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The Best Rooftop Bars in New York City

By DNAinfo Staff | July 2, 2015 2:32pm | Updated on July 5, 2015 8:48pm

 Behold some rooftop bars you should visit this summer.
Rooftop Bars
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There's something exhilarating about surveying the city from on high with a drink in hand. If you're at a loss for where best to do this, here are some choice options for discerning drinkers.

► VU Rooftop Bar at La Quinta Inn, 17 West 32nd St. in Koreatown
Possibly the strangest place for a bar is at the top of a La Quinta Inn, which is a hotel chain more often seen in the suburbs than Manhattan. Up until last year, this 14th-floor joint was called Me Bar. The new name and management hasn't changed the bar's rock-bottom prices — the happy hour, until 7 p.m., still offers $2 beers and $3 margaritas. Outside of happy hour, some cocktails will cost you $10 but nonetheless come in a plastic cup — suiting the bar's somewhat fratty atmosphere.

► Bar 13, 35 East 13th St. in the East Village
Bar 13's rooftop bar, replete with palm trees, is like visiting Miami on the cheap. Drinks are affordable and, if it gets chilly, there are two indoor bars on the second and third floors.

► The Jane Rooftop, 113 Jane St. in the Meatpacking District
The rooftop at The Jane Hotel was previously reservation-only but is accepting walk-ins for the first time this year. This is also the first year it's serving food, direct from the hotel's ground-floor restaurant, Cafe Gitane. Vistors can take in the sunset over the Hudson River courtesy of the hotel's unobstructed waterfront views.

► Empire Hotel, 44 W 63rd St. on the Upper West Side
This 12-story rooftop bar offers views of the neighboring Lincoln Center and the Upper West Side. There's a more laid back vibe and fewer people if you go before 11 p.m., when there's typically a line to get in and the roof gets packed.

► The Delancey, 168 Delancey St. on the Lower East Side
The Delancey boasts a lush “tropical open air oasis” on its rooftop, which is open rain or shine, thanks to a retractable roof.

► The Roof at Whole Foods, 214 Third St. in Gowanus
Take in a view of the Gowanus Canal from a perch atop a gourmet grocery store. This casual outdoor bar serves burgers and beers, but you can also bring in a bite to eat from the prepared foods section downstairs.

► The Rock Shop, 249 Fourth Ave. in Gowanus
See a live music show downstairs, then relax upstairs on the Rock Shop's patio. As one Yelp reviewer put it, the Rock Shop is a “nice surprise in the otherwise godawful Fourth Avenue corridor of Gowanus.”

See a live music show downstairs, then relax upstairs on the Rock Shop's patio. As one Yelp reviewer put it, the Rock Shop is a “nice surprise in the otherwise godawful Fourth Avenue corridor of Gowanus.”

► Northern Territory, ► Northern Territory, 12 Franklin St. in Greenpoint
It feels like you could hang out forever on this rooftop bar with homey wooden furniture and a clear view of Manhattan. The cocktails are delicious and there's just enough of a beer selection to get the afternoon going.

► Juliette, 135 North Fifth St., in Williamsburg
Come here with friends or on a date — the cozy rooftop at this French bistro will set the mood for a warm and fuzzy night out.

► Night of Joy, 667 Lorimer St. in Williamsburg
Though it feels like a speakeasy on the inside, the rooftop deck of this cocktail-heavy bar is more like a backyard, decorated with patio furniture, string lights and a homemade-looking bar. The bar has an expansive list of cocktails, including its massive margaritas that are $6 before 6 p.m.

► Berry Park, 4 Berry St. in Williamsburg
High above hipster-saturated Williamsburg, on the border of Greenpoint, is Berry Park where new residents go to drink and take in a stunning view of Manhattan — and eat duck-fat french fries. Like many other places in the neighborhood, this rooftop can get crowded fast on weekends, particularly with the post-brunch crowd. The bar has a nice array of imported draft beers reminicient of a German beer hall — a Radeberger is $6, a Belgian Duvel will cost you $8.

► Beer Authority300 West 40th St. in Hell's Kitchen/Midtown
Lounging on a rooftop across from the Port Authority Bus Terminal may sound like a fume-filled way to pass the time, but the roof deck above the new craft beer bar is a surprising island of tranquility in one of the busiest parts of Midtown. The patio has an ever-changing rotation of dozens of beers on tap, running roughly $8 a pint, along with a wide variety of canned beers available for $6. A menu of pub grub is also available. The after-work crowd can flood this place, so get there early if you want a seat. 

► Upstairs at the Kimberly Hotel, 145 E. 50th St. in Midtown
High atop the Kimberly Hotel, Upstairs is a classy rooftop bar with cushy couches, romantic lighting and a gorgeous view of the Chrysler Building. The bar usually hosts an after-work clientele on the weekdays, but the weekends bring in a more diverse crowd. It’s open year-round with a retractable roof, heated flooring and an outdoor patio with its own fireplace.

► Henry’s Rooftop Bar at the Roger Smith Hotel, 501 Lexington Ave in Midtown East
The Roger Smith Hotel opened its roof terrace bar in 2010, named Henry’s after Henry the dog, an adorable Boston terrier that serves as the inn's unofficial mascot. Offering views of Midtown from 16 floors up, Henry’s is on the snug side — it only seats about 35 people — so get there when the bar opens at 5 p.m. Though the roof stopped serving food this year, patrons can enjoy bar snacks like popcorn while sipping an assortment of beer and wine, priced $8 or $9 a glass.

► Metro Grill at Hotel Metro, 45 W. 35th St. in Midtown
The best thing about the rooftop bar that sits atop Hotel Metro is, undoubtedly, its head-on view of the Empire State Building, which towers over it from just a block away. Plus, much of the 13th-floor rooftop is covered by awnings — meaning you can still enjoy the perks of drinking outdoors, even if the weather’s not cooperating.

► Pine Bar and Grill, 1634 Eastchester Road in Westchester Square
The rooftop bar and lounge at the Pine Bar and Grill was designed to make patrons feel like they have left The Bronx and traveled to sunny South Beach. The bar offers up a variety of specialty cocktails, including the Bronx Bomber, a mixture of Grey Goose, Malibu, Peach Schnapps, cranberry juice, orange juice and sour mix.

► Z Roof at the Z Hotel, 11-01 43rd Ave. in Long Island City
A 5,000-square-foot rooftop lounge at the top of the Z Hotel in Long Island City, where guests can enjoy panoramic views of the city's skyline. Enjoy beats spun by DJs on weekends, or even sign up for a rooftop happy hour yoga class that's followed by "skinny" cocktails.

► Above Rooftop, 1100 South Ave. in Bloomfield
One of the only rooftop bars in Staten Island, Above Rooftop, at the top of the Hilton Garden Inn in Bloomfield, has bottle service, Saturday night DJ nights, food and more. If you're in the area and looking for a party vibe, this could be the spot for you.