Dana’s Grill offers peaceful retreat, good eats by the river

Dana’s Grill at Dockside

100 Marina Road, Hampden

Open 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. daily through Labor Day

It’s difficult for those working in the Bangor area to run to the coast during their lunch hour. But they can find a pleasant coastal scene nearby to enjoy, along with some tasty food.

For more than 60 years, Dana’s has been a dining institution in the Bangor area, first on Summer Street and later also on State Street, both of which are gone now. The Dockside location at Hampden’s Turtle Head Marina has become a seasonal fixture over the past 16 years.

The food, served in cardboard containers or wrapped in waxed paper, skimps on presentation but not on taste. It would best be dubbed “good eats,” not “cuisine.”

There’s a wide variety on the menu, including sandwiches, salads and wraps, along with all the side dishes. Naturally, there is seafood available there, including a packed lobster roll for $8.95. For the kids, there’s well-made popcorn chicken, with just the right amount of breading. The tuna on a toasted hot dog roll was unremarkable, but was the only disappointment in a recent meal. Best among the sides was the zesty, creamy macaroni salad.

Watching the boats bob on the Penobscot River while sitting at a plastic or wooden picnic table definitely gives that waterfront feel. It’s nothing fancy, just a peaceful retreat. And during a busy summer, isn’t that enough?

– DALE MCGARRIGLE