Reigning Doughnuts

This amazing little place sells heavenly donuts! Made a special visit to this area with the primary intention of getting the donuts. It’s a hole-in-the-wall kinda place — literally ha! We got the cinnamon sugar donuts and it was amazing! Will have to revisit the next time for more donuts 🍩 😋

Are these without yeast? Tasted like cake. Heavy heavy smell of “deep fried”. Chocolate donuts had a thin layer of chocolate, plain donuts were literally just a cake with the aftertaste of oil. Size of these donuts also doesn’t make any sense and definitely not like in pictures. $4,5 hot chocolate below mediocre, tasted like vending machine hot chocolate. Watery. Box fell apart by the time dasher delivered them so entire box was already open when he handed it to me. Certainly not the worst I’ve had but below average on all accounts.

We had to stop here for the smell alone. Donuts were made fresh and to order. Totally recommend for a quick bite if you’re craving donuts!

This cute walk up window hides a creative factory of flavor. The donuts are freshly made and toppings unique and flavorful. The lemon poppyseed melt in your mouth and leave you wanting more. The other flavors didn't disappoint. Worth a trip to NoDa!

Only one word I can truly describe this place, Incredible... Their customer service was on-point. The cashier gave me detail on what they had and what they had exclusively during each day of the week. I had ordered the plain, vanilla icing, honey glaze & their exclusive banana pudding donuts. Sadly enough, I did not take a picture of those sweet donuts. But I will say this, they were freshly batched all warm. When I took a bite onto each donut, the flavor was unspeakably marvelous, the sweetness was on point, the flavor was balanced, and most of all, the crispness was right on the dot. I will surely come back here for the next cheat day ;) Update: 9/4/23 - Came back as I said I would. Here is the photo of the donuts I had, while again, were the banana pudding donut, the vanilla icing donut, the honey glaze, and the plain donut.

Cool area and some actual shade available by the picnic tables out front. Not a restaurant. Take out service from a window. You will wait for them to cook your donuts. And it’s the freshest donut ever. They were moist, warm and not too sweet. On the small side. Less than a handful of donut choices, plain, glazed, choc glazed, poppy seed. glazed,

I got the lemon frosting doughnut with poppy seeds. Doughnut was made to order. Mouth watering with just the right sweetness and zesty lemon flavor. I would recommend this place to anyone! Plant based options were available.

Such good cake donuts. Made fresh. We got one of every flavor and there wasn't one that we didnt like. Great little find. Service was good ordered and was able to walk the block and pick back up.

2nd time to this location! Friendly staff, tidy front area. I do wish (but I understand due to the unique set up) that I could cream/sugar my own coffee. Doughnuts: both times were fresh and warm, which is why I've came back. My personal favorite has been the cinnamon sugar, love the crunch of the fried doughnut, paired with the extra hint of the warm cinnamon and sugar that melts the second it hits your tongue. My husband was all about the powdered sugar, noted that it "hit the spot". We split the honey glaze, it was great when it was dipped in to my hot coffee.

Cute little literal hole in the wall donut shop. The employee that assisted me seemed like she had enough for the day, not the friendliest.. We ordered a few donuts vanilla glaze, honey, cinnamon and smores. Service was slow but the donuts are made fresh to order so, it's worth the wait. These donuts are dense, I'm more of a fluffy chewy donut kind of girl, but they were good and I'd come back to try new flavors.

Cute little window donut shop in Noda right off the main strip. Ordering was quick and easy, it's a limited menu so makes it simple. The donuts are made fresh and come out hot. I love the flavor and texture. They're difficult to eat bc the glazes kinda of just come off (but this is similar at other shops that top them fresh to order). I also think the prices are a bit high for the small size of the donuts, but I like the fact that they're fresh and hot. It's nice for a fun treat every once in a while!

Made fresh to order, and very good happy service. How have I not been here sooner!? Parking was a little challenging, but otherwise so glad I stopped by. EXCELLENT!

HANDS DOWN BEST DOUGHNUT I EVER HAD ! forget about Krispy Kreme and cake style doughnuts .. Reigning Doughnuts has the best of both worlds. Perfect crisp crust to dough ratio .. not too soft not too dense . We tried the powdered sugar , lemon poppy seed and chocolate icing . Lemon Poppy Seed had the perfect amount of flavor without being overbearing. The picnic table and lights were the perfect way to end our post dinner date .

Great lemon poppy seed donut !!! Was absolutely delicious I will be back when visiting Charlotte.

