Lower East Side Food & History Tour

Our guide Steve was nice enough, but from the jump he seemed a little overwhelmed by our group of 10. The history shared as we visited each spot was thin and he talked more about Brooklyn than LES. The food quantities and the way it was distributed was awkward - handing the group one plate with bread and pastrami and no small plates until we asked. Nothing to drink. We spent an hour at Katz's waiting to sit, waiting for food - for groups all of that should have been arranged ahead of time. The full service area of the restaurant was practically empty but we stood around for 10-15 min waiting on a table for our group - we were happy to split up and were seated but then were made to move when a larger table was available. The food was always shared as a big common plate - in past tours I've attended small portions were prepared ahead of time and easily distributed upon our arrival.These other tours also offered beer, wine or cocktails at 1 or 2 of the stops for add'l fee that we settled separately. This was never offered. We would have liked to have some interaction with the restaurant staff to hear more about its history and vision - we didn't talk to one staff member or owner. At a vegan shop 2 kids who didnt want what was offered were given ice cream instead but we weren't able to purchase ice cream for ourselves because we were running behind. The final disappointment was at the dumpling stop. Dumplings are one of the cheapest things to eat in NYC so we expected to at least have one dumpling per person. We waited outside for Steve to go in and get the food - again, nothing to drink. We should have been told to bring a water bottle if there was not to be any beverage provided. Steve emerged from the restaurant with one styrofoam box for 10 people! Thenwe had to walk 100 yds to a park where we were supposed to sit and eat but he seemed surprised to find the few tables in the park full on a beautiful, sunny Saturday! So we stood and opened the box. 6 dumplings for 10 people. Our group of 3 were asked to take one dumpling to share... it was not about the $ although this tour was a little pricier than the Greenwich tour we did - we would have purchased more if given the option. At that point we bid the group farewell and went straight to a restaurant to get a proper meal - we were hungry! Our previous tour was the exact opposite. We were so excited to explore LES and I didn't feel like the places other than Katzs were representative of the wonderful streets and options available - we walked over 2 blocks and found a fabulous restaurant to enjoy. Very disappointed but I hope you'll take this feedback in the sincere way it's intended and use it as intended - to make the experience better for your future guests. Also, I'd suggest taking a tour or two from your competition so you know what you're up against.... good luck