Stephen L.
Yelp
Unfortunately, I have to say that The Old Mill is highly overrated and arguably not worth the wait time. After hearing/seeing many great things about this place, I felt obligated to try it out (plus, as a first time visitor to Dublin, I naturally found myself in Temple Bar already).
They don't take reservations, so everyone has to wait in line by the entrance to get a spot. Granted we were there at prime dinner time on a weekend, but we ended up standing there waiting for over half an hour to get in. After getting in, we realized this is because the restaurant is actually really small, plus the fact that it's just a popular spot. The interior does have a cozy vibe though with lots of old Irish and Dublin-related memorabilia and decor, which are pretty cool.
I felt like I had to go with a classic to really test out this place so ordered the Traditional Fish and Chips (19.95 EUR). I have to say, I was kind of disappointed. It was honestly kind of like fast food quality, as the fish did not have much flavor - the only real flavor just came from the fried coating. The fries were very average.
I also tried the Braised Beef and Guinness Stew (19.95 EUR). I think this was better than the fish and chips but still did not stand out to me that much.
The staff are pretty friendly and helpful. The service speed was pretty quick (once we got a table).
Overall, if you can manage to get in here without much of a wait and are already exploring Temple Bar, then I could see this being a reasonable choice. Otherwise, if there is a long line, I think you might be better off saving your time and looking elsewhere.