The chain reaction typically starts when the first person spots it on the menu: Ahh, an espresso martini sounds good.

A friend nods in agreement. Another says, “Make that three.” Before the bartender can blink, it’s a round for the table. The espresso martini meme has come to life.

“You can hear, ‘Ohh, they make espresso martinis here,’” Cookhouse bar director Gabriel Valladares said of diners’ chatter upon seeing the cocktail. “Then it’s another 10 orders.”

Around Baltimore, they’re everywhere, with many bartenders in agreement that the simple drink — the standard is vodka, coffee liqueur, espresso and simple syrup — has graduated from fad and revival trend to a modern bar staple.

Don’t know where to begin, or in the mood for a new variation? Start with this mix of traditional takes and bold twists on everyone’s favorite caffeinated cocktail.

La Scala

• 1012 Eastern Ave.

There’s only one place to begin this journey: La Scala. For many veteran imbibers, the Little Italy stalwart is the standard bearer around here.

In a move fitting for a restaurant as old school as this one, La Scala’s management remains tight-lipped about divulging the details of its popular drink. (Just how popular? In 2022, the bar served 11,000 espresso martinis, said bar manager Bulat Kamelov.)

Here’s what they will say: The “simple” recipe — created by Chesley Patterson, their beloved general manager who was killed in January 2022 — is traditional and uses fresh espresso from Sicilian coffee.

“It’s essential, not overly sweet,” Kamelov said. “It has to be well-balanced.”

Longtime customers come in just for espresso martinis (which feature a hand-drawn design of Trinacria, the three-legged symbol of Sicily, on top) and some even buy to-go orders — separated so they can be mixed at home — and give them as gifts.

“They’re here for one purpose and one purpose only,” he said. “They could get a beer or wine anywhere else, but they come in just for an espresso martini.”

Kenwood Tavern

• 800 S. Kenwood Ave.

Run by Matthew and Molly Steinberg, Kenwood Tavern is the neighborhood cocktail bar every neighborhood wishes it had. There’s no TV, but you’ll hear some great music (a record by saxophonist Pharoah Sanders was playing on my recent visit) or easily strike up a conversation with a bartender or patron.

Don’t let the laid-back vibe fool you, though. The Canton bar is producing top-tier cocktails. That includes the Espresso Classico, which uses vanilla syrup (instead of simple syrup) and finishes with grated nutmeg on top, a nod to the Irish coffees made at the New York cocktail bar Dead Rabbit.

They also make a rum-based martini called the Espresso-ish, which isn’t on the current menu but they’ll happily make for you. That version uses herbal-based Italian liqueur Foro Amaro in place of coffee liqueur, producing a more intense and decadent flavor.

Both martinis share a memorable characteristic: a thick, souffle-like top, which is achieved by shaking the cocktail tin extra hard. The result is a mouthfeel that is both luxurious and comforting, like the increasingly popular sweet cream foams offered at coffee shops.

“It’s like icing on the cake, that extra bit of special,” Matthew said.

Cocktail bars can have an intimidating reputation, but that’s the last thing the Steinbergs want. They hope to talk about flavor preferences and collaborate with customers.

“Throw it at us,” he said. “We love a curveball. Guest happiness is everything.”

CookHouse

• 1501 Bolton St.

In some cases, boundaries are necessary. At CookHouse, that means only offering its espresso martini on the dessert menu.

“If we put it on our regular menu, I think we would do triple the amount,” Valladares said.

Too many orders would back up the Bolton Hill bar, especially with bartenders pulling each fresh espresso shot.

But it’s worth the wait. This thing looks museum-ready, particularly with its stenciled finish of cacao powder on top. The key to CookHouse’s martini is its house-made syrups, like a champagne version or a thick demerara option made with dark maple syrup.

One tip from Valladares that applies to all cocktails: Don’t break the bank on the vodka. (They use Skyy.) “You can put 10 vodkas in front of me, I’d be like I dunno,” he said. “They all taste the same.”

What matters most, in this case, is the amalgamation. The balance should be easy to recognize.

“From the first sip, you get the creaminess from the foam and then the bitterness and the sweetness,” the Silver Spring native said. “It’s all placed together and makes the drink what it is.”

Prima Dopo

• 1724 Thames St.

Prima Dopo managing partner Deron Garrity says he knows why espresso martinis are so popular right now: Gen Z is being introduced to them via TikTok and Instagram videos.

He’s seen them, too — including the viral tip of adding shaved Parmesan to an espresso martini.

“It was not tasty,” Garrity said. “I couldn’t get past the smell.”

He soon realized that, as with many cocktails, less is more.

“I was doing an infused tiramisu liqueur whipped cream on top, and then there were three or four other components to it,” he said. “I came to the realization that I had to simplify it.”

That led to Espression to the Rule, an espresso martini made with a custom mocha cold brew from Baltimore’s High Grounds Coffee and finished with chocolate and white chocolate shavings. It’s the Fells Point restaurant’s most popular cocktail by far, Garrity said.

“People say this is the best espresso martini that they’ve had in the city, and they compare us to La Scala a lot,” he said. “I’ll take that compliment all day.”

Royal Blue

• 1733 Maryland Ave.

And then sometimes, it’s all about convenience and speed — like when you’re trying to get back to the dance floor.

Enter Royal Blue’s nitro espresso martini, the only one on this list served on draft. The vodka-based drink is made in batches, using the espresso liqueur Caffè Borghetti and an espresso concentrate made by Baltimore’s Sparkplug Coffee.

The goal, said co-owner Randy Coffren, was to produce a drink quickly and consistently to benefit both customers and potentially slammed bartenders at the Station North spot. (It’s why they just put mojitos on draft, too.)

“On most nights, when we have DJs, there’s not a ton of facetime with bartenders,” Coffren said. “It’s like, ‘I’m grabbing a drink and I’m heading in the back to dance.’ ”

Coffren, who has been in the bar industry for nearly two decades, said the espresso martini sticks out. He can’t recall any other cocktail that “came on so strong” and stuck around.

“I will order one. I think they’re great,” he said. “If you’re dragging a little bit, it’s a little more adult-like to drink a martini rather than a bomb when you’re 40 years old.”