Sunset

About Sunset

Sunset is a contemporary rooftop bar on the top floor of the Sudima Auckland City hotel at 63-67 Nelson Street, in the heart of Auckland CBD. Ten floors up, the room is built around a simple promise: good drinks, good music and good vibes, with sweeping views from Ponsonby and Freemans Bay across the Waitematā Harbour to the Waitākere Ranges — best taken in from golden hour into late night.

The drinks programme is the heart of it: a seasonal lineup of bespoke cocktails, an eclectic wine list of local and international vintages by the glass, a deeper cellar for special occasions, and a locally focused beer selection featuring Auckland favourites like Sawmill and Urbanaut alongside Garage Project and Hallertau. Solid non-alcoholic options, including Seedlip botanical spirits, mean everyone gets a proper pour. Share-style bites from the kitchen are made to move with the drinks.

The week has its own rhythm — Social Hour specials Wednesday to Friday from 4-6pm, live DJ sessions every Friday and Saturday from 4pm, and a relaxed Sunday session from 1pm. Sunset takes limited bookings for small groups of 2-10 and keeps plenty of space for walk-ins. Gift vouchers and group & venue hire are available.

Sunset Auckland: Rooftop Cocktails, DJs and Waitematā Harbour Views Above the CBD

On the 10th floor of the Sudima Auckland City hotel, Sunset is a contemporary rooftop bar that makes the most of every metre of its elevation. From the top of 63-67 Nelson Street, the views stretch from Ponsonby and Freemans Bay across the Waitematā Harbour and out to the Waitākere Ranges — a panorama the team encourages you to take in from golden hour right through to late night. The premise is simple and stated proudly: good drinks, good music and good vibes, set to a DJ-led soundtrack inspired by bars near and far.

Golden Hour, With a Twist

Timing is everything here. The bar opens at 4pm Wednesday to Saturday precisely so guests can settle in as the light turns, and the views from the Ponsonby skyline across the harbour to the bush-clad Waitākeres are at their best in that window. The venue even names a drink after the moment: the Golden Hour Negroni, a classic Negroni given a coffee twist, pours as a limited seasonal special.

A Drinks List Built for Lingering

Cocktails are bespoke and seasonal — around a dozen house pours at any time, from the signature Sunset Spritz (aperitivo blend, apricot, sparkling rosé) to the Strawberry & Rhubarb Sour, the rum-and-cacao Emberglow and the tropical Neon Breeze. Several, including Royal Groove, Fig & Tide and Neon Breeze, can be made alcohol-free with Seedlip botanical spirits, so non-drinkers get a proper cocktail too.

Wine drinkers get an eclectic list of local and international vintages by the glass — Cloudy Bay Pelorus sparkling, Peregrine Sauvignon Blanc from Central Otago, a Provence-style French rosé, a Tuscan Chianti. The cellar runs far deeper for special occasions, from Kumeu River chardonnay and Central Otago pinot noir to Ruinart and Dom Pérignon. The beer fridge is proudly local and varied: Sawmill, Urbanaut, Hallertau and Garage Project sit alongside Morningcider and Monteith's, with Heineken and Tiger on tap and a solid low- and zero-alcohol row. From the kitchen come share-style bites designed to pair with the drinks rather than distract from them.

Back at the back bar, the spirits shelves run from NZ craft names like Scapegrace and Cardrona to a deep whisky selection and a serious tequila and mezcal bench.

Social Hour, DJ Sessions and Sundays

The week has a rhythm. Wednesday to Friday, 4-6pm is Social Hour, when the tap cocktail — a rotating cast of Passionfruit Martini, Espresso Martini and the Sunset Spritz — flows alongside house wine and tap Heineken specials. It's an easy after-work landing spot with the whole city below.

Friday and Saturday, live DJs take over from 4pm, with two local acts each night building the soundtrack towards the city lights; line-ups are posted weekly. Sundays run on an earlier clock, from 1pm to 8pm, for those who like their rooftop session to end at a reasonable hour.

Before You Go

Sunset takes limited bookings for small groups of 2-10 people and deliberately keeps plenty of space for walk-ins, though peak slots — especially Friday and Saturday evenings — can fill quickly. A few house rules worth knowing: one bill per table, ID required for entry, and a dress code applies.

Gift vouchers are available for anyone gifting a sunset with drinks, and the team offers group and venue hire for larger occasions. Come for the views, stay for the list — just time your arrival for golden hour.