This place rocks! I was hesitant to try them since I prefer yeast donuts. However, this was probably the best cake donut I've ever had. Almost like the consistency of Duck Donuts yet WAY better. I went with plain glazed since I'm not a huge fan of frosting. It was served warm and made to order. I might have to try the flavors now!

We ordered two Honey Glazed Donuts and one Doggie Donut for our pup. Service was immediate and the donuts were sweet, crispy, and had a denseness and color that reminded me a bit of cornbread...I loved it. The coffee however, wasn't anything to ride home about. But if you're looking for something fast in NoDa, it does the trick.

Absolutely love the area that this donut shop is in. We walked right up to the door was greeted by friendly service and we ordered two donuts, one chocolate, one cinnamon and a cup of coffee. The two donuts came out piping hot and we're so delicious. The coffee was OK but went perfect with the donuts. The vibe of the place is great and it's nice to sit on the street and people watch. Glad we found this place.

I recently tried the cinnamon sugar and plain donuts, and while they had potential, it felt like they were auditioning for Great Batter Bake-Off instead of The Great British Bake-Off. The flavor was nice--sweet with a good balance of cinnamon on one and simplicity on the other--but the texture? Let's just say I wasn't expecting a surprise lava cake filling in my donuts. The batter in the middle made it clear these donuts needed a bit more time in the oven--or fryer, in this case. It's like they spent all their time perfecting the packaging instead of the recipe. Sure, the box was fancy, but I'd trade that premium wrapping for a fully cooked donut any day. If they give their donuts the same love and attention they gave the design budget, they could have something great here. Until then, maybe rename them "Half-Baked Bites"?

Not the best donuts I've had by any means, but we still enjoyed them. We were recommended the lox donut, which was super interesting and I'm glad we got it. Also ordered the cinnamon apple and the churro donuts. Both decent. I will say that the donuts were greasy for my taste. I know, I know, it's a donut, but some aren't as greasy as others. Service here was good though and I'm glad I went to support a local business!

Great & cute donut shop! Went here on a breezy Sunday Morning and got some donuts from the window. We tried a variety of donuts including the seasonal, interesting (sweet corn!), honey glaze, and peanut butter with banana chips. They weee all delicious. Hopefully I can go back and try some new flavors!! Parking was expensive in the lot right next to the donut shop, but we found street parking a week over and were able to walk around and explore the NoDa neighborhood!

Hands down the best donuts I've ever had. We spent a day in Charlotte and after dinner I had to convince my group to go out for dessert. They finally obliged and we found ourselves on a busier part of town that was hustling and bustling. I made my way to the ordering window and took the first bite, the bite that changed everything. Holy moly, I ran back to the car and shared my sole donut with my party members. One by one everyone filed out of the car to get their own and the donut party was on. I ended up with their weekly/monthly special donut, something that was chocolate through and through. They even sell milk as a side so of course I had to get that. It was flaky, warm, and oh so gooey. For the rest of the night it was all we could talk about. When we got back to Maryland we told a couple friends about Reigning and sure enough, they made sure to make a stop over too. This place is so good I could see myself driving the five hours just to chow down on a dozen donuts.

This is definitely a place you should stop for dessert. I don't hear a lot of people talk about this place after a year and half of Charlotte living and I don't understand why, this place was fantastic. I usually take a pass when it comes to donuts, but these ones are worth the calories. This place is a LITERAL hole in the wall, the donuts are fresh, warm, soft on the inside, and slightly crisp on the outside. Added bonus: the staff was so nice and bubbly, plus the prices are modest (more modest 2 years ago when the price of a donut was $1.49, as of Oct 2023 it's $2.59/donut).

These doughnuts are probably the best I've had. So warm I love their seasonal flavors. The service is quick and I've even ordered through Uber eats still the same quality. Ambiance is nice walk up when picnic tables.

OMG! So good. I am not a doughnut person but these made me one. They are made to order cake doughnuts in a variety of flavors. The smell when you near their location is amazing! We went for one doughnut each so why did we buy a dozen comprised of cinnamon sugar, vanilla icing, chocolate icing, honey glaze, and powdered. Again, the smell drew us in. I loved the crispy bottoms that gave it a crunch with each bite. The donuts are not overly sweet which is even better. The owner and staff are super friendly. You order from a walk-up counter and there are a few chairs and tables available. We chose to take ours to go. They are in the NoDa (North Davidson) Arts district, which is a chilled pedestrian-friendly area with several cute shops and street vendors. Parking is on the street or in monitored lots. They were still warm when we made it to our hotel. They also warmed up nicely over the next few days. We can't wait to go back when we next visit Charlotte.

