Bar in New York City, United States · Inside TWA Hotel
The Press Lounge
100Pearl PointsBest Hudson view in Midtown. Go for sunsets.
About The Press Lounge
The Press Lounge delivers one of Midtown's clearest Hudson River views from the rooftop of the Ink48 hotel on 11th Avenue. It is easiest to book and best experienced between 6 and 8 PM, before the late-night crowd raises the volume. First-timers after a classic New York skyline moment will find this fits the brief; serious cocktail seekers should look elsewhere.
Who Should Book The Press Lounge
If you want a rooftop bar in Midtown Manhattan with a genuine view of the Hudson River and the city skyline, The Press Lounge at 653 11th Avenue is the right call. It works especially well for a first drink of the night before dinner downtown, or as a destination in itself if you are staying near Hell's Kitchen and want somewhere to watch the sun set over New Jersey. First-timers to New York who want that classic aerial-city moment without the tourist density of Midtown East rooftop spots will find this is a workable option on the Far West Side.
The Experience: What to Expect When You Arrive
The Press Lounge sits on the rooftop level of the Ink48 hotel, high enough above 11th Avenue to deliver an unobstructed sightline across the Hudson. Visually, the draw is clear: the water, the Palisades across the river, and the Midtown skyline to the east. This is a bar built around that view, and the layout is designed to make the most of it, with outdoor terrace seating oriented toward the water. Arrive before dark if it is your first visit. The transition from golden hour to full city-light is the strongest version of what this bar offers.
As the evening deepens, the character of the space shifts. Earlier in the evening, the crowd skews toward hotel guests and after-work drinkers from the neighbourhood. By 9 or 10 PM, the energy picks up, the terrace gets louder, and the bar moves into a more social, late-night mode. For conversation-first evenings, the sweet spot is arrival between 6 and 8 PM. After that, expect volume. If a quieter late-night cocktail experience is what you are after, Amor y Amargo or Angel's Share will serve you better.
Booking is direct. This is not a hard reservation to secure, and the bar accommodates walk-ins reasonably well outside of peak weekend hours. If you are visiting on a Friday or Saturday evening and want to guarantee outdoor terrace seating, a reservation in advance is sensible.
Late-Night Viability
The Press Lounge holds up later in the evening primarily as a social venue rather than a cocktail-focused one. The view remains the anchor at any hour, but if you are arriving after 10 PM, manage expectations around conversation and craft-cocktail depth. For a late-night bar where the drinks program is the point, Attaboy NYC or Superbueno are stronger choices. The Press Lounge earns its late-night visits on atmosphere and setting, not on the cocktail list alone.
Know Before You Go
- Address: 653 11th Ave (between W 47th & W 48th St), New York, NY 10036
- Location context: Far West Side, Hell's Kitchen. Plan your transit — this is a walk from most subway lines, so a taxi or rideshare is the practical choice.
- Leading time to arrive: 6–8 PM for the sunset view and manageable noise levels
- Late-night note: Gets louder and more crowded after 9 PM; better for groups than for quiet conversation
- Booking difficulty: Easy — walk-ins are generally possible midweek; reserve ahead for weekend terrace seating
- Access: Via the Ink48 hotel lobby; rooftop level
How It Compares
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Press Lounge known for?
The Press Lounge is primarily known for its core concept and execution in New York City.
Where is The Press Lounge located?
The Press Lounge is located in New York City, at 653 11th Ave (btwn W 47th & W 48th St), New York, NY 10036.
How can I contact The Press Lounge?
You can reach The Press Lounge via the venue's official channels.
Location
653 11th Ave (btwn W 47th & W 48th St), New York, NY 10036
New York City, United States
Compare The Press Lounge
| Venue | Awards | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| The Press Lounge | Easy | |
| The Long Island Bar | World's 50 Best | Unknown |
| Dirty French | Unknown | |
| Superbueno | World's 50 Best | Unknown |
| Amor y Amargo | World's 50 Best | Unknown |
| Angel's Share | World's 50 Best | Unknown |
A quick look at how The Press Lounge measures up.
Also Consider
- The Long Island Bar, Notable alternative
- Dirty French, Notable alternative
- Superbueno, Notable alternative
- Amor y Amargo, Notable alternative
- Angel's Share, Notable alternative
Against other bars in its New York peer set, The Press Lounge wins on setting and loses on drinks depth. If the view is your primary reason for going, it is a stronger choice than The Long Island Bar, which offers no rooftop and no skyline, but significantly better cocktails in a classic neighbourhood-bar format. For a first-timer who wants the New York aerial experience without fighting tourist crowds in Midtown East, The Press Lounge is the practical answer.
For late-night cocktail quality, Amor y Amargo and Angel's Share both outperform. Amor y Amargo is the call if you want a bitters-focused, quieter room where the drink is the entire point. Angel's Share rewards those willing to find it and seats guests in a hushed, deliberate atmosphere that is the opposite of a high-volume rooftop late on a Friday. Neither offers a view; both offer more considered drinking.
Superbueno and Dirty French serve different occasions entirely: Superbueno is the pick for a lively, food-forward bar with strong Latin-influenced cocktails, while Dirty French skews toward a dinner-adjacent crowd looking for atmosphere with their drinks. Neither competes directly with The Press Lounge on setting. Book The Press Lounge when the view is non-negotiable; choose from the rest of this list when the drink or the room matters more than the horizon.
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