story by SARAH THOMPSON
Let’s talk about how an animated children’s movie from 2001 is still running the culture. Because tell me why I can walk into Five Below in the big 2026, come face-to-face with a whole display of Shrek merch, and not even blink. That’s impact.
Case in point: when I casually floated the idea of a Shrek-themed party to my friends, nobody hesitated. No awkward silence, no confusion, just immediate chaos in the group chat regarding the million different Pinterest-worthy Shrek-themed foods we could serve: onion-flavored everything, aggressively green snacks, and an alarming amount of fudgy desserts to represent the swamp.
As for the drinks, that was an immediate no-brainer. If you’re throwing a Shrek party and you don’t serve the eyeball cocktail, what are we even doing here? In case you need a visual refresher, Shrek treats himself to a martini with an actual eyeball garnish in the first movie. Disturbing. Yet iconic. Here’s that scene it is in it’s full glory:
Shrek appears to use a real eyeball in his recipe, though our friends at Ciroc thought it would be more appetizing to substitute a cocktail onion stuffed with a black olive. (We agree.)
This cocktail recipe lands somewhere between a dirty martini and a Gibson martini since it uses onion brine, though you can easily customize it to fit your crowd’s taste. It’s savory, bold, and weirdly elegant—kind of like Shrek himself, honestly.
Less Oniony Substitutions
Shrek loves his onions, but if you’re not a fan, you can totally make an appletini instead. For the eyeball garnish, stick a blueberry inside a lychee and boom—Shrektini.
Bottom line: If you’ve been waiting for a sign to host a Shrek party, this is it. Serve the eyeball martinis. Blast the soundtrack. Let your inner ogre live, because two decades later, Shrek is still that girl.
Check out the full recipe ahead:
Photo via Dreamworks / YouTube
Eyeball Martini Cocktail From Shrek
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. (4 tbsp) Ciroc vodka
- 1 oz. (2 tbsp) cocktail onion brine
- 1 tsp vermouth
- 1½ cups ice (or enough to fill the shaker halfway)
- Cocktail onions and black olives, for garnishing
Directions:
- Prep the Glass: Place a martini glass or coupe in the freezer for 5–10 minutes. A “cloudy” drink looks best in a crystal-cold glass.
- Combine: Add the vodka, cocktail onion brine, and the dash of dry vermouth into a cocktail shaker.
- Chill: Fill the shaker with plenty of ice. Shake vigorously for about 15 seconds. You want the shaker to be cold to the touch to ensure the drink is properly diluted and aerated.
- Strain: Double strain (if you have a fine mesh strainer) into your chilled glass to prevent ice shards from floating on top.
- Assemble the Eyeball: Use a straw or small knife to scoop a hole into the center of a cocktail onion. Trim a black olive to fit, then press it into the onion hole. Skewer the onion through the side, piercing the olive to lock it in place.
- Garnish: Carefully drop your “eyeball” into the bottom of the glass or thread it onto a cocktail pick and rest it across the rim so it’s peering out of the drink.
- Serve and Enjoy!
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