The lady was very nice. You place your order at the window and wait for them to fry you up some fresh doughnuts ya heard. Fresh. Made to order. It was hot and good.

Solid donut spot. I get the hype! The one liked a lot by my family was the one with glaze and bacon. I do not eat bacon so I will take their word for it. For me, I love to start with a classic donut... Just glaze. If you can do the classics right then I'll trust you with everything else. Ha. The glazed donut was good. Nothing to write home about, even though I am writing lol, but I did not have any of the donuts hot. I would love to try again having them fresh at the store.

So adorable, so warm, SO TASTY. We stopped here on a whim after dinner and it looked so cute, we had to stop. The guy working the window was very patient and helpful. There are just a few flavor options, but the doughnuts are super fresh and come out still hot. A really great doughnut, a great treat for the end of a hectic work trip!

The last time I was in Charlotte I had Reigning Doughnuts and I have been thinking about them ever since. I remember the location was hard for me to find at first bc I was not expecting it to be on the side of the wall. Love the way they utilize this small space and even incorporate the light box and meters with their design. I ordered a 6 pack. I remember the cinnamon sugar being out of this world so I got 3. I love that they cook them hot and fresh to order! I wasn't expecting the plain to be completely plain so I wish I got something else. The seasonal doughnut was a rhubarb jam sandwich. The jam was so tasty and I loved the icing. It was definitely on the sweeter side but I love sweets! I also loved the edible flower on top! Be prepared to wait because as mentioned before, they are made to order. If you have time to kill, these are must stop for the Noda area!

We opened the box once we got to the car and immediately knew, because of how gooey they appeared, we would have to wait until we got home to eat them instead of attacking them right away. Surprisingly, they were still warm once we got home. The box was so heavy though that I was a little worried. Heavy donuts usually indicate undercooked dough. Well, on occasion, I can be wrong and I'm grown enough to admit it. Here is literally how my first try went... 1st bite: soft and chewy, immediately thought, "Nope! I knew I wasn't going to like it!" 2nd bite: "Ok, not as bad as the first. It's decent I guess." 3rd bite: "You know what, this is pretty durn good!" Last bite: "Why didn't I get two?!?!? Should I go back to get a dozen?" My son, who isn't impressed easily, said "these are goood!" So I'm thinking this probably won't be the last time we're at the window.

Good location. Fast service. Good food. Service with a smile! Located in the heart of NoDa!

Big fan of Reigning. These were warm, fresh and made to order. I got the seasonal peppermint one which did not disappoint and a cinnamon sugar. My only regret was not ordering more!

The donuts were delicious however they were way smaller than expected and the customer service needs improvement. Now that I've gotten a chance to look back at the photos of the donuts, we were for sure skimped.

Came back, and I stand by my review. Amazing! This time there was a bourbon maple frosted donut. It was as delicious as it sounds!

Some of the best donuts in town. Have to always stop when I'm in the area. Customer service is great!

Had to make a visit to this spot and I'm so happy we did. If I could give more than 5 stars I truly would! The doughnuts are made to order and I seriously could eat a box by myself The doughnuts were so fresh they practically melt in your mouth! They also have daily flavors so be sure to check their menu as well. We ordered the maple bacon, powdered and honey glazed doughnuts. Definitely a must try you won't regret it because these will be the best doughnuts you've ever had !!

okay, so here I am again in the land that forgot time looking to score a little something to tide me over until I figure out what's for lunch. I haven't been here since before the plague but it's still pretty much the same as it ever was... exactly like two broke girls® except for no cupcakes and not broke but this time they is two girls. yea for real life not quite imitating life on TV! so, interestingly enough they are doing plague protocols which includes hand insanitizer plus masked distancing and being out in the fresh air eating fresh doughnuts. they are also still not willing to trade their whimsical candied bacon donut for your germ-laden cash so bring a card or something. still hot, still delicious, still a bargain, still the best cake donuts

I was next door getting coffee and decided to give this place a try. There's street parking or a small parking lot on the side. There's a window you walk up to and order. There's a table bench on the side. You order the donuts and they make them fresh. I ordered a mix because I did no know what they looked like so a picture would have helped. I ordered a dozen and it was a little pricey. It takes a while because they make them fresh they were pretty hot . Everyone loved them . The service was good considering it was a fast interaction.

