On Wesleyan’s campus, Wednesday night means hitting the bars. Here’s a sampling of some local options.
Gatekeeper, 73 Ferry St.
In many ways, the Gatekeeper would make a great setting for a Bruce Springsteen song. With its unassuming façade, unpretentious beer list and low-budget decorations, it’s a decidedly toned-down joint. Its amenities are few: there’s the jukebox, the pool table and the parking spots outside that serve as a makeshift patio. You’re unlikely to find Zeinenkugel Sunset Wheat on tap but there are options beyond the Coors or Bud route including Sam Adams and the Gatekeeper shot (a secret mix of seven types of alcohol). A gastro-pub it’s not, but as any bar night participant will tell you, it’s a favorite among students. On any given Wednesday night during the semester, the place is packed to the gills with upperclassmen. There may be places on Main Street with larger beer selections and fewer pitcher shortages but the Gatekeeper is unmatched in its honesty and hospitality. It is what it is: a small bar on a small street in a small city. It’s also the University’s unofficial bar.
Eli Cannon’s, 695 Main St.
Kind of like TGI Friday’s but with a soul, Eli Cannon’s has been a Middletown staple for over ten years now. Whether or not you agree with its website’s description of itself as an “Irish/English Pub/United States trailer park fusion,” you can’t deny that it draws a crowd. Among locals, it is arguably the most popular of Main Street’s bar and grills. It has an insanely large number of beers on tap that rotate daily and always seem to include something you’ve never heard of. Its large menu doesn’t stray too far from typical grill food but most of it is very well done. Just as impressive are the eclectic decorations that include everything from an old player piano to antique bicycles to any number of posters and signs. Eli’s is probably better suited for smaller groups as its bar is somewhat small and getting a large table is difficult. Experienced patrons understand that to show up unannounced on a weeknight carries the risk of a thirty minute wait for a table.
Nikita’s Bar and Bistro,
484 Main St.
Nikita’s is like Eli Cannon’s ugly cousin who no one wants to take to the dance. It shares so many of the characteristics of its bar/grill counterpart across the street but draws much less attention. Yet like that dateless girl, once you get to know her you realize she has a wonderful sense of humor, nice eyes and a great selection of seasonal ales. As any regular can tell you, Nikita’s food and drink offerings make it just as good if not better than Eli Cannon’s. It boasts nearly one hundred varieties of bottled beer and an equally expansive wine list. Like Eli Cannon’s it serves upscale bar food like specialty burgers and bougie appetizers. However, its menu also includes some more grownup offerings like Herb Marinated Rack of Lamb and an Indian curried vegetable dish. Be sure to start off bar night with their “flip it to win it” deal from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays when a free beer is just a coin flip away. Also, stay clear of the Jalapeño Poppers. They’re fried death.
Hair of the Dog, 544 Main St.
Given Wesleyan students’ proclivity for skinny jeans, thick-rimmed glasses, Jens Lekman and meta-analysis, Hair of the Dog might not be up their alley. More state school than Wesleyan, the place may be too much of a typical New England bar for some students. Sure, the owners may have cleverly derived its name from a 16th-century English metaphor but a typical Hair of the Dog experience is far less erudite. This should immediately strike a visitor to H of the D upon seeing the “House wine is Jagermeister” sign by the door. Don’t, however, let the run of the mill atmosphere deter you, as Hair of the Dog has pretty impressive drink offerings. Predictably hardier beers like Smithwicks and Liberty Ale are offset by lighter offerings such as Blue Moon. North Face fleeces and pink Red Sox hats aren’t required but are suggested.
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