Maine Restaurant Named One of the Best Hidden Gems in the U.S.

Looking for a great under the radar dining spot in Maine? We found it!

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Ever discover a great restaurant when you least expect it? Sometimes the most delicious, tasty food can be found way outside of places like Bangor, Portland, or Bar Harbor. For every 5 incredible places in a built up city, you can find a pot of gold in a town or area that never even occurred to you.

With this in mind, Lovefood, did a deep dive of the best "Hidden Gems" in the entire country, and their choice for Maine, is an inspired one.

Mexican Restaurant, El El Frijoles, is a California-style taqueria in Sargentville, serving up lobster tacos and handmade, local foods.

In the woods of Maine, in a converted barn in the middle of nowhere, you will find the home of some of the best Mexican food you’ll find anywhere, and it run by a husband-and-wife team, El El Frijoles, mixes up the best of Maine, with traditional Mexican street food recipes.

They serve burritos, tacos, quesadillas, empanadas, and more, with specials that often use Maine seafood like lobster tacos alongside traditional fillings like chicken, beef or pork.

There’s also a salsa bar and variety of hot sauces so guests can customize heat levels!

Here is the catch, there are only 9 seats inside, but outdoors in the warmer months, it is the place to be in a small area like Sargentville, especially on a hot summer night.

Parking can fill up on busy summer evenings, and they don’t accept advance reservations, so arriving earlier in the day helps.

Keep in mind, they won't open for the 2026 season, until May.

You may be from Maine, but still asking yourself, "where the heck is Sargentville?" It is an unincorporated village in the town of Sedgwick, in Hancock County, The community is located along Maine State Route 175, 21 miles southwest of Ellsworth.

It is so small in fact, that it no longer has a post office, but still retains their 04673 zip code.

You can find El El Frijoles, at 41 Caterpillar Hill Road. Happy dining!