As a regular seasonal visitor to Commander Cody's, I want to stress to anyone planning to dine here for the first time, It. Is. Not. Fancy. The food is fresh and simply prepared. ... stop by in the afternoon and place your dinner order early if you plan on eating there. Our family has found it best to order to go. That being said, plan on ordering one to two hours ahead of time, they genuinely cook to order and it really helps them out. When they get really busy, they will stop taking orders, keep that in mind, it has happened to us! We love the food, a guilty pleasure indulging in deep fried sea scallops and shrimp, which you can order BY THE POUND! perfect for a picnic dinner where you can just lay it all out on the table. His cocktail shrimp are deluxe and usually you can pick up a container from their fridge. Also, order ribs when he has them and give the fried chicken a try too! Any bitching about the service and rustic simplicity of the place needs to be checked at the door! Enjoy! read more

Horrible horrible horrible service. Food not worth high prices. "Waitress" useless and when she WAS doing her job, she had no clue how to do it. The 3 of us came for dinner in this cash only place (Hello IRS) and they bought 2 meals out and said mine would be out in a few minutes. I ordered the "Lobster Clambake" which was to have a clam/ mussels a appetizer. She NEVER bought it out. The place was not crowded. Only 3 other tables! After 45 minutes of my co-diners being served and finished with the fried seafood platters, we had enough. They were rude and unapologetic Finally I asked for the bill and didn't even want my meal. 1 hour later. The waitress shrugged. Some guy at one of the tables taking up space with stacked coins all over. Food was mediocre at best. Don't waste your time, appetite or money on this place. Someone told me that this was not an unusual experience at Commander Cody's. I estimate it will be vacated in a year. read more

Great and amazing food (seafood, chicken, ribs, etc.). I've never had something that is bad. Sometimes the staff is a little disorganized, but they are very accommodating and it's worth it for what you get. Also, don't attempt to eat there; this is a take out place most definitely. read more

To be fair, the food was absolutely fantastic and the staff was relatively friendly. My main issue here was with the service. Cody's is one of those places that acts like it's too good for you (i.e. no credit cards, self-service regarding drinks, cutlery, napkins, etc.). Like I said, the food was fantastic, but we did have a few issues. First off, the food took a while to come. Like, about an hour. I understand, it was a Saturday night, but there was no warning. (The menu says skillet fried chicken takes 30 minutes - no other food specifies a prep time - so that makes it sound like 30 minutes is the upper limit as far as wait times go, but I guess not.) 30 minutes later, I flagged down our server and he said they had a lot of takeout orders and there was only one guy in the kitchen. There were only about four tables, but they were quite large. Perhaps have more than one chef on Saturday nights ? I ordered the blowfish off the "broiled fish" section of the menu. I feel like I made it clear that I wanted it broiled (I said it at least twice, and when it arrived fried, even my friend said "wait didn't you order broiled ?"), but that's not what I got. Thankfully, it was as good as the fried oysters (some of the best I've had) and calamari, but when I told the server that I ordered the blowfish broiled (and waited about 55 minutes at this point for it), he didn't offer to fix it. I used to work in food service during high school and if a customer ever asked for something else, we immediately obliged. (Note : broiled fish costs $1 more than fried, and I hadn't had a single bite when I asked for the replacement. If I had eaten half of the dish and then asked for a swap, I would understand the server's hesitation.) After saying I was disappointed having received fried fish after waiting that long, the server said the wait is typical for a Saturday night and that this was "probably my first time at Cody's." I'm not sure if he was trying to make me feel like an outsider (I had a house on the island growing up actually, and spent most of my summers there), but I didn't see how it was relevant. All that being said, I'll definitely be back and Cody's will have the opportunity to raise this review to five stars. read more

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Love this place; its small and very relaxed; but every time I have been the food has been great! read more

Commander Cody's Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Shelter Island, New York

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This restaurant seems to have a workflow management problem. Don't tell your customer the lobster will be out in one minute if you're going to take another 45 minutes. Also the fried food has a bland taste, perhaps the broiled would taste better. read more

