Summertime is for shorts, beach balls, and slugging back a midori sour as close to the surface of the sun as possible.
When the sun is blazing and the weather gets hot, what you need is a very cool spot, and the last place you want to be is stuck indoors, so fun open-air activities are a must. This includes grabbing the occasional nighttime beverage with a few friends. After a grueling, eight-hour day of pretending to work post-solstice, there’s nothing better than getting that “Ayo, let’s hit that rooftop spot” text. After all, who really wants to “s’cuseme, s’cuseme, s’cuseme” their way through a crowded, sweaty pub surrounded by wood paneling and a DJ setup uncomfortably close to the bathrooms when you can enjoy a refreshing dranklin (trademark) while the evening breeze brushes your shoulders?
Our beautiful city has more than its fair share of awesome roof deck locations for your pleasure, whether you’re a seasoned vet of The Beantown Bar Scene or you’re just a weekend tourist wondering why Downtown Crossing smells like popcorn from 1989. So throw on that short-sleeved shirt, sunglasses, and, if you must (rolls eyes), flip flops and peruse this list of trendy roof decks we’ve compiled for you. Btw, I don’t TRULY drink midori sours…. much (I’m ALL man).
The Top Ten Rooftop Bars – make your reservations early
- Lookout Rooftop Bar – Seaport
Perched atop the Envoy Hotel, this is the one everyone’s Instagram feed has warned you about – and yes, the line is real. But once you’re up there, sunset over the Seaport skyline with a top-shelf cocktail in hand makes the wait worth it. Go early on a weeknight if you value your evening plans staying on schedule.
- Deck 12 at YOTEL – Seaport
A slightly more low-key alternative to Lookout, just a few blocks away, with 360-degree views and a solid craft cocktail menu. Good pick if you want the Seaport rooftop experience without committing your whole night to a doorman line.
- Rooftop @ Revere Hotel – Downtown/Back Bay
Boston’s largest roof deck, and it plays like it – spacious lounge seating, hand-crafted cocktails, and sweeping views over Boston Common and Back Bay. This is the move when you’re bringing a bigger group and don’t want everyone crammed elbow-to-elbow.
- Colonnade Hotel Rooftop Pool (RTP) – Back Bay
The rare Boston rooftop that comes with an actual pool. Non-guests can buy in for the day, and frozen cocktails rule the menu. It’s less “quick drink after work” and more “make an afternoon of it,” so plan accordingly.
- Legal Harborside – Seaport
A four-season rooftop, which matters a lot in a city where “rooftop season” usually means eight weeks in July and August. Waterfront views, a sushi lounge, and enough heat lamps to keep the party going well past summer.
- Saigon Babylon – Central Square, Cambridge
Easily the most surprising entry on this list. A garden-like rooftop tucked into Central Square, with stone columns, greenery, and genuinely great Vietnamese-inspired cocktails. If you want the “hidden gem” energy your out-of-town friends will be impressed you know about, this is it.
- Felipe’s Taqueria – Harvard Square
Boston’s most beloved rooftop is also its most unpretentious – no reservation required, just walk up the stairs. Margaritas, tacos, and a rooftop packed with college kids and locals alike. Cheap, cheerful, and always a good time.
- Daedalus – Harvard Square
A quieter, more grown-up counterpart to Felipe’s just around the corner. Open-air seating above Cambridge, solid cocktails, and a neighborhood-haunt feel that’s stuck around for a reason.
- Dorchester Brewing Company – Dorchester
No frills, no cover from the elements, just great beer and even better skyline views. If your idea of a rooftop is a picnic table and a flight of local IPAs rather than a $18 craft cocktail, this is your spot.
- Over the Charles – Allston-Brighton
Sixteen floors up at the DoubleTree Suites, this is the one rooftop on the list that skips the skyline in favor of the Charles River itself – and honestly, it might be the better view. Southwest-inspired small plates, local brews from Jack’s Abby, and a laid-back, no-velvet-rope vibe that feels more “unwind” than “see and be seen.” Seasonal, so catch it before it closes for the year in mid-September.
Know a rooftop we should add to the list? Tell us about it – we’re always updating our Boston bar guides.
