230 Fifth Rooftop Bar

My friend and I walked into an entry where two sleazy clerks greet you and point to a creepy elevator at the back of the building, but not before trying to molest you with their eyes. Once you reach the top floor, the first impression is weird – as everyone is wrapped in red blankets and you mistake the place as being Bingo night at Nanas with the dreary atmosphere. The trees are all high so you can barely see any of the NYC skylines, it’s dark and everyone sucks. As the owner, I would be appalled at the quality of service demonstrated by one of your staff members to both my friend and I. Not only was she rude, she was ridiculously dressed like an Inuit in the Arctic so you could barely see her ugly face that was hidden beneath the dead racoon lying across her forehead. Here’s what happened: “Hi, my friend and I were wondering how we get bar service at this place – do we sit, or can you serve us?” After a long pause…. she made no eye contact and said in a bitchy tone “Um, why don’t you like stand in front of me when you’re talking – instead of off to the side…” to which we should have replied “Why don’t you turn your silly head sideways as we don’t want to get in the way of the cash register that you’re standing next to – hence why we are standing here.” But instead we both looked dumbfounded and said nothing… She then pointed to a dark, creepy, cold section of the rooftop where no one was sitting and said “sit over there and order from the bar.” We walked away surprised… Of the thousands of people we have both encountered in our lives, never has someone been so terrible with communication. We decided to neck our beers and see if the atmosphere inside was better. Once downstairs, we sat on some old pot-smokers couches and threw back a couple of stale Heinekens which were overpriced. The music was dull and the air smelt like my grandmas, it was mothy as. Thankfully the bar service inside was a little better. The girl outside was an embarrassment to Americans, because now every time someone asks me whether Americans are rude, I will say No, except for the pissed off girl who never made it anywhere in life on top of 230 on 5th Avenue in NYC. more

I came to the rooftop while it was snowing very lightly. It was so amazing and beautiful to be sitting under a heater while wearing a cozy robe and drinking a hot cider drink. Views are unreal! the buildings of the NY skyline lit up while watching the snow fall from the sky was the best experience I could have asked for. I hope you have the opportunity to check this rooftop out even in the colder weather. more

Let's get the downsides out of the way first: - the Red robes everyone wears make the place look like a Snuggy Convention - the cocktail list is pretty meh but those minor inconveniences are dwarfed by the fact that : " WOW ! I'm in NY on a ROOFTOP BAR DRINKING A MANHATTAN AND I'M LOOKING THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING RIGHT IN THE EYE!" Well, not quite the eye, maybe the navel, but still, a fabulous experience, and the more manhattans we had the more we enjoyed it. An expensive night out - but a very good one. I can't think of a better place to bring friends from out of town to show off NYC. the views are the best i have seen from a rooftop that serves great strong drinks. more

Came here last night for a work function. Had over 500 people and i was very impressed with the venue. The staff seemed very ontop of every aspect of service. I have attended many work functions in the past and this tops it all. They pay attention to detail from the check in process that was very fast and efficient. To the food distribution. Not only the size and quantity of the trays but number of staff and presentation esp quality of the food as well. I figured I should right this review even though its open to the public as well and not just an event space but had to give them the 5 stars they deserve because of the amount of work they must have invested for this amount of people. So i would personally like to thank everyone on the staff for last nights events myself and many of my co workers were really impressed. I will recomend this venue for any future events my company may host. more

1 - The view. My god, the view. 2 - It seems like all the guys are complete douches and the women unreasonably attractive. So if you're with a fun group, there's ample opportunity to hang out at a table with some beverages, drink in the view, and either ridicule the sloppy I-banker or sneak glances at the fiery 6'8" beauty from Brazil. 3 - It affords me the rare opportunity to pretend like I'm a wealthy socialite living the dream in New York City for one evening, when in reality, I'm a broke-ass medical student that won't earn my first dollar until I'm 30, married, and picking out funny names like "Dagoba" for my firstborn child. Try it out at least once, you won't regret it. more

