I am really upset that I spent over $50 and really went out of my way to try and get these donuts for my husband for Valentine's Day. We both absolutely love stans and donut vault. We had previously had some really really good donuts from Beacon that I had been dying for. They don't deliver and the hours are very select so it's always a pain trying to get there to get the donuts . I ended up doing a Uber pick up which cost me $23 for a $33 box of donuts. My husband and I were so excited for the white chocolate, raspberry doughnut that they had on special for Valentine's Day . I had to have it, especially since it was in a heart shape so I ordered four of those. We both agreed that the donut was dry, except for the cream that was on the inside, which actually had chocolate chips in it, which I'm not a fan of crunchy things inside. Since the donut was so dry, we decided we would try all of the others and I am absolutely shocked that literally every single donut was extremely dry . I'm not sure if this was due to them maybe pre-batching a ton of donuts for Valentines and maybe we got stale donuts or what . The Oreo and red Velvet were shockingly dry and both tasted like nothing other than deep fried grease. The red velevet has a frosting on top but it was very hard. Again, seemed stale. But I can say that I don't think I'll ever go out of my way to get these donuts again . We were both really bummed, and wished that we would have just got Stan's Donuts, which is literally across the street from where we live. read more

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My friends and I stopped here after brunch ~ 1:30 PM on a Sunday and they luckily still had all the donut choices still! I didn't realize how popular this place was since we just walked by the sign and decided to check it out! I got the 2nd to last blueberry pancake cake donut (10/10) and it was delicious and had a large amount of blueberry filling in it which I really enjoyed! My friends got the chocolate frosted glazed (8/10 I'm more of a cake donut girl) and the apple fritter (9/10 good with apple pieces throughout!) I do wish there were spots to sit or at least a table set up to stand at while we ate for the quick minute since they were pretty messy! read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Inside of blueberry pancake donut - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Amazing donuts! We stopped by here once before, but it was later in the afternoon and most of the options had unfortunately sold out. This time we decided to place an online order to make sure we could get some flavors that we wanted to try! It's a cute little place tucked away in an alley with a little sign on the sidewalk to point you in n the right direction. There was a decent line, but the online order window was empty so I was able to walk up and grab my donuts right away. The donuts were all very unique and delicious! I cannot wait to come back and get a half dozen or dozen to try even more flavors! read more

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I'm surprised and embarrassed I haven't left a review for my favorite donuts of all time yet! Beacon Doughnuts... definitely the best donuts in Chicago (including non-vegan donuts). I'm not even vegan myself, but I can't help myself from ordering these almost every weekend. My favorites are the Birthday Cake, Lavender Vanilla and Cookie Dough. Unfortunately the last two are just rotating flavors, but I'd love to see them have a permanent spot on the menu! The Birthday Cake is not like a regular vanilla sprinkled donut that you'd see at most other places, it actually has birthday cake flavor to it.. it is beyond incredible! Other donuts I love from here are the Chocolate Fudge and Blueberry Pancake. But if we're being honest.. I've never had a bad donut at Beacon. EVER! Even the people working the counter are always so friendly and helpful.. overall I don't think there's anything that Beacon Donughnuts does wrong ;) read more

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Delicious fresh donuts unique flavors. The pick up window is in an alley with some seating available which almost seems for waiting. The wait in line is fun and feels like a part of the neighborhood, even if you are not. read more

Amazing donuts served up in an alley! As they recommend, preordering is the way to go if you're able to. The popular flavors sell out quick. I really love the Oreo old fashioned, vanilla bean cronut, and the cinnamon coffee cake. There is a separate window for pickup so don't bother waiting in the main line. A Lincoln Park gem! read more

