Eating at Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park: A Guide
If you’re ready for a snack or meal you’ll never forget, head to the Jordan Pond House Restaurant in Acadia National Park.
While the restaurant’s famed popovers are the star here, you’ll also have options for soup, salad, sandwiches, quiches, and much more.
There’s a sit down option for those visitors with more time to linger, and a grab-and-go counter service who are dropping by between hikes.
Below, you’ll learn everything you need to know about this iconic part of Acadia National Park from the reservations process to what exactly you’ll find to eat here.
My dad, my kids, and I enjoying a sunny day at Jordan Pond House
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Where is Jordan Pond?
Views of Jordan Pond from the outdoor seating area
Jordan Pond is a section of Acadia National Park located on Mt. Desert Island, Maine. This is the main section of the park, and the one closest to Bar Harbor.
To get to Jordan Pond by car, you’ll need to drive the Park Loop Road, which is one way for much of its route. You can go clockwise around Park Loop Road to Jordan Pond, but this is the longer, more scenic route.
Alternatively, you can go counterclockwise on the road, going past the entrance to Cadillac Mountain, and turning into the parking area for Jordan Pond just before the one way section begins.
Jordan Pond can also be accessed from the national park’s many carriage roads, which criss cross Mount Desert Island.
There is bike parking along the shores of Jordan Pond, and it is a short walk from this area to the restaurant and shop.
No matter how you access this part of the park, it’s one of my top recommendations of things to do when visiting Acadia National Park with kids.
What You Need to Know about Eating at Jordan Pond
The History of the Restaurant
Like much of the Bar Harbor area, Jordan Pond got its start because of the wealthy summer “rusticators” who retreated to this area of Maine during the end of the 19th century (also called the Belle Époche or Gilded Age).
These visitors had so-called cottages in nearby Bar Harbor—in reality, they were sprawling mansions with enviable views—and leisured along the carriage roads in what is today Acadia National Park.
The shores of Jordan Pond were a favorite location for picnics when the rusticators needed a break from their horse and buggy rides. As time went on, those picnics turned into tabletop dining when a full service restaurant opened up.
That original restaurant was tragically burnt in 1979, but the existing restaurant was built on the same site. When it was rebuilt, the restaurant was expanded to include two stories of indoor dining, the counter service area, and the outdoor dining area.
What to Expect When You Visit Jordan Pond House
Inside the sit-down restaurant
The Jordan Pond area stays very busy, both due to the restaurant here, but also thanks to the extensive gift shop, public restrooms, access to the carriage roads, and the trailhead to the loop around Jordan Pond.
The parking lot (like many areas in the national park) isn’t large enough for crowds at peak times, so come early in the day if possible. If you must visit between noon and 3 PM on weekends and during the summer months, be patient and circle the parking area. A parking space will open up.
Once you’ve parked your car, you can make your way to one of two buildings here.
The one to the left houses the gift shop, the public restrooms, and an upper deck with outdoor bar-style seating.
The one to the right is where you’ll find the sit down restaurant and the counter service area, also known as Carriage Road Carry-Out.
The sit down restaurant has its check-in desk through the glass doors on the bottom floor, and this is where you’ll go if you’d like to dine out by the pond or inside by the fireplace.
If you’re in a hurry and would rather grab one of the popover or sandwiches and go, head up to the second floor of this building. You’ll find the cafe just beyond the outdoor bar-style seating.
Learn more about Acadia National Park:
Reservations for Jordan Pond
Whether you need reservations for the Jordan Pond House depends on a few factors.
First, you’ll need to determine if you’d like the full experience in the sit-down restaurant or if you’re okay with the counter service area.
Counter service does not need a reservation. Simply walk up and order when you’re on property, and you’ll be able to quickly get anything from their menu. For more on the specific menu and how it compares to what you can get at the sit down restaurant, see below.
You should consider a reservation for the full service area.
