We have previous experience with a cocktail tour in NOLA, and were so looking forward to this! Sadly, it was nothing remotely close to our expectations. Firstly, the departure point is misleading. There are 3 speakeasy stops on the tour, starting at the 21 Club, however, you will not be going into the 21 Club at all. It's just a misleading starting point. Secondly, our expectation was that there would be some reserved space for us, however, we were crammed into small spaces that simply could not allow for enjoying our drinks. Lastly, our tour guide didn't seem to take the history portion very seriously. There was interesting history, but it was presented in a jokey, sing-song way that was so off-putting, my husband had to walk away. Be prepared to purchase every cocktail along the way. It's a shame that they don't charge more for the tour, and include the one historical cocktail from each speakeasy in the tour price, along with reserved space in the locations to sit and enjoy your drink with your fellow tour mates. Our group was full of lovely people, by the way! It was the one enjoyable part of the evening. Also, our tour guide handled a conversation with me that left me feeling insulted in front of the whole group. She had no reason to be insulting, other than to make me feel dismissed in front of the group. Not very nice, when we had nice interactions earlier in the tour. My recommendation is to find a tour that is more expensive up front, with drinks included, because you'll end up paying roughly the same in the end anyway.
Ответ от хоста
Nov 2019
Let us respond as a guide for future customers and explanation of our business decisions. First off, this history tour walks past a number of historic speakeasies, while stopping in for drinks at three of them. We have chosen to meet at the 21 Club since it is a part of the New York City speakeasy landscape and at 21 West 52nd Street is conveniently located right in the middle of Midtown and very close to a number of subways. We want the tour to be easy to find. We do not visit the 21 Club as time permits only three drinking stops so choices need to be made. Also, the 21 Club has strict dress code regulations and we know most guests don't have the time or inclination to meet them. As for the fantastic venues we do visit, the tour has a reserved seating area at each of them. The tour is treated like VIPs. Are there occasions where a venue may be particularly crowded? Of course. But the bars are crowded for a reason. They are great spots. As for our hosts not taking the content of the tour seriously. That is not the case. However, we do hire and support aspiring performers. It's part of the company DNA. So the history on the tour is delivered with high energy and flair. We want our guests to be entertained and educated. The tour is fun. But do not mistake theatrical dynamism for joking around. We hire storytellers. As for the pricing. We disagree with the criticism and choose not to pre-order inclusive drinks at a higher price. For one, we want guest to decide the drinks they prefer, the level of alcohol consumed and the amount of dollars spent on our tour. We deliver some of the most creative drink menus and mixologist in NYC. Selecting the cocktails is part of the experience. As for any guest feeling insulted, that is unfortunate, but likely not intentional. We will keep an eye out for such behavior, but our team is there to please. The overwhelming number of positive reviews is a good indicator. In conclusion, we learn from all feedback and welcome the commentary. It challenges our decisions and how we operate. Please feel free to contact us directly as well.