Commander Cody's Fish Shoppe — Restaurant in Town of Shelter Island

Nothing spectacular, but not terrible either. It is definitely a unique experience getting to Shelter Island. Be aware you have to take a ferry each way and they only accept cash. Commander Cody's also is cash only. The restaurant is my kind of place: hard to get to, hole in the wall, no glitter on the walls, old fashioned just eat seafood and have fun type of joint. Parking is very limited so get there early.

The good: the small town atmosphere is nice; prices are decent; portions are sufficient; fish and seafood are fresh and you can see Cody filleting the fish you ordered; friendly staff; reservations are accepted but plan ahead because there's not much seating; BYOB; offer takeout; soft drinks are self serve "scouts honor" kind of deal

The bad: fishy food smell. Not the place.... The food. When I say fishy, I mean FISHY. I'm a seafood fiend and this really bothered me. The fried oysters, the fried catch of the day, even the fried shrimp were fishy smelling! Because I was able to see that the oysters and fish were very fresh, that's the only way I knew I wasn't eating rotten seafood and this leads me to believe it was the fryer. If that oil isn't changed regularly, it will accumulate and impregnate the food with bad fish odors. Please change your oil or figure out what's causing that smell. It's awful.

A few last notes. Get the seasoned fries. They are much better than the regular ones which are basically McDonald's quality fries. The seasoned fries are very good. The cornbread was average- nothing to rave about. I know people complained in other reviews about the service, but ours was fantastic. We got our food within 15min of ordering or less and paying was easy too.

If you're into cooking your own oysters at home, come here to buy. They were $1 a piece when I was there- much cheaper than the average $2-3+ other...

Go down a forested driveway, and you will find a small property with an eerie feeling. Our first experience of Cody's Seafood didn't even reach the table. As soon as we get out of the car, people begin staring at our company with uncomfortable and unfriendly eyes. The smell of rancid fish is another indicator that one should NOT eat here. I would be afraid of contracting a PARASITE or ILLNESS from the food here. There wasn't a wait staff that approached us- nor did we see one attend to the customers sitting outside. When we went inside, there were raw RIBS sitting on a counter in customer reach. With prior food handling experience- I find this establishment UNSANITARY and one worthy of HEALTH INSPECTION INVESTIGATION. Not to mention, outside, there is an area off limits to customers which looks like a place where they prepare animals for consumption. Back yard butchery? A possible answer. Yet, regardless, no one should eat here for the UNSANITARY AND UNWELCOMING...

Commander Cody’s Fish Market is a mainstay on Shelter Island. Owners Jimmy Hayward and his daughter Amanda, serve the best fried chicken and assortment of smoked fish that people come from far and wide to enjoy. Recently I stopped in and got containers of prepared food from their fridge: potato salad cole slaw, ribs (to warm up at home) and smoked bluefish, and it was absolutely delicious. The smoked ribs are to die for, by the way. With family-run restaurants with a personal touch becoming such a rarity in this area, we are fortunate to have Commander Cody’s here on our little island. During peak times in the summer, the parking can get a little tight so parking on the street is a good idea. Following a Hamptons magazine review, Commander Cody’s got “discovered” and during the summer it is often best to order hot food in advance. As is often the case for the best, there might be a wait, but the outcome...