Signature items

• Sunset Spritz
• Golden Hour Negroni
• Social Hour Tap Cocktails
• DJ Sessions
• Rooftop Views
• Bespocke Cocktail List

Menu

Gin

• 1919 'Pink' — NZ gin
• Scapegrace 'Black' — NZ gin
• Damson Plum — NZ plum gin
• Roots 'Navy Strength' — NZ navy-strength gin
• Greenall's 'London Dry' — Classic London dry
• Hayman's London Dry | Sloe Gin — London dry or sloe
• Bombay Sapphire — Botanical gin
• Hendrick's — Cucumber and rose gin
• Ki No Bi 'Sei' — Kyoto craft gin

Rum

• Flor de Caña Extra Seco 4yo — Nicaraguan rum
• Flor de Caña Gran Reserva 7yo — Nicaraguan rum
• Angostura 7yo — Trinidadian rum
• Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva — Venezuelan rum
• El Dorado 12yo — Guyanese rum
• Sailor Jerry 'Spiced' — Spiced rum
• Brugal 1888 — Dominican rum

Vodka

• Scapegrace — NZ vodka
• Waiheke Distilling 'Hibiscus & Honey' — NZ infused vodka
• Waiheke Distilling 'Kawakawa Summer' — NZ infused vodka
• The Cardrona 'The Reid' Single Malt — NZ single malt vodka
• Absolut 'Lime' — Flavoured vodka
• Absolut 'Watermelon' — Flavoured vodka
• Finlandia — Finnish vodka
• Tito's — American vodka
• Belvedere — Polish vodka

Cognac

• Hennessy VS — VS cognac
• Martell VS — VS cognac
• Hennessy VSOP — VSOP cognac

Bourbon

• Buffalo Trace — Kentucky bourbon
• Maker's Mark — Kentucky bourbon
• Woodford Reserve — Kentucky bourbon
• Woodford Reserve 'Double Oaked' — Double-oaked bourbon
• Mitcher's 'Kentucky Straight' — Kentucky bourbon
• Willet Pot Still Reserve — Kentucky bourbon

Liqueur

• Cointreau — Orange liqueur
• Edmond Briottet 'Crème de Mûre' — Blackberry liqueur
• Edmond Briottet 'Crème de Pêche' — Peach liqueur
• Edmond Briottet 'Menthe Blanche' — White mint liqueur
• Edmond Briottet 'Crème de Menthe' — Mint liqueur
• Baileys — Irish cream
• Chambord — French black raspberry liqueur
• De Kuyper Elderflower — Elderflower liqueur
• De Kuyper 'Cherry' — Cherry liqueur
• De Kuyper Kwai Lychee — Lychee liqueur
• Disaronno 'Originale' Amaretto — Italian amaretto
• Frangelico — Hazelnut liqueur
• Jägermeister — German herbal liqueur
• Kahlúa — Coffee liqueur
• Pierre Ferrand 'Dry Curaçao' — Orange curaçao

Cocktails

• Sunset Spritz — Aperitivo blend, apricot, sparkling rosé
• Strawberry & Rhubarb Sour — Stil gin, strawberry, rhubarb, lemon, foam
• Lychee Rosé Spritz — Lychee liqueur, rosa vermouth, rosé, hibiscus, lemon, lime, tonic
• Blush Rush — Cazcabel blanco tequila, crème de peche, lime, peach Red Bull
• Phoenix of the South — Malibu, Havana 7yr rum, mango purée, coco Monin, lemon
• Café D'or — Martell VS, Kahlúa, orgeat syrup, orange bitters
• Polished Pour — Sailor Jerry rum, Rémy Martin VSOP, prosecco, Assam, English breakfast and chai teas
• Imperial Bloom — Lychee liqueur, elderflower, Woodford Reserve whiskey, bitters
• Emberglow — Sailor Jerry rum, crème de cacao, cardamom ginger syrup
• Royal Groove — White rum, Chambord, lemon, grapefruit, green apple; Seedlip non-alc option
• Fig & Tide — Crème de figue, Campari, dark rum, pineapple, coconut, lime; Seedlip option
• Neon Breeze — Vanilla vodka, Midori, lemon foam, pineapple, coconut; Seedlip option

Beer On Tap

• Guest Tap — Rotating NZ pour — ask the team
• Heineken 500ml — 5% lager on tap
• Tiger 'Crystal Ultra' 500ml — 4.2% low-carb lager on tap

