City Lights Rooftop

City Lights Rooftop is the bar atop the Le Méridien and Sheraton towers on South McDowell Street at the edge of Uptown. The space is large and open air, with greenery and a skyline view from a slightly removed angle. The crowd comes to talk instead of dance, and on a quiet weeknight it is one of the calmest rooftops in the city. It sits slightly apart from the center city, which is why it stays quieter than the Uptown hotel roofs on a Friday night. The greenery around the edges softens what is otherwise a concrete deck.

What to know

• Cocktails are the strength and the food menu is light.
• The hotel parking maze is the only real hurdle.
• Mechanical systems on the roof can hum on a still night.
• The space is large enough to find a corner without a reservation.
• The bar is closed on Monday and Tuesday.