i would have like to have gone in the opposite order, the Back Room was great, but by the time we got there it was too crowded to really enjoy. This is a REALLY SMALL recommendation because the tour was great and showed the hidden side of NYC and it made me want to do a treasure hunt of other speakeasies through the city and even look around my home town of Philadelphia. Alex our tour guide had some fun historical facts, was open to our questions and made good suggestions on where you could find more information on the history of the cocktail and the probation era that created the speakeasy.
The first two stops of our SOHONOHO tour were to very none descript bars, that if you did not know about them, you would have just walked past them, the third was the most fun only because of the direction to get there walk through the restaurant, through the kitchen and at the back of the kitchen walk the through the door that says do not enter, employees only. Finally we came to the Back Room, the true 20s speakeasy right down to the drinks served in tea cups.
If you go, follow the direction given by the tour, wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to walk, the walking is not bad since you have stops along the way and Alex kept the pace going based on the group members. Like all drinking nights out, interact with the other tour members it will make the night that more fun.
Next to the broadway show while visiting NYC, the tour was the highlight of our trip and worth the early evening time, leaving time for a late dinner and few after dinner drinks. Enjoy!