El El Frijoles

Name: El El Frijoles
Address: 41 Caterpillar Hill Rd, Sargentville, ME, 04673, US
Telephone: +12073592486
Price range: $
Rating: 4.8

We are proud to be serving high-quality food that is tasty, healthy and nutritious. Try it, you'll love it! Frankly, I found nothing but pure happiness here."
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We make pretty much everything from scratch, every day and strive to serve as much locally produced and organic ingredients as we can find. Here's what the Portland Press Herald says "Honest food, expertly prepared in all instances, in an atmosphere that verges on joyful -- this is El El Frijoles. Add to that a commitment to wholesome fare made with the very best ingredients sourced with an eye to

ecology and community. There's a satisfying coherence of mission, setting and food. And it's all proffered without pretension, irony or holier-than-thou hipness. In the Summer, we are open all week serving up delicious riffs on Bay Area/Mexican street food made with really local ingredients. In the Winter, we hold monthly Supper Club dinners, 5 courses of really varied, unusual and awesome food served in a barn in the woods in the snow! We are open Wednesday and Thursday 11-7 for Taqueria stuff too! Sign up on our Email list (the tab is on the left of this page) to get all of our updates and information.

07/06/2026

“A Muted celebration”…
Well, there goes the 4th of July! The parades, the grilling, the fireworks, the party- it is a holiday filed with tradition. When I was a kid, growing up in Pacific Palisades, the Town hosted one of the largest parades in the country (no, not nearly as big as the one on Bristol, R.I.). I even marched in it a few times with the Oom Pa Pa Band. The 4th was a big deal in my little town, pretty much an all-day party that started with a 5k run and finished with a fireworks display- like a lot of small towns.
This year, which was a big deal -being our Nation’s 250th anniversary, was both a momentous and strangely muted celebration. So many people I know were just sort of “Meh” about it. A lot of us have come to feel our country really isn’t in a place to celebrate anything, that our best days are behind us (like 50 years or so) that maybe we should be putting in the hard work, and not celebrating at all.
Clearly, we live in a time where everything is broken, messed-up or being ruined for us all. Yet, we are still free and able to gather together with our friends and family, to spend the day out watching floats and fire trucks and funny bands march by, to have a nice party and share a few beers with friends. Our culture, such as it is, allows for the gathering together in groups, raising our voices and our glasses occasionally blowing stuff up and wearing our flag on our bikini tops, beer coozies and hats. While many of us are disappointed and saddened by the state of our country, we are also optimistic. We still hold out hope that we will turn things around, make a save, work things out and get on the right track again. Optimism! Eyes on the prize, always forward.
To that end, Makers’ Market Shop & Studio is open for business today. We’ll have Sandwiches and Gazpacho and Salsa , Burritos and Quesadillas and all the rest of our offerings, 11-5 today.

07/04/2026

Happy Birthday 'Merica!
Makers' Market Shop & Studio and EL EL FRIJOLES, Mexican Food are both CLOSED today!
We and our staff are taking the day to hang with our peeps and chill out.
Makers' will be open Monday and Tuesday, EL EL will re-open on Wednesday- Have a great 4th!

07/03/2026

“Dispatch from Capt. Obvious”…
It’s hot!
Dang it, this climate change hoax is really starting to cramp my style. I don’t like this level of heat and humidity, I would have moved to Alabama and started a Taqueria with a cute name related to Bass Pro shops or something if I wanted this level of dangerous uncomfortability. Out in California it gets hot, sure, but it is dry heat- 12% humidity is one thing, but…
Anyway, many of y’all are from places where it is far worse than it is here, so I’ll not get much sympathy. Even though it is hotter where we work than where you are, I bet. We are fortunate to live under Maine’s “Cooler at the coast” regional weather pattern. It actually is!
Except inside our freezer, where the temperature is equalized to ambient as it sh*t-the-bed (technical term) just before dinner service last night. No big thang, tho- we just adapt, move on, keep moving ever forward. We can always run up to Makers’ Market if we need ice for your Agua Fresca!
For today, we are happy to offer a really special daily special- Seared Scallop Tacos! Yup, we’ve got some local sea-nuggets that will be perfectly pan-seared and laid out on 3 grilled flour tortillas, and served with all the regular Taco Trimmings (Rice, Beans, fresh Guacamole, Shredded marinated Cabbage , crema) and some sort of special slaw. Also today, because it’s hot in here, we have a lovely Local Greens salad topped with our Pickled Citrus & Chili Shrimps! This will be a winner, and I bet it’s gone before supper, but you should make the effort and come eat it. Local Crab is coming, so we’ll have that Quesadilla, with a nice salad.
Hydrate! Shade. Go easy. Watch out for the pets and the old people, and don’t forget we sell ice cream sandwiches and cold beer at Makers’ Market!