Walking in, I have to admit I didn't know what to expect at a cash only, somewhat backyard picnic table restaurant. However, the pleasant staff and more importantly the food delivered. Delicious, fresh seafood and amazing BBQ. I've if you're looking for seafood cooked with love in Shelter Island, and don't want to spend 50 dollars an entree, Commander Cody's is the place to go. An absolute gem. read more

Out of the way place, ordered soft shell crabs the day before and they were absolutely delicious. In fact, the best quality, fresh, meaty softshells that I've ever had. Next time I return to SI I'm definitely going to stop by the Commander's! read more

Memorial weekend with friends all dishes that we order were just delicious !!! Defiantly recommended on this place to who ever will visit in shelter Island read more

Commander Cody's Seafood - Seafood Near Me - Shelter Island, New York

Delicious, reasonably priced seafood in a no-frills setting. As the other reviewers noted, call in you order at least an hour ahead or you will be waiting. We called 1.5 hours ahead, set a pick-up time and ate outside on their porch. read more

Basic fried fish and chicken in a homelike place. Out of all the places on the island my wife wanted to eat here. The owner was out back frying our wings. Chatted with him about the name. Commander Cody used to play out in amagansett back in the day. The owner said Bill Kirchen came in all the time and he had spoken to him that week. Very cool. Will be back! read more

I like this place, but they use only plastic knives and forks, and considering there will soon be more plastic in the ocean than fish it seems ironic to be eating fish with them. Please please please can they switch to more eco alternatives, it's devastating. read more

Wonderful Commander was having a bit of staffing trouble the evening we went, but the fried oysters and soft shell crab were delicious. The lobster was a bargain but it was pretty awful...old and tough. It isn't Maine lobster. Plus, oddly, they cracked it and cleaned out the tamale and roe - (which I love) EVEN THOUGH I REQUESTED that they NOT crack it for me! I would stick with the beautiful fresh caught fish (Commander catches it himself) or shellfish other than lobster. Be prepared to wait. We called in our order ahead and it was supposed to be ready at 5:30. It had nto been started when we arrived and we waited 40 minutes. Plus they forgot the butter for the lobster. SO, you must be forgiving....it simply does not run smoothly, but you get the freshest fish and delicious BBQ. We are willing to pay the price of the wait. I have not had such fresh soft-shell crab in a long, long time! Remember - cash only. read more

In my opinion, this place should not be allowed to operate. I have never written a yelp review before. Our experience was so negative, however, that I feel compelled to do so. When ordering, we were told they were out of some items on the menu. While waiting, the smoke from the grill was so strong we had to move inside. 45 minutes after being seated, we asked what the ETA was on our food. We were told that they had not begun cooking any of our food and that the wait would be "two hours at least." Our server was impatient and was irritated by our question. Others that evening were experiencing the same lag in preparation of food. This appears to be a common problem with Commander Cody's based on talking with others and reading other reviews. read more

The service was extremely slow, we waited an hour for two lunch plates. The broiled seafood was only mediocre and the plates came out 15 minutes apart. I was very disappointed based off other reviews and would not recommended. read more

Food is decent, it can't be crazy during peak times; it's low key, priced like a tourist place and largely self serve. Lobster roll is decent, baked clams not so much, the fresh catch is usually good. read more

My husband, friend and I decided to take a spontaneous trip to shelter island. During our travels we naturally became hangry and off of a Google search and yelp review, found this gem of a place!! Wouldn't even know it existed if it weren't for my gps. Looked like an old junk yard from the front, but the food was PHENOMENAL !! Only thing is that it is CASH ONLY. We wished the waitress would have told us before we ordered bc we had to run to the nearest ATM when we had to pay the bill! The fish and chips- crab cakes and the salmon were cooked to perfection!! Cannot wait to make this trip again! read more

The food was good, but the service was terrible and we waited 2 hours (no exaggeration) for our food. People all around, who ordered after us, received their dinners before we did. The kitchen sent out a complimentary shrimp cocktail after hour 1 passed, and an extra soup. That was nice, however once our entrees starting arriving in bits, they informed us that one of our dinner items was sold out. And then when the check arrived they charged us for everything - just bad business. They should have comped a chunk of our order. Bad nights and lost tickets happen, but it's how these things are handled that matter. Not going back. read more