I have out of town friends visit frequently, and this place definitely is a crowd pleaser - for out of towners. The first batch of out of town guests I brought over where all women so we were treated exceptionally well. No wait in line and they didn't card us. The security guards just said, "Enjoy your stay, ladies." But this was also on a cold, blistery night. The next go around - I brought my friend and her fiance with me and we were carded or whatever reason and the security guard gave me a hard look - yeah I don't look like my ID pic anymore but that was 5 years ago. I have bangs and everyone looks shitty on their ID card. We went up and it was relatively busy since the night hovered around the high 40s. There are lots of tourists who don't dress up at this place however, I don't know what the summer is like since I avoid this place at all cost - I prefer to avoid the summer clientele. Anyway, the views are spectacular, so if you're guy trying to impress a date from out of town - bring her here. You don't really need bottle service. If you have visitors visiting NY for the first time - I would recommend this place even though they go over to the Empire State Building for the views in the morning. You can have cocktails, take some pictures, and pretend you're some big wig. People like being somebody else on vacation and 230 Fifth can definitely give you that aura more

Things I really like about 230-Fifth: 1. The views 2. The red robes 3. The hot apple cider 4. The lights on the trees 5. The palm trees in the summer. Things I like about 230-Ffifth: 1. The ride up the the pink elevators 2. The cute hostess at the entrance 3. The hot girls in really short skirts 4. The fresh cut fries 5. The sauce the calamari comes with Things I like so so about 230-Fifth: 1. The fast moving line on weekends 2. The ghetto people yelling on the site walk who can't get in. 3. The rooftop on a rainy night 4. Getting rejected by a hot girl 5. The bankers having more money than me. over all like 99% of 230-Fifth. more

If you're a tourist, this is a definite 5 star place to go. The rooftop bar is open 365 days a year through all sorts of weather. Even now when the high winds freeze your face and make you wonder why you're drinking on a rooftop bar, they will keep this place open and provide you with red robes and heat lamps to keep you warm. I guess tropical paradises also have monsoons. The biggest part about 230 fifth is the status and the experience, so if it's your first time in the city, go during the afternoon and just sit on the roof sipping some $4 coffee or $8 Irish coffee. The night scene is just way too crowded on Friday and Saturday nights. You'll need to dress up and wait on line around the corner to get in.Even though i have heard it moves fast just not for me. If you're into that type of thing, be my guest, but it's not meant to be a club or anything. It's just a rooftop with a nice view and expensive drinks. That being said, if I wanted to go somewhere to drink, I dont' think I would personally choose 230 Fifth unless I had someone to impress or I was showing someone around from out of town/country. It's definitely an interesting place to go for some eye candy, but who are you fooling - it's not like there's anything extra special about their $12 cocktails. Personally, I would go to to a local bar for many drinks and wont be super crowded. more

Came to the Rooftop Garden for an early dinner with an old friend. Gorgeous setting, warm sun, beautiful view. This is what NYC is about for me! We stayed for a while after our meal just chatting and enjoying the vibe. Great place to come with your sweetie! My order: Vegetarian Kari "curry" Puff: Crispy pastry stuffed with curried vegetables - fantastic, but couldn't finish! French fries: Nice and crispy, could barely finish! Pineapple Coconut Martini: yum! His order: Calamari: Large portion - good! Passion Fruit Martini: Strong!!! A bit pricey (I was being treated-yay!), but the portions are plentiful! Enjoy the view! Menu more

I love to take out-of-towners here. It's a nice place to have a celebration too. Its a very large space. And very good for larger groups. 230 fifth is a New York experience without the touristy feeling even though it does attract many visitors. I have never been here on a weekend night I can only imagine how busy it would be. If I was younger I would def come on a busy night. The food really depends on the dish, I love the Short Rib Beef Rendang. and the Calamari It is absolutely delicious. You can even have an enjoyable brunch here. And their menu is huge and simple. The view is incredible. and could really make a good night/weekend. This place is what Manhattan does best - wowing to no end. It is worth a visit, undoubtedly, even if the drinks are a little pricier than your average dive bar. In short, if your looking for something different and want to wow your friends bring them here. more

