The skyline is Hong Kong’s calling card. Densely packed with skyscrapers towering over the harbor, the world’s most vertical city reflects its neon facades onto the surrounding waters, creating an optical illusion that’s hypnotic in its effect on visitors. Watching the nautical traffic is Hong Kong’s equivalent of people watching, and every evening post-work crowds gather to watch the boats go by, cocktail in hand. Thanks to the density of towers and decks, there are sky-high lounges and rooftop bar experiences to match any taste—from casual beers under the stars to Champagne at the world’s highest bar, 118 floors above the glittering bay. —Charley Lanyon
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270 Degrees Rooftop Bar
MORE INFO →The bar on the rooftop of local celebrity chef Harlan Goldstein’s latest venture Penthouse, 270 was designed to make a splash in the Hong Kong nightlife scene. The drinks are not the focus and it shows, but the bar certainly succeeds as one of Hong Kong’s best rooftop spaces with its sweeping views of the city and the harbor beyond.
KNOWN FOR
- outdoor/patio
- rooftop
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Aqua Spirit
MORE INFO →This is the place locals take visitors they want to impress. On the top of the curvaceous One Peking Building in Tsim Sha Tsui, Aqua Spirit’s super-modern, east-meets-west décor, massive picture windows and stunning views over Victoria Harbor have made it one of the city's most famous destinations. Though it’s expensive and locals tend to avoid the frippery, a trip to Hong Kong would not be complete without at least one drink at Aqua.
KNOWN FOR
- craft cocktails
- single scene
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Discovery Forest
MORE INFO →This bizarrely named rooftop bar is a local favorite for laid-back drinks and no-frills fried food. With its potted palm trees, folding tables and Christmas lights atop a ferry pier, Discovery Forest is as casual as any neighborhood pub. The service is equally relaxed and warm and the view of Kowloon lights across the water is tough to beat, especially when coupled with an inexpensive (by Hong Kong standards) bar tab.
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- outdoor/patio
- day drinking
- bar food
- live music
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eyebar
MORE INFO →Locals will tell you that you must cross the harbor to Kowloon for the best views of Hong Kong’s waterfront splendor. It’s true and it’s best experienced at the eyebar terrace floating 30 floors up in the iSquare mall. Though drinks come with a markup, the setting is so stunning it’s forgivable.
KNOWN FOR
- full menu
- outdoor/ patio
- rooftop
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Felix
MORE INFO →Felix is one of the most famous bars and restaurants in Hong Kong. Perched atop the historic Peninsula Hotel and designed by Philippe Starck, the restaurant and bizarrely appointed upstairs bar feel as if they were plucked from a futuristic airport cafeteria. The views and the service remain among the best in the city.
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- full menu
- hotel bar
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Intercontinental Lobby Lounge
MORE INFO →Who says you need to be on the top floor to get a good view? The ground level Intercontinental Lobby Bar overlooks Hong Kong’s sea-front promenade where ships in the harbor seem to pass right before your eyes as the skyline towers above. Drinks and service are average, but it's the view that you visit for.
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- hotel bar
- full menu
- bar snacks
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Ozone
MORE INFO →No discussion of bars with views would be complete without talking about Ozone, the tallest bar in the world. On the 118th floor of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in the International Commerce Centre (ICC), on a clear night, the thrilling, open-air views at Ozone go for miles. Beware though: the bar's luxe trappings are undeniably ostentatious, but if you want to experience (read: balk at) the new Asia, in all its moneyed glory, a round or two at Ozone is the place to do it.
KNOWN FOR
- craft cocktails
- live music
- dancing
- singles scene
- hotel bar
- bottle service
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RED Bar + Restaurant
MORE INFO →Red Bar is a run-of-the mill bar and restaurant on the rooftop of the International Finance Center (Hong Kong’s second tallest building), but the rooftop terrace surrounding it is one of the city’s rare strips of public space. Because green space is almost unheard of in Hong Kong, this patch is always full of expats, local teens sand folks catching a lunch hour break overlooking the harbor. Red Bar also operates a small storefront where you can stock up on beers and mixed drinks to enjoy on the terrace.
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- outdoor/patio
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Sugar
MORE INFO →Located on the roof of the East Hotel in Tai Koo Shing, Sugar offers a unique view of the eastern side of Hong Kong and the new Kai Tak cruise ship terminal. A spacious terrace with lots of tables, this is one of the lesser-known rooftops experiences in Hong Kong, but it still fills up with suits after work as it's the only bar in an area chock full of office buildings.
KNOWN FOR
- rooftop bar
- live music
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Sevva
MORE INFO →Perhaps the most famous rooftop bar in Hong Kong, Sevva is the roost of bankers and foreigners looking for the iconic skyline view. They serve dinner, but it’s expensive, so head to the terrace that overlooks Central Hong Kong for a glass of champagne. The crowd skews cheesy, but with its ostentatious show of wealth and air of superiority, it’s an authentic peak into the high-end side of the Hong Kong scene.
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- outdoor/patio
- full menu
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Wooloomooloo Prime
MORE INFO →An Australian steak house chain may seem like odd destination for Hong Kong, but the views at Wooloomooloo Prime will put all concerns to rest. There are two locations in the city—one in Kowloon and one in Causeway Bay on the island—and both have sensational perspectives of the densely packed city and glittering harbor.
KNOWN FOR
- outdoor/patio
- full menu