Hell's Kitchen Bars and a Rooftop, Admission Already Covered
A nightlife host walks a small group through Hell's Kitchen bars to a rooftop, handling the door at each one.
The hard part of a night out in Hell's Kitchen is picking the rooms. This tour hands that job to a host. Admission is covered at every stop, and entry is handled at the door.
The ticket covers the door. Admission to every venue is included, and the host clears entry at each one. Drinks and food are bought separately, which is worth knowing before you set a budget for the night. Non-alcoholic menus are available at every stop.
A 7:00 PM departure runs nightly, and a second at 8:00 PM runs Thursday through Saturday. The operator recommends arriving 5 to 10 minutes early. Three hours is the fixed length. The walk between venues is part of it, and the listing rates that walking as suitable for all fitness levels. When the three hours are up, the final venue is yours to stay in.
Bar, Lounge and Rooftop Tour NYCThree hours through Hell's Kitchen with a host, admission included. Rated 4.5 from 92 traveler reviews.www.viator.comWho Walks You In
NiteTables Experiences has run nightlife tours in New York for the past decade, and describes its hosts as performers, artisans and nightlife insiders. The listing calls the person leading this one a nightlife concierge. They stay with the group for the full three hours, walking it between venues and handling entry at each door.
The tour promises three or more stops and names none of them in advance. The operator's own FAQ says it generally visits four venues, drawn from a bar, a lounge, a speakeasy, a rooftop and a room playing live or DJ music. One reviewer's night ran two rooftop bars, a bar down on a subway level, and a live music room at the end. Those same reviewers name their guide more often than they name the bars.
The company turns up regularly in independent roundups of New York tours, and Nomadic Matt ranks it third among the city's walking tours, though the trip those lists single out is usually its Prohibition-era speakeasy walk rather than this rooftop night.
The Rooftop and the Dress Code
A high-end rooftop lounge sits in the lineup, and it sets the standard for what you wear all night. Dress code is business or upscale casual, with no sportswear, flip flops, tank tops or baseball caps. Comfortable shoes earn their keep on a night that walks between every stop.
The booking page adds one more restriction. Backpacks are not allowed.
Getting Through the Door
Everyone on this tour is 21 or older, and a valid government photo ID is required. Non-US citizens are asked to bring a passport.
The shared group caps at fifteen travelers, and a single booking takes up to eight people. A party of six still ends up alongside strangers.
Before You Book
Prices move with the date and the night of the week. The figure at checkout is the one you pay.
Reviewers who flag anything tend to flag the bar tab. "The big surprise was how expensive the drinks were but it's expensive wherever you go in the city," Sharon wrote in a four-star review of this tour. Budget for the night on top of the ticket.
Cancel at least 24 hours before the departure time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking stands. The tour runs in English, and public transport reaches the meeting point.
The pin sits on Carnegie Diner at 828 Eighth Avenue. The group meets directly across the street, outside the office entrance of One Worldwide Plaza at 825 Eighth Avenue, where a bike rack and a large American flag mark the front of the building.
Arrive a few minutes early. From that corner it is three hours of Hell's Kitchen rooms with someone else working the doors.