Blue Star Donuts

Blue Star Donuts is hands down one of the best spots for donut lovers in Portland. Their unique flavor combinations and dedication to quality ingredients make every visit unforgettable. The Buttermilk Old-Fashioned is a classic done perfectly-rich, moist, and with just the right tang from the buttermilk. It's simple, but it shines in its execution. The Apple Cider Fritter is a seasonal delight, packed with warm apple flavor and a touch of spice that feels like autumn in every bite. The Rosemary Old-Fashioned takes the classic to a new level with a subtle herbal twist that's both unexpected and delicious. And then there's the White Chocolate Cranberry Crème Brûlée, a decadent masterpiece with its creamy filling, tart cranberries, and that caramelized brûlée topping that adds a satisfying crunch. Every donut at Blue Star feels like a treat made with care and creativity. It's not just a donut shop-it's an experience worth savoring!

My brother brags about the quality of the donut game in Portland so was happy to have the opportunity to try out Blue Star Donuts… and worth the trip! I asked the lovely donut server about her favorites and she recommended the lemon curd and the chocolate old fashioned. Both are fantastic and balance a delicious donut with a subtle flavor to distinguish them from the basic recipe. Well played Blue Star, well played 😀

Eh, it's a donut. Got the OG, and wish there was a bit more cinnamon. Otherwise, it was practically just a sugar glaze. The brioche dough is pillowy and soft, but over hyped of course. A nice snack (though with the amount of sugar they add, it's probably a meal). They've got some unique flavours. Perhaps worth trying with a group of friends if you're visiting. Definitely not worth eating often, it's a nice treat.

We came to this donut shop after seeing it on the show "Somebody Feed Phil". It is definitely a nice donut shop in Portland with very unique flavors. We tried the Passion Fruit Cocoa Nib flavor and it was a really interesting taste. You better check it out while you're in town. They also have a really cool sticker if you like to collect those.

Lots of amazing flavors coming from this little donut shop! I was visiting a friend and she brought me to BSD and we got a 1/2 dozen to try the variety of flavors. My favorite was probably the champagne pie donut although they were all very good. Also, I was a fan of the peppermint mocha, but that is most likely seasonal.

Fantastic place for some delicious creatively flavored donuts, and super tasty coffee! Staff are very nice, and our pup even got a treat! Terrace outside is very pleasant, especially on a sunny day. We got the orange olive oil, blueberry bourbon, and a buttermilk old fashioned doughnut. Everything was excellent, highly recommend you try them out!

The donuts are amazing, the coffee is great, the service and vibes are super nice. Definitely a great place to visit in Portland!! The donuts are crunchy at the outside and soft in the inside with great flavor but not too sweet, love it!

I love blue star donuts. Nobody else makes donuts like they do. The donuts are fresh, unique, and one of a kind. The flavors are so wonderfully selected and the brioche dough is perfect for these donuts you have to be quick though, or you may miss out as they tend to sell out fast. I do not live close to blue star donuts but gladly make the trip whenever I can because they are just so good.

Pricy donuts, came here for the hype because of traveling here. If you like your donuts double/triple deep fried, this is the place to be. This is an average review of the friend group. I don't think the donut is worth the price or the hype coming from California where donuts are a dollar. Upon biting into the donut, a gushing amount of oil did come out and into my mouth. If this was me 5 years ago, before changing my taste palate to more healthy/clean I'd love the crap out of this donut. But today's tongue and taste pallet wise, that is not the kind of donut for me. My friend also tried the donut and shared that it tasted like soap. We ordered the lavender, strawberry and the blueberry donuts. Lavender did come off a bit stronger on the taste, so would advise you on that. The cream is sweet, but there isn't much of the fruit taste I was hoping for. I think This place is more of a hype of the atmosphere vs great amazing food. I still prefer the hole in the wall donut spots over these. They are nice though service wise.

The store has street parking. It was fairly easy to find parking. We had heard so many great things so of course couldn't just buy 1 donut....we got 6 to try and did a bit of tasting. We got The OG, blueberry bourbon basil, passion fruit coca nib, the andretti, orange olive oil and lemon & lime curd. Each was unique in its own way. I think I liked passion fruit best but there was no bad donut. I also got an iced matcha latte which I also enjoyed. The store is quite spacious. Plenty of seating. Free water available to you on the side. Clean restroom in the back. Friendly staff.