07/02/2026

“We always show up!”…
Ahh, summer. A great time to hit the coast, to get together with friends and family, celebrate the 4th- maybe see a show…
Most of you likely don’t listen to Lil’ Wayne too much, not really our key demographic, to be sure, but nonetheless he is a popular entertainer. He didn’t show up for his scheduled concert in Bangor the other night. Just, never got to the venue. The ticket holders showed up, the opening acts performed, but the main event just never happened. The whole things strikes me as somewhat bizarre, I would think he has “people” that keep him on track and from making any really terrible choices (sort of like the first Trump administration) but apparently not so much. While I am sure this will prove to be an expensive and annoying distraction for Mr. Wayne, in true post-modern fashion the internet is having its way with him. Memes! Pictures of Mr. Wayne doing things that prevented him from making it to the show. The best so far has him helping Kara at Honey & Lace making bagels, in an attempt to satisfy the ever-growing demand for her product. The idea of public trolling to extract revenge from a public figure who misbehaved is actually pretty great. In a world where Likes and Follows are key to success, being relentlessly dogged by your former fans is a bitter tasting medicine.
We are not so famous, and we are committed (or should be…) so we are going tone again fire up the taqueria and make you some food today- We’ve made a lovely Mole’ and so there is a Chicken Mole’ Taco Plato today! We have crafted a delicious Crispy Heiwa Tofu and Local Veg Taco plate as well, which if you know our crispy tofu is going to be The Winner for today. There will be Crab Quesadilla, with a nice salad too. Up at Makers’ Market we do indeed have Kara and Lil’ Wayne’s fresh Bagels! Plus, several Schmears with which to adorn them. Plus- Bacon, Sausage, Pancake Mix and Frozen Waffles. We are your Brunch Superstore! 11-7 today!

07/01/2026

“No Crises”…
When I walk into the kitchen at 7:35 and hear the report that everything is actually fine, I know we are going to have a great day overall. The stove lit without blowing up, the power came on, there were no bear cubs trapped in the taqueria overnight, no plasma-ghost apparitions or flying venomous snakes. Things are going swimmingly!
This means, the prepsters have got a handle on today’s food, all we have to do is go out and tend to the 1100 discreet items on each of our lists and we should be ready to go! Once the dining rom is re-assembled after the weekend cleaning, and the picnic tables are swept from the forest’s fallout and the coffee is made and the chalkboard written and the napkins filled we’ll be all set to welcome you for lunch. You are going to want to participate in this, too, by the way. For today- being Wednesday, we are having Fish Tacos!
Pan-Seared Haddock Tacos, to be exact, in a light and tasty Indian-inspired marinade, served up on grilled flour tortillas with rice and with black beans, guacamole and green salad and shredded cabbage, too (if you are keeping track) and topped with a fresh, house-made Mango Chutney! Or maybe you would prefer something land-based? How about the Piccadillo Plato- Ground pork & beef slow-cooked with tomatoes and spices and stuff, served over Mexican rice and beans, a green salad and a parcel of warm flour tortillas, maybe a little fresh guacamole? Of course, if all goes to plan, we’ll have a Local Crab Quesadilla as well, with a nice salad. There is always our Vanilla Soft Serve, too!
Don’t forget, up at Makers’ Market we have all you are going to need to stock-up for this coming weekend (o.k. we don’t sell explosives, but…) It is going to be a wild & Crazy time! there is a wine shipment coming in this morning (Frozen pizzas, too) as well as Tinder Hearth bread, Honey & Lace’s Bagels and so, so much more. 11-7 all around here today, come see us!

