14 Best Restaurants in Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island, Maine

Located on a nub jutting into Somes Sound a few miles from Northeast Harbor, this place hums on summer nights as adults grab a drink from the outside bar, kids and dogs romp, and folks angle to watch lobsters cook in an open-air kitchen before eating at tables about the sloping lawn; the window-lined mid-century wood-walled dining room has views from every table. There are separate menus for each dining space though there is some overlap including the wood-fired boiled lobster, a lobster roll, fried clams, and the 9-ounce house burger. Mussels steamed with mushrooms, herbs, and cream and served with housemade focaccia bread are a delightful dinner-only appetizer.

On a side street near the Village Green, this place (and its sister arm, The Annex) hops on busy summer evenings as folks line up for its comfort food like fish tacos and burgers. Outdoor and indoor dining spaces, one anchored by a horseshoe bar, flow together and exposed brick, and a cork wall and ceiling, add warmth to the welcoming, modern, family-friendly vibe; friendly dogs are allowed outside. The main restaurant and The Annex (no lunch) serve from the same menu until 9 pm when the former closes and The Annex offers appetizers, desserts, and mac-and-cheese for its final hour.

Overlooking the water out back and practically hugging Route 3 out the front, this 1883 four-story gray-shingled restaurant and inn can’t be missed nor is the opportunity to dine here and savor the spectacular view of picturesque Northeast Harbor, especially from the large deck fronting the classic old New England dining room. The menu offers a handful of entrées, including filet mignon, and lighter fare like fish tacos. The dining room’s mural-like wallpaper adds to the old New England vibe. Many of the inn’s guest rooms (30 in the main house), each well-appointed and unique, have water views.

Glass walls let you see this busy craft brewery spot in action even before you enter, but look up or head up—there’s rooftop seating with great Bar Harbor views. After ordering a flight or glass of beer, choose from a food menu offering soups, sandwiches, salads, and lobster and crab rolls. Founded in Bar Harbor in 1991 and later acquiring another local brewer, Atlantic Brewing Co.’s farmstead brewery eight miles away in the town’s outlying Town Hill area ( 15 Knox Hill Rd.) has a seasonal tasting room and restaurant, Mainely Meat BBQ. Private tours of the brewery are available for parties of four or more. 

Watch lobstermen and fishermen haul their catch and pleasure craft come and go at this working pier with a large restaurant that's big on lobster, clams, and other seafood but also sells burgers, steak, and hot dogs for the kids. There’s a roofed seating area with a bar, waterside bar tables for two along a covered pier walkway, indoor dining (upper level), and patio seating. Some seafood baskets offer a choice of fried or seared. The traditional lobster meal is served with cornbread, corn-on-the-cob, and coleslaw.

Ogling the assorted goodies makes for a fun wait in the often long lines at this cheeky, old-fashioned candy and ice cream shop. Most of the candy, including numerous varieties of fine chocolates and fudge, is made right here, as is the ice cream (64 flavors) and gelato (8 flavors). Folks congregate, generously scooped cone in hand, by the large "lobster" out front. Be forewarned: kids will clamor for "penny candy" and a cone.

A sign points customers to this tucked-away eatery set back from Mount Desert Street near the Village Green, which is breakfast-only (a change from years past)—the pancakes are quite popular. Opening at 6:30 am to catch the crowds who’ve worked up an appetite savoring sunrise atop Acadia National Park’s Cadillac Mountain, it stays open until 1 pm for those who want breakfast for lunch. Seating is divided about evenly inside and out, making this a great choice for nice summer mornings.

Though tucked back on an Ellsworth residential street, folks find this hip brewpub—yes, the brewery is right here—with a large, inviting beer garden, housed on the lower level of an old brick warehouse. The simple menu includes hotdogs and bratwurst, and pizza cooked in the outdoor oven. Space heaters and a few firepits keep things warm into the cooler weather in the beer garden. Fogtown has a location in Bar Harbor, too (also open year-round, aside from occasional off-season closings).

With a big menu that’s big on seafood (there's a pick-your-own lobster tank), this lively longtime establishment would be easy to spot even without a lighted moose on the roof. Humor pervades inside: kids meals come on Frisbees; quirky plastic animals on sticks adorn the cocktails; and old photos, murals, signs, license plates, and other bric-a-brac fill the walls, adding a sense of coziness to a large restaurant with a large bar right in the middle. Harbor views are lovely but only available from a few seats upfront. You can enter the large gift shop downstairs, which has a treasure chest with freebies for the kids, from the street or the restaurant.

After enjoying the sunrise atop Acadia National Park's Cadillac Mountain, snuggle into a wooden booth or grab a table at this homey, yellow-walled eatery that opens at 6 am to catch the crowds who flock to the spectacle. Signature items include homemade oatmeal bread, stuffed French toast, and the Great Maine Breakfast, with three eggs, meat, pancakes, and vegetarian baked beans—the tradition here is to eat leftovers from Saturday night's bean supper on Sunday morning. Whatever you order from the extensive breakfast menu, which also includes lobster Benedict and a lobster omelet, the portions will be big.

A fisherman’s wife owns this popular establishment, which buys lobster right off the boat and has covered tables spread about a deck atop a wharf. As stunning as the setting is, folks also come for the excellent food, including boiled lobster with sides; there are plenty of non-seafood choices, too, including pulled pork. There is a very small dining room, and rain doesn’t usually shut this place down, but best to call first if the weather is inclement.

About half the seating here is on a large patio within spitting distance from the water, though you can also enjoy the quintessential view of a working harbor through large windows inside this cheery establishment. Lobster—served not only boiled with a choice of sides but in dishes such as baked seafood casserole—is purchased fresh off the boat from the lobsterman next door. Many folks eat here before or after watching the sunset at nearby Bass Harbor Head Light in Acadia National Park, but you can also enjoy the spectacle at Seafood Ketch.  

Known around town simply as “The Colonel’s,” this restaurant serves up traditional fare—everything from lobster rolls and fried seafood plates to burgers and pizza—for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which can be eaten in the dining room, at the bar, or out on the deck (in the warm months). In front, the bakery turns out delicious bread, rolls, croissants, turnovers, and muffins, as well as cookies, cakes, Maine’s famous whoopie pies, and other sumptuous desserts. Try one of the glazed doughnut twists, with or without chocolate drizzled over the top. You can also get an ice-cream cone here.

Right on Bass Harbor, Thurston's is easy to spot because of the bright yellow awnings covering much of its outdoor-only seating. You can order everything from a grilled-cheese crab sandwich, haddock chowder, or hamburger to a boiled lobster served with clams or mussels. Tables under those can't-miss awnings are on two levels—one has a bar. There’s no indoor dining at this family-friendly establishment, but those outdoor rooms are protected by plastic blinds and propane fireplaces if it’s chilly. Thurston's is also a lobster wholesaler, and you can buy cooked or uncooked lobsters to go.