you work for some big city law firm. There is an indoor seating area and bar as well as outside on the rooftop. I 100% recommend making a reservation for the rooftop as it offers 360 views of the Hudson on one side and endless skyscrapers on the other. There is a water feature directly down the entirety of the middle of the rooftop as well as some art deco sculptures placed around the rooftop.

The drinks here are not on the cheaper side and I believe they do not have a happy hour but you’re paying for the views and ambiance so it’s worth it. There cocktails start at $18 USD - so on the expensive side, but they are delicious. I had the frozen paloma and it was delish and refreshing.  

On the basis of the drink prices, food wasn’t really an option on my visit. If you’re wanting to treat yourself I’m sure the food is spectacular. Its menu features dishes such as Beef Tartare, cauliflower flatbread and a wild Main Halibut

360 views right in the middle of the lower east side meaning you get views of all of the city. The vibe of this place is very party party with a DJ playing beats all afternoon and into the night where it turns into a club. If you’re wanting to just enjoy a drink with the spectacular view like myself, I would suggest coming in the late afternoon/sunset before the masses show up to party.

The drinks are standard drinks and good for what they are. They offer large format cocktails which serve up to 8-10 people and split between a large group become very affordable. I didn’t try this but if I came with a group this would be the way to go. They also don’t have a happy hour SORRY !! but views are worth it.

I didn’t try the food at Mr Purple and to be honest its more about the drinks, view and party scene at this rooftop.

Have fun at these NYC rooftops 🥂🇺🇸🤍

This bar is literally on a boat on the Hudson overlooking the entire skyline of Manhattan - hard to beat. I know this technically isn’t a rooftop but I had to include it. As it is a boat it is floating on the water so hopefully you don’t get sea sick lol but the experience is well worth it. 

Since this place is on the expensive side, during my visit we didn’t get any food and instead just indulged in the drinks. There menu however is seafood based and rated very highly. 

Given that you are literally on a boat with amazing views, the drinks are not particularly cheap but they are delicious. If there was one rooftop/bar place I would splash out on it would be here. I had the watermelon cocktail ( $20 USD) and it was so refreshing and perfect considering the day I visited it was 30+ degrees. 

Top 5 New York City Rooftops 🥂

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