Devin’s Fish & Chips

I was in NY on business and stayed at an Airbnb spot a couple of blocks away from Devin’s. I ate at this place everyday! The salmon, scallops, Spanish rice and broccoli were to die for. Although I’m in NY a lot on business, I could not remember the name of this spot. I just found it and they are closed? That’s a bummer. I will be in NY in a few weeks and really wanted to revisit Devin’s. The only draw back is the length of time it takes to get your food and the cramped space. Otherwise, I will always eat here.
Time to reopen!

Do your self a favor and forget «Famos Fish». all you have to do is walk a few block’s north on St. Nicholas Avenue. The quality and the porton’s are great. and best of all the prices are reasonable. You will be glad that you came here.

Great food! Greater wait! Order and have something to do in the mean time. The wait is usually at least 20 mins. Grilled Salmon, rice and plantains is my favorite dish here.

Devin’s is a sanitation disgrace. They dump raw fishheads in their back yard and have left bags of garbage in their yard for months. (I have photos.) It is generating rats in theirs and neighboring yards and buildings.
I was baffled how they can display an A rating in their window until my neighbors and I complained to Dept. of Health and discovered that no one even investigated! The garbage is still in their yard.
I have not attached my name to this review because I fear retaliation. I ate their food once, but would never dream of doing so again.

Pros:
(+) Cheap!
(+) Fresh seafood, made to order.
(+) Red snapper and Porgie are my favs!
Cons:
(+) Cash only.
(+) They don’t deliver.
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I love this place. It’s a tiny hidden gem in the heart of Harlem. A true hole in the wall… but man, is their food good. If you love seafood… then this place is worth the trip. It’s easy to get here. It’s right off the A, B, C, D and 1 train.
Cash only. They don’t deliver, unfortunately. They are cheap, so if you’re on a budget, it would be worth the trip.
If you’re in a rush, then expect to wait a little because they make your meal fresh to order. To save time, I usually put in my order… then walk across the street to the bodega to pick up some drinks and by the time I come back, my order is about ready. There isn’t any seating, so if you want to sit… you can walk to the St. Nicholas park at the next block and enjoy your meal there.

Best seafood spot in Harlem. Just like back home. No frills, just fantastic food. I frequented this place when I lived on 145^th and St Nick. Love their broiled salmon, okra, and rice with peas.
Recently went back after 3 years and wondered what took me so long. I had to wait longer than I would have liked to so they gave me a complimentary Arnold Palmer for my troubles. They’re alright with me.

Omg I loveeee this place! It definitely has a place in my heart! I will miss it when I leave NYC. A bit of a hole in the wall but I think that’s apart of it’s charm. The people are friendly and there is usually good music playing. It has a Harlem feel that feels welcoming and homey. Only complaint is the wait for the food BUT I think they make it on the spot and there is only a few people working there. Definitely worth a try if you like seafood.
Try the Fried Calamari or Shrimp with Spanish Rice, and Plantains.
Yum. Yum. YUM!

Odd little place right next to the subway; it always smells so good.
Service is okay but the food took forever.

What will it take for Devin’s to get some order around the way in which they take orders? The food here is completely average so it does not justify the complete chaos that awaits you upon arrival. Calling in advance is no respite; this is my second visit there in 8 months and BOTH times I left without my order that I called in in advance. Consider a system ASAP.
Famous had a line out the door but it moves fast and the food is just as good.
UPDATE:
This location unfortunately burned down before they ever for a chance to improve.

We rented an apartment on the corner next door to this for a week while staying in NYC. This neighborhood is just adorable, and friendly as well. The locals were nothing but nice, and our landlady recommended this place for grub. It’s a total hole in the wall, but smelled divine the night I walked by and decided on them for dinner. I ordered fish and chips and a side of steamed broccoli. (Hey, I was feeling slightly healthy…)
It was a bit of a wait, and for 9pm on a weeknight, the place was busy with take out orders. The tiny kitchen was hopping. Got it to go, and took it home. It was great!
Lightly fried flaky white fish, perfect gooey, greasy fries, and the broccoli was drenched in garlic, butter, and lemon juice. I’d go back for the broccoli alone. It was a happy delight for dinner, and the perfect end to a long day in NYC.

Delicious seafood for decent prices. I’ve had the fish and chips and I always keep going back for more! Great service. The only thing to look out for is that it takes a while till your order is ready. Call ahead of time for pickup!

The fish itself was good, still had the skin (and tiny bones) attached on one side. Basically I only got to eat half of each price of fish. Fries were soggy, and some were undercooked. Fried plantains were burnt and SWIMMING in oil.
Maybe the quality is better at lunch time, rather than dinner?

