Brooklyn's best rooftop bars

Not many bars can pull off a tiki vibe without being over-the-top with kitsch, but Lillistar manages. Wide-brimmed umbrellas, lotus sculptures, lush palms, and green marble highlight the tropical vibes of this rooftop bar, perched on the 11th floor of the Moxy Williamsburg. With influences from Australia and Indonesia, the food and cocktails transport you as far as you can get from Brooklyn without the 24-hour travel.

Unique cocktails are offered on a seasonal basis, like the ‘Nana Pudding with coconut foam, banana black tea, and coconut foam. Bites are Asian-fusion tapas and include mushroom barbacoa with pineapple salsa, watermelon salad with feta and mint, and a rose petal and pistachio soft serve for dessert.

Lilistar can host everything from private cocktail parties to weddings in their indoor/outdoor space for a combined 300 standing guests (180 seated). The indoor space can accommodate 60-100, and the outdoor rooftop terrace has room for 120-200 with a backdrop of the Williamsburg Bridge and Manhattan skyline.

22 floors above the borough, Westlight’s $22 cocktails feel almost justifiable with views as good as they are. The indoor floor-to-ceiling windows bring the city in, and the panoramic skyline outdoors is nearly cloudlike. The interior is as luxurious as the five-star hotel below it, highlighted by chrome chairs and marble countertops.

The cocktails are the star here. Find unique offerings like “Green with Envy”, which has clarified milk, green chartreuse, chili, and green apple, or the “Pedro Herrera” with cinnamon, jicama, and prickly pear. Rare spirits, craft beer, and wine are also available at the bar. Bites are small, so don’t come hungry, but dishes like butternut squash hummus and sashimi can be a great added nibble.

The indoor space can accommodate 90 to 100 guests, and the rooftop can host 240 for a seated event or a cocktail reception. In the summer months, the 23rd floor opens up as a turfed activity space, with mini golf, cricket, and cornhole. More simple, specialty cocktails are also available, with flavors like lavender, lemongrass, and honeysuckle.

In Bushwick, which Anthony Bourdain once called “a center for awesomeness”, the constantly evolving culture has made way for artists and creatives to make a home in the neighborhood. LoHi is an unpretentious, laidback spot for a rooftop shindig and a local DJ hotspot. Making use of the flat-topped warehouses native to the neighborhood, the 4,500 sq. ft. rooftop space is partially covered for rain and shine, and Manhattan is visible beyond the surrounding industrial buildings.

Locally mixed negronis and spritzes are available on draft, or you can order cocktails like the Lavender Lemonade and the Soul Flower from their drink menu. No-frill pies are available to order from Happy Bull Pizza, which also offers calzones, salads, and garlic bread.

LoHi doubles as an event space, hosting album release parties, product launches, corporate events, and weddings. In-house food catering options are available, and the space can fit up to 300 people. You won’t find that in Manhattan.

For a ritzy celebration with a view, look no further than Bar Blondeau, a classy indoor rooftop bar on the sixith floor of the Wythe Hotel. Green velvet banquettes, rattan chairs, and granite tables add an elevated feel to the space, and you won’t need a cocktail dress or a cover charge to get in. Views are unobstructed, and the outdoor terrace allows for a sun-soaked dining option in the summertime.

Enjoy a menu with European-influenced seafood, like oysters, mussels, and tuna tartare. Specialty cocktails are made with cucumber vodka, strawberry rhubarb, and chamomile. In typical French fashion, they have great wine, with natural options from Europe and beyond.

Live jazz and pianists are resident throughout the week, and you can rent the space for up to 150 guests. The in-house events team can help plan your party or corporate offsite, including customized menus and cocktails.

This microbrewery, event space, and game center is a whopping 13,000 sq. ft., which means that it can accommodate about a hundred Manhattan apartments. Okay, maybe that’s a little dramatic, but it is big. Hangar garage doors bring the light in, and a 6,000 sq. ft. rooftop boasts views of the city and the East River.

A full buyout would accommodate over 500 people, but smaller options are available. You can rent the entire rooftop for 150, or a few 10-person rooftop tables, which are positioned against a glass railing for uninterrupted views.

Menus are split into four distinct categories, creatively titled “Not Brunch”, “Brunch”, “Not Beer”, and “Beer” which cover just about everything in the known universe. The distinct Rooftop menu has loaded nachos, fish tacos, and chicken tenders for bites, and drinks include draft cocktails (like the cucumber margarita), Aperol spritz, and a shot called the “OG Pickle Back”, because there’s nothing like throwing back pickle brine and Jameson while looking out at the city skyline.