Best-of list · Rooftop Bars

13 Best Rooftop Bars in the US

The 13 rooftop bars in the US our editors can verify are open in 2026, from 230 Fifth to Skybar at Mondrian, ranked by view, drinks, and access.

Noa Aviv
Updated 2026-06-28 13 ranked bars

The short answer

Our editors' №1 is 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar.

13 ranked rooms follow. How we picked is at the end of this guide.

Best overall230 Fifth Rooftop Bar
Runner-upLe Bain at The Standard, High Line
Third pickPerch

Rooftop bars are the hardest category to keep honest, because hotels rebrand and top-floor lounges close faster than almost any other kind of bar. This list is deliberately short. It holds only the 13 US rooftops our editors could confirm are open and public in 2026.

We rank on the view first, then the drinks, the room, and how easy it is to actually get in. We check each venue against its own current listings, The Rooftop Guide, local press, and recent Google Maps and Yelp reports before it earns a place.

This is why the list is not longer. In building it we cut nearly a dozen names that earlier versions carried, including Miami's Juvia, Washington's POV, and a supposed Denver outpost of Departure that does not exist. A short, real list is worth more than a padded one.

The 13 best rooftop bars in the US right now

Editor's №1

230 Fifth Rooftop Bar

NoMad, New YorkOpen-air rooftopCocktails from $18

The largest rooftop in the city, aimed straight at the Empire State Building.

Why we rank it230 Fifth seats roughly a thousand people across 33,000 square feet of terrace and heated indoor space, all facing the Empire State Building. It is not the most refined drink in town, but no public rooftop in New York matches it for scale or sightline, and it stays open year round.

When to goOpen daily from noon; heated igloos in winter, brunch on weekends. Best for a big group and a first-time New York view.

Full listing & hours →

Le Bain at The Standard, High Line

Meatpacking District, New YorkRooftop discothequeCocktails from $19

A penthouse dance floor with a diamond-shaped hot tub and a Hudson view.

Why we rank itOn the 18th floor of The Standard, High Line, Le Bain pairs world-touring DJs with one of the best downtown terraces and a jacuzzi built into the club floor. It is as much nightlife as bar, but the rooftop and the sunset over the Hudson are the draw.

When to goOpen Thursday through Sunday, lines after dark. Best for a night that turns into dancing, not a quiet drink.

Full listing & hours →

Perch

Downtown, Los AngelesFrench rooftop bistroCocktails from $17

Two French-bistro decks over the downtown LA skyline.

Why we rank itPerch stacks a 15th-floor restaurant under a 16th-floor rooftop lounge, both with fireplaces, checkered floors, and a full 360-degree view of downtown. It is the most reliable rooftop drink in a city with few good ones, and the sightlines carry it.

When to goOpen nightly, weekend brunch; reservations strongly advised. Best for a date or an out-of-town guest who wants the skyline.

Full listing & hours →

Cindy's Rooftop

The Loop, ChicagoHotel rooftopCocktails from $16

A glass-atrium terrace over Millennium Park and the lake.

Why we rank itOn the 13th floor of the Chicago Athletic Association hotel, Cindy's looks straight across Millennium Park to Lake Michigan, under a glass roof that keeps it working year round. The seasonal cocktail list is stronger than most hotel rooftops bother with.

When to goOpen daily, midday to late; arrive early for a rail seat. Best for a sunset drink before dinner in the Loop.

Raised, an Urban Rooftop Bar

The Loop, ChicagoHotel rooftopCocktails from $16

A riverfront deck with real space to breathe.

Why we rank itOn the third floor of the Renaissance Chicago across from the river, Raised offers an indoor-outdoor deck, private nooks, and a menu of elevated American bar food. It sits lower than the tower rooftops but trades altitude for an easy, walk-up feel.

When to goOpen daily in season; events on holidays. Best for an unfussy drink by the river without a wait.

Sugar at EAST Miami

Brickell, Miami40th-floor rooftopCocktails from $17

An Asian-garden terrace forty floors over Brickell.

Why we rank itSugar crowns the EAST Miami hotel at Brickell City Centre with a plant-filled, hand-carved Balinese bar, Hong Kong-inspired share plates, and one of the best skyline views in the city. After 6pm it turns 21-and-over with DJ sets.