These donuts are worth your coin! Expensive, yes, but wildly delicious. The texture of these donuts are unlike most other donut shops. The perfect cakey fluff. Moist, not dry. The old fashioned donuts have a mouthwatering crisp. The flavors are fun and enticing! At this specific location the two ladies working were wonderful. My friend was visiting from out of town and when I asked them for activity recommendations they were instantly excited and started sharing all their favorite spots. There were no customers behind us so we chatted for a few minutes. Along with our box of donuts we were carrying 3 to-go boxes from another restaurant. The cashiers noticed and offered us bags to help condense and make things easier to manage. Amazing customer service and experience. So yes, $5 is on the higher side for a donut but you have to try it just once. The donuts are divine and the staff is friendly. Lots of residential and street parking too. If it's between Blue Star and Voodoo Donuts, I'm picking Blue Star every day.

I love buttermilk donuts and was really excited to try Blue Star since I believe that's what they specialize in. This location only had 4 or 5 flavors as the others had already sold out so that was a little disappointing. I came on a Tuesday afternoon around 12:00. I actually liked the strawberry Sakura donut flavor which normally wouldn't have been my first choice but I ordered it since the options were slim. Although, I have had better buttermilk donuts elsewhere. Overall, I wouldn't go out of your way to stop here but if you do the donuts are good.

Pricey donuts, but unique flavors. Staff felt a bit standoffish, or ~too cool~ to be there. Sampled 5 donuts, totaling over $30 :O Rotating selection, so don't be surprised if there's a flavor that's not there at a future visit. The donut texture and flavor were above average, but the flavors definitely set Blue Star Donuts apart from other donut spots. Worth a stop, but likely not a frequenter of this spot for the wallet.

We dropped in yesterday to try their donuts, a small but unique and interesting selection. I received a friendly greeting and thorough explanations of the flavor options I found of interest. I ended up walking out with 3: orange olive oil, apple brandy crumble, and lemon poppyseed. The orange was extremely different: a thick semi-crunchy exterior coating of olive oil powder, which I didn't even know was a thing. The flavor was interesting and unique, although the cake itself was too dry. The apple brandy had a cider donut taste and a tender and moist crumb. The lemon poppyseed was tasty...of all the old-fashioneds I've had over the years this was my first lemon, pretty darn good. Fun, funky donut options and great service.

For $5 a donut, these are some pricy donuts. I got the Raspberry Rosemary donut. It's more like a cake donut, dense and moist. I thought this was too sweet for my preference. My friend got the Chocolate Bergamot and that one was really good, perfect amount of sweetness. The donut shop is huge, with some seating and very clean! Service was very quick amd friendly.

Coming here after lunch time on a Saturday, it wasn't as busy as I expected. We were served almost immediately and the employee was extremely helpful with all the questions we had as it was most of our first times at Blue Star. The interior is fairly small with a few inside seats, but there was plenty of outdoor seating. Maple Bar 8.5/10 - The donuts were really tasty and pretty sweet, so I needed to have a drink with me. The Maple Bar had a really good maple taste, but given the sweetness I think I will get something else next time.

First time here. I got the lemon old fashion. A very solid donut. Good crumb and lemon flavor. I would go back.

These donuts are incredible. Well worth the price. And such interesting flavors! Big fan.

Whoa. I had heard Blue Star was not to be missed and I 100% agree with that sentiment. This location packs a punch with awesome staff members, quick service, and a nice outdoor seating area for the patrons to enjoy their snack before heading back out into the world. Luckily, there aren't too many flavors to choose from, but there are enough that every type of sweet tooth can be indulged. These are doughnuts, so they are very sweet - I didn't find one that wasn't - so, be sure to grab some water or something similar when you need a break from the sweetness. I loved the blueberry bourbon. The flavor is mostly blueberry with a small hint of bourbon. If you're going just to try something, put this on your list as no other place has a doughnut that compares.

