Empire Journal | Dining
Rooftop Restaurant Las Vegas: Where the Strip Actually Looks Good
The rooftop restaurant and lounge picks in Las Vegas that are worth the cover — Strip-facing terraces, the downtown stadium-screen rooftop, and how to time the desert heat.
Rooftop Restaurant Las Vegas: The Real List
Las Vegas is a vertical city that mostly hides its views behind casino walls, so finding a good rooftop restaurant in Las Vegas means knowing which properties opened their upper floors to the outside. There are not many. But the ones that did are spectacular, because the Strip at night from forty floors up is genuinely one of the great urban views in the world.
Here is where to go, and what each one is actually for.
Strip-facing, high, and worth the minimum
Skyfall Lounge — Delano, Mandalay Bay. Sixty-fourth floor at the south end of the Strip, which means you look up the entire boulevard rather than across it. The best single Strip sightline in the city, and floor-to-ceiling glass plus a terrace. Property site.
Foundation Room — Mandalay Bay. Sixty-third floor, clubbier and darker, with a wraparound patio. Dinner then the terrace is the correct order.
Chateau Rooftop — Paris Las Vegas. Mid-Strip, facing the Bellagio fountains directly. Not the highest, but the only rooftop where the fountain show is the entertainment. Property site.
APEX Social Club — Palms. Fifty-fifth floor, off-Strip and looking back at it, which gives you the whole skyline in one frame instead of one side of it.
Downtown, which is now the better value
Legacy Club — Circa Resort & Casino. Sixty-fifth floor above Fremont Street, indoor-outdoor, with a view that takes in the whole valley and the Strip in the distance. The best rooftop bar in Las Vegas that is not on the Strip, and the drinks cost noticeably less. Property site.
Commonwealth — Fremont East. A rooftop patio on the Fremont East side, and the most relaxed rooftop night in the city.
What to know before you go
- Minimums and covers are real. Strip rooftop lounges frequently run bottle minimums on weekend nights. Call the venue or book a table in advance rather than arguing at the elevator.
- Dress codes are enforced. No athletic wear, no beach clothing, closed shoes for men at the club-adjacent rooms.
- Timing beats everything. Arrive 30 minutes before sunset. The Strip lighting up while the sky is still blue is the ten minutes you paid for.
- Summer is a nighttime sport. In July, a Vegas rooftop is only comfortable after 9 PM. October through April is patio weather all evening.
Where to stay
Which end of the Strip you sleep on decides which rooftops are walkable. South Strip puts Delano and Mandalay Bay at your door; mid-Strip gives you Paris and the fountains; downtown puts Circa's Legacy Club in your own building for a fraction of the room rate. Compare Las Vegas hotel rates through our Expedia partner link, and for a pool-deck day without booking a room, ResortPass lists Las Vegas resort day passes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best rooftop restaurant in Las Vegas?
For the view, Skyfall Lounge at Delano — 64 floors up looking straight up the Strip. For the best combination of view, price and atmosphere, Legacy Club at Circa downtown.
Is there a rooftop restaurant in Las Vegas with fountain views?
Chateau Rooftop at Paris Las Vegas faces the Bellagio fountains directly, which is the only rooftop where the show is part of the experience.
Do Las Vegas rooftop bars charge a cover?
Some do on weekend nights, and several run table minimums. Reserving a table ahead is how you avoid a surprise at the door.
When is the best time to visit a Las Vegas rooftop?
Thirty minutes before sunset, October through April. In summer, go after 9 PM.
What is the dress code for Las Vegas rooftop restaurants?
Smart casual to upscale. Skip athletic wear, tank tops and flip-flops; the lounge-style rooftops enforce it at the elevator.
