Donut Alley

I love how simple and straightforward the donuts are here—and the store itself too! The donuts are really good, fresh, and comforting. No wonder they’ve kept the business going since 1968. Very affordable for the quality you get. The owners are super friendly as well. I’d definitely love to come back if I ever visit the U.S. again! – Tourist from the Philippines 🇵🇭

perfect donuts & donut holes, so amazing when you catch them immediately out of the fryer. they're so creative when it comes to holiday themed donuts and more unique toppings! such great prices for the quality provided. wonderful people and wonderful donuts

Stopping in on a whim this morning, pleasantly surprised to see there being ube and matcha raised donuts! Even more surprised to see a friendly filipino face behind the counter! Definitely coming back - prefer these to Johnny’s eaaasily

Don't tell anyone but the donut holes are the Best! The assortment of donuts is phenomenal, even apple fritters! Tasty, simple and sweet breakfast treats. Love this place! This is truly a gem in Larkspur; there is seating to enjoy your donuts and coffee or beverage over conversation. Tip generously...it is a wonderful mom and pop business that needs to be preserved. 🍩🍩🍩

I love the donut selection here! The regular glazed donuts are made perfectly, I wouldn’t change a thing 🙏 Beware though, this is a cash only business.

A few times a year, my kids request to visit this donut place for a couple of old fashion donuts. They always get the foot & custard filled chocolate glazed round donut. I’ve enjoyed their cinnamon twist & cinnamon roll donuts. Folks there are friendly and I could tell a couple of locals walk over there from their near by home to read their newspaper over a coffee & a donut leisurely. A hidden gem in the larkspur.

Very fresh and delicious donuts! Lots of variety: matcha old fashioned was wonderful. My daughters got feet donuts and a cotton candy one. They were very tasty. Very nice and friendly service too!

Donut Alley is so welcoming and the doughnuts are made before your eyes from rolling out the dough to each finishing detail. The staff are kind and hardworking.

The best suburbs in Marin!!! Hands down! The selection is fantastic but they taste amazing! It's might go to for sure!!

Oh my goodness! These doughnuts are a treat!! This is my second time visiting here. So fresh and soft! The service was great. She was so cute, asked us if she can take a photo of us. Of course! Cute little shop! Can't wait to go back next time we go hiking in Larkspur!

Fresh, melt in your mouth donut's! Every time and tucked away off of Magnolia in Larkspur. Sit a spell and enjoy your treat with a great cup of coffe.

Their sugar donuts are sooo good! I also tried their old fashioned donuts, the original and glazed are both delicious. I'm a fan of raised donuts because I love their soft and floofy texture! I am sad that I only ordered one sugar donut, but can't wait to come back for more!

Yeah there's nothing special if you just want well-made classic donuts and this is just the place. It gets busy so they are doing something right, right? Buttermilk donut for me. The kind u dunk in your coffee/latté-- thank you! This place is CASH ONLY too! And it doesn't surprise me as it shouldn't surprise anyone. Thats the "classic throwback donut" experience (NY style or worse maybe). Get with it or get out.

I've been coming here for 20 years. It's changed ownership at least two maybe three times in that span. Each time the quality has dropped and the prices have risen. The most recent ownership change was in the past 2 or 3 years. Again, prices have gone up and quality and service have gone down. I live a couple blocks away and I go to Golden Cream in San Rafael (on the same block as Sol Food) or the Jelly Donuts donut shop in Northgate, next to Ping's and Starbucks. Nobody seems to have custard donuts anymore. All three of these places have "custard" that comes in 5 gallon jugs, not the stuff I grew up on that you make yourself with real eggs and milk. Donut Alley does make a decent glazed donut. Many of their other offerings are quite greasy.

Best donut shop in larkspur! Been going here since high school at Redwood. Will always be my accented Marin donut spot!

Great donuts. Made fresh. The best thing is you can see them making them right there.

I didn't even know that there are still places in Southern Marin where you can get a freshly-made donut for about $1.50. I've come to Donut Alley a few times now for a post bike ride snack and every time I just loved the atmosphere here. If you time it correctly, you can even see the staff preparing the fried goods right here and there. My go-to is the old-fashioned donut and usually get two of them ;-)

Hana hou! One mo time! So Ono! Check um out! Not going be disappointed. Clean, nice place to chill. Cheee!

