St. Cloud.

Knickerbocker Hotel, 6 Times Square, Midtown

I know. Times Square. But hear me out. St. Cloud sits on top of the Knickerbocker Hotel right at 42nd and Broadway, and looking down at Times Square from above is a completely different experience than being trapped in it at street level.

The neon and the chaos look almost beautiful from up here. You get a direct view down the canyon of Broadway and across to the billboards. It’s the one time Times Square actually feels cinematic instead of claustrophobic.

Cocktails are $20-$26. Yes, it’s pricey. It’s Times Square, what did you expect. But it’s surprisingly well-run and the crowd is more hotel guests and after-work drinkers than tourists. Make no mistake. This is the only reason to voluntarily go to Times Square.

Tucked inside The Knickerbocker Hotel (rumored to be the birthplace of the original martini), St. Cloud is a popular rooftop bar in Manhattan. Overlooking Times Square, the bar offers mesmerizing views of the chaos below, especially during the iconic ball drop on New Years Eve.

During the warmer months, the bar occasionally has a live DJ on the weekends, which takes the experience up a notch. Whatever the occasion, from after-work gatherings, romantic rendezvous, or lively group outings, St. Cloud offers an ideal setting for socializing.