Loved loved loved everything! We had the lobster roll, the catch of the day fish and chip basket, and sides such as the black eyed pea salad, mac and cheese, cole slaw, and potato salad..... EVERYTHING was insanely delicious. Having lunch here for our last day as I know I am going to miss it! :) The kids loved it too! read more

Best fried chicken on the island!!!! They have the art of skillet fried chicken down to perfection. And the shrimp is the bomb! Call ahead because there is always a wait - which only shows how good the food is. read more

Been eating from the Commander my whole life. The fried shrimp are legit and all of his seafood is super fresh. Yea, it might take a while if you are ordering prepared food, but that is just how island life goes. read more

Hidden gem, great seafood, attached to a fish market, I had the scallops, great as is. Got some smoked salmon and swordfish to go. Good blues music too. read more

Been going for years, and enjoy their food normally so ive ignored the amazingly long waits at times, ignored the hit or miss service/quality of food at times. Ive lived on nantucket / shelter island and other islands for 45+ years so i know all about the " tourist rush" thus i am VERY easy going and dont sweat the waits or chaos because of it... BUT , when you call a place ahead of time two order two racks of ribs and are told it will be 90 mins ( and they ask for your name and ph#) then when you arrive and check in at the counter you wait another 30 min just to FINALLY be told that in fact they are not doing ribs today.... Ive had enough. Campy is cool, local is cool, dive is cool... Crap service, bad manners, and lack of respect for your customers is pathetic. read more

You have to know what you're going for here. Everything at Cody's is prepared to order so you need to be ready for a leisurely pace. Laid back describes it best - be sure to bring some wine or beer while you wait. This is a fish market / restaurant off the beaten path in the Commander's basement/yard and you wouldn't want it any other way. Nobody's oysters are as fresh as the Commanders - oyster crabs are a rare delicacy only found in the freshest oysters and we find them in Cody's (they're quite tasty). His friend chicken is meant to be eaten in - at it's best piping hot with the best hot sauce (ask for extra). Steamed lobster from his tank - couldn't be better. And oh his fish and chips - yum! Take home some of his smoked fish dip. For the fish market ask the Commander what is fresh - we had amazing swordfish steaks that were just off the boat. Keep your order simple and remember Cody's is a place to relax. read more

Stay away, seafood was not fresh as advertised plus the service was rude. The lady working behind the counter turned some people away because she wanted to take a 15 minute break. read more

I have a vacation home on Shelter Island and live close by to Commander Cody's Seafood. Consistently find the freshest fish and seafood. I stopped by recently and Cody filleted a bluefish in front of me. Also purchased some fresh scallops. Both were perfect for dinner on the grill. The seafood is fresh, local and a great value for the dollar. read more

Excellent seafood. Warm and friendly atmosphere! We had an amazing fish n' chips! The lady commander is very sweet and funny. We ordered to go and had to wait 50min but the wait was definitely worth it!! read more

Sat outside for seafood and fried chicken, both were just fine and inexpensive. This is a "joint" and self-serve for table setup and cleanup are appreciated as is helping yourself to drinks from the cooler. The fried chicken was superior, the ribs nicely smoked, but too heavily sauced, even though the barbecue sauce seemed homemade. My wife's fried seafood platter was a great exam playoff the genre. I'm not sure I'd go to Shelter Island for Commander Cody's, but if travel takes you there, you'll enjoy a much better than average meal at a fair price. read more

The bad reviews are right but we unfortunately didn't listen. We got there at 6 and ordered right away and at 7 they come out and tell us they don't have things we ordered. They then proceed to mess up the order and didn't own up to any of it - instead blaming each other for the mistakes. Literally have no idea now anyone would go there more than once. The food was okay but everything else was a head scratcher. They have "table service" but the single "server" would come just once. No water or anything - you bus your own table. Their menus say they take credit cards but they don't - they say the menu is really old. They then have the audacity to ask if you need change when you try to break $80 on $64. Sure I'm going to leave 25% on the worst service ever. AVOID AVOID AVOID. read more

