Colonial Donuts

Colonial Donuts has been an Oakland Gem since forever! 💎 One of the places in town that is a must-try! I've been coming here since high school, which was 20 years ago, the staff are super friendly and very kind. I usually get the donut holes, maple bacon, filled bars, and filled French Cruller. They are made fresh daily. They're the best donuts in town! 🍩

Yummy donuts, great variety, fast service, expensive prices. We were lucky found parking in front. Pricey but worth it if you want a great donut. Unusual selection. Highly recommend.

i love this place. they are ALWAYS open. true 24/7. they have a large variety of donuts and drinks, all very cheap and reasonable. i try to visit whenever i can even though i live pretty far away. 24/7 places are super rare in the bay area! its more of a place to pick up a donut rather than stay and eat, but it works well for them. highly recommend

Always tasty. Open late! Ask for fresh ones. Thai tea is good too Update 3.1.25 I got a warm one y'all. The BEST cinnamon roll I've ever had in my life. This place hits. 🍩

Colonial had a great selection of local donuts and pastries at a reasonable price! As someone who used to live in Chicago, where the coffee and donut selection is outstanding, this is a great Oakland mainstay. On my first visit I had the maple bacon donut, which is slightly more expensive but worth it, and also got a lemon pastry. I will definitely come back!

They are very great Donuts are not Dry, they have the right sizes, The customer service is Amazing they are open 24hrs I go B4 work at 3am

This was my neighborhood goto for 10 years. Stopped by for nostalgia. Great fun. Got the last baker's dozen of donut holes. Yum!

The best donut place in Oakland. They are open 24 hours, and usually have a hot batch around dinner/8 PM or so.

Went at 1030 at night on a Wednesday and there was a large selection of donuts including flavors like Ube, red velvet, and maple glazed buttermilk bars. The staff was friendly, fast, and offered plenty of advice for us first timers. All the donuts, raised, cake, and the crullers were fresh and moist. We ordered 2 dozen and a couple gluten free options which were also good according to the GF yuppie of the group and we also snagged a few lotto scratchers at the machine to entertain us while we ate a couple of our selections. My favorite was the blueberry cake donut and second was the maple cruller. I also didn't win a million dollars but that won't keep me from coming back for more sweet treats! Don't expect an instagram photo op wall and you may see some eccentric folks congregating out front, but don't worry that's only because their food is ACTUALLY GOOD without a gimmick and there's apparently always a line.

If you ever around Lakeshore after midnight and are craving something to satisfy your sweet tooth, this Colonial Donuts is here to the rescue. I have come here several times over the years and have never had a bad experience. The donuts are always fresh, the service is always decent, and at least when I've pulled through there has never been too long of a wait. One thing that stands out, years back you used to be able to go through the backside of the restaurant, which I'm not sure if you're still able to do. The place also had more seating available for anyone who wanted to sit down and take a bite of their pastry or enjoy their coffee. That isn't a knock, nor is it a demand that they make the place more welcoming for dine in customers, but it couldn't hurt so people could stay/potentially order more items. I think if they did that could definitely give a boost to the atmosphere. Overall, this location gets a solid 4/5.

24/7 donuts in Oakland is already a bonus Stopped by extremely early 1 person ahead of me. Cashless payments and parking is easy. Donut wasn't too special I kept it simple because if you make a bad glaze it speaks volumes. Ham and cheese croissant was pleasant and he heats it up for you :)

Love this place for some quick donuts! Came by during mid noon to pick up some apple fritters. I was craving them, and these did not disappoint. It was a lot more dough, but still yummy! Service was quick and you can make cashless payments! Would come by again.

Few things are 24hrs anymore! When our friends told us Colonial donuts was a must try in Oakland we knew we had to give it a try. We found ourselves in Oakland around midnight craving something sweet and remembered we needed to try colonial out! Thank goodness they were open and still serving up delicious donuts. A dozen is a little expensive, in my opinion, at $22. However, I understand that keeping a business open 24 hours a day is very expensive. So we were happy to pay for the luxury of a 24hr donut. A delicious donut indeed. The donuts are light and airy. Very well done. I understand entirely why this place has been an Oakland staple since the 70's.

Upset because I came here to try a strawberry shortcake cake donut and they don't offer it anymore. Settled for a sprinkle donut and a blueberry cake donut. Both were equally a sugar fein's dream.

Excellent donuts. They stay open late and it is a casual ambiance. Go get u some. There is usually a line so be ready.