Wow, wow, wow, these delicious vegan donuts are no joke! Absolutely amazing! The perfect balance of sweet, dense cake with high quality ingredients. You can taste the love that goes into making these yummy rounds of sweet doughy goodness fresh every morning. I have passed by Beacon several times and finally stopped by to give it a try. Tucked away in an alley off Armitage street in Lincoln Park, it is a cute little window where you go up and order. I love that you can pre-order what you want up to three days in advance, pay online and can select your pick up time. This process made it super easy and this way you can ensure you get the flavors who want. Highly recommend ordering this way. Every donut was AMAZING! The standouts for us were the Boston Cream Pie and Vanilla Bean Cronut but honestly they were all wonderful! We got half a dozen, which actually came out cheaper than ordering 5 or 6 donuts individually. It was the perfect amount and both my friend and I felt perfectly satisfied after sharing each. :) Prices are reasonable for the quality! I consider myself a donut freak and these are some of the best I have ever had. Love, love, love!!! read more

Beacon Doughnuts - From top left: Apple Fritter, Birthday Cake, Vanilla Bean Cronut, Oreo Old-Fashioned, Cinnamon Coffee Cake. Boston Cream Pie: All delicious! - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cool little spot tucked in an alley with only a walk up window to place and pick up your order. The girl that helped me out was very welcoming and friendly. I ordered their Boston Cream donut and their Blueberry Pancake. All the blueberry pictures looked really good so I knew I had to try it out. The donut itself was very heavy. I just felt like it had way too much filling and was hoping for more dough. I've seen some pictures with barely any filling and some with a decent amount, but overall it was still a very good tasting donut. The Boston crème I didn't not eat until later in the day but it was just as good. Not sure if I would order the blueberry pancake again, but for sure will be ordering another Boston cream and certainly other offerings. read more

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The donuts were excellent and the person who took my order was very kind. They were kind of expensive, can't lie. Also, they close at 12pm on weekdays and like 2pm/2:30pm on weekends so keep that in mind when you plan your trip! read more

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Hidden gem in the alley. Great vegan donuts, a little pricey but very tasty. A nice afternoon treat read more

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I was wary when I heard that these were vegan doughnuts, but I still ordered my favorite Boston Cream. Pleasantly surprised to find it creamy and delicious with a hint of banana. The other flavors we tried were Oreo, Birthday Cake, Blueberry Pancake, and Salted Caramel. Very sweet and fresh. Quite filling too. The line was long, but moved quickly. Fun atmosphere. Would return. read more

Beacon Doughnuts - From the Wicker Park Farmers Market! - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Love this place! We had the chocolate glaze and cinnamon coffee cake donuts. Good flavors all around, definitely heavy on the glaze for both but that's what you want in a sweet treat! There were so many donuts to choose from so it was tough narrowing it down. I'd love to try the donut holes next time! read more

Stopped here on a Sunday early afternoon based off a recommendation for some good coffee and doughnuts and I'm extremely happy we did. Beacon doughnuts is located in an alley between halsted and armitage BUT, you aren't walking deep into the alley. It's within 100-200 ft from the main roads. This is a grab and go spot - you order via their window and grab your stuff and go haha. There isn't any seating available. It's a very colorful and beautiful spot especially given the fact that it's in an alley. The staff was friendly and helpful. This was my first time there and I asked the staff member to pick a doughnut of her choice for my fiancé and I to share. The doughnuts are vegan and I was skeptical bc I love me some eggs! We tried the Oreo old fashioned and wow it was light, fluffy, moist and delicious. We also got a cold brew which was very necessary to stay caffeinated. read more

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It's hard to believe this is vegan like how do are these donuts so fluffy and delicious and better than all other non-vegan chain donut places in Chicago~ The alley entrance is actually quite cool and beautiful as well - we came early on a Sunday and had trouble only picking two flavors. We went with the blueberry pancake and vanilla bean cronut. The blueberry pancake was my favorite - dense but still fluffy and the jam inside wasn't too sweet either. The vanilla bean cronut was a nice complement as it was lighter and fluffier yet not too flakey. Basically the perfect synchrony of donut and croissant! I also got a tasty hot coffee to wash these down. Cannot wait to come back and try all of the other flavors! read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Vanilla bean cronut and blueberry pancake - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A must stop for doughnuts. Vegan or not. So many choices- standard Boston cream, glazed, and many outside the box options. We have not been disappointed in a flavor yet. Location was hard to find the first time we went because it is in an alley (maybe a sign on the sidewalk would be helpful). It's such a cute outdoor ordering area. No inside service. Service is quick- they have someone boxing as you are ordering. Would recommend!! read more

