As soon as we entered the restaurant, our senses went into overdrive. There was the rowdy crowd, laughing and chatting noisily over music that blasted from the speakers. The huge tables were hidden under monstrous dishes of macaroni and cheese, heaps of nachos, and inch-thick quesadillas. The décor was just as striking; graffiti art and paraphernalia, ranging from vintage concert posters to old license plates, were plastered on every wall. Our sense of smell, too, was overwhelmed by the variety of food, which combined to create an exceptionally savory scent.

We were grateful that our friend Carrie Carella, owner of NoRA Cupcake Factory and former general manager of Eli Cannon’s, was there to lead us to our table as we stared wide-eyed at the spectacle that is Eli Cannon’s Tap Room.

We squeezed through the maze of customers, waiters, and artwork to arrive at a large booth in the corner, where Eli’s owner and founder Phil Ouellette stood to help us navigate the complex and delightfully overwhelming restaurant. He handed us the novel-sized menus, filled with hand-drawn artwork and every type of comfort food and bar snack you could imagine.

As we flipped through the seemingly infinite number of pages, we struggled to figure out what we wanted to order.

“How about we just go with some of our specialty dishes?” Carella recommended.

We nodded enthusiastically, and the two led us to explore more of the restaurant.

After walking us through more of the seating area, Ouellette and Carella took us to the door that led to the Eli Cannon’s “beach,” an outdoor area complete with sand, beach chairs, and of course, more art.

We learned that this area was built to accommodate people waiting to sit down inside. Because of the restaurant’s popularity, there is almost always a wait at Eli Cannon’s, and Ouellette wanted to provide a cool atmosphere in which people can enjoy food and drinks while they wait. He’s also planning to expand and is in the process of building a V.I.P. area to be used mainly for special parties booked in advance.

As he led us back to our table, Ouellette explained the history of the establishment. Prior to starting Eli’s, he was a bartender at Mother’s, which previously occupied the building. When Mother’s shut down, Ouellette knew he needed a job and decided if he couldn’t find one elsewhere, he would just have to make one for himself.

“It wasn’t like a business plan,” Ouellette said. “I needed a job. I was really just trying to create a bartending job for myself, because I lost my job when Mother’s closed.”

In the 19 years since its opening, Eli’s has become a Middletown staple, though more so for the permanent residents than for Wesleyan students. Whether it’s the renowned beer-on-tap selections (famous throughout New England), the unique and energetic atmosphere, or the creative and delicious food, Oullette seems to have hit on a winning combination.

He and Carella attest to having a significant number of regulars who come to Eli’s knowing exactly what they want.

“We find that there’s bar people and there’s restaurant people,” Ouellette remarked. “And then there’s booth people. There are people who will wait two hours for a booth because they want to sit in a booth.”

Ouellette also explained that, despite the disappointment of some of the regulars, the menu changes every year. They strongly believe in constantly improving their restaurant.

“[The restaurant has] just been a work in progress, and we haven’t stopped,” Ouellette said.

When asked about the culinary style at Eli’s, Ouelette and Carella chuckled a bit and grinned at each other.

“We call it American trailer-park fusion,” they said almost in unison.

“It’s all the comforts of home with a little dash of Honey Boo Boo,” Ouellette added.

Based on what we sampled, this eclectic characterization was entirely accurate. Our meal included macaroni and cheese mixed with barbeque pulled pork, bourbon teriyaki wings, fried pickles and fried jalapeno peppers, nachos with chicken (and every other topping you could imagine), and a “Big E” quesadilla, which includes all the ingredients in a McDonald’s “Big Mac” stuffed inside a cheese-encrusted quesadilla.

Needless to say, it was a lot of food.

Everything that arrived at the table was delicious, and we found ourselves physically unable to leave the booth after the meal. Our favorites were the “Big E” and the fried pickles, but all of the food was perfectly greasy and soul-satisfying. Plus, the prices were phenomenal. For $12.50 a customer can purchase what appears to be a trough full of macaroni and cheese. Once the four of us pushed our plates away, incredibly full and unable to continue, there was still more than half of it left.

Before experiencing it for ourselves, we were hesitant to go to Eli Cannon’s. We thought it was just a typical bar that served greasy and unimaginative food and was located far away in the North End.

In reality, it is more than just another bar. The wild atmosphere makes it unique and separates it from other eateries in Middletown. After designing both NoRA and Eli’s, Ouellette could probably score a job as an interior designer. In addition, the drink menu is known far and wide for its diversity and originality, and the food is perfect for a casual night out. To put it simply, Eli’s provides a down-to-earth experience that is a true reminder of everything that makes Middletown dining unique and special.