Cellar — Rosé

• Mount Beautiful Rosé 2024 — North Canterbury
• Château Minuty 'M de Minuty' 2023 — Côtes de Provence, France

Low-Alcohol Beer

• Heineken — 5% bottled lager
• Heineken 'Silver' — 4% low-carb lager
• Tiny Hazy IPA — 0.5% hazy IPA
• Heineken '0.0' — Alcohol-free lager

Tequila & Mezcal

• Cazcabel 'Blanco' — Blanco tequila
• Cazcabel 'Coconut' — Coconut tequila
• Illegal Mezcal 'Joven' — Joven mezcal
• Olmeca 'Altos Plata' — Plata tequila
• Calle 23 'Blanco' — Blanco tequila
• Calle 23 'Reposado' — Reposado tequila
• 1800 'Reposado' — Reposado tequila
• 1800 Coconut — Coconut tequila
• Herradura 'Reposado' — Reposado tequila
• Fortaleza 'Añejo' — Añejo tequila
• Fortaleza 'Reposado' — Reposado tequila

Whisky & Whiskey

• Jack Daniels 'Old No.7' — Tennessee whiskey
• Glenmorangie 10yo — Single malt, Scotland
• Glenmorangie 'Nectar D'or' — Single malt, Scotland
• Glenlivet 12yo — Single malt, Scotland
• Talisker 10yo — Single malt, Scotland
• Ardbeg 'Uigeadail' — Single malt, Scotland
• The Balvenie 'DoubleWood' 12yo — Single malt, Scotland
• Lagavulin 16yo — Single malt, Scotland
• The Cardrona 'The Falcon' — NZ single malt
• Monkey Shoulder — Blended malt, Scotland
• Chivas Regal 'XV' — Blended scotch
• Jameson — Irish blend
• Fireball 'Cinnamon' — Cinnamon whisky, Canada
• Rittenhouse — American rye
• Sazerac — American rye

Wine By The Glass

• Billecart-Salmon 1818 Brut Réserve — French champagne
• Cloudy Bay 'Pelorus' Brut NV — Marlborough sparkling
• Sartori Prosecco Brut NV — Italian prosecco
• Huia Pinot Gris 2023 — Marlborough pinot gris
• Organised Chaos Chenin Blanc 2022 — Hawke's Bay chenin blanc
• Peregrine Sauvignon Blanc 2023 — Central Otago sauvignon blanc
• Shield Chardonnay 2023 — Nelson chardonnay
• Mount Beautiful Rosé 2024 — North Canterbury rosé
• Château Roubine 'La Vie en' 2023 — French rosé
• Seresin 'Leah' Pinot Noir 2023 — Organic Marlborough pinot noir
• Elephant Hill Merlot 2019 — Hawke's Bay merlot
• Leonardo Da Vinci Chianti 2022 — Italian chianti
• Dune Blewitt Springs Shiraz 2024 — Australian shiraz
• Warre's Otima Tawny Port 10yo — Aged tawny port

Cellar — Red Wine

• Ross Taylor '290' Pinot Noir 2024 — Central Otago
• Seresin 'Leah' Pinot Noir 2023 — Organic, Marlborough
• Craggy Range Pinot Noir 2025 — Martinborough
• Surveyor Thomson Pinot Noir 2019 — Central Otago
• Te Mata 'Awatea' Cabernets Merlot 2023 — Hawke's Bay blend
• Elephant Hill Merlot 2019 — Hawke's Bay
• Hans Herzog Tempranillo 2018 — Organic, Marlborough
• La Boca 'Las Calles' Malbec 2023 — Argentina
• Leonardo da Vinci Chianti 2022 — Italy
• Guigal Côtes du Rhône Rouge 2020 — France
• Dune Blewitt Springs Shiraz 2024 — Australia

Fridge Beer & Cider

• Crimson Badger 'Ginger Beer' — 4% ginger beer, Queenstown
• Sawmill Pilsner — 4.8% pilsner, Auckland
• Sawmill 'The Doctor' Doppelbock — 6.5% doppelbock, Auckland
• Urbanaut 'Newtown' Hazy Pale Ale — 4.8% hazy pale ale, Auckland
• Garage Project 'Fugazi' Session IPA — 2.2% session IPA, Wellington
• Hallertau #7 Maximums IPA — 5.8% IPA, Auckland
• Urbanaut 'Beat Street' Low Carb Hazy IPA — 5.6% hazy IPA, Auckland
• Garage Project 'Black Beer' — 4.8% black beer, Auckland
• Sawmill 'Nimble' Pale Ale — 2.5% light pale ale, Auckland
• Morningcider 'Strawberry Rosé' — 4.9% cider, Auckland
• Monteith's 'Crushed Apple' — 4.5% apple cider, Greymouth

