Tell me more ×
Travel Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for road warriors and seasoned travelers. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 11 down vote favorite
2

Currently I'm in New York. I'm looking for a rooftop bar that provides a great overview about Manhattan, but is still affordable. (20 dollar for cocktail at maximum.) Additionally, I want to go there wearing jeans and a t-shirt, so nothing too fancy.

share|improve this question

3 Answers

up vote 8 down vote accepted

I don't recall any bars in NYC having a dress code, so T-Shirt and Jeans should be fine as long as you don't come in looking like a complete bum. Having said that there are quite a few rooftop bars. Here is the list of some of them that have menus available.

But you can simply look at the top 10 list(?) to pick the one you fancy the most.

share|improve this answer
2  
This is a good overview, so I accpeted the answer. However, I tried to get in 230 Fifth, wearing a Jeans and Tshirt, but was not allowed to get in. Probably because it was Friday night and there were a lot of other trendier people. – RoflcoptrException♦ Sep 12 '12 at 7:11
@RoflcoptrException Didn't notice this page on the 230 Fifth. 230-fifth.com/reservations.html. These guys must think too much of themselves. Personally I prefer something like: standardhotels.com/high-line/food-drink/biergarten – Karlson Sep 12 '12 at 13:28
There are some bars that have dress codes - those codes are usually something along the line of no jeans, and men must wear collared shirts. But loads of others have "unofficial" dress codes and have bouncers who have sole discretion over whether you're dressed acceptably and attractively enough. A lot of times there isn't any way to know other than to try, though. – Laura Dec 10 '12 at 16:37
@Laura I don't doubt it but my primary goal visiting a bar is relaxing and dressed up is not relaxing for me. :) – Karlson Dec 10 '12 at 17:22
Oh yeah, I totally agree that getting dressed up is not necessarily relaxing. Just pointing out that the first statement in your answer is inaccurate - you might not recall bars having dress codes, but there definitely are a lot of them in Manhattan. Whether or not they're worth the trouble is a different question. :) – Laura Dec 10 '12 at 20:33
up vote 2 down vote

The Jimmy at the James Hotel in Soho is a beautiful place to get a drink.

So too is Le Bain atop the Standard in the Meatpacking District (probably my favorite rooftop in Manhattan).

But I say skip Manhattan and hop on the L to Williamsburg. The Wythe Hotel has one of the best rooftop bars in the 5 boroughs.

Anyway, isn't the view of Manhattan better than the view from it?

share|improve this answer
up vote 5 down vote

The rooftop bar at Hotel Metro in midtown is unpretentious, cheap (by midtown standards), and gives you a pretty spectacular view of the Empire State building, though not a lot more (since you're more or less surrounded by tall buildings). They have no dress code.

Top of the Strand (at the Strand Hotel) is similar to Hotel Metro - same neighborhood, same view, same prices.

The Brass Monkey in Chelsea is great - laid back, awesome views, very casual, and reasonably priced.

Other than that, my advice is to avoid going to any of the "top-rated" places (unless it's a list of the top 10 "unpretentious" rooftop bars like in Karlson's answer ;), as those will tend to be both pricey and snobby. (FYI: $20 for a cocktail is definitely upscale pricing; mid-range bars will be more like $10-13 for a cocktail and $8-10 for beer.) Using review sites like Yelp will give you a good idea of places convenient for you (NYC is very big!) and will almost always give you a heads-up about unspoken dress codes, rooftops closed for renovations or the off-season, etc.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.