In New York City, a hotel bar is far more than a mere amenity. In this city, many are destinations unto themselves, steeped in history or decadent charm.
Often, they’re an elegant or hip spot to see and be seen, amid stunning ambience, skyline views, and inventive beverages, whether you partake in alcohol or not.
Each also has a unique story, whether through preserved history or affiliations with glitzy A-list clientele. As a travel writer who covers hotels and New York City frequently, I’ve secured a seat in most of them, and the following seven are the best hotel bars that I return to time and again, even if I’m not a guest.
In this article
King Cole Bar at The St. Regis New York
In “The Devil Wears Prada,” Anne Hathaway runs to this slick hotel bar in a desperate bid to obtain an unpublished “Harry Potter” manuscript. In real life, it’s just as glam, and a popular meeting spot.
This bar’s centerpiece is the “Old King Cole Mural” by American illustrator Maxfield Parrish, hanging on the wall behind it. Commissioned by John Jacob Astor IV, for his NYC hotel, The Knickerbocker, Parrish was offered this job for a “kingly sum” of $5,000.
When The Knickerbocker closed in 1920, the mural changed hands a few times before eventually finding a home at The St. Regis New York.
Here’s more bar trivia: This St. Regis is the birthplace of The Bloody Mary. Russian aristocrat Serge Obolensky asked bartender Fernand Petiot to make a vodka cocktail that he had in Paris. Petiot mixed in tomato juice, plus salt, pepper, lemon, and Worcestershire Sauce.
“Bloody Mary” was considered too vulgar a name so the cocktail became the “Red Snapper,” as it’s still known today. You can order the original version or one sans alcohol.
Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel
Art aficionados routinely head to Manhattan’s Upper East Side to admire galleries lining the Museum Mile, a stretch of Fifth Avenue that’s home to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, and other NYC institutions.
It’s also where you’ll find Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel, and like its neighbors, it houses an impressive collection of art.
The walls are adorned with illustrations by artist and author Ludwig Bemelmans, creator of the “Madeline” children’s book series. It’s his only surviving commission. Initially, Bemelmans' connection to The Caryle was to paint large-scale murals depicting all four seasons in nearby Central Park. In exchange for his work, Bemelmans and his family reportedly received a year and a half’s worth of a free hotel stay.
Amidst this illustrated scenery, Bemelmans Bar has also hosted jazz pianists since its opening in 1947. Solo performances take place Tuesday through Saturday evenings, and a jazz trio plays Tuesday through Sunday at night. A Madeline Tea is also hosted in this bar every Saturday in November and December.
The Portrait Bar at The Fifth Avenue Hotel
In Manhattan’s NoMad neighborhood, The Portrait Bar is based within a hotel that was originally a socialite’s Gilded Age mansion. It complements that past with the milestone of its recognition on the North America’s 50 Best Bars list.
With its design influenced by Italian villas, this intimate hotel bar makes you feel like you’re stepping away from the city’s daily grind, even if it’s just for the night. There’s dark wood paneling, a stone fireplace, and an assortment of paintings, photographs, and drawings sure to strike up a few conversations.
As for the bar menu, each drink is inspired by a certain destination, memory, or sense of place. Consider trying the Cebu Island, Philippines cocktail with rum, Scotch, coconut, calamansi, bay leaf, peppercorn, and Midori.
The food portion is just as adventurous. Start off with Marcona stuffed olives, Comté Gougères, or tuna tartare with yuzu cucumber and crispy nori.
Peacock Alley Bar at Waldorf Astoria New York
This Art Deco grand hotel along Manhattan’s Park Avenue reopened in 2025 after an extensive 8-year renovation. Right before its temporary closing in 2017, I ran to the Waldorf to savor one last glimpse, ordered a Waldorf Salad and took in the ambience. Upon its return, I saw its magic once again.
