Best Places To Eat and Stay in Bar Harbor, Maine (2024)

Bar Harbor is Maine’s quintessential tourist destination, and that’s what makes the Hotel and restaurant game strong here. This coastal town has a gorgeous coastline, quaint communities, and a small population. However, every year to enjoy the natural beauty and opportunities, Bar Harbor welcomes millions of visitors. And since Bar Harbor is the base camp for Acadia National Park, its popularity needs no explanation. Though what people need to know about this uber-popular New England vacation destination is the places to eat and sleep.

Thanks to the long tourism history and the year-round hustle and bustle, Bar Harbor has a range of Hotels and Restaurants to choose from. Whether you are looking for quintessential brands, 5-star hotels, or local entities, options are truly many. Visitors can find endless local, perhaps authentic Maine options in both dining and staying categories. Wondering what places we are claiming about?

7 Best Places to Eat and Bar Harbor, Maine

Well, to know that, read the list of Best Hotels and Restaurants in Bar Harbor below. Have a look:

1. The Chart Room

A dining institution for over two decades, the Chart Room is located in Hulls Cove, nearly two miles from downtown Bar Harbor. This local dining staple has been offering mouthwatering seafood and mesmerizing sea views as a complete package. Their long, delectable menu contains a lot of options ranging from blackened yellowfin tuna, Maine-style scampi, prime rib, blackened fish, boiled Maine lobsters, pasta, and whatnot. As appetizers and seafood platters, their bang bang shrimp, fresh Maine-style crab cakes, steamers, clamps, locally caught mussels, and choice of shrimp, scallops, and haddock are some of the must-try options. The Chart Room features indoor seating as well as outdoor pier seating that takes the dining experience to an enjoyable fair.

2. Havana

Havana is a classic, upscale, and colorful dining restaurant in Bar Harbor. Offering a contemporary blend of Latin & American food, Havana has committed to serving the best for over 20 years now. Every single meat they use in their dishes is naturally and humanely raised and free of any steroids, antibiotics, or hormones. Besides that, Havana harvests fresh and choicest seafood directly from the Gulf of Maine via experienced fisher folks. Havana is also one of the only two restaurants in Maine that has won the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence since 2004. Their dining menu has a range of options, including empanadas, charcuterie plates, lobster cakes, flank steaks, seafood paellas, filet mignons, and more. The restaurant is also quite popular for its wine menu and seasonal outdoor tapas bar and grill. The Wine list here is lovingly and carefully collected and is definitely a must-try.

3. Galyn’s

Galyn’s is a popular place to eat in Bar Harbor, nestled nearby the town pier in the corner of the town. Housed inside a former Victorian-era boarding house, Galyn’s is a traditional Downeast-style restaurant. Operating for over 30 years now, Galyn’s is a family-owned restaurant by married duo Gail and Rick Leiser and operated by executive chef Larry Jones. The facility is popular for offering fresh seafood entrees and hand-cut steaks on a delectable menu. It has five dining rooms, all of which are eclectic in their looks. Some of the must-try from their menu include lobster enchiladas, fisherman’s feast platters, pan-seared duck breasts, Maine-style crab cakes, and shrimp Lafayette, and lobster biscuits, oysters Rockefeller. Along with food, Galyn’s also serve craft cocktails and mocktails, beers on the tap, and wine by bottle or glass. Galyn’s is an ideal pick for both casual eating and fine dining.

4. Burning Tree Restaurant

Burning Tree Restaurant is another popular dining space in Bar Harbor, nearly 10 minutes drive out of the town. Operating since 1987, the restaurant is owned by chefs Allison Martin and Elmer Beal, Jr., who has kept the food game top-notch throughout the years. Burning Tree Restaurant operates Thursdays through Tuesdays and still is quite a popular choice amongst locals. They serve both unique seafood and vegetarian-focused choices, ensuring a wide range of guests can be catered to. Their menu typically includes broiled halibut, Thai-style chicken wings, pan-sauteed monkfish, fillet of grey sole, lavender-roasted free-range chicken breast, homemade fresh bread, and more. Though the restaurant usually updates the menu from time to time in order to reflect the region’s bounty. For pairing with food, the Burning Tree Restaurant also offers a full-service bar featuring a diverse wine selection and some excellent craft cocktail choices.

5. 2 Cats Restaurant

2 Cats Restaurant is a popular breakfast destination in Bar Harbor, and you cannot miss this place. The restaurant has been operating since 1996 though have moved to its current location after four years in 2000. Since then, it has been standing strong and has become a community staple for breakfast, brunch, and snacking needs. Every single morning during the peak tourism season, 2 Cats cranks out 300 to 500 breakfasts. Their menu doesn’t have any boring or repetitive dishes that every other restaurant is selling, but options that you will truly never forget. Their breakfast menu includes options like Eggs Benedict with braised pork, Walnut & Cheddar Omelette, Wild Maine Blueberry Pancakes or Apple, Homemade Granola and Biscuits with Strawberry butter, and more such uniquely twisted options. Their popular cat paws (not literally) and freshly baked biscuits will never make you regret it. The biscuits here are perhaps the biggest you will ever see (6 inches). To pair along, do try their coffee as well.