I was searching for a bar with a view in NY and read about 230 fifth rooftop. The views are great, you can see the Empire state building and other famous NY buildings from the inside as well as outdoor area. Its by far one of the largest places I have visited in NY. Therefore, I would like to come back with a group for a work function or perhaps a Birthday party. The drinks were like you get in any bar except they offer a hot drink menu that is great. They have hot cider drinks and chocolate drinks mixed with alcohol that were delicious. I particularly enjoyed the triple hot chocolate drink. It consists of Godiva dark and light liquor mixed in hot chocolate. The server we had was friendly and pretty fast. I felt bad ordering the hot drinks since i noticed she was walking up the stairs to get them from the rooftop. We tipped her extra for all the work. I didn't try the food because we came after dinner. At about 10;30 the DJ got on and spinned to some 80' and 90's music and even though they don't have a dance floor people did dance near where they were seated. I had a nice time people watching and had some interesting interaction with people who were visiting from Canada. If your looking for a bar with a view and good people watching i would recommend 230 Fifth. more

I went to New York this summer to visit a good friend and celebrate my birthday. I was so happy she recommended this place! We called in advance to make a reservation for bottle service. They said we could have a maximum of 6 people per bottle, but we only had 4 so there was more for each of us :) The views were awesome, great drinks, good music and wonderful company! I will definitely be back to the fabulous rooftop bar next time I am in NY more

I went to this spot with 4 other friends after 1pm on New Years day. We get there it is pretty hectic and there is alot of ppl outside waiting to get in. I hear the doorman say only ppl with tickets go right in, my friends and I did not have tickets so I was surprised wen i saw my friends bein let thru wen all of the sudden they dont let me go in. I asked the doorman he is reason and he completely ignored me, my sis who was with us was telling the white doorman that i am part of the group to pls let me in and he said no. all of the sudden this other white doorman told her if she was coming outside to get me then she needs to "get the f#*k outta here" , my sis was calm and said fine but i need to get my purse from her friend , i hear the doorman signaling another person to get my sis the " f*$k outta there!" so my friends that were inside all walked out and made it clear to the doorman that they were wrong for doin wat they did.!I was in total shock as I have been to many different clubs throughout the city for Years and I have never experienced this, I can clearly say that it was not what i was wearing becuz i was dress to impress as well as i was not even drunk.for whatever reason they did not let me get through it was not legitimate. I proceeded to call the place two days later and talk to a manager. He got on the phone and absouletly seemed not to care at all, even after i told him that it was my first time goin there and that it left me with a very bad impression, as well as alot of my friends and colleagues who have been there will no longer give them any business and pass the word around.He just said he apologize for me havin a terrible NEW YEARS NIGHT but that he himself did not know the ppl working the door that night, and that he could not give me the information because he did not have it!totally unprofessional, and not what i expected ,they must be making tons of money not to care to discriminate a person.I have proceeded to make a complaint and have this place investigated since the manager could not give me a reason as to why a person like myself could not be let in!!they might think they are exclusive but thast to overrated since there are so many more exclusives spots in da city! more

Let's get the downsides out of the way first: - the Red robes everyone wears make the place look like a Snuggy Convention - the cocktail list is pretty meh but those minor inconveniences are dwarfed by the fact that : " WOW ! I'm in NY on a ROOFTOP BAR DRINKING A MANHATTAN AND I'M LOOKING THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING RIGHT IN THE EYE!" Well, not quite the eye, maybe the navel, but still, a fabulous experience, and the more manhattans we had the more we enjoyed it. An expensive night out - but a very good one more

My husband and I purchased the option 1 tickets open bar and food. We were not sure if we should have dinner before we arrived because we figured place would be packed and not enough food. To out surprise they were very organized at the door. There was no wait time even at the coat check. We handed the gent the tickets , checked in out coats. And took the elevator to the top floor. There was more than enough food for everyone and it was very busy. They had tables set up with food that was always refilled the minute it looked light. In addtion to the staff passing food around. The food was very fresh and hot until about 1am. The tickets were well worth the money for an open bar, food, dancing and true NY experience. I would recomend this venue for the food and experience anytime. We had a wonderful new year eve. more