75 in 1. Look at the display ~ 5 seconds. Ask employee to box an assorted dozen ~ 15 seconds. Add a couple cold brews ~ 20 seconds. Add the in-your-face high gratuity screen with the employee standing & watching right in front of you ~ 5 seconds. Employee handing you the donuts & coffee ~ 5 seconds. Walk to car ~ 10 seconds. $75 in 1 minute. *Disclaimer ~ the experience actually took longer. Trying to park around Mississippi took 15 minutes.

The donuts are a little on the pricey side. I paid $10 for the 2 pictured in my review but read that this place is much better than a similar donut shop. They weren't wrong. I asked for and got a great explanation on the different donut selections they had. The blueberry was great but I loved the valrhona crunch the most. It was rich but it wasn't too much. Too bad I didn't get any coffee but I bet it would've paired great with these donuts.

Melt in your mouth donuts but you will pay a lot for them. $$$ My donut cost $6.00 plus tax.

This location was my first introduction to Blue Star Donuts! The staff were ABSOLUTELY amazing and oh so friendly!! I was so thankful to have had the opportunity to share such a friendly conversation while getting some support in picking out yummy options to take him with me. In addition to my options, I got a coffee that was also tasty. This location is easy to find and clean with the modern style presented at the franchises other locations. I'll certainly be back! :)

I stopped by before my flight back home and the service was fantastic! The staff was super dope and friendly. I had the Horchata Old Fashion Donut which was great! Definitely on the sweeter side but hey, it is a donut! You can definitely tell after taking the first bite that their donuts are fresh.

Pretty much functions as a simple donut shop--choose what's there, select, and enjoy. You are able to ask for samples which aided in our decision making. Would also say that one donut goes a long way and consider sharing unless you are ravenous and need all the calories. Ordered OG x2 and blueberry bourbon basil. Yes the donuts cost more but a few days later they still have bounce and have not dried out. I bought these and voodoo the same day--unfortunately those have dried out so that was like eating cake that's been left out.

I was wandering around Mississippi Ave. on a rare sunny day recently and stopped in. I haven't been to Blue Star since before Covid, and I've noticed a definitely drop in quality and service at most places so I didn't expect a lot. The shop is nice, very clean. There was a bit of a wood finish smell. Maybe one of the adjoining shops was refinishing their floors. The people there were friendly and helpful. Literally seconds after I walked in I was being helped. Great selection of unique doughnuts to try, but the real star here and the reason I would give this place 5 stars over and over is the quality of the doughnuts. I had the mango crème brûlée filled, and it's easily the best doughnut I've ever had. It's hard to even classify it as a doughnut. If you put this on a plate and served it at a 5 star restaurant it would easily be a $25 dessert plate. Perfectly balanced filling, not too sweet, not grainy as some mango filling get. Perfectly brûléed... I mean, I don't think I've ever had a better doughnut and honestly I'm not sure I've ever had a better pastry. Prices are higher than other doughnut shops, but well worth it. Go into it thinking of it more as a dessert rather than a standard doughnut you'd but a dozen of and pass out at work. It's a really finely crafted thing. Absolutely perfect. I'd love to see Blue Star expand, there is a wealth of doughnut shops in the city but none are this level of quality. If you haven't been, you should.

Blue Star over Voodoo - any day! Delicious, crafty and flavorful donuts, perfectly cooked and perfectly presented. Fun seasonal flavors, while also providing the classics. It's the perfect stop for those with a sweet tooth in the morning, all packed in the cutest blue box. Yum!

I was visiting Portland and really wanted to check out a cool donut shop in town. I took one look at Blue Star's menu and immediately knew I had to come here. The shop itself was very large with plenty of seating. We went at a perfect time when there was no line and speedy service. I ordered their Passion Fruit Cocoa Nibs donut and the Strawberry Rhubarb Fritter and my friend ordered the Sugar n'spice and the chocolate Hazelnut donuts. The Strawberry Rhubarb Fritter was the front-runner from this lineup. Overall, the donuts tend to be on the sweeter side, but that was right up my alley.

