What Does ‘Straight Up’ Actually Mean When Ordering a Martini?

The Martini is a virtually inescapable cocktail, with bar menus from coast to coast typically listing at least one version of the drink. But even before the recent Martini mania birthed countless iterations, there were dozens of ways to order a Martini. Gin or vodka? Dirty or dry? Shaken or stirred? You get the point.

Of all the ways to order a Martini, there’s one that sticks out — and not for its proclivity to wade into NSFW territory. It stands out because ordering a Martini in this style is, to put it simply, redundant. To learn more about what it actually means to call for a Martini straight up, VinePair spoke with Keith Larry, bar director at the newly opened Dandelion in New York City’s West Village.

“When a guest orders a Martini ‘straight up’ from me, it generally seems to be something they simply find fun to say,” he says. “On some occasions, I’ve noticed when someone says ‘dry Vodka Martini, straight up,’ or ‘shaken, straight up,’ they often intend to communicate that they want no vermouth whatsoever.”

Larry’s comment on intention is a key clarifier here considering that ordering a Martini straight up is just… ordering a Martini. At its essence, the term “straight up” refers to any drink that has been shaken or stirred with ice, strained, and served up. Sound familiar? Probably because it’s the same thing as ordering a cocktail “up,” which is how Martinis are traditionally served.

That said, it’s easy to understand how the call came to signify a drink without vermouth. The Martini is a spirituous cocktail, after all, and ordering a spirit straight tends to let your bartender know you want it neat. Combine that with the fact that the Martini is served up, and “straight up” starts to make a little sense.

“I started hearing it from tourists at Employees Only about 10 years ago, usually as a confused and probably incorrect term,” Larry says. “Today, though, it’s mostly used by people ordering vodka Martinis rather than those ordering gin.”

That’s likely because it’s fairly common for vodka lovers to order their ‘tinis bone dry — so dry there’s not a lick of vermouth involved. The call might make sense in the context of Martinis, but it gets even more confusing when other cocktails are ordered straight up.

“It’s mostly used by people ordering vodka Martinis,” Larry explains. “But I’ve also had a few Manhattans or Gimlets ordered ‘straight up’ in the past.”

The Manhattan, to give credit, is served up and utilizes sweet vermouth in the build. But that’s about where its similarities with the Martini end. Should straight up mean the same thing with Manhattans as Martinis, it could mean anything from a standard Manhattan, to one made with just rye and Angostura, to just rye whiskey in a cocktail glass. It’s a similar case for the Gimlet, which is made with gin, lime juice, and simple syrup — but notably no vermouth.

Is it possible that these guests actually do want a Gimlet made without any citrus or sugar? Sure. Are we more inclined to think they want their Gimlet to arrive fully composed, chilled, and served up? Yes, yes we are.

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