12 Places to Celebrate the Fourth of July, New Yorker-Style

Published Jun 28, 2019

In a lot of places, the Fourth means firing up the Weber in your backyard. In New York, it can mean anything from rooftop cocktails to a dance party at the beach. Here’s where to wave a flag, eat a hot dog, watch the fireworks or just make the most out of a midweek day off.

Lily Brown

Brooklyn Cider House

Ingredients for a home-run Fourth: outdoor space, tons of food (and booze), patio games and live music. The Bushwick cidery will have all of the above at its second annual pig roast. Feast on heaping roast pork platters ($16) and sandwiches ($12), sip the excellent housemade cider and play a game of cornhole. The icing on the (flag) cake? Dogs are welcome.

1100 Flushing Ave., Brooklyn; brooklynciderhouse.com

Courtesy of Clinton Hall

Clinton Hall

The beer-hall minichain known for its next-level bar food has two options for the Fourth. Head to Midtown for a cookout in the garden, complete with one hour of hot dogs, burgers and barbecued chicken sandwiches, and a two-hour open beer-and-rosé bar. Meanwhile, the newest outpost in Williamsburg offers the same stuff—on a breezy rooftop.

Two locations; clintonhallny.com

Robert Bredvad

The Fulton

In the market for something a little fancier than picnic tables and hot dogs? Head to the Fulton, Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s new restaurant at Pier 17 in the Seaport District, for a cocktail dinner featuring passed hors d’oeuvres, a raw bar and seafood dishes, plus great views of the East River. Book a spot via Resy.

89 South St.; thefulton.nyc

Courtesy of the Ravel Hotel

Profundo Day Club

This LIC oasis is a great place to pretend you’re not in the city for a day—and it also happens to have a front-row seat to the fireworks. Book a day pass (starting at $60), then don your best red-white-and-blue swimsuit, and kick back with DJ beats and frosé by the pitcher.

8-08 Queens Plaza South, Queens; ravelhotel.com

Brooklyn Barge

This Greenpoint waterfront spot (yes, it’s an actual barge) is farther from the fireworks this year, but it's still a prime spot to spend the day and/or evening with mini hot dogs, tacos and frozen drinks.

3 Milton St., Brooklyn; 929-337-7212 or thebrooklynbarge.com

MAX TOUHEY COURTESY OF JDS DEVELOPMENT GROUP

The Sentry

Remember when we told you about that new members-only pool club overlooking the East River? Now’s your chance to skirt the membership fee (for “only” $350) and post up for an open bar, unlimited eats and quite possibly the best fireworks views in the entire city.

435 E. 35th St.; thesentrynyc.com

Courtesy of Nowadays

Nowadays

Nowadays is already one of our favorite places to go to pretend we have a backyard, so it’s an obvious choice for an Independence Day bash. The all-day barbecue starts at noon and features tasty eats, brews on tap from Evil Twin, hammocks, bocce, ping-pong and a DJ soundtrack courtesy of Butter and Friends. Oh, and consider this the land of the free, because that’s how much admission is.

56-06 Cooper Ave., Queens; 347-523-8535 or nowadays.nyc

Riis Park Beach Bazaar

Couldn’t swing a Hamptons trip this year? Head to the Rockaways instead for danceable soul music from Freddy DeBoe Band, an abundance of food vendors (like Ample Hills Creamery, Pizza Moto and Rockaway Clam Bar) and, you know, the beach.

16702 Rockaway Beach Blvd., Queens; riisparkbeachbazaar.com

Rooftop Reds

Celebrate red, white and blue rosé at this rooftop winery. Along with food from Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and plenty of (duh) wine, you’ll find cornhole for playing, hammocks for relaxing and some pretty stunning views (for Instagramming). Admission is $30, but that’s a small price to avoid fighting the crowds at Brooklyn Bridge Park, if you ask us.

299 Sands St., Building 275, Brooklyn; 703-582-8609 or rooftopreds.com

Douglas Lyle Thompson

Pilot

Feel like blowing some hard-earned American dollars this holiday? For a cool $375 (and up), grab a seat aboard the historic-schooner-turned-charming-restaurant known as Pilot. Your ticket includes an open bar (of nautically inspired cocktails, natch), a seated dinner of unlimited oysters, lobster rolls and watermelon salad, and—not insignificantly—the opportunity to take in the fireworks from the deck of a boat.

Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Brooklyn; pilotbrooklyn.com

Lic Flea & Food

What better way to spend a midweek day off than at the flea market? Shop, hang out in the all-Queens beer garden and nosh on everything from lobster rolls to pizza to “donnolis” (the cannoli-doughnut hybrid you never knew you needed).

5-25 46th Ave., Long Island City; 718-224-5863 or licflea.com

All Good NYC

The Crown

No, that’s not an ironic reference to the British monarchy (or the Netflix show)—it’s the roof of Hotel 50 Bowery. Aside from the obvious draw of 360-degree views, you’ll find live DJs throughout the space and be able to sample the new “Royal Summer” menu, featuring drinks like the Free Spi-ritz (prosecco, rhubarb, grapefruit, violet and Cynar) and food like tequila lime tacos and homemade doughnuts. Grab a ticket or a group package—the party starts at 4 p.m.

50 Bowery; 646-630-8057 or thecrownnyc.com