America's Best Rooftop Dining (Slideshow)

26) Perry’s, Washington, D.C.

This restaurant, located in Adams Morgan, offers lovely city views from its rooftop. The menu contains a collection of modern American classics like crabcakes, as well as sushi. However, Perry's offers something unique in the rooftop dining world — a Sunday Drag Brunch!

25) ROOF on the Wit, Chicago

You can enjoy cocktails, food, and an incredible view of the Chicago skyline year-round at the ROOF. The menu offers a selection of plates to share, ranging from flatbreads to sushi and duck-fat fries. This venue is definitely a place to be seen, so dress for a swanky night out. 

24) The Pavilion Bar, Charleston, S.C

Located on top of the Market Pavilion Hotel, the Pavilion Bar provides both city and water views. The menu offers a collection of casual seafood and meat-based dishes with a slight twist. Enjoy the duck confit nachos while taking in a beautiful, Southern sunset.

23) Linger, Denver

Diners come to Linger for the food, the view, and the vibe. The restaurant offers a great view of the city from its rooftop patio, the perfect backdrop for its innovative menu that is inspired by street food from around the world. 

22) Edge Steak & Bar, Miami

Diners at Edge in the Four Seasons Miami have the option to sit either in the dining room or on the terrace, where the view of Miami and Biscayne Bay is beautiful. The menu is reminiscent of a classic steakhouse, including an extensive meat and seafood selection. 

21) Iron Cactus, Austin, Texas

Iron Cactus may be best known for its extensive tequila selection, but this restaurant located on Sixth Street also boasts outstanding Mexican food. Enjoy the Baja fish tacos as you sip your tequila and take in the city view.

20) Birreria, New York City

From the Batali/Bastianich team, Eataly's Birreria is a rooftop restaurant and brewery. The menu features an innovative selection of house-made sausage dishes as well as a well-balanced selection of cheeses, mushrooms, and salumi. The beer list includes artisanal cask beers that are brewed on-premises.

19) Trio, Philadelphia

Located in a converted row house in the Fairmount neighborhood of Philadelphia, Trio offers outdoor dining on their second-floor deck. The menu features modern American-Thai cuisine, as well as such favorites as pad thai and a seafood hot pot. As this spot is BYOB, come with a bottle of wine and enjoy the outstanding food while taking in the sun. 

18) Vango, Philadelphia

Why wait till summer? Philadelphia's Vango boasts a year-round roof deck, so you can party now while you wait for summer climes. The indoor patio and lounge bar are comfy and full service, serving both drinks and "Japanese Continental" dishes. The large outdoor deck includes private rooms, king-sized beds to lounge on, a huge dance floor, and spectacular views of downtown Philadelphia.

17) Maximilien Restaurant, Seattle

This French restaurant located in Pike Place Market offers breathtaking views of the Puget Sound, Elliott Bay, West Seattle, and the Olympic Mountains. While not a traditional rooftop restaurant, Maximilien has outdoor deck seating. Additionally, a cocktail view lounge offers an elevated area to enjoy a drink before and/or after dining. 

16) miX, Las Vegas

No list of rooftop restaurants would be complete without mentioning the Las Vegas strip. Vegas does everything bigger and better and their rooftop restaurants are no exception. The Mandalay Bay Hotel, located on the Vegas strip, hosts Alain Ducasse's miX on the 64th floor, giving you the best views of the Vegas strip and distant mountains, bar none. A crazy-awesome 15 foot-high wine cellar holding 7,000 bottles of wine, a massive bubble chandelier made out of Murano glass, and French-American influenced cuisine make this a must stop.

15) Legal Harborside, Boston

Located in Boston's Seaport District, Legal Harborside is Legal Seafoods' flagship property. The restaurant has three distinct floors, and the third-floor rooftop lounge has a retractable glass roof and floor-to-ceiling windows that offer spectacular views of the waterfront scenery year-round. Be sure to indulge in the restaurant's selection of small plates and their stellar cocktail list.  

14) Three Sixty at Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark, St. Louis, Missouri

Three Sixty has the best of all worlds in St. Louis. It's on top of the Hilton, so you can stay where you play. You get 360 degree views from the roof (hence Three Sixty, get it?), taking in the Gateway Arch, the Mississippi river, and a view directly into Busch Stadium. Open daily, you can grab a drink and a small plate by chef Matt Wessel and relax at the outside bar, one of several indoor bars, or the dining room. 

13) P.O.V. Rooftop Lounge and Terrace, Washington, D.C.

P.O.V., located on top of the W Hotel at 15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, offers stunning views of the White House and national monuments. Enjoy a small plates menu crafted by Jean-Georges Vongerichten (who owns J&G Steakhouse, also located in the hotel) while sipping a speakeasy-style cocktail. It really comes alive after dark, but beware — the lines to get into this lounge can be long. 

