The Empire Hotel Rooftop Bar and Lounge - New York Hotels

(866) 215-6641

44 West 63rd Street (Columbus and Broadway)
New York, NY 10023 40.771453 -73.982292

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Neighborhoods: Lincoln Square, Midtown

Hours:

SunûMon 5pm - 12am

TueûWed 5pm - 2am

ThuûSat 5pm - 4am

Last updated 11.05.11

Category:

Travel, Business Hotels, Hotels & Motels, Family-Friendly Hotels, Tourist Hotels, Budget Hotels

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About The Empire Hotel Rooftop Bar and Lounge - New York Hotels

Featured Review

Lucy Blatter

Contributor

Directly underneath the iconic, retro-style, red neon Empire Hotel sign stands an 8,000-square-foot-space where beautiful people sip (and serve) delicious cocktails and take in the view--which overlooks Columbus Circle, Lincoln Center and the Hudson River, depending on where you're standing. The bar's east terrace features lounge chairs and cabanas (reserved for bottle service) and a small smoking area. The west terrace is dotted with small tables and has a bar with a retractable roof, so guests can sit outside during any season. A chocolate-hued indoor area with banquettes, hassocks, low…

Editor's Tips

Fun Fact:
The bar is owned by Jeffrey and Linda Chodorow's China Grill Management, so the specialty drinks are favorites from other China Grill Management restaurants and bars.
Know Before You Go:
The bar is open to the public, but the pool deck upstairs is only open to hotel guests.
Food Served:
Though the bar's small-plate menu is limited, it gets credit for originality. The Millionaire's Deviled Eggs come in individual egg cups with diced black truffles, white truffle oil, caviar and gold leaf. Foie gras PB&J features raspberry jam and foie gras on french toast.
ambiance
95.45000076293945% positive
  1. “If it wasn't for the great views and my friends being there.”
  2. “When we were up there the music was pretty good and the crowd was really fun.”
  3. “The atmosphere is great, the drinks are ok (pricey, but given its a hotel and nice place, no complain).”
  4. “While there is no question that this place has a nice view, the drinks are over-priced, the service is glacial, and the staff are terrible.”
  5. “Nice views, good ambiance, no hassle at the door.”
  6. “If you want great views there are definitely other places where the service and the music is better.”
  7. “Great views, fun crowd, and terrific service.”
  8. “Music is great, the view is amazing and you have to love the no hasstle door policy which is hard to find at the nice places in New york these days.”
  9. “Overall a great place and a fun time!”
  10. “It was a great atmosphere-- exactly what we needed after a heavy work week!”
  11. “Pros - The place itself is beautiful and spacious with a fantastic view and since we're on a rooftop smokers don't have to go far.”
drinks
56.25% positive
  1. “The atmosphere is great, the drinks are ok (pricey, but given its a hotel and nice place, no complain).”
  2. “We sat down and the waitress came to our table a couple times asking "do you want more drinks" (btw, my drink just 2/3 full) and gave us a nasty look.”
  3. “expensive drinks, horrible staff, 100% worst experience ever.”
  4. “Amazing rooftop bar”
  5. “Although the drinks were a little on the pricier side the bartender was awesome and made them really strong =)”
  6. “1) The drinks are way overpriced 2) The waitresses don't care about customers, are very rude and pushy.”
  7. “think this might be the last place in NY to still have reasonable priced drinks at a "cool" spot.”
  8. “While there is no question that this place has a nice view, the drinks are over-priced, the service is glacial, and the staff are terrible.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “The atmosphere is great, the drinks are ok (pricey, but given its a hotel and nice place, no complain).”
  2. “Overall a great place and a fun time!”
service
44.20000076293945% positive
  1. “expensive drinks, horrible staff, 100% worst experience ever.”
  2. “If you want great views there are definitely other places where the service and the music is better.”
  3. “The staff is obnoxious.”
  4. “Yay right, nobody needs to make a living these days, this is why she is horrible waitress”
  5. “HORRIBLE customer service, waitress there ask you to leave so "she can make money" NOT recommended”
  6. “While there is no question that this place has a nice view, the drinks are over-priced, the service is glacial, and the staff are terrible.”
  7. “1) The drinks are way overpriced 2) The waitresses don't care about customers, are very rude and pushy.”
  8. “The waitress and servers were very attentive and kept our bottles and mixers filled.”
  9. “Sal (the manager) is soooo rude.”
  10. “The Empire Hotel & Rooftop Bar is by far the worst place to bring a group of people.”
  11. “Great views, fun crowd, and terrific service.”
  12. “The party was unbelievable with great music and super polite staff.”
  13. “Extremely rude staff and bad management”
  14. “The waitress was great and attentive and even hooked us up with a new bottle when ours was accidentally knocked over.”
  15. “Jason, very attentive to my friends and I when we asked questions”
  16. “Although the drinks were a little on the pricier side the bartender was awesome and made them really strong =)”
  17. “This place is probably the most overrated and worst service spots around.”
  18. “Frummpy bartenders (not the 'beautiful' people mentioned in Citysearch review) serving people were either really nice or complete A-holes.”
  19. “The GM was rude and insulting to guests and hosts.”
  20. “We sat down and the waitress came to our table a couple times asking "do you want more drinks" (btw, my drink just 2/3 full) and gave us a nasty look.”
  21. “We had ordered bottle service and the waitress was horrible, we tried speaking to the owner and he was even worse.”
  22. “He was extremely rude and bc of him alone I would never recommend this place to anyone for a party.”
  23. “The doorgirl was super friendly in making sure all of our friends got in without any issues.”
value
50.0% positive
  1. “The day of the event was a huge disaster.”
  2. “Bottom line, this place is just not good enough to make it worth the hassle of dealing with the wannabe worms who work here.”
  3. “1) The drinks are way overpriced 2) The waitresses don't care about customers, are very rude and pushy.”
  4. “VERRRRRRRRRRY expensive.”
  5. “expensive drinks, horrible staff, 100% worst experience ever.”
  6. “Instead, a huge bouncer came over to my boyfriend and said, "you're coming with me," and when he asked why, he refused to talk to him.”
  7. “HORRIBLE customer service, waitress there ask you to leave so "she can make money" NOT recommended”
  8. “The atmosphere is great, the drinks are ok (pricey, but given its a hotel and nice place, no complain).”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

