New Yorkers say ‘goodbye’ to cultish seafood spot Mary’s Fish Camp

"This ship is sailing," the team behind Mary's Fish Camp—a summery seafood shack that shucked up raw offerings, warming chowders and one of the city's best lobster rolls on the West Village for more than 20 years—announced back in February on Instagram, much to the chagrin of NYC locals who love great shellfish and nautical charm.

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"We hope to spend the next 2 months celebrating what a great restaurant we have grown into. We would like to salute everyone who has contributed to our success: every single employee, all of our regular and new customers, all of the great companies that we have worked with. You all felt like family and made MFC feel like home. ❤️" the closing announcement continued. "This will not be the end, we are hoping for fair winds on our next fishy endeavor. Anchors aweigh!"

Owner-chef Mary Redding and the rest of the Fish Camp crew ladled out its last conch chowder as of the end of April, and fans of the dearly departed restaurant have taken to social media to lament and tribute Mary’s Fish Camp, its coastal Florida-style cooking and that inviting, plant-filled exterior that occupied the corner of Charles and West 4th Streets since 2001. 

Among the numerous comments on the restaurant's goodbye post on Tuesday, April 30: 

• "So special. End of an era 😍" -@kristenglosserman
• "That corner is the best restaurant NY's ever had" - @greenoliveeats
• "Thank you for MANY unforgettable meals" - @adamlevyguitar
• "Counting down the days until you find a new location 🤞🤞🤞" -@johannagolding
• "Very sad. One of the best that makes the West Village the best hood" - @jodiyodels

Those sentiments were echoed in a sweet Instagram carousel that the beloved restaurant posted of drawings and notes from some of Mary's Fish Camp's younger patrons:

• "Thank you for being a constant in my life mary’s!! i’ll miss you and i’ll never forget the last 6 years of amazing food 🙏🏻🙏🏻" - @seb_a.h
• "You were a balm to a sore heart in the months after 9/11 and have remained so ever since. You will be missed." - @nickdebaun
• "No!! Whyyy🥺😭 thank you for being my all time fav💔" -@yaelkochva
• "Thank you for so many cod sandwiches, fries with malt vinegar, and hot fudge sundaes. This place was special. MFC forever ❤️❤️" -@anmassa