You're coming here to take an elevator up to the roof of a University District hotel, drink a fancied-up long island iced tea topped with blackberry gummies, and eat a great bacon sandwich. We love the inside, but the patio is the best seat in the house, where you can see the entire skyline. It’s lively and fun without being logistically impossible to get a seat, and somewhat avoids the try-hard energy that can make other rooftops feel more like a photoshoot than a bar.

Captain Blacks is barely two stories tall, but ask any architect and they’ll say that yes, it counts as a roof. The only real difference between a skyscraper and this place is that the people below you look like G.I Joe action figures instead of ants. Even though the view isn’t exactly the most breathtaking, you’ll want to check this Capitol Hill staple off of your summer to-do list immediately. It’s a great choice for double-fisting frozen cocktails and slices of pizza from Good Shape.

The roof at M Bar is like the communal patio of an apartment building that’s designed to lure prospective renters into signing a lease and grilling kabobs immediately. We’d never expect less from a rhombus-shaped building in the heart of South Lake Union. You probably can’t actually live inside this Middle Eastern restaurant/lounge, but you’ll certainly want to after taking the dramatically suspenseful elevator ride up top to sit among the string lights, swings, and Space Needle views.

Rooftop bars get all the love and attention, but we’re here to declare this second-story bakery one of the best in town. The Flora Bakehouse is not just a great place to grab a cheddar-chive scone, pink-frosted fudgy vegan brownie, or soft serve pumped directly into a croissant. This Beacon Hill spot also happens to have a fantastic u-shaped rooftop that’s perfect for an afternoon work session al fresco.

There’s nothing like getting a gnarly sunburn to remind you that hanging out on a rooftop positions you closer to the sun. At Terra Plata, their upstairs herb garden makes paying $16 for manchego biscuits and chorizo gravy not frustrating at all. They take reservations, so it becomes a pretty easy morning party to throw together. And if early evening cocktail-drinking is more your speed, Terra Plata is ideal for watching the sunset.

The Nest has everything that you probably want—especially aesthetically—in a swanky rooftop bar: comfortable sofas that sink when you sit on them, waterfront views with the perfect angle for watching the ferris wheel spin, and overpriced but refreshing cocktails served in metallic flamingo mugs. And most importantly, you can give your Patagonia ensemble the night off—this is where to dress up, drink outside, and not feel silly for it.

Monsoon is a Vietnamese restaurant with a roof that seems ironic for most of the drizzly year—especially for an establishment whose name literally refers to a wind-fueled rainstorm. But for the few months when it’s nice out, the rooftop at Monsoon is a real place where people eat stir-fry and bò lá lốt outside. And if you ever tried to imagine what it might be like to eat crackly imperial rolls while practically perched in a tree, you don’t really have to wonder about that anymore.

If you really want some peace and quiet, the only option is the very secret rooftop at Empire. All you have to do is grab a cold brew with homemade date cashew milk and head up three flights of stairs—past the record store and the restroom with the galaxy cat shower curtain. At the very top, you'll find a small patio with a great breeze, fast WiFi, and complete silence. That is, besides bird chirps, fire truck sirens, and ice cubes clanking around in your cup.

Touted as Pioneer Square’s first rooftop bar, Firn at the Populus Hotel opened with a lot of pressure upon it. And while the long patio space makes for a nice outdoor hang, don’t expect a surplus of high-elevation excitement. It’s located on the sixth floor, eye-level with a few skyscrapers—and the only waterfront sighting is a small slice of shimmering blue obscured by shrubbery.

Frolik Kitchen & Cocktails is a swanky-ish rooftop restaurant in the Motif Hotel downtown, and it’s great for any occasion you might buy a special outfit for—like New Year’s Eve, a corporate client dinner, a company holiday party, or something else celebratory. The food is expensive, and it’s about what you’d expect from a hotel restaurant. We like the patio for drinks and snacks year-round, since it’s heated in the winter and gets a lot of summer sun.

This Capitol Hill spot has a rooftop area with nice city views, along with a cool-looking food truck that’ll have you asking “how did they get it up there?” But the tacos are forgettable, the margaritas are on the pricey side, and the crowd is usually subdued with music cranked up too loud to compensate. On sunny days, the views might be reason enough for a quick stop with chips, salsa, and Coronas. Otherwise, head to Captain Blacks.