Its entrance was subtly marked, only with a small brass dragon business card holder, affixed to the front door at street-level.

[3] Tables included condiments – eyedroppers with lemon, lime, sugar, and bitters, inviting guests to customize their drinks.

Saunders was also noted to not accept poor behavior from guests at Pegu Club: part of the cocktail revolution was a change in viewing bartenders from a "liquid butler" to a professional worthy of respect.

[4] The bar highlighted rye and gin, and was famed for not serving any vodka, allowing its guests to discover spirits they thought they might not enjoy.

These included smoked trout deviled eggs, scallop mini butgers, and a slider with pulled duck and barbecue sauce.

[7] It was also influential in training several of the best-known bartenders;[3] its opening staff was Toby Maloney, Phil Ward, Jim Meehan, and Chad Solomon, all of whom would eventually create their own cocktail bars.