Trine loves rooftop bars just as much as I do, so of course we had to stop by Mr. Purple, which is the rooftop bar at Hotel Indigo. My previous visits to Mr. Purple have been during the week, and I’ve been head over heels in love with the beautiful bar with the laid-back atmosphere.
One of the things I like about Lower East Side is that you don’t need to dress up too much to go out, and this also used to be the case for Mr. Purple. On weekdays, the after-work crowd dominates, so if people were wearing a suit, it was most likely because they came straight from work, not because the felt obliged to. The weekend clientele however, turned out to be quite different, and if you didn’t know better, you could easily think that you were at a fancy Meatpacking hot spot.
The tables were “reservation only” so if you didn’t want to splurge on bottle service, you would have to stand up all night. We managed to score a table anyway after assuring the waitress that we would move if she managed to sell the table to someone else. She didn’t, so we could keep the table and ended up spending a couple of hours at Mr. Purple. If it weren’t for the table, I think we would have left after the first drink, because standing up all night is just not for me.
You’ve probably already guessed that I prefer the weekday configuration of Mr. Purple? Even though it’s a lovely place during the summer, there are several other places I’d rather be on a Saturday night. Though if you like cocktails with a view, you shouldn’t write off Mr. Purple, because compared to Meatpacking, the drinks are still cheaper and the staff is nicer.
Cool rooftop bar on the 15th floor at Hotel Indigo. Mr. Purple feels like a Midtown/Meatpacking venue, but without the attitude. There’s no cover charge and drinks are slightly cheaper than what you would expect at a rooftop bar, but more expensive than the surrounding Lower East Side spots.
For the beer drinkers, there’s a good selection of beer including some local craft beer brands, and the prices are wallet-friendly with tap beer for $7.
I was there on a weekday, and the place was busy, but not crowded.
Most people were 30-somethings and the atmosphere was stylish, but relaxed.
I’ve heard that the weekends are different with a long line outside and a different crowd.
• There’s a swimming pool outside, so drinks are served in plastic cups.
Mr. Purple, 180 Orchard St, Lower East Side, New York
The pool 
Mr. Purple 
Trine 
Drinks 
Mr. Purple