06/30/2026

Ooooh, look, July!”…
Well, dang, there goes June! If it seems as if life is just flying by these days, it really is. Not sure why everything is on fast forward all the time, personally I am a fan of contemplative, quiet, meditative moments. But somehow, it is the 4th of July week already! You do realize that means summer is almost over, right? 6 weeks or so, and Bailey is off to college, followed by Jasper and Sophie, Ari & Ada back to high school right after and then Sally has to go back to work at her school (gotta feed those kids!) and p**f- there goes everyone who works at EL EL!
In years past, we were perfectly happy to stay open until Indigenous People’s Day, heck, one year we were here until November…. We are long past being able to run this place with just the 2 of us, so we are all just going to have to be flexible.
But what about now? Well, it’s still June, and it is still quite calm and cool around here. While we are prepping for this week in the Taqueria, we are also going to open up Makers’ Market Shop & Studio today!
We are debuting a new Smoked Salmon Salad, based on Ducktrap’s amazing Hot Honey Smoked fish, which will be available in the ½ pint container next to our Chicken Salad and the Spicy Tuna Salad that you already love.
We have a freezer full of food up there- Burritos to quesadillas, to pizzas to waffles. There is a bunch of local pork products in there, bacon, sausage, pork chops. Ice cream, too! We have the makings of an amazing Independence Day Brunch, if you happen to have a house full of guests- Malted Pancake Mix from Maine Grain, Maple Syrup, Scone Mix, Champagne for mimosas, bagels, cream cheese schmear… You get the point. Also, this week we’ve received a huge trove of new Artist’s Supplies- lots of new brushes and brush-care stuff, sketch books, watercolor sets, and really, so much- you must come take a look around. 11-5 today!

06/29/2026

“Exciting Times!”…
Man, there is a lot going on these days. Sure, there is the “can’t escape it” turmoil of our national predicament. The daily lies, graft, corruption and mumbled utterances of the madman in charge of our universe- but that’s old news We know it is just going to to continue until “The Day” when it doesn’t. The folks we’ve duly elected to serve us turn out to be incompetent at best, or complacent at worst and totally ineffective in providing even the most basic checks on this insanity. So, we just have to wait it out, until we either have enough and snap or “It” finally happens.
So, it is a lot easier for us to focus on the local. We have some agency over what is happening in our own little world. We can go to the gym, we can put the boats in, we can share a meal, take a walk, continue to write the great American novel- whatever it is we are into.
Our thing is trying to run these two crazy small businesses we’ve got here. While the Taqueria isn’t open on Monday & Tuesday, there is an awful lot going on around here. Our prep team has been at since 6am, making food to go up next door at Makers’ Market Shop & Studio- Today it’s Sandwiches (Spicy Tuna, Chicken Salad & Ham and Cheese prolly) and Gazpacho and Baguettes and about a million other things. We are settling-in the latest order of artists’ Supplies we’ve received- which includes just SO MUCH cool stuff, I can’t even… You need to come and parse through it all. And we continue to receive shipments of Craft, of Art, of Personal Care Products, Dog Treats, Chocolates, Wine, Beer and more. Really, stop in and take a look around, there is just nothing else like it on The Peninsula!
Be aware, that we (MMS&S and EL EL FRIJOLES, Mexican Food) will be Closed this Saturday, July 4th! We can’t wait to see you.