Blue Star is already a well-known establishment both within and beyond the city, and there's not much I can say that hasn't been shared in other reviews. If you're unsure about which flavors to sample, I'd strongly recommend not overthinking it. Instead, go ahead and get one of each. Trust me, when you take that first bite, you'll appreciate your decision in hindsight.This is the place you want to bring your out-of-town friends to when you want to showcase the greatness of Portland. While the city boasts natural beauty, wonderful people, stunning views, let's face it--nothing quite lifts the spirits like indulging in a warm, indulgent donut does. They also travel really well and I have often taken them for out of town friends and on trips . The stores do run out of the popular ones earlier so If you are really looking to try something in particular , ensure to get there early . They are definitely pricey but as they say -Quality over Quantity !

Dropped by with a friend around 1PM on Wed. Two ladies working were very friendly. I got the Apple Brandy Crumble per their recommendation and the popular Blueberry Bourbon Basil. The Apple Brandy Crumble is as described - just like an apple crumble on a donut - a nice almond crumble on top of the tart apple glaze and not too sweet! The Blueberry Bourbon Basil was definitely a bit on the sweeter end with the sweet blueberry glaze on a very fluffy donut. Overall some really great donuts at a cute shop on Mississippi. Street parking all around the neighborhood a block away. Lots of picnic table seating outside. Would recommend!

I bought 6 donuts. I brought it back with me and my parents really liked the donuts. I was able to try the tropical one and I loved it. I'm super into coconut and it's my favorite kind of donut. The workers were so nice. I like that they're individually wrapped in the box too so they don't touch each other.

Try these donuts. If I lived in Portland I would have tried all of them by now. I never enjoy any old-fashioned donuts but this spot has nailed it, my daughter and I were fighting for bites.

I was going for a morning walk and decided on an impromptu visit to blue star donuts. I've never been before just because it's never really been convenient. I walked in and was warmly greeted by the folks working there. I browsed the selection and the options that seemed the tastiest to me were the buttermilk bergamot chocolate donut and the key lime and lemon curd filled doughnut. I ended up paying around $10 for both donuts and walked out with my little box. I ended up eating them at home and was pleasantly surprised with how sharp and tart the curd was. The donut was also filled generously. The chocolate buttermilk Bergamont donut was very tasty as well. I appreciated how soft and moist it was. The Bergamont brings a nice warmness to the flavor. I will note that towards the center of the donut it became a little more tough which I thought was weird; however, still very edible and enjoyable. Overall, I think the donuts are a little pricey, but they were tasty.

Stopped in here after breakfast at Gravy and was able to order some to take on the plane home. Got an assorted half dozen and they were very original. The passion fruit was a little tart for my liking and I must say (and the sweet lady at the counter warned me) but the chocolate ganache was rich but I don't regret it! The savory fritter was weird but I was super interested in trying it. There's picnic tables outside but the donut shop itself I walk up and purchase.

Great Apple fritter - real bits of apple, nice crunch, soft center. Service was great and super nice. Only downside is there is very little seating, just one picnic table out front and maybe a few spots inside. So unless you're picking up to go, it is not necessarily the best. I sat on a bench in front of the comic book shop and that worked

This donut supply shop is in a gorgeous area and the staff are friendly and welcoming. I had not been to this location before, but recently hit it up the morning after road-trippin' down for concert. My absolute favourite donuts here are the Orange Olive Oil and the Apple Fritter, the Raspberry Rosemary is a terrific choice as well. My only complaint is that I'm not a real big fan of any of the Chocolate glazes, there is just some thing that doesn't sing to me the same way about these ones. Please open a Canadian location in Vancouver, BC !

I can see why so many people rant about this place but for me it's the texture and my comparison with a normal doughy doughnut that make me feel this spot is okay. I will say flavors tho.... Nice selection for sure! Let's jump right into it. I love the doughy doughnuts and thats just my preference, I can understand those who do not like it. But the way they do doughnuts here are more of a thick cakey consistency than your regular average doughnut shop. They are quite filling due to their thickness. I usually can atleast have 2 in one sitting but I can barley finish one here. Very unique flavors tho and things you will not find anywhere else. Caynne, lemon bluberry, hibiscuis, and others. DEF worth trying out and you can determine if your more of a cakey or doughy person when it comes to doughnuts. if you like blue star you a thic cakey doughnut type of gal/guy!

