You’re standing in the middle of 45th Street. It’s loud. Someone in a dusty Elmo suit is trying to high-five you, a tour bus is honking at a delivery truck, and the neon lights are basically vibrating. You look up at the Marriott Marquis and think about the view. Specifically, the view from The View, the famous revolving restaurant Times Square has boasted about for decades.
But here is the thing: most people aren't sure if it's open, if it’s a tourist trap, or if the floor even still moves.
New York City changes fast. One minute a landmark is a staple of the skyline, and the next, it’s being gutted for a digital billboard. The story of the revolving restaurant in Times Square isn't just about steak and overpriced cocktails. It’s about engineering, 1980s architectural ambition, and a city that refuses to sit still—literally. If you’ve ever wanted to see the city spin while you eat, you need to know what you’re actually signing up for before you hit the elevator button.
The Engineering Behind the Spin
Let’s talk about how this thing actually works. It's weirdly simple. The revolving restaurant Times Square locals and tourists visit sits on the 47th and 48th floors of the New York Marriott Marquis. It doesn't use some high-tech magnetic levitation. Instead, it’s basically a giant turntable.
The center of the room—where the kitchen, the elevators, and the bathrooms are—stays completely still. It’s the "core." The outer ring, where the tables and the windows are, sits on a series of wheels and tracks. Think of it like a very slow, very heavy record player. It takes about an hour to make one full rotation.
That speed is intentional. Go any faster and you’d have a room full of nauseous tourists. At one revolution per hour, the movement is almost imperceptible until you look down at your plate, look back up, and realize the Empire State Building has been replaced by the Hudson River.
Why does it exist?
Architect John Portman designed the Marriott Marquis in the early 80s. At the time, Times Square was... gritty. To put it nicely. Portman’s "atrium" style was meant to create an urban oasis—a way to be in New York without being of New York. The revolving restaurant was the crown jewel of this "fortress" architecture. It allowed people to see the city from a safe, climate-controlled distance.
The Modern Reality of the Revolving Restaurant Times Square
If you’re planning a trip right now, you need the actual facts. For a long time, post-2020, the restaurant was dark. People were worried it was gone for good. But the Marriott Marquis didn't give up on it. They dumped about $30 million into renovating the hotel, and the restaurant space was a huge part of that.
Currently, The View operates primarily as a lounge and dinner spot, but accessibility can be finicky. You can’t just wander in. You usually need a reservation, and honestly, even then, you might be waiting at the ground floor elevator bank.
What’s the vibe?
It’s "New York Fancy," which is a specific brand of formal. You’ll see people in suits next to people in nice jeans and sweaters. Don't show up in gym shorts. They won't let you in, and it'll be embarrassing. The food? It’s fine. Let’s be real. You aren't going there for a Michelin-starred culinary epiphany. You’re going for the fact that your chair is moving.
The menu is standard American upscale—think aged steaks, seafood, and the kind of desserts that come with architectural chocolate garnishes. It’s expensive. You’re paying a "view tax," and everyone knows it. But when the sun sets and the lights of Broadway start to glow 48 stories below you, the $50 entree feels a lot more justifiable.
Common Misconceptions and Total Myths
People get a lot wrong about this place. No, it doesn't make people sea-sick. Honestly, most people forget it's moving until they realize they can't find the buffet because it "moved" (spoiler: the buffet stayed still, you moved).
- Myth 1: It spins fast. Nope. It’s 360 degrees in 60 minutes.
- Myth 2: It’s the only one in the city. Actually, it is the only revolving rooftop restaurant in NYC right now. There used to be others, but they’ve all stopped spinning or closed down.
- Myth 3: You can see the Statue of Liberty. On a very clear day? Maybe a tiny speck. But you’re mostly looking at the Midtown skyline, the Hudson, and the neon chaos of the Crossroads of the World.
Is it a Tourist Trap?
Kinda. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
New Yorkers love to hate on Times Square. They’ll tell you to go to a dive bar in Brooklyn or a bistro in the West Village instead. And sure, those places have better food. But they don't spin. There is something undeniably "Big Apple" about being high above the noise, watching the yellow taxis crawl like ants while you sip a martini.
If you have kids, they will lose their minds. If you’re on a first date and the conversation gets awkward, you can just point out the window and talk about the architecture. It’s a built-in icebreaker.
Navigating the Logistics
Getting there is half the battle. The Marriott Marquis is a labyrinth. You have to take the "space shuttle" glass elevators. They’re fast. Your ears will pop.
Pro Tip: If you don’t want to commit to a full, expensive dinner, try to go just for drinks at the lounge. You still get the rotation, but you aren't dropped into a three-course financial commitment. Just be aware that there is often a cover charge for the lounge after a certain hour, usually around 8:00 PM.
Why the 48th floor?
Height matters in Manhattan. At 48 stories, you’re tall enough to see over most of the surrounding buildings, but low enough that you can still see the "texture" of the city. If you go too high—like the One World Observatory—the cars just look like dots. At the revolving restaurant Times Square offers, you can still see the steam rising from the manholes and the glow of the digital billboards. It feels connected to the street.
The Future of the Spin
There’s always a rumor that these types of restaurants are going out of style. Maintenance is a nightmare. Keeping a 40-year-old rotating floor balanced and silent requires constant grease, gear checks, and structural inspections. Many revolving restaurants around the world have simply "parked" their floors because the repair costs weren't worth it.
However, the Marriott Marquis seems committed. The recent renovations suggest that the revolving restaurant Times Square has called its own isn't going anywhere. It’s a landmark. In a city that is constantly tearing things down to build glass boxes, there is something nostalgic about a room that rotates.
How to Do It Right
If you’re going to do this, don’t do it halfway.
- Check the Weather: If it’s foggy, don’t bother. You’ll be spinning inside a gray cloud and it’ll feel like being in a very expensive washing machine.
- Time Your Entry: Aim for 30 minutes before sunset. You get the "Golden Hour" light, the sunset over New Jersey, and then the "twinkle" of the city lights coming on. It’s three views for the price of one.
- Ask for the Window: This sounds obvious, but even though the whole thing rotates, some tables are "inner ring" and some are "window-side." If you’re paying for the spin, you want to be against the glass.
- Budget for the Experience: Expect to spend at least $100 per person if you’re eating. If that makes you winced, stick to the lounge.
Actionable Steps for Your Visit
If you're ready to see the city move, here is your immediate checklist. First, go to the official Marriott Marquis website or use a reservation app like OpenTable. These spots fill up weeks in advance, especially on weekends or during the holidays. Second, verify the dress code on the day of your visit; they’ve been known to tighten or loosen it based on the season.
Finally, don't rush. The whole point of a revolving restaurant is the slow burn. Order an appetizer, take your time, and let the city reveal itself to you one degree at a time. It’s one of the few places in Manhattan where you are actually encouraged to sit still while the world moves around you.
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When you leave, take the stairs down one flight to see the hotel’s atrium from the top—it’s one of the largest in the world and offers a dizzying perspective of the elevators you just rode. It’s the perfect way to cap off the experience before you head back down into the neon madness of Broadway.