Rooftop bars Charlotte

Complete guide to the 7 best rooftop bars in Charlotte [2020 update]

United States

Made by the world's leading experts on rooftop bars

Last updated: March 4, 2020

The largest city in Noth Carolina just keeps on growing, and an ever changing skyline means more and more Charlotte rooftop bars. Fantastic! To help you keep up with the pace, this ultimade guide will lead you straight to all elevated venues worth a visit. From swanky Uptown Charlotte rooftop lounges to charming rooftop brews, packed with all info you need about each terrace: opening hours, dress codes, pictures, locations and much more. So, which is the best rooftop bar Charlotte? Just scroll down and find the Charlotte rooftop bar best suited for you.

Or use the Charlotte rooftop map in the top right corner.

Area:Uptown Charlotte
Rooftop City Lights Rooftop Rooftop bar in Charlotte
1

City Lights Rooftop
$$$ 555 S McDowell St
  • Highlights
  • 18th floor
  • Signature cocktails
  • 360-view
  • Live music + DJ

Opened in 2016, City Lights is one of the few rooftop bars in Charlotte with a complete 360-degree view. The terrace is perched on the 18th floor of the five star Le Meredien Charlotte, and can boost stellar city views from one of the highest (and largest) rooftops in the city. The rooftop bar serves crafted and refreshing signature cocktails, a good selection of beers and a menu of street food inspired, shareable plates. Fun and vibrant atmosphere with a trendy crownd and weekly live music and nightly live DJs.

Area:Second Ward
Rooftop Fahrenheit Rooftop bar in Charlotte
2

Fahrenheit
$$$$ 222 S Caldwell St
  • Highlights
  • 21st floor
  • Creative cocktails
  • Bar + restaurant
  • Sunday brunch

A trendy Charlotte rooftop bar and restaurant with a magical panoramic view over the city. Perched on the 21st floor of Hyatt Place in downtown, Farenheit comes with both a stylish indoor restaurant / lounge and a rooftop terrace, equipped with lounge sofas, dining tables and cosy fire pits. Here you can enjoy inventive American cuisine created by Chef Rocco Whalen, along with a great selection of specialty cocktails, an extensive wine list and crafted local beers in a sophisticated and trendy yet casual vibe.

Area:Uptown Charlotte
Rooftop Nuvolé Rooftop TwentyTwo Rooftop bar in Charlotte
3

Nuvolé Rooftop TwentyTwo
$$$$ 220 E Trade St
  • Highlights
  • 22nd floor
  • Upscale cocktail bar
  • Panoramic views
  • Highest

An upscale rooftop cocktail bar, set on top of the dual-branded AC Hotel and Residence Inn in the heart of Charlotte. With a 22nd floor location, Nuvolé Rooftop 22 is the highest rooftop bar in the city, offering amazing and panoramic views over the Charlotte skyline. In a modern and stylish indoor / outdoor setting you can enjoy hand-crafted seasonal cocktails and nice set of tasty bites, either by the large U-shaped bar or in comfy lounge sofas by the fire tables.

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Area:Rock Hill
Rooftop The Pump House Rooftop bar in Charlotte
4

The Pump House
$$$ 575 Herrons Ferry Rd
  • Plaza Midwood
  • 5th floor
  • Great food
  • River views
  • Outside city

An affordable upscale restaurant and rooftop bar located a little bit outside of Charlotte. Between Rock Hill and Fort Mill, it is only about a 30 minute car ride away from the city center, but during the drive you do actually swap state from North to South Carolina. But such a unique place, it is well worth a bit of traveling. Beautiful setting in a authentic old pump house, the stylish multi-level indoor restaurant with patio and a 5th floor rooftop bar serves Southern-inspired American cuisine, well crafted signature cocktails and crafted beers.

Area:Third Ward
Rooftop Merchant & Trade Rooftop bar in Charlotte
5

Merchant & Trade
$$$$ 303 S Church St
  • Plaza Midwood
  • 19th floor
  • Swanky lounge
  • Amazing views
  • Curated cocktails

Merchant & Trade is a swanky rooftop bar and lounge set on top of Kimpton Tryon Park Hotel in Uptown Charlotte. Divided into indoor bar, outdoor terrace, private terrace and the lawn, the rooftop is very stylish and modern throughout, offering panoramic views over the city skyline. Filled with a sophisticated yet vibrant lounge vibe, this is a great venue to gather with friends for some carefully curated cocktails, local Chralotte-brews and elevated bar bites. Just be prepared to wait a bit by the elevator going up.

Area:Plaza Midwood
Rooftop Whiskey Warehouse Rooftop bar in Charlotte
6

Whiskey Warehouse
$$$ 1221 The Plaza
  • Highlights
  • 2ndfloor
  • Whiskey bar
  • Weekend brunch
  • Neighborhood feel

Whiskey Warehouse is a neighborhood-feel Charlotte rooftop bar, located in the Plaza Midwood area. Only two floors up, Top Shelf, as the rooftop patio is named, still offers a beautiful view over the Southern sky and cool glimpses of the skyline. A favorite among locals, here you can enjoy classic bar food for both lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. But it's the drink menu that is most impressive, especially in the whiskey-area (no surprise). Fun and casual vibe with both live DJs and live bands on weekend nights.

Area:Uptown Charlotte
Rooftop 210 Rooftop bar in Charlotte
7

Rooftop 210
$$$ 210 E Trade St B320
  • Highlights
  • 3rd floor
  • Live acts + DJs
  • Large terrace
  • Eventful weekend spot

Located at the Epicentre, Charlotte's top spot for entertainment and nightlife, Rooftop 210 fits very well as it is an eventful place and one of the best rooftop bars in Charlotte for those who likes a good party. This large, 3rd floor roof terrace host big events regulary, like concerts, local festivals, big parties and silent disco, all under the glowing views in downtown Charlotte. Open nightly during the weekends, the rooftop bar offers a wide variety of quite wallet-friendly drinks and you can either hang at the bar or sit at one of the many tables on the terace.

About the author

This guide was made by The Rooftop Guide, the world's leading experts on rooftop bars. With over 600 rooftops visited over the last two years, we keep you up to date in the ever growing universe of rooftop venues.

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City info

Rooftop bar Charlotte

Rooftop-grade: 5/10
Prime season: Mars-Oct
Residents: 2,5 million
Climate: Humid subtropical

The climate here is subtropical humid, with long warm summers and short mild winters. This is good for all the rooftop bars Charlotte has available. They can stay open all year around, and the weather is mostly rooftop friendly.

There are a good amount of Charlotte rooftops here and a great variety of them as well. Luxurious patios, rooftop swimming pools, sports bar rooftops and much more.

Charlotte is a good city when it comes to places to drink with a view and that have been shown the last couple of years when some really good rooftop bars have opened up here.

About Charlotte

Charlotte is the largest city in the State of North Carolina with a population of 2,5 million in the metropolitan area. It’s also the 22nd largest city in United States. Charlotte is the home of the corporate headquarters of Bank of America and the east coast operations Wells Fargo. This along with many other financial institutes makes it the second largest banking center in the whole country. Charlotte is also famous for its universities and high schools, which contributes to making the city a great sports city. Charlotte Hornets in basketball and Charlotte Panthers in American Football.