Donuts were ok. Way overpriced, and very few flavor options. Staff look so unhappy. Not what it used to be. This used to be a must stop for us every time we pass by Portland, but not anymore.

Yum!!! The best old fashioned donuts that I've ever tasted! The flavors were fun and tasty. The service was great!

Heavenly donuts. I've heard so much about Blue Star (and I've had voodoo already, so I was looking for somewhere new to try) and we ended up walking out with six different flavors -- the Blueberry bourbon (must order), the olive oil (meh), the passionfruit (just alright), the chocolate ganache (must order), the creme brulee (must order), the haupia (also must must order if you're a fan of haupia). In hindsight, it was 4 donuts too many, lol. But I'm going to dream about that haupia donut for a long time.

So good! Highly recommend the sugar & spice, pumpkin spice pecan & crispity crunchity maple bar.

Blue Star Donuts is a solid donut shop. Definitely a must stop if you like donuts. They have a nice selection of filled donuts but I went with the old fashioned chocolate and vanilla cake donuts. They were off the charts amazing. The cake taste was premium and the texture was perfection. I can't wait to return. They offer sitting inside and out. The staff is friendly and informative.

Blue Star donuts are getting better, from my perspective. I previously stayed away, because most of them were ladened with alcohol, which I understand most people love. I liken teetotalers to vegans, where most people love meat and alcohol but vegans don't like meat, and teetotalers don't like alcohol. Before, it seemed like they only had 3 donuts without alcohol. Now they have a larger variety of alcohol free donuts for the rest of us. There's many comparisons between Blue Star donuts and VooDoo donuts. What it really comes down to (mostly) is that Blue Star donuts are cake donuts, and VooDoo donuts are raised donuts. This means that if you like cake donuts ladened with alcohol, you would prefer Blue Star donuts over VooDoo donuts. It's good to have different cuisines even in donuts. For some people, they might like both, and go to either depending on their inclinations from week to week. Anyway, I am happy that Blue Star donuts has increased their variety, and I actually now like them, even though I am not a cake donut fan.

We made a random stop at Blue Star Donuts late in the day on a weekend. They were almost sold out of donuts since it was close to closing time, but we were lucky enough to grab the last couple of donuts. We tried the Razz Pistachio Cheesecake, Blueberry Bourbon Basil, Chocolate Almond Ganache, and The O.G. (Orxata Glaze). My favorite donut was the chocolate almond ganache. The ganache was rich and made for a great dessert! I liked all the other flavors, but I wouldn't get them again. The flavor of icing was not very strong on the other donuts. The donuts were mediocre, which could be because it was late in the day and they were not fresh anymore. They were kind of chewy and less fluffy for a yeast donut. We had a pleasant in store experience because the employees were very friendly and nice!

Delicious donuts! Dinging them a star for the price since they are quite pricey (what I call the hipster tax). If you've never tried Blue Star Donuts you really should at least once as a special treat because they are delicious and they have some interesting flavors. I look at the price as what you'd pay for a mid-range dessert at a restaurant, rather than a regular donut. Some of their donuts are large, and others are more regular donut sized, depending on the flavor. Our faves are whatever jelly-style donut they are offering at the time, any fritters they make, and the raspberry rosemary cake-style (though the rosemary flavor really didn't come through at all, which was a bummer because I love rosemary) and the chocolate bergamot cake-style (I think the bergamot was in the glaze, I'm not sure, but wherever it was it was barely perceptible & could have been kicked up a bit). We tried the Blueberry Bourbon Basil donut again & were once again disappointed we couldn't detect any bourbon or hint of basil, just the blueberry. Still yummy, but that seems to be consistent the few times we've tried that particular flavor.

Friendly staff, fast service, and a wide variety of delicious donuts. Get there early.