When to goOpen daily; all ages before 6pm, then adults only. Best for a sundowner over the Brickell skyline.

L27 Rooftop Lounge

SoBro, Nashville27th-floor hotel rooftopCocktails from $16

Twenty-seven floors over downtown Nashville, indoor and out.

Why we rank itAtop the Westin Nashville, L27 runs a full indoor-outdoor lounge with cabanas and a weekly live-music series looking over downtown and the stadium. It is the highest public rooftop in the city and takes reservations, which matters on event nights.

When to goOpen daily; all ages, 21-plus to drink. Best for a group before a show, booked ahead on weekends.

Fog Room

Downtown, Seattle16th-floor hotel rooftopCocktails from $17

A sultry sky lounge over Puget Sound.

Why we rank itSixteen floors up on The Charter Hotel near Pike Place, Fog Room looks across downtown Seattle to the water, with indoor and terrace seating and a tight cocktail list. It is 21-and-over and works as well in the rain as in summer.

When to goOpen daily, 4pm to midnight; adults only. Best for a moody late drink with a Sound view.

Full listing & hours →

HG Sply Co

Lower Greenville, DallasRooftop restaurantCocktails from $13

A greenery-covered rooftop patio over Lower Greenville.

Why we rank itHG Sply Co's rooftop gives East Dallas a leafy, fire-lit deck with skyline views and a from-scratch menu, and it has been popular enough to spawn several more locations across the metroplex. It is casual, loud, and good at what it does.

When to goOpen daily; weekend brunch runs long. Best for a relaxed Dallas afternoon that slides into evening.

Full listing & hours →

SkyLounge at the Glenn

Downtown, AtlantaBoutique-hotel rooftopCocktails from $14

A covered downtown terrace facing the Atlanta skyline.

Why we rank itAtop the historic Glenn Hotel in the Centennial Park District, SkyLounge offers a temperature-controlled, glass-enclosed rooftop that stays usable year round with a clear skyline view. It takes no reservations, so the vibe stays walk-up.

When to goOpen Monday through Saturday, closed Sundays; first come, first served. Best for a spontaneous downtown drink.

Stratus Rooftop Lounge

Old City, PhiladelphiaHotel rooftopCocktails from $16

Philadelphia's year-round rooftop, next to Independence Hall.

Why we rank itOn top of the Kimpton Hotel Monaco, Stratus works a green-walled, fire-pit terrace with draft cocktails and DJs, often billed as the city's only true year-round rooftop. Its position over Old City puts history at eye level.

When to goOpen year round; busy on event weekends. Best for a drink with a group in historic Philadelphia.

Skybar at Mondrian

West Hollywood, Los AngelesPoolside rooftopCocktails from $18

A newly redone Sunset Strip rooftop with the classic LA view.

Why we rank itThe Mondrian's Skybar reopened after a redesign with the same open-air pavilion, rooftop pool, and Sunset Strip skyline that made it a West Hollywood landmark. By day it is a poolside lounge; at night it runs DJs and a crowd.

When to goPool by day, lounge by night; weekends need a plan. Best for a Sunset Strip scene with a skyline behind it.

VooDoo Lounge at Rio

West of the Strip, Las Vegas51st-floor rooftopCocktails from $16

Fifty-one floors over the Strip, reopened after five years dark.

Why we rank itThe Rio's VooDoo Lounge reopened in early 2026 after a long closure, restoring one of the highest rooftop views in Las Vegas from across the Strip. It runs as a weekend ultra-lounge with DJs and no cover, trading polish for altitude.

When to goOpen Friday and Saturday nights only; no cover. Best for a late Vegas view away from the Strip crowds.

How we picked

How we picked

The order rewards a view you cannot get at street level, a drink worth its markup, and a room you can get into without a bottle minimum. When two rooftops are close, access breaks the tie, because a great terrace you cannot reach on a Friday is worth less than a good one with space.

We left off venues that have gone private, guests-only pools sold as public bars, and any rooftop we could not confirm is trading in 2026. Bar SixtyFive at the Rainbow Room, for one, now takes private events only, so it is off the list despite the best terrace view in Manhattan.

For city-level depth, start with our rooftop bars hub and work down to New York and Los Angeles.

Keep reading

Last reviewed 2026-06-28 · The editors recheck hours and closures against current local coverage.

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