Best donuts ever. We've had others from nearby shops and we always come back to Donut Alley.

First time here - very disappointed. Somewhat expensive considering nothing felt special. Came around 10:30, though, and they were already out of most of their signature things. So we got a buttermilk bar, a glazed old fashioned, and a cinnamon roll. The first two were too sugary and were very "lopsided" - way more oily fried crust than fluffy donut insides. And we only ate the middle of the cinnamon roll, which was fine, and tossed the rest. Reading some of the other reviews here, sounds like we maybe missed the good old days.

I had been making the drive from SF all the way here for probably 6 years, even as an escape during the pandemic just to retrieve donuts and head home. Best old fashioned donut I'd ever had even bypassing Bobs in SF! A year ago I moved away. On a return trip to SF for the weekend (today)I made it a point to head to Larkspur to get a dozen old fashioned; talking them up for several days preceding the trip; Such a disappointment. They're about 50% the size they were last time I was in but that wouldn't ruin it for me alone...... they're just not the same donut. No longer a notable donut at all. All the nuance that made them special is gone.

What's a town without a local donut shop? Now really, if your town doesn't have one of these, then you are truly deprived. Which means that Corte Madera is deprived. All it has is two large shopping centers, one on each side of 101, and if you've seen one, you've seen a mall. Fortunately, the cute town of Larkspur next door does have a donut shop. And it's a nice one. Located on the main street, a little ways back in the shopping center, Donut Alley is where you can get your health food at good prices. I'll have a glazed or jelly, but I'd rather have a cinnamon roll or apple fritter. They did have an apple fritter, so I got it and went to the nearby open space preserve to eat it. It's smaller than what I prefer. But it has chunks of apples, not apple flavoring cooked into the dough. Those chunks more than make up for the size. Scarfing down a chunk-filled fritter while leaning against a log in a redwood forest, well baby, there's not a lot better than that. Or you can sit at one of the small tables and enjoy. There's seating for around 16, give or take a few, and it does feel like an old donut shop in a quaint downtown. Quiet and homey. The only reason Donut Alley is four stars instead of five is because its selection is smaller than most. I'm not sure how they can expand it, though, with their small space. Donut Alley: good for breakfast before school or church, a lunch dessert, or any time you have the urge for some sugary dough that fits into your seefood diet.

That was a seriously average glazed donut. Bombilini across the street is the better bet.

So disappointed! Saw at their website that they're selling malasadas. We missed Hawaii malasadas so much. So we ordered a dozen for $23.00, and drove their 30-45 mins away. They are friendly and had a great service but the malasadas we are expecting are not the same they had advertised at their website. For us, we got sugar cream filled donuts instead. Look at the pic, it's cute, shaped of hearts but they have to cut it to put in the cream. Very disappointed!

Donuts are always fresh, thanks for bringing the delicious aroma of donuts to Magnolia!

Heads up --- this place is under a new ownership now - prices sky- rocketed and the atmosphere changed from warm and welcoming to cold and "nothing but $ - $ - $ " No more friendly faces and cheerful welcome - the neighborhood spirit seems gone. So sad.

This is a nice little donut shop conveniently located for bike rides passing through the larkspur bike path. Donuts are under $2 each and they also have other shapes like chocolate feet, donut holes, and Malasada (Portuguese kind). My favorite flavors are lemon glazed and the Oreo crumble. The best time is early in the morning IMO. You will have the best chance of getting a fresh batch of donuts. Just be prepared to wait a few minutes. COVID-19 notes - Only one customer allowed inside at a time - No seating - take out only

Yes! This cash only local shoppe is known to run outta the strawberry sprinkle donuts early! So come join the line! If you're a cyclist this is one place you can't miss during your early morning ride.

The donuts were pretty good but not good enough to warrant all of the other customer's flagrant disregard for social distancing. It also makes no sense to have tape showing how to queue up 6 feet apart if you are also letting your customers sit and eat on benches 2 feet from the marks. They allow 2 customers at a time but a tiny shop so not worth the health risk for us to return. Also cash only. From my son: "They glazed are ok, but they are terrible at making chocolate donut holes."

