Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
Damn, The Views From Williamsburg's Rooftop Bar Westlight Are Good
By
Nell Casey
Published Sep 29, 2016
Modified Sep 29, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
View all 16
By
Nell Casey
Published Sep 29, 2016
Modified Sep 29, 2016
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The dining and drinking options at Williamsburg's Eye of Sauron William Vale Hotel are coming together nicely. Today, Mister Dips made his grand debut slinging burgers out of an airstream, and the hotel's rooftop bar has been in the swing of things for a little over two weeks. (Andrew Carmellini's restaurant, Leuca, doesn't have a set premiere day yet.)
Up on the 22nd floor, Westlight, the bar, affords nearly 360 views out over Queens, Brooklyn and the east coast of Manhattan—even the elevator vestibule offers an incredible vista. Swinging by last Saturday, a small line had formed outside the hotel when the bar opened at 4 p.m.; be forewarned that the outside line leads to yet another line inside. The system's a good one, though, as it means the bar's not slammed all at once and really everything moves pretty quickly from line to line to seat.
Reservations are not mandatory but recommended, especially if you want a seat at one of the coveted outdoor tables, where a piece of plexiglass is all that separates you from safety and imminent demise. Don't expect much privacy, however, if you do score one of those seats. Every few feet there are neon yellow binoculars (free!) for peering across the East River or into the wilds of Williamsburg below. Expect a few butts in your face as you're unwinding with a cocktail.
Are we all down with $15 cocktails now or do I just have Stockholm syndrome for food writers? Either way, for a rooftop, prices aren't completely heinous. The Billy V ("vee," not five) is a good end-of-summer-please-don't-say-it's-really-over sipper. I observed another couple sharing a bottle of bubbly at 5 p.m.; there are no rules in the rooftop class. You can get a decent glass of whiskey for $13 and beers are around $7.
Unsurprisingly, the food's solid and, again, in rooftop land you could do a lot worse quality- and price-wise. The Spicy Coconut Cashews ($6) and Fried Olives stuffed with blue cheese ($8) will keep the salt factor flowing for a drinking snack. The Chicken-Fried Chicken Wings looked impressively fried (in a good way) and the Westlight Burger a more dinner-forward choice (herb fries sold separately).
If you don't score a more formal table, you can perch at the bar or one of the low-lying couches both inside the bar and on the adjacent patio. There are some foosball tables that were languishing off to the side—and a DJ booth that wasn't yet in rotation that early in the day—but otherwise it's all about drinks, food and those breathtaking views.
111 North 12th Street, 22nd Floor, 718 307 7100; westlightnyc.com
Westlight Bites by Nell Casey on Scribd
Westlight Cocktails by Nell Casey on Scribd
Tagged
andrew carmellini
new restaurant and bar radar
rooftop bars
westlight
william vale hotel
williamsburg
original
Nell Casey
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Sep 12, 2026
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
Food
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
Is it worth the high price and ridiculous wait? Gothamist needed to find out.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Can a congressional candidate's dumpling diplomacy win over Queens’ immigrant communities?
By
Caroline Shin
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .