The Insider’s Guide to Downtown’s Hotel Bars
September 16, 2025
There are so many hotel bars in Lower Manhattan, it can be hard to choose just one — in fact, your best course of action might be to hit ‘em all up, then check into a room to crash at the end of the night. Lest you think a hotel bar is just a place for tourists and business meetings, the watering holes at our local hotels are brimming with everything from old-New York elegance to mini-arcades. (Though you can still enjoy them as a tourist or to take a meeting.) Whether you’re staying the night or looking for a place to pop in for a drink, check out our picks for can’t-miss hotel bars below.
A rooftop oasis nestled in the skyline
The Wall Street Hotel’s Bar Tontine is a far cry from the stuffy hotel lobby bars of yore. Head to the 15th floor and you’ll find a lush tropical oasis with great drinks and good times, not to mention sweeping skyline views from its outdoor patio. (88 Wall St.).
Escape to the clouds
Though the sixth floor may not be quite high enough to be considered “in the clouds,” you will still feel elevated here at the Cloud One hotel’s in-house bar with an outdoor patio and ample seating full of cozy nooks. The bar serves smoothies in the morning and craft cocktails from the afternoon on, for whatever shape your vacation or staycation is taking. (133 Greenwich St.)
Games on
As the name suggests, Recreation Bar, the Moxy’s work-and-play space, is a great spot to work remotely during the day, then celebrate with a cocktail and some classic arcade games post-quitting time. Bar games include Skee-Ball, tabletop shuffleboard and Pac-Man, and there’s a basketball court if you’re looking for a little more action. Plus, Recreation Bar makes playtime even jazzier with regular live music and DJ nights. (26 Ann St.)
Classic downtown elegance
As is the case with everything at the Beekman, the hotel’s picturesque Bar Room is all about old-school elegance. The self-dubbed “living room of downtown Manhattan” lives up to its reputation with high ceilings, wide booths, walls covered in paintings and shelves filled with books, infusing the space with a delightful vintage charm. Not to mention, the cocktails and bar bites are excellent. (123 Nassau St.)
Hide away from the crowd
There is, in fact, plenty of room to hide at the Artezen Hotel’s Hide Rooftop bar, as the space sprawls over two floors of the hotel’s 21-story building. The bar serves craft cocktails and small bites for snacking, but also offers pub favorites like pizza and wings for when you really need an escape. (24 John St.)
The Wolfgang’s all here
Inside the Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown is a piece of New York City culinary history. Here, you’ll find CUT, the steakhouse restaurant and bar that served as famed restaurateur Wolfgang Puck’s first NYC establishment. Puck has since opened a few more spots in the city, but CUT remains a downtown hotspot, and for good reason. (99 Church St.)
Open-air views
Leonessa at the Conrad New York Downtown is all breezy vacation elegance with some of the best views in the district. The open windows look out onto the Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty for views that pair well with Italian cocktails and free bar snacks, including taralli and almonds. (102 N End Ave.)
Architectural wonders
Highwater Rooftop opened in 2022 on the 25th floor of Hotel Indigo’s Wall Street location. A short elevator ride up from Water Street delivers great views of Lower Manhattan’s historic buildings along with an enticing menu of cocktails and small bites. (120 Water St.)
main photo: Michael Persico, courtesy Conrad New York Downtown
