The Empire Rooftop
At The Empire Hotel · 12F
A 12th-floor bar and nightclub that operates as its own venue above the Upper West Side — independent from the hotel below but impossible to separate from what made this block interesting after dark. It earned its reputation before Gossip Girl filmed here, and the crowd never really forgot that.
Neighborhood
Lincoln Square · Lincoln Center
Atmosphere
Charged and crowded on weekends, with Manhattan spread out in every direction. Less hotel amenity, more place people actually want to be — which is why it fills with locals as much as guests.
Key features
Gossip Girl filmed scenes here, but the view toward Lincoln Center from the 12th floor is the real reason to come. Catch it at dusk when the light hits the buildings across the street and the skyline starts to glow.
Location
The Empire Rooftop · 12F
44 W 63rd St, New York, NY 10023
About the hotel
The hotel sits directly across from Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side — dark-palette rooms, a rooftop bar that became a TV set, and a pool deck that makes staying in feel like the right call. Mornings here start with breakfast at Rosa Mexicano before the city properly wakes up.
Stay at The Empire Hotel
Reserve a room, then explore bars, dining, and more on property—starting with this spot.
More from this hotel
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