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

Winding downhill through a boatyard, this truly hidden gem juts into Somes Sound, delightfully so as the place hums on summer nights: adults grab a drink from the outside bar, families play cornhole, kids and dogs romp, and folks angle to watch lobsters steam in seawater over an outdoor wood fire before eating at picnic tables on the sloping lawn or heading in to the window-lined mid-century wood-walled dining room with views from every table. The one-page menu is easy to digest when you want to relax and enjoy the view. Another page lists inventive craft cocktails, including the bartender’s choice of the day.

An exterior wall lined with lobster buoys welcomes guests at this small shack-like eatery on the shore of Somes Sound beside the dock at the swanky Claremont Hotel, of which it's part. Open to the public and guests, it's a cool, cozy spot for pub and light fare in an oh-so-Maine setting; glass doors along the seaside wall open to the deck.

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, chicken sandwiches, and hot dogs for the kids. There’s open and covered patio seating, the latter with a bar; waterside bar tables for two along a covered pier walkway; and indoor dining (upper level). Fried, seared, and blackened seafood choices are on the menu, and of course traditional lobster sides like cornbread, corn-on-the-cob, and coleslaw.

A fisherman’s wife owns this popular lunch establishment, which buys lobster right off the boat and has umbrella tables spread out on a wharf overlooking Corea Harbor's quintessential Maine setting. Along with seafood choices like chowders, steamed clams, boiled lobster with a side, and lobster or crab grilled cheese, there are plenty of non-seafood options, including pulled pork, burgers, quesadillas, and PBJ. Though rain doesn’t usually shut this place down, it's best to call first if the weather is inclement, especially as the inside dining space is tiny.