Love love these donuts! I have been there twice with my visit! Flavor is amazing and they are crispy and hot! We loved the honey donuts and the vanilla frosted ones! So fresh and spectacular!

This place is adorable' it's a window that's open some hours in Noda area. They make donuts to order. We had chocolate, cinnamon and plain. I'm not usually a fan of cake donuts but I would definitely go back for these. Got out of the window. There's a small area for sitting outside but it's mostly a take out place.

Completely forgettable donuts. Only have 6 or 7 standard flavors, all via walkup window. These donuts break no new ground and are basically Dunkin quality. No interior of any kind. All service is done right there on the street. I will say if you're drunk and you need a cheap and quick food item to help sober you up, this place will do you fine. Donuts are like $1.50 each plus tax.

Wow. The cinnamon sugar doughnut was top tier. The employee made a fresh one and it was so fresh, and soft. 100% recommend.

Making magic in each bite through donuts. As, we parked the car we were hypnotized from donut cloud smell that seeped through the pipes as we walked up to place our order. Dang! Oh my..The lady aka Ms. Mathews cause I totally forgot to ask her name she was eager to help and very patient as we decided what to order. After, I asked a thousand questions about the how is. We ordered the apple, and seasonal eggnog donuts. When you see that golden layer on anything baked you know it's a treat you been craving. (Apple donut) Let me just say that bite was a thick soft crunch that reminded me of a funnel cake from the carnival gushing with your famous grandma apple pie taste. The eggnog was a hint of good glory not to much just right. Oh, I can't forget about the peppermint hot chocolate she took her time with lots of love making it on this cold day. Everything was just right! Yall can thank me later

Definitely worth the trip and phenomenal donuts! Amazing hot donuts and yummy dough! I tried the vanilla icing and it was fabulous. I loved their fluffy texture and the sweet flavor. I am so happy I got to taste these sweet treats!! You order and wait for the hot donuts!! It's a walk up window so you have to wait.We had parked and walked but definitely parking is busy in NoDa! **For Mother's Day, We ordered a dozen online through their website and they're the most wonderful and delicious cake donuts!! The honey ones are licking your fingers amazing!! The chocolate sprinkles are so crunchy sweet perfect and the vanilla icing ones are still my favorite!! It was so easy to order ahead of time and select my pick up time. Marvelous donuts!! I am so happy to eat your delectable treats!! Worth the drive anytime to treat your self!!

This is such a cute walk up window donut shop. It's such a unique concept in Charlotte. It was a little hard to find because it's on the side of a restaurant. I loved that the donuts are made to order and come out nice and warm! They also have a specialty donut available different days of the week and seasonal flavors as well. I ordered a chocolate sprinkle donut and it was very tasty. It was pretty small and I finished it in a few bites. The best part about this donut window is that it is open until 11pm everyday. It's hard to get a fresh donut that late at night in Charlotte. The only thing I wish this place had is more topping options. I love sprinkles but they don't add much flavor, so I wish they had Oreo crumbles and other good options available all the time.

Stopped here at this super cute NoDa location for any after dinner treat. Unfortunately, I was not thrilled. I wanted to be, but maybe it's that I'm not a fan of a hot donut. I found the donuts to be overly sweet and pricey. The staff, however, was super friendly and pleasant.

Excellent donuts made to order. We went three days in a row. Had the maple bacon, s'mores and pina colada. No cash accepted so make sure you have plastic.

Served fresh, hot, and steamy. I cannot wait to come back for breakfast tomorrow! This little doughnut hut serves a variety of classic donuts ranging from chocolate/vanilla sprinkle covered, to lemon poppy seed as an option. They also serve coffee, and other specialty drinks as well. I am definitely ordering at least a dozen to go for when I return home. Can't wait for my breakfast trip tomorrow morning! And Monday before we go!

My friend got me a couple of donuts and the packaging is really cute. I got vanilla icing and chocolate icing. I enjoyed both the donuts, however the icing pooled at the bottom of the donuts making it a bit wet. Otherwise it would've been a perfect donut.

