Bar 54

Visited Bar 54 one evening for drinks. The bar is located in the Hyatt Times Square. Sat at the bar — ordered a Ballast Point Sculpin IPA. Struck up a conversation with the two bartenders — who both have first names that start with the letter «J» — so I referred to them as «J» & «J.»
We had an interesting and fun conversation about the fine art of craft cocktails, mixology, and related topics. After watching «J» make a vodka martini — stirred, not shaken, I asked if they make the Vesper martini. They do — I asked which French apéritif wine they use in it — he replied Lillet Blanc. I chatted with them about how we’ve tried several and have settled on using Cocchi Americano. He then smiled and pulled out a bottle of Cocchi and proceeded to make a Vesper — which they both tasted and agreed it was good. They proceeded to give me the martini on the house — which was well made, but they use more of the apéritif wine that we traditionally do — which affected the flavor of the drink — but still passable.
I briefly checked out the view from the outdoor viewing area — nice view of the city skyline at night with all of the lights and whatnot. It was very cold and breezy out, so I snapped my photos and came back in.
The whole place is quite cozy and intimate — and very pricey. I was surprised at how much my bill was for two IPAs — $ 24 and change. NYC drink prices. Bartenders were awesome though.

Staff was rude, pushy and made the experience terrible. The drinks are overpriced and watered down.

Went here for drinks on a Friday night. Our friends emailed them I think and got us on the «list» because when we called there was an hour long wait. When we got there the door man was all, ARE YOU ON THE LIST and we were like YASSS and he was like OK THEN. We went up and it was… empty…but I guess that’s normal because they do not allow people to just stand around like a normal bar, you have to be seated in order to get drinks. We headed up because our friends got a text that our table was ready, but upon arriving it was not ready at all. So we crowded around the bar located right by the front door with 4 seats (there were 10 of us) and ordered drinks. We then took them outside and hung out on the terrace, which was empty because it was quite cold out.
After about 35 minutes we were seated at a long table and given the cheap Asian Chex Mix in a tiny bowl. We moved about 5 minutes later to a comfortable couch area that was better for our group.
This place is expensiveeeeeeee the cheapest red wine they had was $ 16. People in my group were getting liquor drinks that were $ 25-​$ 28 a pop. We stayed for another round then went somewhere else, just wasn’t our scene. Our waiter also said he would not split our check for the group, it all had to be on one so we definitely said heck no to that and left.
The bartenders are true artists, watching them make drinks is so mesmerizing, you can tell they are excellent at what they do and really enjoy it!
Yes the view here is great, especially at night, it was very cool to see but we won’t be back. This place IS nice for a quiet night of lounging and drinking, if your wallet is up to it. There is no dancing and no TVs. We prefer something a bit livelier and a friendlier service staff as well. Our waiters just seemed rushed and uninterested. They were so annoyed we moved tables, even though we didn’t all fit at the first one they put us at lol

What a pretentious disappointment. The service consists of Eastern European women who are passed off they didn’t snag Donald Trump. The prices are ridiculous. Had much better experience at the rooftop bar at the Archer Hotel. Skip this snob paradise.

We had to check this place out. We knew going in that we were going to pay for the view which is spectacular. That seems to have been clearly identified in previous reviews. The bar is oddly shaped and somewhat uncomfortable because it is long and narrow but very nicely decorated. Everything about the place screams high end and is appropriate for the location. We had no issues getting in or on the patio area, of course it is November (however insanely unseasonably warm and beautiful) and a Sunday night. Staff was nice enough, certainly not over friendly though.

Absolutely gorgeous views at this rooftop spot and the interior is so beautiful! This place would be perfect for private parties. The drinks are quite pricey $ 26 for a good cocktail and $ 16 for a glass of Riesling but the quality of the drinks are great so in not complaining. The service is fantastic! The waitress and host were very attentive and fast. I’ll definitely come back when they open up the roof in the summer!

There is no other rooftop bar that is as legit as Bar 54. This place is the real deal, guys – getting to rooftop bar here is like going through the TSA, where you’re passed around like salt & pepper and you get sent to other people for clearance.
If you’re expecting a casual standing lounge, you will not get it here. The minute you walk in, you are expected to grab a table and get full service. Luckily, we were placed at the table on the very edge, where you can look down and see the whole Broadway strip of the Times Square and most of the surrounding Midtown skyscrapers. The view is fantastic – it’s almost as if you’re looking down from a helicopter on New Year’s Eve, to which I may add that this place is perfect for a view of Times Square on New Year’s Eve.
With the view and the given area, do not expect bar-​priced drinks. Beers will run you about $ 12, and the cocktails will definitely cost you twice the amount. The drinks are expensive and if you want to be on the patio, you’ll have to get a table, which is really lame. Overall, this place is nice and perfect if you are a tourist wanting to experience all the panoramic views of New York, but I would probably not come back unless I’m showing an out-​of-​towner around.

This bar is located at the rooftop of Hyatt Times Square. The drinks are expensive, but the view is nice.
We didn’t get to sit outside in the patio where the view was nice, but we still had an ok view of the buildings from where we were seated.
The kitchen was closed by the time we went so we could try the food.
Service was ok, but the staff kind of took a while just to pay.
Overall it wasn’t anything special, just something to do.
Unilocal 100 Challenge — 42 of 100

I asked for one of their julep cocktail was entirely ice. I was about to pay $ 26 for an ounce of juice. But I asked the manager/​host if he could please put it in a different glass and I could have a regular cocktail of the same sorts.
He told me that that was not possible and that they would have to be make me something else. It was as the bartender prepared and she would not modify. He wasn’t exactly sure how much liquor was actually in the cocktail. I could see the bartender scowling and she gave me major attitude when I left. Could not believe the rudeness or lack of care for their customers. There are many places in New York. Paying $ 26 for a cocktail is exorbitant and then not to make it how the customer politely requested it?
Yes nice pretty view. I live in New York. Will not come back here or suggest to visitors.
Not worth the view.