Nice little mom and pop shop on Lakeshore. They are 24hr so you can get your donut fix anytime. Super quick and they keep a steady flow of donuts. I did want to try an Apple fritter but they were out of them. The donuts are ok here. There are many options from regular donuts mochi donuts. Since they are 24hr, the freshness is questionable. Most of the donuts we got were stale and not the best.

An abundance of options. Was a tough decision. Decided on the maple raised donut. Perfectly made with a good ratio of maple flavor and dough. There is a $5 minimum for card use so I also purchased 2 cookies. One peanut butter and the other chocolate chip.

Support your local donut shops!! They offer a large variety of donuts. I got the blueberry and ube cakes. They were not as fluffy as I would like, but they still are worth a try. It was quick and easy to order.

Walked in she was so friendly. Greeted right away! She explained which donut was in each bag! I felt so much comfort in there. I really appreciated being recognized right a way. Greeted right away. And being thanked right away. Excellent customer service. When my daughter went to Oakland High school. I purchased donuts quite a bit. She's been out of school 7 years wow! Time flies! I will try to visit more often. Donuts are so fresh and delicious. Customer Service A1!

Stopped by before a concert in Oakland and got a single mochi donut. This was my first mochi donut and it was very rich! The service was fast and the atmosphere is very much like any other donut shop - nothing too special.

Located in Lakeshore Oakland, this donut place is right in the heart of it all. Parking is a little difficult with the limited spots, but it's close by Trader Joe's. My husband saw that they were recent victims of the usual Oakland burglaries and wanted to support this store since he used to go when he was a kid. We ordered the ube and sprinkles donut and a dozen donut holes. The ube donut was really delicious, cakey and crispy from the coated sugar. The donut holes were also cakey, I typically like it more fluffy and light but overall yummy!

First time here and I can say for a 24hr donut shop out in Oakland this hands down the best one ! I came in today at midnight and the donuts were so soft and warm! The Thai tea was good as well! Definitely do recommend.

Phenomenal donuts, service is quick and friendly, ambiance is a typical donut shop. A must try for anyone keen on a traditional donut with an open mind to stray in their traditionalism. The ube donut stole the show and complimentary after the owner saw my cynicism behind trying it. I will certainly be back.

Fast and friendly service. We got lucky and got the last street parking. Got a freshly baked butter croissant that was the size of my head. Total for 2 crossiant and 1 donut was $11.25

I went to buy donuts in a pinch and love that they are open 24 hours. However, I called at around 11:30pm and no one answered the phone so it was difficult to know for sure if they were still open 24 hours. Anyway, I bought 12 gluten free donuts. They only had 3 flavors which was a bummer but the donuts were delicious so that makes up for it. Definitely more of a treat yourself moment since I paid around $4/donut. I would recommend if you don't mind the price.

I've been here dozens of times. Donuts are the same as before. They charge $1 for a box now. They always squeeze and stack into the boxes (unlike other places), it also means I'm ordering a lot. I have never like this because the glaze always melt on to the other donuts and do not stay on the ones they are meant to. No other donut place has been this stingy with the box space. It's as if they are punishing you for buying more. Otherwise it's a blue collar, hardworking business that needs a new box supplier.

My go to stop for a donut pick me up! I normally get the small glazed twist and paired with coffee = best breakfast. Nice lady works there always helping us.

Food-- Awesome donuts! They're always a hit. My favorites are the cinnamon cake and the blueberry cake. I have yet to try the ube, but one day I will! Their croissant breakfast sandwiches are a hidden GEM!!! They are soooo good and made fresh on the spot. Service-- sooo incredibly kind and sweet. I love supporting their small business! Spacious inside but mostly a take out spot :)

Oh my gosh where do I start!!?? We found out his spit by accident and I'm so thankful to the donut gods!! You can go morning noon or night and I mean late night because they are a 24 hour donut shop! But no matter what time you go, the donuts are fresh! And I mean F-R-E-S-H!!! *insider tip-go on the weekend and try their bacon and maple donut it does NOT disappoint! The place is clean and there is room to hang out and eat your donut there if you'd like. They have ice cold milk to wash it down along with all the other donut shop goodies and drinks! And the staff is amazing, they're kind and outgoing. Great for the late night sweet tooth run! Yummoooo

I was in oakland looking for a late night snack and found this place open 24 hours. Yes, 24 hours That is very rare in Oakland, haha No pictures of the donuts. They are everyday donuts, nothing fancy They were good. Beggers can't be choosers. Now I have a place to go in the middle of the night for the sweet tooth craving, at least.