Not to be missed - ever! The seafood and fried chicken are incredible. This place beats to their own drum...great value proposition, everything is made to order, things move slowly. Super hospitable, go now! Enjoy! read more

We ordered a 10 piece chicken at 645 and they told us it would be a 2 hour no wait. We were a little surprised but figured whatever, no biggie. After two different trips back to get the food, they informed my husband they are out of chicken at 945pm. read more

Stumbled upon this amazing gem while walking across shelter island. The service was great and the food excellent. We got broiled fish (locally caught) and fried chicken along with oysters (maybe best I've ever had) and a bunch of sides. Would def come back. read more

One of our all-time worst restaurant experiences. Waited about 70 minutes to receive both our main dishes and even the soups that we ordered - this with only two other tables occupied. Although they do have a takeout business, which might in part account for some of the delay. During the wait, the server made no attempt to communicate with us, even making sure to avoid eye contact. She maintained her coldness when she finally served our food. The restaurant appears to a have a sort of reverse snobbery maintaining the pretension of an extremely casual atmosphere that includes a spartan dining area and plastic utensils, while supposedly serving very good food. Well, when we finally did receive our food it was only fair at best. The soup and salmon were just warm and the crab cake was burnt on both sides, which we left uneated. Based on reviews, we were willing to wait a reasonable amount of time for a good meal. Seventy minutes for a mediocre meal with unfriendly service is another story. Like another reviewer said, don't waste your time here. read more

This is an interesting spot. It is very, very, very casual. The food is the real deal, the prep is questionable. There are basically two kitchens at this location. One is inside next to the seafood market where it appears that they have the usual suspects as far as a cafe. The next kitchen is located outside under a rain tarp, where most of the food is fried and prepped. Not sure that this portion of the kitchen would pass a health inspection with flying colors... The food was pretty good. I would say this place is worth a an adventurous visit, or at least stop by for fresh seafood market. read more

Great to chill on a sunny day. Nice outdoor terrace. Lots of seafood on the menu, my friends had lobster rolls and I ordered steamers. Very good lobster rolls, fries were also very crispy. It was my first time eating steamers, so I can't compared to other places. Steamers were fine, but after trying them this is not my favorite shells. Would probably have preferred the lobster rolls or full lobster! No alcohol and no tap water, and water bottle is a bit pricy. read more

Huge rip-off. I personally didn't mind the wait, nor the mosquitoes, and I tend to have tolerance for small, not manicured, local shops. I actually look for not "established" places. What I do mind is to be ripped-off with a "Fried Combo Platter" (top of the menu) as a 22 USD small tray of fries with 3, yes 3!!!, shrimps + 2, yes 2!!!, crab fritters the size of ping pong balls. read more

Yuk - someone needs to call the board of health. Service is horrible. Too bad because the chicken is good.

We just got off a sailing day trip in Greenport and were looking for a nice place to eat. I found Commander Cody online and the reviews looked very interesting. We decided to take the ferry across and give it a try. OMG, it was just like the reviewers said! We loved it! It was VERY different then what I expected but the food was great and atmosphere was fun. I would recommend it you are looking for a interesting place to try. Keep a open mind and you will love it. By the way Peaches rocks! read more

Still great, but save yourself frustration and make other plans for summer weekends, especially on holidays. They just can't handle the demand. Too bad. They should add staff for weekends. Still great food! read more

I am well-traveled and enjoy the appeal of a modest restaurant with good food. Commander Cody's Seafood could use some help in management and customer service. The kitchen staff is more focused on their takeout service than in-restaurant service -- our meal order was lost in the volume of take-out patrons and took an hour to receive. The wait staff needs training in basic customer service -- we experienced poor wait service follow-up, incorrect meal order delivery, and inadequate knowledge of the menu. The food was good, but overpriced for quality of service and quantity. Bottom line: Enjoy Commander Cody's Seafood by calling-in your meal order. read more