I’d recommend reservations if you’re dining on a weekend in the shoulder seasons (March and April, November), or anytime during the summer and fall. Getting a timed reservation ensures that you’ll have a seat when it is convenient for your schedule, and there will be very little, if any, wait.
That being said, you can manage without a reservation if you come early—even during peak season!—and are waiting in the line before the restaurant opens. A line will start to form 30-45 minutes before the posted opening time, and this line includes both those visitors with an early reservation and those without any reservation.
When the doors open for the restaurant, the line will enter the front desk area. Those with a reservation are taken directly to the hostess counter, while those without a reservation are checked in by 2 other employees.
If you’re there right when the restaurant opens, you can typically be seated without a reservation within 10-15 minutes.
When you check in, you can request an indoor or outdoor table, and staff will do their best to accommodate you.
Jordan Pond House Menus
2 of the famous Jordan Pond popovers
Jordan Pond is best known for its popovers, which are fluffy pastries shaped like a muffin but with a light, slighty chewy texture.
These classic versions are served warm with butter and strawberry jam. You can only get them at the full service Jordan Pond House restaurant, but the Carriage Road Carry-Out has some variations. These variations include an egg and sausage stuffed popover, an egg and cheese stuffed popover, and a popover filled with ice cream and sprinkles.
While the ones at the counter service location offer up delicious alternatives, I think it’s worth your time to do the sit down restaurant if you’re intent on trying popovers for the first time.
Carriage Road Carry-Out also has coffee (hot and iced), hot dogs, sandwiches, wraps, salads, scones, pastries, and oatmeal. The fare here is light with options that would feel at home on any brunch menu.
The sit down restaurant at Jordan Pond House has a much more extensive menu, and the classic popovers are suggested to guests by the waitstaff as an appetizer.
Here, you can get the popovers by the individual or in pairs, the latter of which comes at a slight discount.
The soups and salads here are much heartier fare than what you’ll find at the carry-out counter. The spinach bacon blue cheese salad is tangy, crunchy, and savory with a large enough portion to eat as an entree.
The New England clam chowder, Lobster Stew and Lentil Soup are both excellent choices, with both a smaller soup and larger bowl serving sizes.
You can lean into the New England atmosphere even more with steamed lobster, haddock, and lobster mac and cheese entrees.
If you’d like something less heavy, the menu also has an array of sandwiches and wrap options.
The sit down restaurant additionally has one thing the carry-out counter does not: an extensive drinks menu. While the Carriage Road Carry-Out has tea, coffee, lemonade, and other basic options, the sit down restaurant has cocktails, mocktails, tea, coffee, local draft beer, and wine.
Seating at Jordan Pond House
When you pick something up from Carriage Road Carry-Out, you have limited seating options.
You can grab a stool along the wooden bar area outside of the counter service area, or you can make your way down to the public area of the Jordan Pond lawn.
If you do the latter, you’ll need a picnic blanket or towel to sit on.
You will not be able to access the tables on the lawn as these are exclusively for the use of the main restaurant’s patrons.
If you choose sit down dining, you can let the hostess know your preference for sitting outside on the lawn or inside the restaurants.
While I prefer sitting outside, the indoor area has large windows to allow guests to take in the view. There’s a huge fireplace that helps to keep the place cozy in the cooler months.
The tables outside are sturdy and come with an umbrella, which helps to keep the sun out of your eyes while you’re dining. We didn’t notice any bugs during our meal, despite our table sitting in the grass.
Final Thoughts on Visiting Jordan Pond House
Much like eating the pies at Capitol Reef National Park in Utah, having a meal at Jordan Pond House is a quintessential dining experience at Acadia National Park.
The restaurant’s location and fascinating history makes this much more than just a place to eat inside of one of the national parks, and elevates it to a unique itinerary moment in its own right.
The options available at Jordan Pond House mean you can take part in that tradition in whatever way works best for your schedule: traditional indoor seating, outdoor dining, or a quick grab and go experience.
I highly recommend stopping here while you’re visiting Acadia!
