A lot of people claim that the coast of Maine is one of the most beautiful places in the world, and they might be right. Beauty is subjective. We all get to decide what our own personal “Most Beautiful Place in the World is.”
For some of us the winner might be Smokey’s BBQ and Lobster, a small no-frills place right across from the Bar Harbor (Trenton) Airport.
Don’t get me wrong. Smokey’s is not an aesthetic masterpiece. The floors slope at what might be a 15-degree angle. The decorations are pretty barebones. There’s a lobster buoy here. There’s a ginormous trophy there.
But what Smokey’s has?
It’s beautiful and it can’t be replicated. And people are starting to get it. Three friends started Smokey’s back in 2017 and in just two years the parking lot is filling up and people are moseying around the grounds prior to the noon start time, catching smells of smoked meats, meandering through the eclectic grounds and sometimes posing for photos.
Its got off-the-boat lobsters, smoked mussels, and clam chowder. But even better, Smokey’s has pulled pork, sausage, brisket and ribs. With a 4.5 and above average rating on customer-review sites, you know that Smokey’s has something special going on.
Smokey’s is the place where small airplanes fly overhead, where you can step outside and see the blue-gray mists hover over the tops of the mountains of Acadia National Park, where dogs are allowed at the picnic tables outside, where men in frayed beer t-shirts rub elbows with hipsters, locals rush in to grab take-out and tourists proclaim that they’ve discovered something special, which they have. The meat comes out tender and flaking, mouth-watering smells drift into the windows of the cars and the RVs passing by and the coolers are loaded with craft beer, which someone at the table calls for while humming an old Mumford and Sons song.
Who are the guys who started Smokey’s? All of this is straight from its website.
Charles “Smokey” Kindya
Charles, “Big Cat”, “Chuck”, “C-booze”, “Smokey”, or as we call him just “Charl” is the 23 year-old BBQ mastermind who rises from his slumber early every morning to stoke the fires and bring you the best ‘cue you’ve ever had. You can catch him out by the smoker or cooking up a storm in the fry kitchen, probably with a beer close by. If you see him let him know you enjoyed the food.
Connor “Sack” Scofield
Always fashionably late to a party he was never invited to, “Sack” is the everyman of the operation, transitioning seamlessly from the kitchen to the front of the house to endless maintenance work. He may be wearing his cook’s cap and apron or his waiting attire (high wool socks and hiking boots), but no matter what expect his trademark sour humor and excellent service!
Neal “Eelman” LaFrance
Neal “Eelman” LaFrance is the money man and a jack of all trades, master of none. To hear him tell it, he’s traveled the world but don’t get him talking about it, he can be really self-righteous for a prematurely balding man drowning in debt. He can be found waiting tables, in the kitchen, or stomping around frustrated about a project gone awry.
Smokey’s BBQ & Lobster
1061 Bar Harbor Rd, Trenton, Maine 04605, United States
207-667-7300
Hours
12pm- 8pm
Mon-Sun
Bar Harbor Story 