For one reason or another I never got to the rooftop bar at the Walker Hotel last season (though I was there before it opened to check out the views) and now it has a new entrance, new lush landscaping and a new name: Happy Be.

Put the name aside (I guess it’s a reference to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” — I am not enough of a Shakespearean to have ever caught that — but it is not all that fun to say, as in, “Let’s meet at Happy Be”) and it is a real treat to be up there: casual, quiet, comfortable and well priced. It’s a perfect stop before or after dinner with a small crowd — no more than six. (Though there is a private deck one level up that I believe seats 10 — they wouldn’t let us see it.)

Reservations are definitely required — it didn’t look full when I made ours that morning, but nearly every seat was taken when we got there. I loved the bar seats at first, but I was convinced to take a booth and it was perfect: the benches are elevated so you can still see the view over the planted railing when you are seated. There are also rail seats along the Broadway and Walker edge, and if everyone didn’t need to sit, that’s a great way to go with a group of four.

Cocktails are $20, beers are $8 and wine is $14 – 18. There’s no real food, but the truffle chips hit the spot for us. Enter at the main hotel doors on Walker, and the receptionist will check you in there.

Get there before summer’s out.

Happy Be
77 Walker at Broadway
events@happybe.nyc
Sun–Thurs 4pm–11pm
Fri-Sat 4pm–12am