These Are The Best Rooftop Restaurants In America

Eating on a rooftop just makes you feel special. There's something almost magical about sipping on a cocktail and looking out over the vast expanse of a city that feels a little like Simba at the beginning of "The Lion King," looking out over all that is yours. Of course, on a summer weekend you'll likely be sharing that "king of the world" feeling with about 300 other people but, hey, it's an elevated experience nonetheless.

Nearly every American city with a building more than two stories tall has some kind of rooftop bar or restaurant. But certain ones around the country stand out, either for their spectacular views, inventive food, or, in one case, existing as a sort of landing spot between two worlds. Read on to discover the best rooftop restaurants in America. No matter where you find yourself, you'll know where to eat that'll put you a little bit above the masses.

For about nine months out of the year, the idea of eating on an outdoor rooftop in Chicago sounds about as appealing as sleeping on a cactus. But for those glorious few months in the middle of the year where Chicago's outdoors become just right, few places capture the true magic of Windy City summers like J. Parker atop the Hotel Lincoln in the city's Lincoln Park neighborhood. Be warned, however: the 140 seats on the rooftop patio are harder to come by than weekend Cubs tickets during the summer. Snagging a spot will take some planning ahead. But you'll be happy for the effort, as each sun-drenched seat in this rooftop bar comes with a panoramic view of the Chicago skyline and the lush greenery of Lincoln Park, with the waters of Lake Michigan in the distance.

If you're thinking about making a reservation for this splash of summer beauty on your next trip to Chicago, don't get your hopes up. J. Parker is first-come, first-served, so you may end up waiting a while to sit outside. The wait is made a little more tolerable by the impressive menu of original cocktails, like the Bubble Around, made with Ceres vodka, lemongrass, elderflower, lemon, and prosecco. J. Parker's food isn't bad either, with an inventive selection of stuff like soy ginger wings and Buffalo cauliflower.

It's hard to be anything short of blissful when you're perched at a table high above South Beach's famous Lincoln Road Mall, gazing out at the turquoise waters of the Atlantic from your table at Juvia. This restaurant capping the 1111 parking garage is the odd Miami Beach staple that's popular among both locals and tourists, drawing a chic happy hour crowd and those looking for special occasion dinners all year long.

Though it hasn't notched any culinary honors yet, Juvia was recognized by the James Beard Foundation for its outstanding restaurant design, which you'll surely appreciate, too. The glassed-in interior is flanked by an ocean-facing patio lined with tropical foliage, giving the impression of dining in a sun-drenched rooftop garden. The inside space also has floor-to-ceiling windows for a full panorama of Miami Beach. And on your plate, you'll find a masterful fusion of French, Japanese, and Peruvian cuisine, making Juvia a lot more than just a pretty space to order a drink.

Remember the fun of summer camp, where you'd spend the day canoeing and running relay races only to end the night singing around a campfire and sleeping in a lakeside cabin? Camp Tripinaldee does too, and so it recaptures that special time with wood tables, red checkered plaid booths, and a menu of hearty, comforting camp-inspired food. The restaurant is part of the Graduate Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin, a series of college-themed hotels in university towns around the country. And in Madison's case, it keeps the theme of nostalgia going in the restaurant, too.

Like any good summer camp, Camp Trippalindee sits right next to a lake, so you can catch glimpses of Lake Mendota from the restaurant's sunny seventh-floor patio. You'll also see the Wisconsin state capitol building and University of Wisconsin campus, completing the trifecta of Madison views in one fun space. Perhaps the best thing about Camp Trippalindee is the fact that it's not taking itself too seriously, much like summer camp is primarily concerned with fun.

One would think when you combine three of the most expensive things in dining — rooftops, omakase, and New York City — you'd have a place where the average check costs more than a Kia. But this lush garden space atop the Sanctuary Hotel on West 47th Street delivers a surprisingly affordable omakase experience that includes ten pieces of chef-selected sushi. It's not bargain dining by any stretch, but a serious deal by Big Apple standards.

But you don't need ten courses to appreciate what Sushi Lab has brought to the NYC dining scene. The tree canopy sushi bar also has a full menu of sushi, sashimi, nigiri, and hand rolls, as well as soups, salads, and rice bowls. It's an ideal place to come on a hot day and cool off with a bottle of sake and some California rolls. It's also raised enough heads around the city to already land itself on TimeOut's list of New York's best rooftop restaurants.

Trying to pick a great steakhouse in Texas is kind of like trying to find a great slice of pizza in New York City. But it would be hard to argue against a better meal than what you'll have at B&B Butchers & Restaurant, a combination butcher shop and steakhouse whose locations are two of only 29 American restaurants certified by the Kobe Beef Association. The steaks here are all cut in-house, and if you're impressed by the meat and want to try grilling it yourself there's an entire butcher shop on the ground floor for your use.

But this isn't a list of the best ground floor butcher shops in America, and what puts B&B on this list is its spacious rooftop patio. Up here you can enjoy your A5 Wagyu or USDA Prime steak with a perfect view of the Houston skyline, along with a warm Texas wind and house specialty cocktails. While you may or may not find a better steak in Texas, you won't find a better pairing of views and meat than you will at B&B.

Is there anything more relaxing than pizza and beer on a rooftop after a long, hot, Brooklyn summer day? Nothing at all, especially if you're one of the 25 lucky guests to find themselves enjoying said pizza and beer at Ainslie, a rustic Italian restaurant with a downstairs Biergarten and eclectic menu. The menu has more than wood-fired pizzas, sure, but you'd be remiss not to order one from the menu of Italian classics like the diavola, margherita, and saltimbocca pizzas.

This Williamsburg rooftop also boasts a big, boisterous beer hall downstairs, which on weekends turns into a serious neighborhood social hub. But the upstairs has a far more relaxing vibe, and even if you're not jonesing for pizza you can enjoy stuff like house-made lasagna, hanger steak, or Atlantic salmon. Be sure to come for brunch on the weekend, where the all-you-can-drink fun runs from noon to 4:00 p.m.

Orange County's artists' enclave of Laguna Beach is better known for its art galleries and secluded beaches than for its food scene. But much like this little community at the end of Laguna Canyon likes to keep itself a bit of a secret, so does this fantastic rooftop restaurant that boasts the best-elevated ocean views of any place in the OC. While a rooftop restaurant in a small market might be content to use its view as its only draw, Skyloft doesn't abuse its scenic monopoly.

Skyloft's dreamy sunsets are made even better by some of the best barbecue in Orange County, where you'll find slow-smoked brisket, pulled pork, and chicken andouille paired with citrus white rice and cornbread that's not a meal unto itself. If, like many folks in Laguna Beach, your lunch is usually paired with yoga, there's also a stellar kale quinoa salad that won't hamper your tree pose. And don't forget the wonderful selection of wines to sip softly as you listen to the waves crashing into the coast.