A quiet, unassuming corner of Larkspur provides a home to the unparalleled deep-fried, sugar-glazed deliciousness that goes by the name Donut Alley. On a relaxed Saturday afternoon my wife and I had a hankering for a donut. A quick Yelp search and 7 minutes later I stood before the counter staring at a variety of handmade, saliva-inducing confectioneries. As I watched in rapt attention, they added a batch of apple fritters to the display and one of them left with me in short order - accompanied by a traditional glazed donut. In a word ... Delectable.

Best donut shop ever! And they have donut cake! They always sell out so get there early.

I have picked up donuts from this location several times. I really enjoyed the fun flavors they had like the lemon poppy seed donut & the butterscotch bacon. Keep in mind it's hit or miss as to whether they will have the favored donut you like so be ready to have a plan B or C. They also no longer have the Croissant donut. I thing the donuts are good & I love how they get creative from time to time with modern fun favors & experimenting with a Cronut. Maybe the cliental is the reason they no longer have the same offerings. Some customers are unwilling to try different things.

Donut holes - 5 stars Buttermilk old fashioned - 4 stars Cinnamon twist - 4 stars Strawberry glazed - 3 stars Service /selection - 3 stars

Cash only, rude employees, oily donuts. These donuts taste like a mouthful of oil. They are so fried and nasty. You're better off with a grocery store donut. Overpriced.

Review is just for the lemon poppyseed yeast donut 5/5 Really tasty, fluffy dough with great texture Lemony glaze with poppy seeds -- key was that there wasn't too much of this. Some places just use too much glaze which can become overwhelming. Also, it was under $2. Amazing deal! Well balanced doughnut!

This place is a hole-in-one! Sorry, couldn't resist. Donut Alley's been a Marin staple for as long as I can remember. My friends and I used to come here when we were in high school for our sugar fix. A number of local stop in for chocolate and/or glazed donuts, or their signature bear claw. As for me, I'm a traditionalist. Their sugar glaze does the trick for me every time. Why mess with perfection? They have plenty of parking in front. If you live in Larkspur or just happen to be passing by, Donut Alley is def worth a visit.

Doughnut Alley has gone way downhill they don't have coffee ready quite often and get grouchy when you ask them. Sitting on their phones until you ask twice for help Disappointing

The almost perfect doughnut shop. Super nice people and superb doughnuts. BTW, I am very puzzled by Jayme D.'s snarky little review. My experience has been only one customer in the store at a time and social distancing seems to work just fine. This is the best doughnut shop around.

I've been on a mission to explore the city of Larkspur recently, and just ran across this place today. It's a local family run donut shop in the downtown area. I'm very impressed that the wife/husband team that own this spot can keep up so well, and they consistently make delicious, fresh and fluffy donuts. The selection is no doubt limited, but they make that up by providing great taste. You can't go wrong with picking anything these guys make, but my personal favorite is their maple donut. It's incredible, and no joke one of the best maple donuts I've had in a long time (check out my picture). Prices are very reasonable, as I payed about $7 for two medium coffees and three donuts. Given the fact that they are in Larkspur downtown, I imagined they would be pricier. Keep in mind, it is a cash only place, so be prepared for that and stop by the bank first, unless you already have cash (but let's be real, who carries cash these days?). When it's all said and done, it's a great place to go in the morning for a quick bite and coffee, or on your way to work. Worth a visit, especially for that maple donut!