You’ll find it wholly on display at the Peacock Alley Bar, named for the passageway at the original Waldorf Astoria, where society writers reported on the day’s A-listers.
Out of the current hotel’s three restaurants, this bar and lounge is the only food and beverage concept carried over from the hotel’s fascinating past life. Originally, Peacock Alley was a prominent marble corridor connecting both the Waldorf and Astoria hotels, where the day’s elite would strut their stuff between them (aka, peacocking). When the hotels merged and moved to Park Avenue, Peacock Alley became the name of the cocktail bar. Now, it also operates as an all-day restaurant and social hub.
Today, the bar space features two important fixtures. The Cole Porter Piano was once played by the composer and one-time hotel resident, and a golden filigreed clock was built in London for the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and commissioned by Queen Victoria. The new bar menu is also a highlight, mixing classic dishes (a fresh take on Waldorf Salad) and cocktails, including a range of martinis plus refined light bites such as a caviar service.
Westlight at The William Vale
Across from Manhattan in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, this impressive rooftop bar sits high upon the 22nd floor.
Up here, you can take in unobstructed views of the Manhattan skyline and the East River, as well as surrounding Williamsburg. Reachable by subway and NYC Ferry, this industrial area has evolved into a cool contemporary destination with vintage stores, public parks, nightlife venues, and a creative dining scene.
Westlight’s food and drink program fits in especially well, presenting both original and classic cocktails along with rare spirits, wines, and craft beers. The selection of small plates is influenced by global street food, with standout choices such as kimchi hot dogs with a gochujang aioli and scallions, or the strawberry sundae, with lemon pie ice cream and Thai basil.
During colder months, Westlight puts on a seasonal Winter Village at Westlight pop-up featuring private chalets, a ski-themed Sky Lodge, and Alpine-style fondue.
The Lobby Bar at Hotel Chelsea
The Hotel Chelsea has a long and fascinating history as a cultural hub and residence for artists, writers, and musicians including Patti Smith and Andy Warhol.
It’s still a draw for creatives, namely inside The Lobby Bar at Hotel Chelsea, which is a cozy chic space with original marble flooring, wood paneling, plush seating, and an inlaid ceiling.
Signature martinis, from the 1884 Martini to Duke’s Martini, are the specialty; so is Arnaud’s French 75. Also, the bar is stocked with a curated selection of wines, beers, sakes, and premium spirits from around the world, matched by an elevated menu of small plates. Choices extend to a cheese plate, Dirty Martini oysters, and a serving of Petrossian Royal Ossetra Caviar with potato chips, crème fraîche, and chives.
Additionally, this bar, which appears on The World’s 50 Best List, hosts experiences retracing the hotel's storied past such as an evening of Japanese classical music, whiskey, and cuisine.
Bar Blondeau at Wythe Hotel
Also in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, this French-inspired hotel bar and terrace has sweeping views of Manhattan’s skyline, especially of the Empire State Building.
It is especially gorgeous to take in the sunset, and this hotel bar complements their nightly service with a weekly afternoon tea, as well as a wine education series called “Sunday Sessions at Bar Blondeau.” The latter includes a rotating schedule of guest sommeliers and local musical talent.
The menu is seasonally driven, with a nice seafood selection and a cocktail program centered on New York distillers and makers alongside an international selection of natural wines.
The bar-seat only happy hour happens on weeknights with “Sunset Hour” drink specials, and a group prix fixe menu is available to parties of seven or more.
The Shortcut
King Cole Bar at the St. Regis New York claims to have invented the Red Snapper, its own take on Bloody Mary, in the 1930s.
The Peacock Alley Bar at Waldorf Astoria New York is linked to a fancy marble corridor where the city’s elite strutted along in their finest apparel.
Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel is etched with wall installations by the creator of the “Madeline” children’s book series.
The Portrait Bar at The Fifth Avenue Hotel is housed in a former Gilded Age mansion once belonging to socialite Charlotte Goodridge.