I miss this joint like you don’t know!!! It’s small, dark, a hole in the wall, and not the prettiest of places. But, hands down, my #1 recommendation for seafood joints in NYC!
Make sure you have a second to wait since everything is made to order. People say they have slow service… and they’re welcome to their opinion. It’s an allowable observation in a city as face-​paced as NYC, where everyone wants everything instantly. But the charm of this joint is that, yes. You’re good is gonna take a hot minute to come out. But it’s not because they’re not working or moving slowly. They’re cooking your food with care and to order so it’s right every time and always fresh. It’s a nice break from the rush and bustle of NYC, because they work for you, but just don’t rush about things. It’s WELL worth it for the freshness and quality you get, IMO.
The prices might seem high for some items. But don’t fool yourself! My favorite meal is the salmon steak dinner. You get TWO HUGE salmon steaks, freshly seasoned and broiled right in front of your eyes! I almost always get rice and broccoli, which is piled high! I can always make two meals out of this suck, and it’s less than $ 20!
The fried fish is also good, and they give you some bread to stick it between, if you like. The scallops are quite nice. And they take the time to know the regulars (I got to the point where I was called Red Glasses, and it made me smile every time).
I DO NOT go back to this area of town without stopping in and giving them business. SOOOO worth the wait time! Go! Now!!! (well, after you stop at the ATM, since they’re cash only :-)

Never tried this place before, and it was on my way home from work. Got Broiled Salmon Steaks, Fish&Chips, and a few sides. Me and my significant other both got very ill that night. Still feeling it this morning. I vomited twice, and had all the other symptoms of food poisoning. Worse food-​related illness of my life. I’m sure this doesn’t happen to everybody, but obviously it’s the last time we’ll be getting food from them. Staff was nice, and I’m not trying to get even with anybody. This place has an A from the health department, so I figured it was safe.
And honestly, after-​effects aside, we didn’t enjoy the food that much.

I used to be addicted to this place. Everything is great except the fries.
I had one funny tasting piece of fish there once and it was over for me.
Still recommend the place.

I am so shocked at all the good ratings for this spot. Maybe they had a bad day when I went. I went here with my roommate at the time when we first moved into our apartment right across the street. Our gas wasn’t working so we decided to eat out.
The shrimp was okay, tasty and crisp. However the fish and the french fries, SO OILY. Fish were band, french fries were soggy.
Literally at the same time, me and my roommates stomach started turning, and I think it was a bit expensive for the quality of the food.
We did go in 2010, so I am not sure if the service and food had changed much since then.
Needless to say I would not try this place again.

Love, love, love this place! It’s one of the reasons I miss living near by. I work in east harlem and am contemplating going up there for dinner.
Workers there are awesome! They were very sweet and know the regulars, makes you feel special.

Call me a simpleton, but the fish sandwich is honestly one of my favorite foods. While the delicious concoction can be found on menus from restaurants like McDonald’s to wannabe seafood havens like Red Lobster, I find that the best fish sandwiches come from tucked away hideaways like Devin’s.
Now call me a fool, but for years, I did not even know that Devin’s existed. I was drawn away by the allure and expensiveness of Famous down the street… once I tasted Devin’s however… I was sold!
Rusty and I walked upon Devin’s one afternoon after work. With some cash on us (they don’t take cards), we decided to give the hole-​in-​the wall establishment a go. When we got there, there were not many people waiting to be served. After placing our order for one fish sandwich ($ 4.50) and an order of shrimp and chips, we sat towards the back and waited to be called up to pick up our food.
We must have arrived at just the right time, because right after taking a seat in the back of the narrow and dimly lit eatery, a barage of clientele came in, shouting out tons of different orders. «Calamari!» «Potato Salad!» «Fried Plantains!» «Large fish and chips with lemonade!» Commuters, neighbors, pimps, school children, they all paraded in on the Friday afternoon demanding their tasty seafood fare.
Thankfully, we got our order in before the rush, and although we did have to wait a little while, we were eventually beckoned for our giant servings of food.
Nestled between two pieces of split top wheat bread, three pieces of golden fried whiting were waiting for me. I slathered the sandwich with spicy hot sauce and cool, refreshing tartar sauce to compliment it. The rest was history! The sandwich was perfect, the best fish sandwich that I had ever had!
The fish fry was PERFECT. Not too salty, and the fish was so meaty and moist. I ate every bite.
Rusty’s shrimp was also delicious, and his fries were homemade. Also, the portions were gigantic. And for a price cheaper than Famous’…it also makes Famous’ clientele look like fools. I don’t think that I have to tell you, although I live around the corner from Famous, I haven’t spent a dime there since discovering Devin’s.
And yes, while the service can be terribly slow, appreciate that everything is grilled, fried or broiled to order! The staff is also very friendly and honest. The plantains are delicious, the fried food is NEVER greasy or salty and I can’t wait to try the famous delicious potato salad!
I’m hooked!

Love this place!
Delicious seafood and you get more bang for your buck compared to most other seafood spots. My favorite is the broiled Talapia and it comes with enough side orders that allows me to get more than one meal of an order.
The downside is that service is not fast so be prepare for a wait.

I’ve been living in the area for months, and my silly a$$ didn’t make it to Devin’s until today. On top of that? I’d eaten just an hour or so before! Duh.
However, I need to get back in shape and that means I need to cut out the fried foods. I don’t do them a lot, but I need to not do them at all except for every once in awhile.
Devin’s has steamed dishes. Red snapper is one of my favorite fish types and they have that steamed!
Today I just ordered a steamed side dish. The wait was crazy long. The man behind the counter wouldn’t smile to save his life, but eh, what can you do?
The side dish? Awesome. I will be coming back. I’ll see if I can call ahead because I already know what I’m going to order. The only thing that sucks: the wait. Everything else is great! Go, eat and enjoy!