As a kid, I grew up in a house on an alley. The alley microcosm-- a place I learned to ride a bike, where I first stepped on glass playing barefoot basketball, where I got in my first fistfight, where I drank my first beer... The list goes on-- is a unique place that is inexorably linked to the man I've become. Arguably, this has no bearing on the quality of donuts at this establishment, but it is the alley moniker that caught my eye, prompting me to pull in one dark, chilly Marin morning. The owner was mildly surly for such a well-lit fluorescent pastry paradise, but I didn't mind... Just ordered up my coffee, a chocolate old fashioned, an apple fritter, and some donut holes. It is these four items that, in my considerable experience with donuts, serve as an holistic litmus test for every item in the case or on the counter. The chocolate old fashioned was fresh and still a little warm in the middle-- bonus. Maybe a little heavy on the non-nutritive food varnish/wax in the chocolate glaze, but not distracting from the slightly crunchy outer/slightly chewy inner. A solid 4/5 on the Gigante Picante deal Monte Donut Metrics. The coffee-- as previously stated, there are eleven cups of coffee that changed my life. This wasn't one of them. Maybe I'm spoiled on extra-elbow Starbucks espresso add-shots, but this needed a little more viscosity in the dark roast department. Counter creamer and an extra two-count of semi-solidified sugar shaker made it go down and get my plaque flowing. 2.5/5. Apple fritter: Smallish, and a little doughy. Again, I'm spoiled by my little local Donut vixen who always picks my chubby self the biggest fritter from the case, gives me a little Vietnamese language lesson each time I stop by, and reminds me why the gods gave women the gift of a smile. Donut Alley's fritter was plenty sweet and awarding an extra love handle style point for the bigger hunks of cinammon-ey apple, but it only merited about a 3.5/5. How do you screw up donut holes? Donut Alley doesn't seem to know-- theirs are light and fluffy, with a nice sticky, flaky coating of glaze. Bonus hole in the bag. Go home, 5 AM donut generosity guy, you're still drunk! Overall, when I start seeing those baby redwoods on the far end of the Bridge, and remember that Tiburon means shark in Spanish, I don't think, "Oh snap! Subba' say I don' say I pray to J I gotta getta Dizzlohnut up in this truck!" ... 'Cause i don't talk like that. And there are sweeter reasons to head North.

Randomly stopped here for breakfast one morning. The Bavarian cream stuffed donuts are the best I've ever had. They use a ton of cream/custard and the donut is cooked to perfection. Great set up during Covid and friendly service. It is cash only so beware of that. But absolutely stop in for some delicious donuts and baked goods.

Donut = tasty (old fashioned maple glazed) Price = a little high Service = a one man show. Friendly describes the owner best. Wi-fi = several unsecured wireless signals nearby to check in on Yelp and/or Foursquare. Overall - still on the fence on whether to go back as it is off the beaten path from my work. Decisions, decisions....

I have been to a lot of donut shops because it's one of the few desserts my son can eat. He has a severe peanut allergy and cannot have traditional pastries. Donut ally makes donuts the traditional way and they are heavenly. Also for the less traditional birthday cake, Donut ally will make a donut cake and decorate it with icing. So cool. Their donut rings and foot longs are also amazing. The only thing is that you have to get their early in the morning because they run out of donuts by noon.

Mmm...tasty tasty donuts! I really like that these donuts are sort of crispy and not totally mushy. At least mine was. I had a chocolate donut in a funky shape (no hole), and liked it very much. The price is fabulous too, about $1 per donut. However, if you're a germ freak like me, beware. I saw the cashier grab money, donuts, and the garbage can all with the same hands that I don't believe were washed in between. Also, if you're looking for a unique donut, they sell bacon donuts...that should be interesting. I wasn't feeling quite ambitious enough to try one this time!

I do laundry next door to this place nearly every weekend and honestly aim to go for when they're closed. The donuts are so old school, classic, airy, sugary and delicious that I have to stop myself from even looking. Yum. Go here if you want a real donut, you won't be disappointed.

What could go wrong? Fresh, tasty doughnuts. Apple fritters are the best! Maple old-fashioned are my personal fave. People working here are nice, there's plenty of parking & it's fun to stroll downtown Larkspur after you fill yourself up with doughnut goodness.

Definitely the best donut shop around. Everyone is super friendly and the donuts are fresh and yummy. Particularly good are the apple fritters and jelly donuts, but it's all good.

I've been craving donuts and keep passing this spot so decided to give it a try. I got an assortment of items (chocolate old fashioned, apple fritter, sprinkles and donut holes) and they were all over cooked and/or greasy (not the good kind of greasy). The only redeeming pieces were the original glazed donut holes. Super disappointed.

