Panorama Room
Permanently Closed
Rooftop lounge offering oysters, small plates, and city views
Rooftop lounge offering oysters, small plates, and city views
"Whatever your reason is for having made your way to Roosevelt Island, be sure to swing by the Panorama Room. The bar's selling point is in its name—panoramic views of Manhattan, the East River, and Queens from this unusual vantage point are well worth the visit. And the bar itself, located on the 18th floor of Graduate Roosevelt Island, is incredibly sexy in its own right; evocative of the old-school jazz clubs that used to pepper the city but now are so hard to come by, the Panorama Room is as smooth as the cocktails it slings. To boot, getting here affords the scenic tram ride over." - CNT Editors
"Perched on the 18th floor of a hotel on Roosevelt Island, this terrace-and-windowed bar and restaurant delivers 360-degree panoramas reachable by the scenic tram ride. The Caribbean-influenced menu leans into rum-forward, fruity cocktails and snacks such as oxtail croquettes with curry aioli, offering an island-tinged counterpoint to the urban skyline vistas." - Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner
"There are a lot of bars with impressive views on this list, but none are like Panorama Room on Roosevelt Island. The next time you really want to wow your date, take the tram to this 18th-story rooftop terrace with 360-degree views of three boroughs, the bridges, and the East River. Most people stand at the outside bars (there are very few seats outside), but we recommend reserving a table inside, where you can actually sit down and still take in the view through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The massive retro-futuristic space also has an impressive art collection and a great raw bar selection." - bryan kim, molly fitzpatrick, will hartman
"Panorama Room is a great excuse to take the Roosevelt Island tram. The 18th-floor rooftop terrace curves around so you can see three boroughs, the bridges, and the water. The massive structure looks like a space station that’s landed in the East River, and it has a retro-futuristic feel inside, with tubular couches and chandeliers. You’ll see most people at the standing bars around the edge. If you just want to stand outside, you can usually just walk in, but it’s worth reserving a table inside. Views are still visible from the floor-to-ceiling windows, and you can actually sit down with a seafood tower and full bottles of wine. If you’re looking to impress out-of-towners or a date, this is the place to do it." - Neha Talreja
"As the name suggests, the bar situated on the 18th floor of the Graduate Roosevelt Island hotel boasts panoramic views of Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. Open Wednesday through Sunday, you can enjoy rain or shine thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and a spacious outdoor terrace. Being a new kid on the block attracts the local Cornell students, as well as folks from the outer boroughs anxious to make the trek to the happening spot. With a rotating space, the bar staff has ample room to roam about the cabin and make sure all parties are accounted for. If you want a different vantage point of the city, it's worth the trek. Heads up: there’s a dress code, so act accordingly." - Abbe Baker, Carey Jones