Yo ma! Look at me, I think I'm on the set of The Hills! ::fist bumps Brody:: ::air kisses Lauren, Whitney and Audrina:: ::makes out with Heidi:: ::punches Spencer in the face:: What the F is this spot?! Its like a wanna be south beach meets the hamptons meets las vegas...on a rooftop...WTF Look at all the financial analyst d-bags and magazine editor ho-bags mingle...WHAT.A.SIGHT. Hold up...I think the dudes are arguing over who's got the bigger Rolex watch and the chicks are debating who has the more expensive Kate Spade purse...these patrons are not superficial at all...bahahahaha 7 drinks = a cool $100. I'm such a baller. I did get an awesome tan waiting for Alexandra L to show up, though. more

Came up to 230 Fifth with the recommendation from a guy at the hotel since the bar at Hotel Gansevoort was closed. Nondescript building front, and looks like you're just entering a large apartment until the front desk guy comes over to take a looksy at your ID and tells you to proceed straight on to the elevators. Wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but it is what it is. Up the elevator we go and we enter in a dark lit room with a bar in the back. We go upstairs and then through a hall that was lined with single restrooms- and then that led us to the rooftop. Gigantic umbrellas lined the sides that could fit maybe 20-30 people under each. The night I went it was raining so the crowd was sparse and everyone was sitting in the dry areas. The cocktails were pricy but tasty and strong. It would be great to come on a dry night but from what I saw on that rainy evening, I liked more

ROOFTOP BAR, beautiful view of the empire state building & Chrysler, & NO COVER CHARGE? what more could you ask for they've got a downstairs lounge area with HUGE WINDOWS & views in addition to the rooftop which is only HALF covered by a patio. if its too cold out, they loan you red robes!!! my only gripe about this bar is theres NO DANCE FLOOR for the great songs the dj was dropping?! people just dance in the walkways between tables & at their tables (so i guess it drives you to get table service, but we didnt) THE CROWD? i'd say is on the older side a wonderful place to bring out-of-town guests!! more

A Chicagoan in NYC, I visited 2 rooftop bars in one night and I was impressed. I have not seen one of these in Chicago (yet). Before we came to 230 Fifth, we went to SkyRoom near Times Square or the Garment District (not sure) but unlike high end hipster trendy joints in NYC, this place was more down to earth while being 20 some stories high. In November, New York gets cold, This place has many heat lamps ( almost too many) to keep you warm, and we ended up turning one away from our table because we were comfortable. They have red robes to use if you are freezing. Good music and ambiance, the place is like a garden in the sky, something I have never seen before especially surrounded by skyscrapers. As for the Menu, they specialize in hot ciders, and have many different kinds. I did not try any of these this time around, but the drink menu is massive. The view gets a star for obvious reasons although they should remove the trees along the walls to improve the view. This is a great place to come with your loved one, a date, family, friends, whoever... because of the laid back feel as opposed to an uptight exclusive lounge feel. I have a lot to say about the service here too! I normally don't remember waiters/esses.. But Hillary was intuitive and amazing,suggested drinks we all loved, was quick, and when one of us ordered a water, she brought us all water without asking, because service is a big part of the reason people come back. I give 230 Fifth a rare 5 stars, because I know I will be going back here next time I am in New York more

Aside from the lounge being expensive ($14 martinis), there's really nothing else to complain about. Disclaimer: I came here around 6:30 on Friday with my mom after shopping. No cover, no door hassle, easy entry and tons of seating. Magnificient views of Empire State building. Heated lamps and compimentary red robes if you get cold. The downstairs part of the lounge is wayyyy swankier though - if you forgo the rooftop for this, it is a true sex & the city experience. Lots of chatter around and while the drinks are pricey, they are strong. This is definitely a place to bring out of towners or go for a nice event. I know the lines are long and more drama is involved for late night partying but I heard it's still no cover, so I mean, come on. No cover for a rooftop lounge? Just show up earlier. more