ATKINS CRAZE SURVIVOR! Thank goodness Donut Alley did not belly-up during the Atkin craze. Thanks to the local P.D. and sugar-carb addicts out there. Donut Alley is tucked away down a driveway off Magnolia Ave. If you didn't know it was there, you could easily miss the A-frame sign on the sidewalk. Once you find it, though, you will never drive by again without an internal wrestling of "should-I-shouldn't I?". Besides the absolutely excellent customer service, these guys make some awesome donuts. Just the right amount of crumb, chewiness, sweetness. A donut a day keeps the crankies away.

still the best donuts in Marin! Outrageously delicious, I crave them almost every day. The photos don't do them justice. As Mike says, "they are old school good!"

Alright, I'm biased since my Mom and Dad own the place, but I've been living on the peninsula now for over 3 years and have yet to find a donut to stand up to my Dad's. Just a little background on the store. My Mom and Dad have owned it for over 25 years and for all of those years, my Dad (Donut Bill as he is referred to) has been baking 7 days a week. He takes pride in knowing that customers enjoy his donuts and they'll get them at a bargain price. It's open at 6am and closes at 11:45am, but the majority of the doughnuts are usually sold by 10-10:30am so get there early for freshest available doughnuts. Donut Bill is there until 8:30am-9:00am every morning before leaves to get some well deserved rest. Head on over and try the buttermilk bars (Voted Best in SF Magazine) and the raised donuts. They dominate Krispy Kreme and with the money left over you'll have room for another. My Favorite as one poster chose as well is the foot donut and the cinammon roll, but they are all great!

Best donuts ever. That is all. Well, except that they close on random days of the week - I would like a French glazed on a Monday just as badly as on a Saturday, if not more.

The owner (Steve Pring, according to the website) was borderline rude. 15 minutes to close he started ushering us out in a snippy way. I don't mind a heads up on closing - hell we were going to be out before he closed anyway. But he was gruff, started muttering how he was there since 5 am. It was so unnecessary. We all bought something and kept to ourselves. We were planning to leave anyway. I totally get that the business must be rough but there's no need to take it out on customers. That was my first and last time as a customer.

After reading the positive reviews on this place, I decided to give this place a try. I shlump out of bed on my day off so that I can get to Donut Alley before they sell out of all the good stuff. I bought an apple fritter (which seems to be a popular choice), a maple bar (as requested by my brother), and a cake-style maple donut. The apple fritter had a nice consistency - crispy edges with a soft, chewy center. The only problem - and a pretty big one at that - is the taste. I'm not certain how often they change out their oil, but this fritter was cooked in old oil and was so overwhelming, I had to throw out half of it. It was also drenched in grease that you could taste with each bite. Don't get me wrong, donuts are supposed to be deep-fried greasy goodness, but there's a limit! Even my inner fatkid was telling me to lose the fritter! The other two maple choices weren't as greasy, but also weren't as tasty as I had expected. Something was off about the oil...maybe going on a Sunday is a bad idea since Mondays are their day off and they probably wanted to use up whatever they had left.

My brother says it quite simply and perhaps the best: These donuts are the best in the world. Tucked away across the street from Emporio Rulli, I think this place gets overlooked when it comes to breakfast treats. The shop is small and unassuming, everything a neighborhood donut store should be - especially when you add the friendly proprietors who automatically reach for a chocolate old-fashioned when I walk through the door. I'm usually here when my morning needs some kind of a kick-start, and this place does it well for me since I don't like coffee. I don't know if they fry their donuts longer than other shops, but they seem to be a little more crispy to me, which makes them incredible. Though you can't always eat healthy, breakfast this good pretty much makes the guilt worth it.

It's all about the pastries. I had an apple fritter; my companion had a cinnamon twist. Both solid 9s out of 10. Friendly and cheerful staff. A few tables but they were all filled. Very reasonable prices. Place is tucked away in a small off-street strip center. Worth searching for.

By far the best donuts in the world. No question about it. I defy you to find better. My classic combo = 1 foot donut, 1 cream filled long chocolate eclair donut, and 1 chocolate Milk with a straw.