You’ve heard of the rap wars, you’ve heard of the mafia wars—you’ve even heard of the fro-yo wars, but all that’s nothing compared to the 2008 summer rooftop wars. This season, it seems as if every hotel, club, restaurant, and lounge is competing for your attention by taking a cue from South Beach and setting up a sky-high haven for revelers to escape the bustling city down below. Wondering which new scene is worth the climb and which will have you looking for the nearest exit? Read on as we take you on a rooftop hop.

Brass Monkey’s Roof Deck

Brass Monkey’s Roof Deck
55 Little W. 12th St. (Washington St. & 10th Ave.)
Meatpacking District 212.675.6686
We were already fans of this no-frills MPD hideout, so when we got word of its new roof deck overlooking the Hudson, we had to see it for ourselves. After adding a new second floor, complete with the same style of exposed brick walls, copper ceilings, and a mahogany bar, the wood-planked roof top offers additional breathing space. With a few plain tables and stools, it’s certainly not highfalutin', but that also means you’re less likely to find a pretentious crowd here. What you will find: a predominantly male crowd, wielding Blackberrys and skateboards.
The verdict: Open-air sausage-fest—not necessarilly a bad thing.

Mad46
5 E. 45th St. (@ Madison)
Midtown 212.885.6095
Located atop the Roosevelt Hotel in the thick of Manhattan’s after-work-drinks turf, Mad46 offers up your typical $14 drinks (although with 20-plus cocktails, margaritas, and specialty drinks to choose from, this joint has quite an extensive selection), bottle service, greenery, and wooden benches. Expect a yupster crowd mingling on the long, narrow space, drinking and nibbling (think shrimp cocktails and crudités).
The verdict: Impressive, but bring your own crowd to ensure a loser-free experience.

Highbar
251 W. 48th St. (@ 8th Ave.)
Hell's Kitchen 212.956.1300
The cocktails are pricey and somewhat underwhelming, but you're not really here for the drinks (or the barbecue grub—and its aroma, which you will not be able to evade). Highbar is all about the sweeping Manhattan views, coupled with Miami-style indulgence—expect daybeds (it seems no rooftop bar is complete without them), outdoor AC, and plush couches at this upscale, al fresco drinking and dining lounge. Make sure you have a good answer for the inevitable question at the door—“what list are you on?”—even if it’s not hopping on top.
The verdict: Sexy, but come later on—most of the crowd will have migrated to the MPD.

Salon de Ning
700 5th Ave. (@ 55th St.)
Midtown 212.956.2888
With $24 cocktails, this is where i-bankers come for business drinks. The Hotel Peninsula’s recently remodeled rooftop (formerly Pen-Top) was partly inspired by Shanghai socialite Madame Ning, and it shows—expect a healthy dose of Chinoiserie here. Black marble, red lacquer, Venetian mirrors, carved Chinese screens, and Moroccan lanterns adorn the interior bar, while daybeds accommodate outdoor lounging as you sip on your tiramisu martini and enjoy what is arguably one of the city’s best rooftop views.
The verdict: Glamorous, darling. What else would you expect on Fifth Avenue?

Eden
268 W. 47th St. (8th Ave. & Broadway)
Midtown 212.398.3800
While there’s nothing glamorous about Eden—yes, all the trees are fake, and yes, we think (considering it’s named after the Garden of Eden) that the faux vegetation should be considered a sin—those looking for a no-hassle drink and a patch of sky could do worse than this relatively expansive, albeit pricey (think $11-$16 cocktails) indoor/outdoor lounge. That said, you’ll have to climb (three flights of stairs to be exact), before making it to this joint’s entrance.
The verdict: Crapshoot—could be heaven, could be hell.

The Empire Hotel Rooftop
44 W. 63rd St. (@ Broadway)
Upper West Side 212.265.7400
Those craving Jeffrey Chodorow’s legendary Kobe sliders need not head out to the Hamptons to the restaurateur’s other new venture, Kobe Beach Club. Simply saunter on over to the lounge atop the Empire Hotel (yes, the one with the glaring, retro neon sign). While the upper level pool deck is reserved for hotel guests, the lower level indoor/outdoor terrace has a more egalitarian vibe, where you can reserve one of five cabanas—each of which comes with a plasma-screen TV, telephone, wireless internet, and refrigerator. If you’re not looking to throw down the big bucks for a cabana, cocktails will run you $12-$16.
The verdict: Elegant, meaning sugar daddies and cougars aplenty.

~ Sharon Feiereisen