Bucharest’s Best Rooftops: Restaurants and Bars With Great Views

I love to have a broad perspective of a place, a street or a city. No matter where I am, I need to know my surroundings. Whenever I travel to a new city, I ask locals about cool places where I can go and have a great view of the city from above. I’m from Bucharest, and I will give you a list of a few places from where you can see Bucharest from above.

That’s my thing. To find the tallest buildings or spots in town and get there. And many others have told me about this thing. It’s the place you would look for if you are into landscape photography and urban. Because you need a high place to take a perfect urban skyline. Or a drone. I like it because it makes me realize that all the greatness of cities is made by mankind and gives me a lot of hope.

So I am assuming you are planning to visit Bucharest soon if you are looking for places from where you can see Bucharest from above. Check my blog post about the 10 places you shouldn’t miss in Bucharest as well.

Here are is my list of places for seeing Bucharest from above (because we do have great sunsets to linger at).

18 by Embassy

This was my first favourite restaurant in Bucharest. Mainly, because of the beautiful view. Day, night, doesn’t matter. During the week can get crowded, especially around lunchtime. It is located on the 18th floor of an office building, and they have a special lunch menu. This is the only place on this list, which I visited many times for its view and food.

I always try to take my foreign friends here. The view is superb, you can see the most beautiful park in Bucharest (Herastrau Park) and the Arch of Triumph.

The menu is nice, prices are good and staff very polite.

Check out their special events and menu on their website.

Nor Sky Casual Restaurant

Nor is impressive. Right from the moment you get out of the elevator, you will be delighted by the restaurant’s design. It’s spacious and will feel like an event it’s about to happen. I noticed that many people come to this restaurant for special occasions. Make sure to make a reservation at least one or two days in advance, as they tend to be quite busy. And if you want a table by the window, be firm with your request.

I recommend this restaurant for its interior design and because it’s the restaurant at the highest altitude in Bucharest and in Romania.

Like almost everything else in life, it’s not perfect. Here is what to expect.

I went there last year for my birthday, and we called 5 days ahead and we didn’t have a table by the window. Although, during the dinner, there were many free window tables. My guess is that they want to keep some free so that people can walk around and take photos. They have a special smoking area and reservation is a must. There is a lady, in the lobby of the building, on the ground floor, who will ask you details. I guess they try to give it an exclusive atmosphere but it felt a bit superficial.

The food is average and limited, very small portions, but the platting is nice. Music was whatever, and some of the servers have no idea what they were doing. I am just talking about my visit. So don’t go there for the food. Maybe a dessert and a drink. It’s overpriced but still affordable. The view is nice if there is a nice sunset going on and you want to explore Bucharest from above. In the winter, however, it’s not the best view.

Check them out here.

Linea – Closer to the Moon

This is a true rooftop. It’s actually a restaurant, and on top of it is a self-service rooftop bar. The view is impressive, as the location of the restaurant is right in the heart of the city.

Had only a drink here, at sunset. It was beautiful, and everyone was bulking in to take a photo in the corner with the sunset. No reservation is needed, there is plenty of space during the summer. In the winter, however, they change the setting of the rooftop and they place some big igloos and you can either book one for a bigger group, or share one with others.

Expect old city prices range, but still affordable. I would place this summer rooftop as the go-to for crazy Instagrammers and a cool hipster place.

Upstairs Rooftop

It sounds like a hipster place, but don’t be shocked when you will discover that it’s actually a chic place. Tucked away on a narrow street near the Victory square, on the roof of an office building, you will find arrows guiding you to a backdoor elevator. When we got up, we were promptly greeted and asked if we had a reservation. We said no, but there were some free tables.

They have a smoking area and a nice and chic design. Half of the city is visible for there and you will even see the Palace of Parliament. I only went there for drinks, which are priced accordingly to their nice design. Nice staff.

They have a retractable roof, so in case of bad weather, or during the winter, it’s still open.

Cișmigiu – Bistro La Etaj

This will be, probably, the girliest place you will ever visit. Ever. When I got there, there were only women at the tables. A few men got dragged into this pink universe, but I guess you would feel a bit out of place here, as a man. Anyway, it’s an interesting experience. The restaurant is at the last floor of Hotel Cismigiu, but do not expect a really tall building. It’s an old building and back in the days, they weren’t building really tall buildings. But you can still see a bit of Bucharest from above from the narrow terrace.

The menu is dull and it’s not offering too many options. The restaurant itself is inside and it has a small nice terrace with a view towards the Palace of Parliament. It’s nice during the day and during the night.

I recommend this restaurant only for its view and if you want to see a weird and pink restaurant. Romanians call it the most Instagrammable place in Bucharest and the internet is full of photos of fashion influencers from here.

I am sure it was made especially for women, no matter what they say. When I went there, everything was nice, the staff was polite until they accidentally “forgot” to bring back the change for the bill. Oops.

As you can see, no restaurant has a perfect score on all aspects. Remember these restaurants are recommendations for places to check out if you want to see Bucharest from above. My food recommendations would include other restaurants. What made me write about them, was the view they have. After checking out 2 or 3 of the restaurants you will definitely get a grip of what Bucharest looks like from the above. There are more, and I will add more places to the list, as I try them out and have some tips.