Empire Journal | Dining
Rooftop Bars New Orleans: Where to Drink Above the Quarter
The rooftop bars in New Orleans worth climbing to — the Warehouse District hotel decks, the Pontchartrain's Hot Tin, and how to handle the heat.
Rooftop Bars New Orleans
New Orleans is a low city built on soft ground, which is why rooftop bars here are a hotel product rather than a skyscraper one. That works in your favour: the good rooftops are five to twelve floors up, which is exactly the height where you see the Quarter's slate roofs, the Superdome, and the bend in the Mississippi rather than a haze of downtown glass.
Here is where to go.
Garden District and Uptown
Hot Tin — The Pontchartrain Hotel, St. Charles Avenue. The best rooftop bar in New Orleans, and not a close call: a 1940s-artist-loft aesthetic on the roof of a historic hotel, with the river bend and the CBD skyline out the windows. Take the St. Charles streetcar there. Hotel site.
Warehouse District and CBD
Alto — Ace Hotel New Orleans. Rooftop pool bar with a Warehouse District view and the best afternoon on this list. Day access is limited in season, so check before you go. Hotel site.
Above the Grid — NOPSI Hotel, CBD. Rooftop pool and bar on the old power-company building, looking toward the Quarter.
Rosie's on the Roof — The Higgins Hotel, Warehouse District. Rooftop bar attached to the WWII-museum-adjacent hotel, with a straight view over the district.
Bywater and Marigny
Monkey Board — The Troubadour Hotel, CBD edge. Casual rooftop with a mini-golf-and-games personality and one of the widest views downtown.
The Bywater and Marigny rooftops are lower and looser, and closer to a neighborhood porch than a hotel deck — which for many people is the better version of a New Orleans evening.
French Quarter
The Quarter's height and preservation rules mean very few true rooftops. What exists is small hotel decks and pool terraces — pleasant, but the views are of the Quarter itself rather than over it, and that is the point.
Timing, honestly
New Orleans humidity decides your evening more than any bar list.
- Best months: late October through April. November and March are close to perfect.
- May through September: rooftops are a post-9 PM activity. Afternoons belong to a pool.
- Afternoon thunderstorms are near-daily in summer and clear in an hour. Every rooftop has an indoor room; ask before you commit.
- Festival weeks — Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, French Quarter Fest — book everything weeks ahead and expect minimums.
Where to stay
The Warehouse District puts Alto, Rosie's and Above the Grid within walking distance of each other and the Quarter. The Garden District gets you Hot Tin and the streetcar. Compare New Orleans hotel rates through our Expedia partner link, and for a rooftop pool afternoon without booking a room, ResortPass lists New Orleans hotel day passes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best rooftop bar in New Orleans?
Hot Tin at The Pontchartrain Hotel, for the room, the river view and the cocktails. Alto at the Ace is the best rooftop pool.
Are there rooftop bars in the French Quarter?
Very few true rooftops — preservation and height rules limit them. The Quarter has small hotel pool decks; the real rooftops are in the CBD, Warehouse District and Garden District.
Which New Orleans rooftop has a pool?
Alto at the Ace Hotel and Above the Grid at the NOPSI are the best known. Access rules for non-guests change seasonally, so check first.
When is the best time for a New Orleans rooftop?
Late October through April. In summer, go after 9 PM once the heat breaks and the afternoon storms have passed.
Do New Orleans rooftop bars have dress codes?
Mostly relaxed — this is a casual city. The hotel rooftops expect you to look put together, and festival weekends can bring minimums rather than dress codes.