06/27/2026

“The calm”…
Well peeps, this is it for a while. Soon, very soon, it will be Independence Day, the “official” start of the tourist season.
Every year (20 of em’ so far) we have had to try to guess what is going to happen around here during summer. In Maine, as a small business owner, there is a sort of contemplative dream state we inhabit- where we try to predict what is going to happen, and then try to explain why we were so wrong. We are always predicting that some event or other (Gas prices, airline fares, wars, pandemics, political unrest etc) will affect someway or another who or how many visitors show up for something. It’s a crapshoot. Nobody knows, nothing ever goes as planned, there is no rhyme or reason to this stuff. Turns out, predicting human behavior is a real challenge.
But, what we do notice, is that no matter what every summer people see to show up. They’d rather be here than not, and for some reason they need to eat while they are here. This causes them (us) to have to plan our mealtimes, to stand in queues, to order pizzas 4 days in advance or buy tickets to some event in order to sample something. It’s the very nature of a place with a limited infrastructure and a large visitor influx. At least you don’t need to take a ferry to get here!
So far, we see a small to moderate increase in meals-eaten over last year. While we keep meticulous records (we are a data-driven taqueria) there are many factors that drive changes to our volume, and we only know and understand a few of them. SO we continue to do what we do- make it up as we go along! Today, we are going to keep offering you interesting, innovative culinary options, and of course the burritos and quesadillas you are used to! We have a Marinated, seared pork loin Plato- which is an amazing plate of food. We have that Local Crab Quesadilla, with a nice salad, and we are rolling out a scrumptious Grilled Chimichurri Chicken Quesadilla as well. You might as well come eat now, while there is no line, as the crowds, they are a coming!

06/26/2026

“And now for something completely different”…
Thursday was SO yesterday. Really, it’s time we move on, right? I mean- it’s Friday now! TGIF and all. The start of the weekend, Shabat, more World Cup games.
In any case, our reality around here is thus- We need to getup, getup in the taqueria and start prepping to make you your dinner! It’s 6:17 and I have done my first gas stove repair of the day (should have gone induction…) Sally is out there getting the rest of the kitchen in norse and we have a big day planned for you guys,
Marinated Pork Tenderloin Plato- Huh? That’s right, a nice plate of rice and beans, tender, tasty pork tenderloin, a little Mexican corn on the side, a few warm flour tortillas and maybe a little salad! This is going to be a winner, peeps. I don’t know how much we have, so come early if you are invested in the pork.
We do have more crab today (yay!) so there will be Local Crab Quesadilla, with a nice salad. Plus, don’t forget, we have our entire Taqueria menu full of traditional favorites like Quesadillas, burritos, salads, nachos and tacos. All freshly scratch-made by culinary zealots.
We know you have a lot of choices around here for quality food (yay!) which in itself is a big win. We appreciate when you choose us. We’ve been at this for a lot of years, but we are still breaking new ground every day. We can’t wait to see you!

06/25/2026

“Just another day in paradise”…
Well, this doesn’t suck, right? We are living the dream here in Sargentville these days-atmospherically anyway. The sun shines, the breeze flows, the trees wave while the birds dart and sing. The ebb and flow of the rushing dump trucks and concrete pumpers provide a background of economic prosperity, all is as it should be.
You could be forgiven for maybe not wanting to think about the big picture for a while.
It’ll be fine, really, just relax a bit.
Thinking locally, let’s just focus on the beauty and the good fortune that puts us here and now. We have plenty of time to fight the struggle to subvert the dominant paradigm, to throw the bastards out, to run the truth and reconciliation commissions and the war crimes tribunals- that’s all for the future! Be here now, that’s what we are going to do today.
And if you are here, you might want something to eat?
In the case of today, one option is our Seared Shrimp Tacos- Plump, juicy, marinated shrimps perfectly pan-seared to-order, laid out over a trio of grilled flour tortillas and plated-up with rice and black beans and fresh guacamole and crisp cabbage- maybe with a little green salad on the side. Likely, there will be some sort of tasty, innovative sauce or topping by the time this dish is ready for service- we have options.
Also today, we are sending out our Summer Vegi Quesadilla! Calyx Farm’s Kale, Caramelized Onions and a delightful Carrot top Pesto Michele has made up. We’ll fold it all into a toasty, grilled tortilla with some chèvre and some melty cheddar, and serve it up with a crisp, green salad.
Yes, there is a Local Crab Quesadilla too, with a nice salad. And next door we have Tinder Hearth breads, and a million other interesting things to look at, to eat and to adorn oneself with. You should come see! 11-7 today.

Address

41 Caterpillar Hill Rd
Sargentville, ME
04673

Telephone

+12073592486

Website

http://www.elelfrijoles.com/

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