I'm down here in the Grand / Lakeshore area exploring some iconic locations with a lifetime local guide. He tells me this location of Colonial Donuts had been here over 60 years, though been remodeled a few time since. Most of the businesses here on Lakeshore Ave. have changed or gone in the last 60 years, but the donut shop endures .... open 24 hrs a day! It's good to know you can come here at like 4am and get a nice donut and coffee. This area is still Oakland, but not totally sketch like East Oakland. The service was just fine, as we came during normal daylight hours. I got what I usually get at donut shops, the apple fritter and a chocolate old fashioned. My friend got some donut holes, as it reminded him of his childhood coming here like 60 years ago! The fritter was as good as any and the old fashioned was a little better then most. I'd like to come here at 4am and see what it's like.

I saw this place on the way to picking up lunch, after asking my friend if we should get some for a little sweet treat we came back here after picking up our takeout. The donuts are nicely displayed, all our donuts were fresh. We got the ube, 2 regulars and a mochi donut. Gotta say the ube one stood out, nice and moist as a cake donut. I got a Thai iced tea, also tasty.

Who doesn't love donuts? The family was happy I brought home a box. The lady was so efficient in boxing up our favorite donuts, but multi-tasking to ensure every customer is taken care of. She was hustling and making croissant sandwiches. There are so many choices to choose from, that would be the only problem when you step into this place. I'd say that's a good problem to have lol. Come support this local small biz; they've been a staple of Oakland (510) for many decades. They were robbed at gun point last month from those who only rob hardworking people trying to make an honest living in their beloved community. What has the world come to? 'Til next time ~ stay strong and see you on Yelp (SYOY)!

Hate to post such a low rating, but sadly, this is what it gets. Let me preface things by saying I grew up a half a block away and lived off of these donuts. Not literally... Anyway, simply want this place to keep their doors open and prosper. Let's start with this, there are flies inside the donut cubby and this is simply unacceptable. They need to have a screen!!! The interior could use an update, but I guess the patrons are not exactly sticking around, mostly to-go business. As for the donuts, the best! They have also added some coffee drinks that ate also appealing.

Solid donuts but I wouldn't say they were best I have had. 24 hours a day is pretty wild. Loved the ladies in there. Very sweet and helpful. Reasonably priced. I preferred the cake donuts and generally prefer risen donuts. Red Velvet Cake donut with chocolate chips was so good. We will head back through for sure.

I've been coming to this location for over 20 years. After the multiple break ins, and near closure, I've made it a point to support this business, often buying a dozen donuts knowing I would throw the majority of them away. But did it for support. Today, my support ends. I frequently get chocolate raised donuts and by the time I get home, the chocolate has either stuck to another donut or melted off because of how it's packed. I started asking them to lay them flat in a box to prevent this. Today, I went to purchase half a dozen, because.. waste.. and asked them to lay them in a box and was told they would charge me $1. I explained the reason was because of the icing sticking to other donuts, which is common sense, but they didn't budge. I decided to leave without purchasing. I'm sure my patronage won't mean much to their bottom line, but this is an example of how you alienate your loyal customers. You just lost one over an erroneous charge for $1.

Best donut shop in the town. Staff always super attentive and donuts smack. Ambiance is nothing to write home about but convenient location next to Lake Merritt and parking garage if no street parking.

I really have to take a long trip in the Wayback Machine to remember the last time I went to Colonial Donuts on Lakeshore. I'd guess somewhere in my early twenties probably late at night holding a big pink box. This was way before artisan donuts became the rage on Instagram. Choices were basic...cake or raised, glazed or plain, jelly-filled or not. That was then. Jamie W. and I were walking around Lake Merritt when we recently grabbed a bite on Lakeshore. We were strolling by this spot when a wave of nostalgia must've pushed us in there. Yeah, that's what it was. Well, the selection looked at least five times bigger than I recalled from my youth. We weakened and got a trio of their $3 donuts. One was the ube cake. The other two were mochi donuts, one with pink icing and rainbow sprinkles, the other with fruity pebbles (photo: https://bit.ly/43B7FJe). None of these would've existed way back when, but they were definite treats. I was happy to read that a Cambodian refugee family ran the store and that the daughter left a job at Apple to manage the business. Good story and worth supporting. DONUTS - 4 stars...good, satisfying donuts and a wide range of selection now AMBIANCE - 3 stars...other than the display case, still pretty spartan SERVICE - 4.5 stars...very attentive TOTAL - 4 stars...an old memory came back in fine form RELATED - Exploring Oakland? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2ObVcpQ

Night crew cashier is rude. I bought custard donuts from here & they were stale. Cashier immediately was offended and tried arguing that donuts weren't stale. He didn't want to hear what was being told to him. Never coming back