Given the hype of this place, I'm not impressed. I been to Portland many times but never tried blue star so finally decided to try it. Between voodoo and blue star, I do agree that blue star is the better one, but overall though, it's nothing really special and kinda pricey for something standard. We came in the morning and there was no line. We got one of each of their different type of donut: Key lime filled donut: I like the brioche type texture, and the filling was reminiscing of key lime. It was pretty good. Chocolate bergamot old fashion - disappointing, as I was expecting an old fashioned type texture. There was no crunch and it was just bready. Passion fruit donut - this has more crunch than the chocolate bergamot. The frosting is pretty good. Overall, the donuts here are just ok for me, nothing to rave about. Pricy in my opinion.

There was a time when the donut scene was only dominated by a couple of places and Blue Star emerged as the de-facto choice amongst Portland locals. In recent years that donut landscape has changed and many new players have emerged. While the Blue Star appeal has since gone down a smidge, I still think they are good enough to be included as a worthy option in the city's constantly changing food scene. It's hard to keep track what donuts are now being offered, since they vary from season to season. I can attest to some of the better donuts I've sampled (#1), which include their passion fruit vanilla, blueberry bourbon basil, anything with buttermilk (especially the lemon poppy or the raspberry / plain) , and their meyer lemon key lime curd. Sometimes the best option is to just get an assortment of donuts and enjoy them all as a surprise. They tout quality over quantity, which is definitely reflective in the prices. I'm not saying it's a good deal by any means, but it's super easy to blow $30 here with drinks and donuts included. To really maximize the quality, be sure to shoot for a donut that has actual booze in it. On a beautiful day, I love sitting in their courtyard and sharing some of their donuts with some good company. They also make some really good coffee; shout out to the nitro cold brew. Service is undeniably hipster'y but that's life in Portland in just about every establishment at this point. ___________ (#1) Another way of me saying I stuffed my face.

It is impossible for me to walk past a Blue Star Donuts shop without stopping to buy a few. And when I saw the storefront while walking around Mississippi Ave, I couldn't help but jump in line. This shop doesn't allow more than 2 customers inside at a time. But the line seemed to go by reasonably fast. It was roughly 3 o'clock in the afternoon when we stopped by, so the donut selection was limited. However, the quality was still top notch. I purchased two donuts and a box of frozen donut holes. As always, Blue Star did not fail to impress. I shared them with the group and they couldn't believe how good they were. I will be a Blue Star Donut fan for life!

Great for a sweet breakfast I is very amazing how they serve you and the donuts are amazing Service... Food...

Stopped by on a friend's recommendation while visiting Portland! I ordered the Blueberry Bourbon Basil, Pear Lavender Brûlée, Razz Pistachio Cheesecake, and Chocolate Bergamot donuts. They were all really delicious! The Pear Lavender one has a little pipette with pear brandy to squeeze into the donut which was fun! Definitely recommend stopping by!

This place really surprised me. This is the first donut place that didn't leave me feeling terrible after eating like three of them. They use a unique combo of flavors that pair really nicely together. Every once in a while, they also switch up the lineup to bring back some novelty. If you need a donut to start the morning AND be productive, Blue Star is the way to go!

No prices listed anywhere in store, ended up being $24 for 6. Employees were friendly. Got pear brulee, Meyer lemon/key lime curd, the og, blueberry bourbon basil, Mexican chocolate, and the apple cider fritter. Out of the bunch, the OG was my favorite.

Crème brûlée donut was yummy! Loved the filling and caramelized top. The orange liqueur was a no go tho. Thankfully my friend ordered the same donut and added the orange liqueur first so I didn't make the same mistake- it totally ruined the donut for her. The donut was more dense but I still enjoyed it. I would order it again!

The doughnuts are next level good. The crème brûlée is amazing. So flavorful! The strawberry rhubarb fritter is so moist and big chunks of fruit.

Blue Star Donuts came highly recommended as the local favorite, and while the donuts were certainly good, they weren't particularly extraordinary. The variety of flavors is impressive, offering some unique choices you might not find elsewhere. However, the coffee could use some improvement.

I ordered the blueberry bergamot, raspberry bergamot and chocolate buttermilk. They were good but did not blow me away. They are pricey too and did not live up to the hype. Everything is priced individually and no incentives or discount to buy more.