ApéRitif & Digestif

• Aperol — Italian apéritif
• Picon 'Amer — French apéritif
• Campari — Italian bitter
• Limoncello — Italian lemon liqueur

Cellar — White Wine

• Felton Road 'Bannockburn' Riesling 2024 — Organic, Central Otago
• Smith & Sheth CRU 'Heretaunga' Albariño 2023 — Hawke's Bay albariño
• Huia Pinot Gris 2023 — Marlborough
• Peregrine Sauvignon Blanc 2023 — Central Otago
• Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2023 — Marlborough
• Organised Chaos Chenin Blanc 2022 — Hawke's Bay
• Shield Chardonnay 2023 — Nelson
• Kumeu River 'Estate' Chardonnay 2023 — Organic, Auckland
• Domaine de La Meuliere Chablis 2022 — French Chablis

Non-Alcoholic Spirits

• Seedlip 'Grove 42' — Citrus-forward alcohol-free spirit
• Seedlip 'Spice 94' — Aromatic alcohol-free spirit
• Seedlip 'Garden 108' — Herbal alcohol-free spirit

Cellar — Dessert Wine

• Château Villefranche Sauternes 2019 — French sweet wine, 375ml bottle

Tonic, Soda & Soft Drinks

• Premium Mixers — Mediterranean tonic, grapefruit soda, yuzu lime soda, ginger beer
• Soft Drinks — Coca Cola Classic, Coke Zero Sugar, Sprite
• Red Bull — Classic, Zero or Coconut Edition Sugarfree

Cellar — Champagne & Bubbles

• Dom Pérignon 'Vintage' 2013 — Iconic French vintage champagne
• Ruinart 'Blanc de Blancs' NV — Chardonnay-led French champagne
• Billecart-Salmon Le Réserve NV — House-style French champagne
• Billecart-Salmon 1818 Brut Réserve — Brut réserve champagne
• Billecart-Salmon Le Rosé — French rosé champagne
• Moët & Chandon 'Grand Vintage' Brut 2015 — Vintage French champagne
• Cloudy Bay 'Pelorus' Brut NV — Marlborough sparkling
• Sartori Prosecco Rosé DOC 2021 — Italian sparkling rosé
• Sartori Prosecco Brut NV — Italian prosecco

Frequently asked questions

Where is Sunset located?

On the top (10th) floor of the Sudima Auckland City hotel, 63-67 Nelson Street, Auckland CBD.

What are Sunset's opening hours?

Wednesday to Saturday from 4pm till late, and Sundays from 1pm to 8pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Some public holiday hours vary (e.g. closed Christmas Eve).

Do I need a booking?

Sunset takes limited bookings for small groups of 2-10 people. Availability at peak times may be limited, as plenty of space is kept for walk-ins.

Is there a dress code or ID requirement?

Yes — ID is required for entry and a dress code applies.

When are the DJ sessions?

Live DJs play every Friday and Saturday from 4pm, with the weekly line-up announced on the bar's website and Instagram.

What is Social Hour?

Wednesday to Friday, 4-6pm, with specials on tap cocktails (Passionfruit Martini, Espresso Martini, Sunset Spritz), house wine and tap Heineken.

Can I book Sunset for a group or event?

Yes — group and venue hire options are available, plus gift vouchers. Note that one bill per table applies.

Tips

• {"body":"The views from Ponsonby and Freemans Bay across the Waitematā Harbour to the Waitākere Ranges are at their best from golden hour into late night.","title":"Time it for golden hour"}
• {"body":"Wednesday to Friday, 4-6pm brings specials on tap cocktails, house wine and tap Heineken — an easy after-work window.","title":"Hit Social Hour"}
• {"body":"Only small-group bookings of 2-10 are taken and space is kept for walk-ins, but Friday and Saturday peak times fill fast — arrive early for DJ nights.","title":"Walk in early on weekends"}
• {"body":"ID is required for entry and a dress code applies, so plan accordingly before heading up to the 10th floor.","title":"Bring your ID"}
• {"body":"Sundays run from 1pm to 8pm — an earlier rooftop window if you want the views without the late night.","title":"Try the Sunday session"}

Good to know

• {"payments":"One bill per table."}