Places like Colonial Donuts exist so people in the community can support them! The donuts made here are truly classic, so much so that they have been a target recently which put Colonial Donuts in the news for all of the wrong reasons. This is why I want to continue patronizing them and lend them all of the support that I can give them, as they are a local institution. Located in the Lakeshore neighborhood near Lake Merritt along Lakeshore Boulevard in Oakland, Colonial Donuts has been around for generations providing sweetened deep-fried goodies for the community to get their cravings for donuts satiated twenty-four hours seven days a week. Credit to the owners of Colonial Donuts for not only staying open at all hours, or quite frankly staying open at all because we all know they have a legitimate reason to shut things down and literally regroup after all of the drama they have encountered this week alone. I for one am happy that they have decided to stay open, of which they have owned for over forty years, thanks to the support of the local community, if not necessarily the city in which they reside. Ever since they first made headlines, I have wanted to try the donuts at Colonial Donuts, especially since from the images that I have seen on Yelp that their donuts look so delectable and sold at reasonable prices considering where they are actually located and all of the competition around. There is no more seating inside Colonial Donuts as all the tables have been removed and it's a strict order, pay and leave style of operation now, as you can stand and eat, but why bother as you can always enjoy your treats at the nearby lake, and perhaps it's for the best. The menu at Colonial Donuts is separated into categories including Regular Donuts, Fancy Donuts, Extra Fancy Donuts, Pastries & Cookies, Sandwiches, Bagels & Croissants, Hot Beverages and Cold Beverages. Of course, I came for the donuts, and despite it being later in the evening on a weekend, they still had plenty in their glass cases. I give the owners credit for keeping up with the times and even selling such modern donut fare like Mochi Donuts, but I came for their traditional donuts and their Apple Bear Claw was calling my especially since it was sold at a very reasonable $3.25, I also order their French Chocolate Cruller Donut for $2.75, of which they had the option for an extra 50 cents could also feature apple filling, and their traditional Apple Turnover for $3.25. My total for the three donuts was $9.75 and I opted to pay with cash, even though they accept credit cards and this is the way we all should be paying with our purchases here in the future for obvious reasons. I decided to wait until I got home to enjoy my three donuts until I could properly look and enjoy them, and the first one I dug into was my Apple Bear Claw and it was one of the sumptuous donuts that I have ever enjoyed as it was filled with apple pie filling, of which I had never experienced before. The donut was so big and filling that I had to cut this donut into two and enjoy it over two meals! The French Chocolate Cruller was equally as delicious and the Turnover wasn't as filled with apple pie filling, but when all three donuts were toasted and reheated they were all exceptional. I cannot wait to return to Colonial Donuts to support a locally owned and operated business that is doing its best to stay open and operating during these challenging times. They have both a Morning Bun and a Strawberry filled donut that I have Here's to hoping that Colonial Donuts manages to make it through the setbacks and challenges they have faced recently and continue to thrive as the local establishment that community rallies behind each and every day and night!

Colonial Donuts makes great donuts. I've had many opportunities to try out their donuts and each time I've been very satisfied with the wide availability of donut flavors. I'm a simply guy, so I really enjoy their basic glazed donut. This must be one of their most popular items because each time I've had it, its been incredibly fresh, which I attribute to them having to re-stock this particular item multiple times throughout the day. If you're like me and can't wait to get home to enjoy your donut, there's plenty of standing counters available where you can dine. Coffee is available here as well if you need something to pair with your tasty donut. Support your local donut shop and give Colonial Donuts a try. The staff here are super nice, and can help you out with a recommendation if you don't know what to get.

Service was good. The donuts were fresh and delicious. I went around 9:30 am there was a little line but I think that a good thing. Linea usually means good stuff is inside.

Popped in while I was waiting for a friend for dinner. Grabbed a couple donuts for dessert. A ton of options, The donuts were fine. Nothing exciting, nothing special. But there open late if you're looking for donuts passed 2pm when most close. Lakeshore is pretty busy, so you have street noises, but nothing too crazy, it's still fairly quiet inside.

Prices may have increased since last year but it's still worth every penny. I love the donuts here and they have more than just donuts: Cookies Bagels Danishes Muffins Mochi donuts All sorts of beverages! PARKING: I still park around the corner where it's free in the neighborhoods. It's a short walk. I'll always get the UBE and BLUEBERRY cake donuts. SO good!!!!

Back again! We are off to Colonial Donuts on Lakeshore Avenue in Oakland. This one was a recommendation from Instagram and we headed in the adorable neighborhood store this morning. Immediately greeted. Great variety with all the usual suspects. Although I will give a shout out to the cherry filled one. Also my son enjoyed the Ube one a lot. Parking was easy and we discovered this gem has been open over 40 years.

