The best rooftop bars in Manhattan

18 stories above SoHo is JIMMY, a year-round rooftop venue. Redesigned in 2020 to reflect the moody atmosphere of 70s conversation pits, the inside has velvet modular furniture and colors reminiscent of Picasso’s Blue Period. The music is purposefully quiet, so you can actually hear the person next to you, but is amped up in the evenings. If it’s too much, escape to the terrace, which has one of the only rooftop pools in the city.

You can rent out the 2,800-square-foot venue for up to 150 people, or keep it limited to 75 for an indoor-only event in the rain or colder season. With the cozy working fireplace and 14-foot windows, you’ll be enjoying yourself so much that you’ll forget to stare longingly at the pool outside. Ah, those New York summers.

JIMMY offers seasonal specialty cocktails, including a Midnight Negroni with Chamomile Tea (if you have this one, try not to fall asleep in the pool). A diverse array of snacks is also available, from freshly baked chocolate chip cookies to a $140 caviar service.

Overstory opened in 2021, and since then it’s been one of the hottest bars in the city, keeping a steady spot in North America’s Top 50 Bars list. And with its sweeping vistas (on the 64th floor!) and classy decor, it’s no wonder. After a very long elevator ride, you’ll be transported to the golden age of New York. Art Deco furniture and masterful lighting make it feel like the kind of place 007 himself would frequent, effortlessly dropping witty one-liners while sipping his martini.

The 588-square-foot bar feels as exclusive as it is, with only a 60-person standing capacity, making it ideal to rent out for more intimate events. The wraparound terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows ensure an uninterrupted view for everybody, and a disco ball keeps the party going all night.

The in-house catering and beverage service – by very dapper-looking servers clad in salmon suits – uses rare ingredients and complex methods to make the event feel as special as possible. The cocktails pay tribute to the city: bar director Harrison Ginsberg harvested salt from water at Coney Island for the Terroir Old Fashioned. Perhaps a little extra, but this is Manhattan after all.

Feel like the main character at this bookish bar just steps from the New York Public Library. Tweed furniture, vintage rugs, and wooden features make it reminiscent of a writer's cozy apartment with a particularly impressive collection of alcoholic beverages. On the 14th floor of the Library Hotel (can you sense the theme here?), you’ll be surrounded by the neighboring Beaux-Arts-style buildings of Midtown.

Bookmarks has a 100-guest capacity for cocktail receptions, and the full buyout includes two enclosed glass greenhouses, an outdoor balcony with heat lamps, and the Writer’s Den, which has a working fireplace and its own little library.

The literary cocktails are a specialty, with names like “Tequila Mockingbird” and “The Pulitzer”. For private events, you can add on butlered hors d’oeuvres, snacks, or desserts. This venue would be ideal for a book launch, or to bring that friend working in publishing who you get to see once a year.

Let’s face it, the only time you’ll be willing to head to Times Square is if you’re above it. Like way, way above it. Luckily, Dear Irving on Hudson gives you the option. On the 40 and 41st floors of the Aliz Hotel, this split-level rooftop bar is among the highest in the city. The retro-chic decor pays homage to James Bond, featuring unique furniture like a mirrored bar and hexagonal tables. The brass doors to the restrooms are restrooms and not hidden time travel machines – though it’s valid to suspect otherwise.

The combined floors are available to rent in a full buyout for 300 people, or individually for 150 each. The two balconies can hold 20 people each, but the floor-to-ceiling windows will repel any risk of FOMO. Experiences are also offered, and you can dazzle your friends with mixology tutorials, spirit tasting, or a formal cocktail class for up to 20 guests.

The bar serves New American small plates like filet mignon bites and lobster rolls. Cocktail queen Meagan Dorman (of Raines Law Room) is the resident mixologist, and the menu even has a section dedicated to alcohol distilled in the Empire State itself. That’s some true New York spirit.

Looking for somewhere to unwind after your Chinatown food crawl? The Crown is in the heart of the neighborhood, on the 21st floor of the Hotel 50 Bowery. The area’s low skyline gives way to uninterrupted panoramic views that stretch from the Upper East Side to Brooklyn.

The interior and menu both pay homage to the surrounding culture: The interior gallery is curated by the nearby Museum of Chinese in America, and the drinks have an Asian twist ( like The Jade Rabbit, a vodka cocktail infused with cinnamon lychee). If you’re still hungry after stuffing yourself with dumplings and dim sum, their elevated bites include shishito peppers and mochi.

You can rent the 4,000-square-foot space for semi-private and private events of up to 250 guests. Along with two balconies, there’s a VIP lounge and an indoor bar area., as well as a corporate board room if you require more privacy.