09/07/11

For "Grown & Sexy" Of ALL Ages!

by PhillipLisa

A friend of ours has been doing promotions here for the past 3 years! We were looking for a replacement for Decade supper club/nightclub formerly on 61 st & First Avenue with a "grown and sexy" adult (age 35+) crowd, with no:Timberland boots, sneakers, jeans/pants with no belts and their underwear showing with the pants pocket down to the back of their knees look, "hood rats", etc...We seem to have found it! The crowd is diverse, of all ages and dressed appropriately and it is a beautiful space with a definite upscale vibe. All women are dressed in cocktail dresses or nice dress jeans with heels. Some guys are in suits.Yes, drinks are "pricey" but hey, that is what having a job and working is for or do not come and complain.That is what helps to keep out the "riff raff". People who go there have money in their pocket, and those are the people we would want to be around. My wife (the "hard sell") truly loves the venue and the freedom to be outside and have a cigar/cigarette is an added plus. Do not let anyone give you "second hand" news about this place, come and see for yourself! Opinions are like assh?!*s, everybody has one! For those driving, there is plenty of parking in the area.We also like the fact that there is a bathroom attendant. I think SOME classy places have a attendant that keeps a clean bathroom and has everything you could possibly need in a bathroom on a night out (cologne/perfume, mints, hard candy, etc... - please people have some decency and tip the person a dollar minimum for anything you use). Looks like we will be here now on a regular basis!

Phillip & Lisa

1 Star Rating: Poor

05/31/11

unacceptable!!!! BBQ memorial day... WHICH BBQ???

by kich

The hotel organized a BBQ party for Memorial day yesterday.....

After 3 hours waiting for some foods; we have been told by the waitresses tat they never heard about this bbq........

the should have done an open bar from 5pm to 6pm but at 5.30 pm they were out of stock...

It;s completely unprofessional !!! and unacceptable They made people come and excepting something so that; at the end; when they learn that there is no bbq; the hotel probably expected people to buy their expensive food....

I will never go back again to this place and the view is not even nice...

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/21/11

Must Go!

by philbutler09

Thanks to Birthday Bottle Service my night at the Empire Hotel Rooftop was amazing! They hooked it up with VIPbottle service at a great price and got everyone in my party in with little to no wait!

I highly advise everyone to go here and if you want to go in style without a worry make sure you visit www.birthdaybottleservice

1 Star Rating: Poor

12/30/10

It's a gamble...

by laurabenigno24

I would've given Empire Hotel 4-5 stars, however, i downgraded them to 1 star due to their event staff's disorganization.

My friends and I (over 15 people) planned to go here for a 22nd birthday party. Empire had said over the phone that they do not make lists (unless you buy bottles) but seeing as it was too expensive for us to buy bottles considering we were a lot of alcohol thirsty 22 year olds looking to just dance... we decided to just go to have a good time and splurge a little on drinks (they're expensive, over $12)

Well, turns out there was a list for my friend. 2 people from our group who arrived early got in on her "list" but when the time came for the b-day girl to go in, she was denied because she was the only girl out of 4 boys (that particular group).

So after a relentless search for some sort of manager, when i finally reached him he waved his hand at me and said "Honey, calm down". So I responded, "Please don't call me honey and listen to the situation." He turned his head away, ignoring me while I proceeded to calmly explain the situation. Well, turns out, not surprisingly, we left.

I do not recommend this place for an event. They are disorganized and rude. If you must go here, go EARLY and with the least amount of guys as possible. (Even the birthday girl wasn't allowed in because she was with 3 guys).

I've been to this place multiple times, the music is mostly pop and the ambiance is elegant, but not too fancy. It's actually a lot of fun (especially clutch for smokers with the heated outside terrace), but don't expect a very smart, compliant staff. (they think they're sh*t don't stink) ;-)

4 Star Rating: Recommended

12/27/10

Awesome Rooftop Bar

by Yalla Balla

In general, Empire is a pretty cool spot to go to in New York but on New Years Eve it's going up a bunch of notches on any party-goers belt. The views are exceptional, the décor is divine and the party vibe is absolutely wild.

The Details on The Empire Hotel Rooftop Bar and Lounge - New York Hotels

Place Categories:

  • never recommend place
  • great view
  • very attentive waitress
  • rude staff
  • great promoter jp
  • great music
  • great ughhthe bouncers
  • really fun crowd
  • rude soooo
  • worst service spots
  • very attentive servers
  • bad either
  • cool spot
  • big scene
  • rude gm
  • complete aholes
  • way overpriced drinks
  • great atmosphere
  • overrated way
  • overrated overpriced
  • terrific service
  • bad management
  • huge disaster
  • good ambiance
  • beautiful space

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