Rainbow Room is a legendary New York eatery, one of those landmarks that must be experienced at least once (or often). The restaurant occupies a very special location—the 65th floor of the skyscraper called 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Fans of the TV show 30 Rock or the Tonight Show might recognize this landmark building as the home of NBC. The chic restaurant specializes in American cuisine served with style along with iconic views of New York City.

With a history like no other restaurant, the Rainbow Room opened in 1934. It was the first NYC restaurant to open on the top floor of a skyscraper and was quite a sensation when it opened. In designing the restaurant, architect Wallace Harrison took inspiration from the Carlu in Toronto.

The Arte Moderne marvel occupied the seventh floor of the Eaton Department Store, providing space for concerts and other events. Its Round Room Restaurant provided the inspiration that Harrison needed for the Rainbow Room. During the swinging early years, big bands performed and people took to the dance floor with the New York City skyline as a backdrop.

As the New York City dining room boomed, the supper club lost its appeal and eventually closed. In the 1980s, the son of industrialist John D. Rockefeller, Jr., David Rockefeller, led the charge to restore and expand the restaurant. The Rainbow Room enjoyed its resurgence until the 2008 financial crisis led to the decline of this and many other New York institutions.

But this wasn't the end of the story. The Rainbow Room rose again, just like a phoenix from the ashes, opening again in 2013. The restaurant was declared a New York City landmark, just like the Brooklyn Bridge and the Seagram Building, saving it from turning into office space.

In its latest incarnation, the Rainbow Room is open for Sunday brunch and Monday evening dinner and entertainment. Both events are quite popular, so you'll need to make reservations up to two months in advance. The James Beard award-winning chef Jonathan Wright designed the brunch menu, incorporating global cuisines. Children are welcome at the meal with discounts for kids 12 and under. Small children, under the age of three, can eat for free.

The Monday experience begins with a prix fixe menu that changes according to the event, followed by an intimate concert. Guests are required to dress for dinner, especially with jackets for the gentlemen in attendance. For those wanting to dine at other times, the Rainbow Room can arrange for private events for up to 300 people.

Want to enjoy the views of the skyline and a cocktail at the same time? The Rainbow Room's lounge will perfectly fit the bill. SixtyFive features 10-foot-high windows with views that stretch out some 30 miles in three different directions—north, west, and south.

The lounge serves up its views and drinks during the work week, from Monday to Friday starting at 5 p.m., a perfect place to gather after an NBC studio tour or before heading out to explore the New York City nightlife. Service continues through midnight. Casual dress is more than acceptable, but guests are asked to leave those baseball caps back at the hotel or at home.