This shop is a Small walk up made to order donut spot. the staff was very nice and helpful. Since we were visiting and had 5 of us we bought the dozen $27, usually wouldn't pay that much but wanted to support and glad we did. As I said the guy taking our order was pleasant, I love when I spend money with small businesses and the staff makes me happy about my visit and purchase! The donuts were made to order and were so good warm and crispy edges. Every donut was good! I'd say the lemon poppy seed very memorable and honey glaze but I'm a glaze donut gal. These are cake donuts which to me are best when eaten just as they are done warm with that crisp. Everything was great the wait wasn't that long and we'd most definitely come back when we come in town.

I had been hearing good things about this donut shop, so of course I had to try it while I was in the area. They make your standard cake style donuts with various toppings and icings. I ordered the chocolate icing and the specialty pumpkin one. The donuts came out hot and fresh, which was great on a very cold morning. The chocolate icing topping itself was delicious. I wish I could have ordered a side of that icing. Overall, the donuts are delicious and the toppings were good. And I'm giving them 4 stars because of that and the friendliness of the staff. However, in my opinion they're like the other cake donut shops (i.e. Duck Donuts) and nothing I would go out of my way for. Don't get me wrong, if you're in the area go check them out! You can order donuts and enjoy them hot at the tables out front.

Cutest smallest donut shop you'll ever find hidden in Noda. Well it's easy enough to find actually, right on the side of growler pour house and a parking lot to 510 expert tattoo. You can't miss the cute doors with menu items! Staff is friendly! FRESHLY made doughnuts are yummy. Around $1.50ish each or $16 for a dozen. They always have chocolate icing, vanilla icing (can add sprinkles), cinnamon sugar, powdered sugar, and honey glaze. And occasionally a special seasonal flavor. The best IMO is the cinnamon sugar, can't go wrong! They also serve milk, coffee, and hot chocolate I think. TREAT YOURSELF.

Freshly made cake doughnut to order! I ordered the plain. Crispy outside and soft cakey inside. Service was great . The area itself is cute - just order at the window and there is a counter to stand and enjoy your treat.

This little donut shop is literally a hole in the wall, with a meager selection of donut flavors and a rotating daily flavor. Everything is made fresh when you order it, so you may have to wait a few minutes for your order, but the payoff is well worth it. The downside is when they are busy, it seems as if orders aren't received in the same order they were placed. On my last visit, people who ordered after us received their donuts before us. This is a great place to stop while you are bar hopping in Noda and get a snack and some coffee to help you sober up a bit. Speaking of their coffee, they serve counter culture coffee which is very good. While this place is not my favorite donut shop, I do enjoy coming here since you know your order will always be fresh. There are no shortage of great donut shops in the charlotte region, but this one is definitely worth checking out.

This hole in the wall doughnut shop drops the doughnuts to order so they are hot! I had the honey glaze and it was delightful. My husband got the cinnamon sugar and loved it. They also have seasonal specials and an apple pie doughnut on Tuesdays!

My boyfriend and I went to reigning donuts in the evening time! It was an awesome experience! We went the absolute last day that they were offering a new donut, strawberry glaze. I am so happy I made it to try that yummy donut. I could taste the real strawberry in the glaze. I am so glad it was not the fake artificial stuff. In addition to the strawberry glaze donut, we also got two cinnamon sugar donuts. The donuts were hot and fresh! The donut shop is a walk up shop and I am glad to walk up each and every time that I do. The customer service was great. The lady at the window was extremely nice. Such a great atmosphere. I definitely recommend this donut place.

I just love this little hidden gem. So simple and charming. Walk up to a window, order and wait for the magic...a hot donut made to order just for you right then and there. No holding bins waiting for toppings or pre made donuts here. It's not made until you order it. Situated in Noda it's the perfect spot to go for a lil sweet treat after dinner at any one of Noda's amazing restaurants. Follow them on Instagram so you can know what the new daily or weekly flavors are. You won't be disappointed in this place. I ordered honey glazed and maple bacon...amazing! *fun fact* on Monday's they have a BOGO special..buy one and get the second free. You're welcome lol

Looking for an after work treat for my lil dude landed us at Reigning doughnuts but since they didn't re-open until 7, we had to kill some time walking around Noda. This is not a walk in spot, but a walk up spot..........window only, and they only take cards, no cash(for safety reasons). Unlike some donut shops that close early afternoon as they do also, they reopen in the evening. It smells amazing as you approach the window and they welcome you with huge bright smiles. We opted for the powdered sugar dough as we weren't feeling too adventurous. The powdered sugar was really good, but I did think they were a bit tight with powder but no big deal and after tasting it was really enough. I really like this spot, regular sized dough, and freshly made......kinda reminded me of Duck.