A Smiling Face At Jordan's Snack Bar in Ellsworth Has Passed

We didn't know him; the older man who walked up to the window of the car as we were waiting in the new drive-thru lane at Jordan's Snack Bar last summer for our burgers and shakes.

We had no idea who he was, the man who proudly wore his U.S. Air Force Veterans baseball cap. But what I did know was that he reminded me of my father. Another man who had served his country well by risking his life in war, and that was he happy to be alive. The man was enjoying life and where he was at that very moment.

We knew that he was more than likely to be a member of the family who owned the place, and we knew that he was a friendly man who truly had an interest in whom he was talking to. We knew that he cared about others. We could tell by the smile and how he looked you in the eye.

Old vets are like that.

So this year, while we were waiting for that much anticipated Facebook post that one of our most favorite snack bar/take-outs on the planet was about to open for the season, we were saddened to learn of the passing of this man that we had met last summer. As were hundreds of others, and for good reason.

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As we made our way through the the events of the past few years - the bitter election, the pandemic and the more recent instances of turmoil that surprise, disgust, and then saddened us, it was nice to come across the smiling face of a man who you knew was rock solid in his beliefs, his family, his way of life, and had an interest in what you had to say.

You could tell that he was special. Rest in peace, sir. You will be missed.

LOOK: Full List of the Best Places to Live in Maine

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Maine using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com. On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks.

Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

Popular Eastern Maine Take-Outs

The Best Restaurants in Downeast Maine for Lobster

So when your hungry out-of-state relatives or friends come to our great state, where do you take them for a mouth-watering lobster dinner?

The answer to that often asked question will be top of mind for a lot of Mainers this season, as thousands of tourists, relatives, and friends drive hundreds if not thousands of miles to take in the sights and eat what our state is most famous for, lobster.

Whether it's a lobster salad, in a hot dog roll, a broiled tail, thrown into a pot of boiling sea water, or god forbid, made into a lobster poutine, people near and far crave it, and as soon as they make it into this neck of the woods it'll be what they have for dinner that night.

While each of us already have a few favorite snack bars, take-outs, and restaurants in mind, it would be wrong of this author to pass along those personal suggestions. So, we're going to rely on the reviews of TripAdvisor to point our visitors in the right directions. We've focused on the Ellsworth and Mount Desert Island area, and here is what we found as we count our way up to the #1 most recommended place for lobster Downeast.