I would Dock Half a Star for Prices. A bit high even for the Spectacular View. Used to overpriced Drinks though so… anyways. The Service and Atmosphere is what your paying for. They do have a great Selection of Aperitifs and the Staff is at your beck and call without Hovering. Even with shelling out a bill for a pair of cocktails I would go back. It’s a start for a really romantic evening at sunset or a nightcap. either works and did I mention the View? Oh Yeah. That view.

My parents were staying at the Hyatt for a quick trip through the city.
Upon check-​in, they were told that guests have first priority at tables upstairs, so we spoke to the concierge and reserved a table for that night.
When the 3 of us arrived a few minutes late, we were sat in a corner with a couch (seating for at least 5), instead of being asked to wait, which was great (plus we had an amazing view of the both the Chrysler Building and Times Square).
The views are incredible, but beware, the prices are also incredible. All cocktails are $ 23 and a beer will set you back close to $ 10. As long a you aren’t shell shocked by that, you’ll have a great time. If those prices make you wee a little, you might have an awful time thinking about your wallet.
I had a delicious Old Fashioned made with Absinthe — Definitely a great start to the night.
Additionally, they do have food options (mostly shared bites or a burger), but we opted to go grab wings and beers across the street instead of a $ 25 burger.

Expensive drinks and service that feels a little too pushy/​salesy, but superb views and location!

You could enjoy a stunning view of time square area. Great place for dates or for tourist. The drinks were good too.

Rooftop bar with spectacular view! Went in there without reservation and we were seated right away. Staff were nice and I loved the food and drinks: assorted cheeses and cured meats with goat cheese and some sort of preserved fruit bruschetta. Delicious!

Came here on a Weds. Night after work. Host informed me we had to make reservations for the outdoor seating on the roof but could sit us inside. Once we got to the top, the views were amazing and décor, ambience was loungy which was perfect. After 20 minutes our waiter came by and told us there was seating outside in which he sat us next to a couple so table was shared.
The hummus plate was good and martini’s ($ 23 per drink) were tasty. It’s worth paying the extra $$ for food and drinks as the views are spectacular!

I really don’t know how the cocktails are or how the food is ! Coz we were stopped at 4 different check points to go up. Which is ok. I understand. The guy outside said 30 minutes to get a table and a not so nice location across the bar was available during the wait time. Ok. We take it.
Go up and she says 1.5 hour wait. We decide to leave. There are many rooftops in nyc ! You can’t walk the deck. Can’t take a drink outside. So go only if you are there to sit. View is awesome. But she didn’t let us step out. I will go again to check it out.

Ok, Bar 54, now that I had to give you a vital organ for a cocktail you might as well just throw me over the edge of your 54 story balcony. The most expensive regular single serving cocktail I have ever purchased at $ 23 a pop, you are paying a serious premium to soak in the beautiful views from this rooftop bar.
The space is very nice, but the bar is way too small. As you can imagine most of the seating is outside so you can see a truly cool view of manhattan. Sure there are better views of the city, but do any of them serve you booze?
The drinks were above average but not dynamite or really strong or anything. The service here is pretty poor, but I attribute that to the extremely small bar they are trying to serve drinks from. They should have one at least twice that size and I think they would be able to serve their customers a bit better.
If this place didn’t have the rooftop bar/​views of the city it would be a one star place. So, if you want a cool experience, bite the bullet and cough up the cash for one drink so you can check it out. But otherwise you would have to mortgage the house to hang out here for a night.

3.5 Stars
Second highest rooftop bar in the city. There’s a pretty good view of the street, H&M, and other tall buildings from outside.
The popcorn they serve with the drink is pretty tasty, buttery with sprinkles of rosemary.
A quiet, relaxing place to be. And the bartenders wear suspenders too.

This place is beautiful. The lay out of the establishment is very cosy, shiek and modern. It’s romantic and actually pretty big. I’m quite disappointed with the terrace though because as spectacular as the view was the space wasn’t as big as I expected it to be.
I give the overall ambiance of this place 4 and a half stars. It looks right into Times Square and you can see the beautiful lights, Manhattan skyline and Chrysler building.
The food, two stars. Their pizza didn’t have flavor at all and their bruschetta was great in presentation but the flavor was very bland. Drinks… I had the piña colada. Over all it was great but the drink has soooo much ice that as big as the glass is, you barely get the piña colada but mostly ice. Our other friends liked their drinks so it might just be mine. Overall, phenomenal view, a must see and honestly the drinks aren’t bad either. Just tell the bartender not to drench the drink with ice so you get more alcohol.

This is the tallest rooftop bar in Manhattan, 54 stories above midtown. The view is four stars (but not really five stars, since there are even taller buildings around that block some of the view.) It’s a nice spot to see the Chrysler Building at sunset, and you see to downtown between a couple of nearby buildings.
Service was essentially nonexistent, which is simply inexcusable for the prices they charge. We walked outside and ask someone clearing tables if we could grab an open one. He said we had to check with a host, then changed his mind and invited us to sit down. We waited five minutes without getting service, so we asked a manager strolling around and were told we had to go to the bar ourselves. (Later, a server seemed to be visiting nearby tables, but she wasn’t evident for quite some time.)
My friend and I ordered two vodka tonics and the bill was $ 35. I get that I am paying for the view, but that’s expensive for a well-​brand highball, even by Manhattan standards. For that kind of price, they can certainly staff up and provide far better service.
Everything was unimpressive except the view and the prices.