The Windmill

Reviews

• Jules S.

  star star star star star_border 11 June 2026

  The Windmill is like a little community of lovers of fried goods, busy from early until late. At lunchtime it is hiving, with an overspill sitting underneath the awnings, but I've never ventured in at that time.
  My time for the Windmill is late, when the streets are dark and you've went out for a drink after work that kept getting bigger and all of a sudden you realise you've had no dinner and it is a school night. This is when The Windmill comes into it's own, providing all the starchy goodness a reveller or late night worker would need.
  OK, so a cheesy chip may not be haute cuisine, but once you've had one here after the pub, you'll be craving one every time you just walk by.

• Ciara S.

  star star star star_border star_border 5 June 2026

  If memory serves me well, the Windmill Restaurant has been going strong in Belfast for the last twenty years or so. It's not fancy by any stretch of the imagination but serves good, reasonably priced food.
  
  Despite the name, this eatery is really just a basic cafe and not a 'restaurant'. However if you're after a fry-up (vegetarian options included), soup, paninis, chips and other such lunch or breakfast options then this is the place to visit.
  
  Over the years I've found Windmill to offer a good, consistent standard of food. The poached eggs on toast are spot on as a slightly healthier hang-over cure, especially with lashings of black pepper.

• Marina M.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 1 June 2026

  Horrible chips which were definitely not homemade. Normally when I order chips in this sort of establishment, I expect thick cut, fresh, meaty ones. Theirs are regular american sized fries, guess it was the cheapest option to buy from frozen. Also the ones advertised in garlic chips came drenched in mayonnaise, a second portion, which to be fair was given without any fuss, had a litttle fruit fly sticking to them. Guess things like this happen, it just didn't help the overall impression.

• Michael M.

  star star star star star_border 15 May 2026

  A confession...I've only ever been to this chippy/café after a Saturday night out down at McHugh's so my recollections are generally a bit fuzzy. Up on the side of the in-shops on Church Lane the Windmill has been around for years and has everything a good caff should have.
  
  I normally get the chips of an evening out as my body's craving starch and salt and these really hit the spot. They're cheap as well and the staff are normally very good natured with the more slightly worse for wear as they dither over their choices.
  
  I'm also reliably informed this is a great place to get inside info or an invite to any house parties happening. Not that I'd know anything about that type of thing of course.
  
  Pros: Big menu, tasty.
  Cons: In the evening it's basically a chippy with some nice seating.

• George M.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 14 May 2026

  Parked up in the High Street 'In Shops' Car Park, back when that particular car park cost less than an arm and a leg (St Annes has now dethroned it in the budget parking stakes). After running a few errands in town, fancied a bite of lunch. Vic. Square was a bit too 'chain restaurant' oriented.
  
  Fond memories of childhood days at the seaside, chips at the Windmill restaurant in Millisle saw me try their namesake (same company?) by the side of the in-shops.
  
  Grabbed a seat, waitress handed me a menu without saying anything. Fancied the goujons, but with a curry dip. When it came to order, asked politely if I could get curry instead of the sweet chilli it comes with on the menu.
  "No it comes with sweet chilli" was the curt reply.
  I enquired as to getting a separate side of curry sauce, as they did have this.
  Same reply "No it comes with sweet chilli". I relented and had to go with the sweet chilli.
  
  The next table had a non-local waitress who seemed to be more polite, maybe it was just bad luck.
  
  My meal was thrown down in front of me and she wandered off.
  
  It was alright, chip-shop standard fare, chips and goujons. Sweet chilli tasted like any other bottled sweet chilli sauce. Maybe a little dry (I had my heart set on a drop of curry sauce!).
  
  Surroundings, a bit cosy / claustrophobic. Plenty of tables, seemed quite busy. Honest greasy-spoon decor. Sort of place where you will see a peeled charity sticker stuck on a sauce bottle.
  
  Price wise, not too expensive, but not the cheapest lunch I've had either.
  
  Maybe if service was better I might have had a more pleasant experience.