A popular rooftop bar and restaurant located within the PUBLIC Hotel New York, known for its specialty cocktails, curated menu, music, and panoramic city views.
Insights
AmericanUpscaleDinnerLate NightRooftopCocktail Bar
Last updated: 7/28/2026, 5:50:07 AM
Key Information
The Roof is an upscale rooftop bar and lounge located atop the Public Hotel in Manhattan. It is renowned for its breathtaking panoramic skyline views of New York City, sophisticated and chic atmosphere, and vibrant ambiance often enhanced by live DJ music.
Customer Perception
Customers consistently praise The Roof for its spectacular views, beautiful setting, and excellent, well-presented cocktails made with quality ingredients. The live DJ music and stylish crowd contribute to a chic NYC vibe. However, customer feedback also highlights significant issues with service, particularly from front desk staff, who have been described as rude, condescending, and pushy about spending minimums. Some guests have also experienced dissatisfaction with table reservations and seating quality, leading to inconsistent experiences despite the premium pricing.
The Roof functions primarily as an upscale bar and lounge, with a focus on its extensive drink menu and atmospheric experience, rather than a full-service dining restaurant. It is a popular spot for both locals and tourists seeking a quintessential New York City rooftop experience.
The venue is popular, especially during summer months, and can experience long wait times (up to an hour) during peak evenings. Reservations are recommended to secure a table.
5
The Roof offers breathtaking skyline views, a sophisticated yet welcoming atmosphere, excellent cocktails and a stylish crowd that perfectly matches the venues chic NYC vibe
This place is beautiful, the view is soooo beautiful, the atmosphere, even the staff. Very organized, THE DRINKS WERE SO GOOD. Little on the higher end price but very worth it because they were delicious, strong and you can tell its quality ingredients. Presentation is beautiful too. I did not try the food tho so I have no opinion on that. But the music was nice they had a live DJ playing some good chill EDM I think its called? Not sure but its chill and makes you wanna dance. Love this place definitely coming back!
Very disappointed with my recent experience. I’ve come here 2–3 times every summer and usually spend well over $1,000 each visit, so I expected a much better experience. We had a reservation for a table but were instead seated in the corner at what looked like a cheap homemade tin table, which completely took away from the atmosphere and experience. For a venue positioning itself as upscale, the level of service and accommodation this time was unacceptable. Unfortunately, after being a repeat customer for years, this experience was enough that I won’t be returning again.
Had a lovely first visit here the other week. Got to go in with a group however a downside I could see is the general line was about an hour wait. The view is spectacular and the dj was fantastic, literally played hit after hit. The outdoor area was also beautiful. To be honest, it was decently busy but I expected it to be jam packed because of the combination of the view and the good music, no complaints though! It was nice not to have to fight for a seat on the patio unlike some other rooftop venues. This is definitely being added to my going out rotation!
Easily one of the rudest hospitality experiences I've ever had. The tall woman working at the front desk was unbelievably condescending from the moment we arrived. Instead of welcoming guests, she immediately started pressuring us about spending money and repeatedly emphasized a $75 minimum before we had even settled in or looked at the menu. What made it worse was her attitude. She kept coming back to lecture us and made comments that were completely unnecessary and unprofessional. At one point she said, "I don't want to keep coming up here and telling you," as if we were doing something wrong simply by being there. Then she made a remark about how they "don't like people who come all the way up just to take photos." I'm sorry, but who talks to customers like that?
The irony is that we were literally about to buy drinks when she decided to continue making passive aggressive comments. There's a huge difference between enforcing a policy and treating guests with disrespect. Her tone throughout the interaction made it clear that she viewed guests as an inconvenience rather than customers.
For a place that charges premium prices and tries to market itself as an upscale rooftop experience, the customer service was embarrassingly bad. A rooftop view means nothing when the first person you interact with treats you like you're unwanted.
Management should seriously reconsider who they put at the front desk. One employee completely ruined what should have been a fun night out. Would never return and would not recommend this place to anyone.