Nothing starts off a good morning like a freshly brewed sour patch of grassy coffee. Yup, my large, hot cup of coffee was sour and grassy. At least it was hot. My Keurig could do black coffee better. I appreciated the crispy crumb toppings on the Ube and the Red Velvet cake donuts. Aside from that, the cake donut itself wasn't moist, buttery or flavorful. I had a disappointing experience. Tip: Mochi Donuts sell on the weekends (To add to my disappointment).

This place has the nerve to charge for hot water after spending all the money on donuts that's just sad Starbucks is free ijs

OMG! I had such a craving for a cinnamon roll and, thankfully, I found a place to park right away. I went in and there was only one person in line, but one of the employees behind the counter got to me right away and offered me her service. I told her I wanted a cinnamon roll. She put it in a white bag and asked, "anything else?" Are you kidding, I thought, I want a dozen more donuts, they all looked so fresh and inviting. I was good though, "a glazed donut," I said, and quickly moved towards the cash register before my discipline waned. At home, the cinnamon roll was perfect with my cup of coffee. It was my day after New Year's celebration!

The all time heavyweight champ of Town donut shops, mang. Aunties and uncles slang em wit a smile. Old school linoleum and neon light and pink cardboard takeout boxes. All the faves. Classic. Mad nice.

I am sorry they were robbed recently. It's another good reason for you to come by. 76 gas on headgeburg as well. I visited 2 places today by accident! We must prove there are more of us than the robbers! About the jewelry shops, not everyone can afford a piece of jewelry! But may God restore and double bless you!

Would be 5 stars if i didn't see like 4 flies flying around the case but guess who still ordered a filled maple bar LOL Yummy, open late, and yeah you really can't go wrong. Plenty of options- they have mochi donuts on specific days.. idk what days but there you go A hugeee variety and they also offer sandwiches, croissant sandwiches, ube donuts.. My boyfriend got three of their strawberry cones and I think they were filled with cream cheese? I don't remember but they were bomb. I definitely want to try out more but I gotta get a few workouts in too hehe

I love that there is a donut shop that is open 24/7! Been here a couple of times and the service is always fast and polite. Walked in at 10:30am on Thursday and no line. The donuts are really decent, have a variety of flavors, and priced fair! My photo of my donut haul today includes (kinda going top left corner and clockwise): French crullers, raised glazed donuts, maple/regular glazed old fashion, Oreo, chocolate/chocolate sprinkles raised donut, and buried underneath everything is a huge apple fritter! (you'll only count 10 total since I couldn't wait to eat one - oops) ~ 11 donuts for $23.50 I've also had and liked their ube and blueberry cake donuts, just was feeling more puffy/yeasty donuts today. They also serve some other items (e.g. donut holes, cookies, breakfast sandwiches). This is a perfect spot to grab a quick donut with coffee or bring a box (or two) into your office!

I was across the street at a coffee house when I noticed the donut shop. I thought it would go great with my coffee so I headed over to check them out. There was a decent amount of people inside. Not too many people but enough to assume they sell good donuts. I got the bacon maple donut. I was on the fence about paying over $3 for a donut, but it was covered with bacon, so ultimately I had to try it. I'm glad I did. It was incredible. The saltines of the bacon along with the sweetness of the maple glaze equaled perfection. The donut dough was soft, moist and fluffy. Delicious!!

The donuts were good and they had a lot of different drinks. The food came out quick.

We are always looking for an excuse to get donuts, so on National Donut Day, we decided to make a trip here! Since this place is open 24 hours, it makes it perfect for late night cravings and runs. My boyfriend and I both love cake donuts, and the ones here did not disappoint. My favorites were the chocolate cake donut and the blueberry cake donut because they both had a crispy outside and super soft, cakey inside (even when cooked)! I was impressed by the ube crunch cake donut because it had one of the better ube flavors I've tasted. The coffee crunch cake donut and ube crunch cake donut didn't have the ideal texture with the crispier outside, but it was still super soft. Colonial Donuts will definitely be my go to spot for donut fixes in the future!

A coworker from Oakland brought this to work so I can speak of the donuts. She said it's one of her go to's. Donuts are overall nice and soft. They have interesting flavors such as the Ube donut which was the right amount of sweet and ube flavors Apple fritters are my favorite and this one was a good amount of dough and creamy apple filling inside. Good to bring to the office

Colonial Donuts on Lakeshore is the best! Open 24 hours, with a huge selection of donuts, and friendly service to boot. They also have lottery tickets, croissant sandwiches and muffins too. They also have more unusual donut flavors such as red velvet. We like the jelly donut, apple donut, and donut holes.