12) AVA Lounge, New York City

There are a ton of rooftop bar choices in New York City, but AVA Lounge was chosen because of its crazy great views. Rooftop goers are treated to panoramic views of the Hudson River, Times Square, and the NYC skyline while sipping drinks and noshing on small plates. According to their website, AVA Lounge is named for and styled after the movie star Ava Gardner, mirroring  "the actress's dreamy allure and stunning sex appeal ..." If you want to feel like a star, AVA Lounge is a great choice. 

11) The J. Parker, Chicago

The J. Parker consistently earned stellar reviews online for the beautiful views of downtown Chicago, Lincoln Park, and Lake Michigan. Their signature cocktails are paired with upscale bar snacks like smoked cheddar & ale dip and laughing bird shrimp toast, by chef Paul Virant. 

10) Rview, Seattle

Rview is located on the 28th floor of the Renaissance Seattle Hotel. With views of downtown Seattle and Elliott Bay as well as the Space Needle, there's plenty to take in while you hang out. For dinner, there are tons of seafood options from the Pacific Northwest, as well as small plates like truffle  potato fries. Yum!

9) The Rooftop by Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood, Los Angeles

Located on the hotel's top floor, diners at the Rooftop can enjoy views of LA, Beverly Hills, and Hollywood while dining outdoors. The menus designed by chef Ramsay emphasize fresh and local ingredients. As an additional bonus, the Rooftop offers a scrumptious afternoon tea on the weekends.

8) Plunge at Hotel Gansevoort, New York City

The Hotel Gansevoort's Plunge Bar + Lounge in New York City's Meatpacking District takes rooftop restaurants to a whole new level. With a 360 degree view of the NYC skyline and the Hudson River, Plunge is west facing so that guests can enjoy sunsets over the Hudson River. The indoor space features a huge loft with flat screen TVs, a DJ booth, a main bar with a translucent roof, and soaring 20 foot ceilings. Outside, you'll find wrap around balconies, a BBQ, cabana, and a pool (off limits to non-guests of the hotel). Sign us up. 

7) Handlebar, Austin

If you're looking for a playful restaurant with "absolutely no moustache decor whatsoever — absolutely none, we mean it," try Handlebar in Austin. They serve up mean drink combos, have a bitcoin ATM, giant jenga, a see-saw, and many, many, many moustaches. They are highly rated by bar goers online, who cite the friendly staff, local beer selection, and photo booth as high points. Now how do you make the emoticon with the moustache?

6) The Roosevelt New Orleans Rooftop Bar, New Orleans

This not to be missed luxury hotel in the heart of New Orleans embodies all the best aspects of Southern hospitality. From their location near the historic French Quarter to their fancy schmancy furnishings, The Roosevelt rated highly on every online source. A high point of many guests stay is the rooftop pool and bar, which boasts a view of the surrounding neighborhoods, a sparkling pool, and craft cocktails. Note: the pool is only open during the summer month and is limited to hotel guests only, so start planning now!

5) Area 31, Miami

Area 31 is widely known for having one of the best rooftop views in Miami, showcasing both the water and the Miami skyline. The food includes dishes like swordfish, crab cakes, and other seafood options, and there is a huge dessert selection including cheesecake and éclairs. A good tip: it gets very busy, so getting there early is a plus!

4) Departure, Portland

Departure will be a departure for bar goers used to the hipster scene in Portland. An Asian fusion rooftop restaurant situated on the top floor roofdeck of The Nines luxury hotel, Departure looks more like a modern art installation. Serving what they describe as "accessible modern pan Asian cuisine," customers can enjoy their snacks and craft cocktails on the sumptuously appointed roof deck overlooking a spectacular view of Portland's downtown.

3) George's Ocean Terrace, La Jolla Calif.

George's at the Cove, a La Jolla eatery rich in tasting menus, boasts an acclaimed rooftop bar called Ocean Terrace. The food is gorgeous, fresh California fare and the cocktails sound amazing. "Fresh-squeezed lemonade and strawberry-infused vodka?!" Um yes. Yes please. The views from the roof deck are stellar and shows off fabulous sunsets over the ocean. Finally, according to Yelp, rather than cake or singing for your birthday, they gift you a bottle of olive oil!

2) Alma Restaurant, Brooklyn

Alma is famous in the New York dining scene for having some of the best views of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn side. Their Latin-inspired food is nothing to sneeze at either, with positive reviews from The New York Times, New York Magazine, and Travel + Leisure. Another great rooftop option that's open year-round, Alma's roof deck is heated in winter and open air in summer. This is a must stop for all you rooftop aficionados. 

1) Top of the Hub, Boston

Sitting at the very top of the Prudential Building in Boston's Back Bay, Top of the Hub shows off amazing views of the city and of the Charles River. Seriously...it's even higher than the observation deck. Not only do they have beautiful food, they also often have live music. Top of the Hub is a great date night destination, as well as a good stop for Sunday brunch (Ruby Red Grapefruit Brûlé?! Yes. Yes. Yes.) If you still need some convincing, please just read this dish from the dinner menu: Grilled 14 oz. Niman Ranch pork chop with apple bourbon cider braised onions, honey maple butter, sweet potato pureé. SOLD.