Each year we compile our favorite outdoor bars in Brooklyn for when the mood strikes and the weather cooperates. Here are all the bars we’re looking forward to cocktailing at this summer, with a map at the end to plot your next outdoor happy hour.
Newish: The Turf Club
Last year the William Vale debuted its rooftop bar called The Turf Club, which will re-open Friday through Memorial Day, and then just Friday through Sunday all summer long. There’s a simple bar menu of traditional summer drinks—Aperol Spritzes, Rose Sangrias—but the real attraction is the view from its 23rd-floor perch. “Definitely one of the best views ever of Brooklyn/Manhattan,” our writer Regina Mogilevskaya reported back after its soft opening last summer. Bean bag chairs, foosball, and life-size Connect Four provide extra entertainment, but, and new this season, there is no cover. You may want to RSVP though.—Nicole Davis
The Turf Club at Westlight, The William Vale Hotel, 111 N. 12th St., Williamsburg
Newish: Elsewhere Rooftop
Bushwick music venue, nightclub, and arts space Elsewhere, built by the team behind the former Williamsburg venue Glasslands Gallery, is re-opening its new, 5,000-square-foot rooftop space the weekend of May 17. The open-air addition hosts outdoor concerts and dance parties, food pop-ups, film nights, and art happenings, which you can enjoy with a full menu of frozen drinks, sparkling elderflower wine, canned rosés, and ciders.—Andy Smith
Elsewhere Rooftop, 599 Johnson Ave., Bushwick
Neighborhood Joint: Super Power
If the brightly colored patio isn’t a pick me up, the killer tiki drinks, served in fishbowl glasses and brass pineapples, will do the trick. You won’t spend an arm and a leg on them, either—all these potent cocktails ring in around $10. If this is your neighborhood bar, consider yourself blessed.—Nicole Davis
Super Power, 722 Nostrand Ave., Crown Heights
Newish: The Springs
T.B.D. in Greenpoint always felt shockingly large, like you could bring a group of 20 and still find seats for everyone in their massive backyard. Newcomer The Springs has gussied up the space quite a bit, giving it a Palm Springs makeover with flamingo wallpaper and retro-modern flair inside, and an outdoor area filled with lounge chairs and bright, monochromatic murals that mimic a poolside scene minus the pool. It feels made for Instagram, but it’s certainly a prettier setting for your posse.—N.D.
The Springs, 224 Franklin St., Greenpoint
Neighborhood Joint: Lover’s Rock
Rum and reggae rule the day at Lover’s Rock, the coolest bar you’re missing out on if you never get to Stuyvesant Heights. Grab a signature drink like the Rum & Ting or The Ramone on the cheap during happy hour and head out to the back patio, buzzing with happy locals and excellent music from the DJ booth inside. The backyard closes at 11pm sharp and it gets packed late at night—so come early and stay awhile. You won’t want to leave.—Ellen Killoran
Lovers Rock, 419 Tompkins Ave., Bedford-Stuyvesant
Newish: 1 Hotel Roof Garden & Bar
Rooftop season is upon us. At 1 Hotel, it’s easy to feel like a Master of the Universe while sipping on a craft cocktail, gazing at unparalleled views of the Manhattan skyline. The plunge pool opens on Memorial Day, and from 1-6pm on weekends, non-hotel-guests can splash around during the 21 + summer pool party. Yes, it’s fancy; make a reservation. You could cap off the evening here during a day trip to Dumbo.—MCP
1 Hotel Roof Garden & Bar, 60 Furman St., Dumbo
Neighborhood Joint: Forrest Point
All we want in life is a breezy shaded patio to enjoy our Frozé. At Forrest Point, an actual wooden arbor envelops a leafy, cobblestoned deck that calls for lingering. It’s an oasis (with great people watching) in the heart of Bushwick.—Meredith Craig de Pietro
Forrest Point, 970 Flushing Avenue, Bushwick
Newish: FourFiveSix
The bar and live music space adjacent to the lovely Italian restaurant Ringolevio opens to a delightfully cluttered and colorful patio that could be mistaken for a country flea market. Settle in for a boozy lunch at a shaded picnic table with signature cocktails like the Green Chile Margarita or the Escobar (Hennessy, mango puree and Ancho Reye), the latest addition to the ever-evolving signature cocktail menu. It’s a favorite in winter, too. —E.K.
Fourfivesix.nyc, 199 Richardson Street (at Humbolt), Williamsburg
Neighborhood Joint: Doris
The porthole windows outside are a tell that Doris is much more stylish than your typical NYC bar. Inside there’s a strong bohemian desert vibe, with adobe-style walls and macrame plant holders and DJs spinning vinyl (they call themselves a Steely Dan bar but venture outside of the 70s, too). Outside lies a spacious patio that they keep on upgrading, with plenty of room for a group and ping pong if you are lucky to get the table. There’s a solid beer selection and decent bar snacks, too.—N.D.
Doris, 1088 Fulton St., Bed-Stuy/Clinton Hill border
Neighborhood Joint: Spuyten Duyvil
Summer comes early and stays late at the sprawling garden of Spuyten Duyvil, a specialty microbrew bar specializing in obscure Belgian beer that has weathered the storm of rising rents and greedy landlords to become a Williamsburg standby. Even during busy times, you should be able to scope out a shady spot at a wrought-iron patio table, though you’ll have to fetch your own drinks. Insider tip: Order multiple rounds if you plan on staying awhile; the bar is almost always packed. Also: the No Smoking signs in the garden are routinely ignored.—E.K.
Spuyten Duyvil, 359 Metropolitan Ave, Williamsburg; the garden is open from 5pm-11:30 pm daily.
Newish: Pilot
There is something transformative about having a drink on a boat. It’s the fastest way we know of to get into the summer swing. In the case of Pilot, which opened in 2017, the wooden schooner rocks pleasantly with each wave, making it easy to believe you’ve set sail from the daily grind. It’s back in its East River home and open for the season; you can make a reservation here.
Pilot, Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn Heights—MCP
Neighborhood Joint: Habana Outpost
The vibrant setting at Habana Outpost draws quite a crowd at happy hour and on weekends. That might mean long lines for frozen mojitos, but also the chance to spend the afternoon relaxing in this unpretentious eco-patio, listening to great music and making new friends. This place is a classic for a reason: it’s fun.—MCP
Habana Outpost, 757 Fulton St., Fort Greene