NYC's 21 best rooftop bars for cooler weather

First opened in 2021 on Roosevelt Island, the Graduate hotel’s Panorama Room is breathtaking. Its slinky inside is a little bit mod and plenty chic, but it’s the vista through its enormous windows and from out on the terrace would give even the most seen-it-all New Yorker pause. It also has a nice lineup of drinks and snacks. 

Overstory is as cozy as a music box in the sky inside, with views that seem to go on forever out on the wrap-around terrace. Perched on the 64th floor of 70 Pine Street above sibling spots Crown Shy and Saga, it's the just-drinks cherry on top of the trio of outstanding spots. The futniture's plush, the cocktails are crafty and even the ice is extra nice at one of NYC's most elegant cocktail destinations. 

New to Nomad’s Ritz-Carlton from chef José Andrés, Nubeluz lives high on the hotel’s 50th floor. Its position boasts precise 270-degree views from 500 feet off the ground, and its menu includes novel and classic cocktails, including four spirit-free (zero-ABV) options, and a spectrum of snacks including caviar, oysters and grilled cheese. 

Hotel Hendricks’ 29th floor bar has cozy couches and armchairs, a dedicated martini menu, sweet and savory bites, unlimited chicken salt seaweed popcorn with your drinks and an amazing view of the Empire State Building. Nab the pair of chairs in the far right corner near the wall of windows for shots you can drink and ones you can post on your Instagram. 

The Ready Rooftop on the top floor of the Moxy East Village has a retractable roof for four seasons of indoor/outdoor fun. It also has a convivial atmosphere underscored with coolers full of beer and patio-style furniture. 

Breathtakingly beautiful Manhatta skyrocketed to the top of NYC best-of lists in short order when it first opened on the 60th floor of a downtown skyscraper in 2018. The views were stunning and, at under $100, its three-course prix fixe eschewed the typically towering rooftop tax. It became a new NYC classic fast, before ultimately closing in early 2020. It finally reopened last year, and reservations are as hard to come by as ever, but walk-ins are also welcome. 

Toast to storybook charm 14 floors above Madison Avenue at the Library Hotel. Glass enclosures keep the view of surrounding midtown unobscured, there’s a fireplace in the on-theme “Writers’ Den” section, and a nice little literature selection, should you forget to swing by the New York Public Library’s main branch nearby.  

Ophelia’s Art Deco design is stylish all year ‘round, and it's also been known to transform into a “snowglobe in the sky” around this time each year. Classic martinis and riffs on old favorites are available every season.

The Wythe Hotel’s latest has an impressive battery of cocktails, wine, beer and zero-alcohol drinks, seafood-centric snacks and larger plates. Bar Blondeau also has sweeping views of Manhattan beyond the East River through huge windows. 

This is the reward for moments passed in Times Square. Its two floors (the 40th and 41st) in the Aliz Hotel are intended to evoke “James Bond and Art Deco time travel themes” but the sum of those parts avoids verging into the actual “themed” territory that you might find at other operations nearby. Its cocktail menu also aims to include spirits from New York State. 

Take the dedicated elevator 22 stories up to the glittering cap atop Williamsburg's tallest skyscraper. The industrial-chic space has incredible views through floor to ceiling windows for when its too cold to dip a toe on the large terrace. 

Though you may be enticed by Bar Chrystie, the Public hotel’s sparkly new lobby level cocktail bar, rooftop views still beckon from above. The Roof boasts a 360-degree cityscape, DJ sets and thousands of square feet between its indoor and outdoor areas. 

This Williamsburg Hotel cocktail bar is aptly named for its unique location in what appears from the outside to be–you guessed it!–a water tower. Inside you’ll find velvet sofas, work by local artists and walls of windows. 

Though it’s changed names and menus over the years, the bar on the 18th floor of what’s now known as the hotel ModernHaus still has one key component we consider a part of cooler weather rooftop tradition: its fireplace. Gather ‘round with seasonal drinks for a spirited taste of winter in New York. 

Many rooftop bars rely on their expansive vistas alone to woo the crowds, but Magic Hour consistently evolves around its view of midtown and the Empire State Building. Interchanging installations like its pink rose garden and winter wonderland make it a particularly photogenic roof to top. 

The Kimberly Hotel’s penthouse has a portrait-perfect snapshot of the Chrysler Building, appealing drink list, menus that make it more than a ‘just drinks’ place and a cozy glass enclosure where you can enjoy it all. 

NYC’s archetype trendy rooftop (even after 13 years!) is on the top floor of The Standard High Line. Up in the sky you’ll catch the requisite views and be able to gather around a hot tub for a little extra warmth once the Hudson River starts looking especially icy. 

This cocktail den sprawls across two terraces. In the evening, string lights, sunsets and the moon and stars illuminate its outdoor areas, and the loft-inspired lounge inside is lined with exposed-brick walls and reclaimed-wood tables. 

See the sensational NYC skyline from the 21st floor of Hotel 50 Bowery. It has a terrace for prime posing, of course, plus room to lounge in the toastier space inside. Peer at the glittering city like its a cluster of inverted icicles over beer, wine, cocktails and snacks. 

One sign of winter in NYC has nothing to do with the temperature outside or what candy’s on the shelves at the Duane Reade: it’s the return of the domes at 230 5th. They're back in action from now through May without a reservation, but you'll still want to arrive on the early side or plan to wait. 

The Sultan Room is on the lowrise rooftop deck at the recently reopened Turk’s Inn. It gets a little extra coverage in the colder months and features live music and special cocktail programs some evenings.