Lobsters in Bar Harbor

If there’s one food item that you cannot miss in any of Maine’s coastal towns, let alone Bar Harbor, it is ‘Lobster.’ Lobsters any day are Maine’s quintessential food offering and for a seafood lover, missing them is no less than a sin.

Here are a few of the popular places to try Lobster in Bar Harbor, Maine

6. C-Ray Lobster

Operating with a super authentic, rustic feel, this small counter place is best to try Lobsters in Bar Harbor. They have nothing fancy but a few picnic tables and a lobster-focused menu. The Lobster rolls here are full of meat and are truly delicious. In addition, their homemade blueberry pie is also a must-try.

7. Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound

Twenty minutes outside Bar Harbor, Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound is another stop for great Lobsters. This super traditional Lobster place is right on the waters and has a very basic vibe. But the food here is absolutely top-notch and nothing basic at all. They have wood-fired boilers right out front, and visitors can actually see boiling lobster in their seawater-filled cookers. Though since the line here is quite long, you might have to wait for your turn.

4 Best Places to Stay in Bar Harbor

1. Atlantean Cottage B&B

Bar Harbor is filled with Bed and Breakfast properties, and Atlantean Cottage is perhaps one of them. This New England B&B combines classic style and warmth while offering a range of modern amenities. The facility offers 6 guestrooms and two third-floor rooms in suites. Every room comes with private ensuite bathrooms, kitchen supplies, and other comforts. Rooms here are defined in subtle but classic colors and are kept quiet, airy, and bright. Every room package at Atlantean comes with a freshly prepared 2-course breakfast that is served each morning. Everything is prepared with homemade ingredients, and their locally roasted coffee is quite a delight to try. Guests can either enjoy breakfast in the room or on the green and airy front porch. For more dining options, there are quite a lot of reachable options nearby.

2. Bar Harbor Villager Motel

Located in downtown Bar Harbor, Villager Motel is probably one of the best places to stay in the region. The Motel is within walking distance from several shopping and dining destinations as well as the beautiful Bar Harbor waterfront. It is also within proximity (less than 2 miles away) to various hiking trails in Acadia National Park. For accommodation, the property features 52 non-smoking rooms, each of which has one king or two double XL beds. However, accessibility for the two floors is only by stairs since the building has no elevator. Every single room comes with quite a lot of amenities, ensuring convenience and comfort. Bar Harbor Villager Motel complimentary Grab & Go continental breakfast every morning. For added dining options, there is a range of restaurants and local eateries located within a stone’s throw distance away. Villager Motel is an affordable choice to stay in Bar Harbor.

3. Kingsleigh Inn

Nestled high on a hill 100 yards from the water, Kingsleigh Inn is an elegant yet casual property to stay in Bar Harbor, Maine. This turreted Queen Anne Victorian property is surrounded by Acadia National Park in the center of Southwest Harbor, nearly 20 minutes from Bar Harbor. If you want a peaceful stay amidst the lap of nature yet want to stay close to major attractions, nothing can beat Kingsleigh Inn for comfort. The Hotel features seven guest rooms and one guest suite, all of which come with ensuite private baths, private decks, harbor views, and endless amenities. The guest suite also features the most expansive view of the harbor and a cozy fireplace which makes it a suitable choice for couples. Guests staying at Kingsleigh Inn get to enjoy a three-course self-serve buffet breakfast. The breakfast includes options from sweet, savory, fruity, dessert, drinks, and more. The Hotel also serves in-room Port wine with afternoon cookies and homemade chocolates alongside all-day tea and coffee.

4. Red’s Garden Cottage Rental

Last but not least on our list is Red’s Garden Cottage Rental, a truly magical place. Located just 4 miles from downtown Bar Harbor, this private, comfortably furnished one-bedroom cottage is quite a vacation retreat on its own. This 26-foot by a 28-foot single-story cottage-style home is surrounded all the way by plants and green spaces. Guests will get access to a queen-sized bedroom, living room, an open kitchen, bathroom + laundry room, a dining section, and a good supply of amenities. The house can accommodate a maximum of four individuals and is a fine option for family holidays and couples’ weekend getaways. Besides the cottage, the property also features a barbeque area, fire pits, a small playground and picnic place, and a stretch of large open space. Guests can bring and cook their Lobsters and enjoy a homely Maine holiday in peace. For easy dining options, the cottage is within proximity to many restaurants and eateries in the town.