This donut shop is tucked away in an alley. But don't let that fool you , it's a beautiful place. By the time we arrived, there were only glazed left and that's because everything is baked fresh. The woman helping us was pleasant and we will have to return earlier next time. I enjoyed read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

first time trying Beacon and it did not disappoint. Tried the blueberry pancake doughnut, cronut, and birthday cake. They were all a huge hit. read more

The most delicious and fresh vegan donuts! I was here on a weekend trip from LA and couldn't pass up the chance to visit an all-vegan cute donut shop. I wish they had some seating to enjoy a quick coffee and donut breakfast right then and there, but still giving it 5 stars because the donuts were that good. Also love that you can order your donuts online ahead of time to make sure they don't run out before you arrive. Would definitely swing by on my next trip to Chicago. read more

TL;DR: Arrive early or do an order pick up. Donuts can sell out fast GREAT donut spot. They have staple donuts along with rotating ones. All of the donuts are vegan, but they don't taste any different than the normal ones (if not, even better). I would order ahead if you don't want to wait in line or not have a flavor available for you! read more

My friend surprised me with a box of 6 donuts for my birthday! Flavors (left to right, top to bottom) 1. boston cream - our favorite 2. sprinkles/birthday - least favorite 3. powdered sugar with blueberry jam - too much jam 4. oreo old fashion 5. cinnamon apple - way too sweet 6. chocolate glazed brioche You can barely tell that they are vegan. They're just a little denser than regular donuts read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Perfect vegan donuts. This one was a cake style donut and it was cooked to perfection. The gal who helped me was a dang delight. read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Strawberry shortcake donut - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Service was 10 out of 10 the donuts were 10 out of 10. The donuts were really big which I really like. I will definitely be coming back. The glazed donut was definitely a staple, but every single donut was so good. I definitely recommend! read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Wow. Tucked away ready for when you have your morning coffee in hand, Beacon awaits in the Armitage alleyway. Blown away by the blackberry beignet. The jam is not to sweet snd sits well in the fluffy beignet. It still managed to be pillowy and they didn't cheap out of the powdered sugar either! We also got the vanilla bean cronut. Again, they didn't skimp out on the glaze. The layers were so crisp on the outside, and delicate on the inside. My partner and I mentioned we were splitting them when carefully selecting our choices and the server ended up even cutting them in half for us. Easily holds up the to the hype. read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Blackberry beignet - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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One question I've been pondering: How does Beacon Doughnuts get their Oreo old fashioned to be so moist? I was so, so impressed. I'd argue that this is *the* donut to try. read more

You MUST try these donuts! The vanilla donut holes and "basic" glazed donuts are 10/10. Fun, fancy donuts are fabulous, too. Highly recommend the blueberry pancake one. Fast, friendly service. Reasonable prices. Fun atmosphere (walk-up counter tucked away in an alley). read more

Really good donuts! The alleyway is super cool. I got one of the chocolate glazed brioche and one blueberry pancake. They were both so good, I couldn't decide which I liked better!! The blueberry pancake had a nice ring of blueberry filling that was perfectly balanced, and I loved the icing on the chocolate. Will definitely be back to try more! read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Alley - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Freaking love Beacon. They are consistently an amazing and love the seasonals and specialty flavors. They now come to the wicker park farmers market which made my year haha recently tried the pistachio raspberry and it's another home run! Can't go wrong with beacon! read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

These donuts were incredible!!! The flavors are so unique and the cake donut was the perfect consistency and the toppings were amazing. The vanilla bean donut is soft and fluffy and so so good. We went right before it closed so they were out of a lot of the flavors but I definitely need to go back and try the Blueberry pancake and the birthday cake. The service is friendly at the window and the colorful wall is aesthetically pleasing. These might be my new favorite donuts in Chicago!! read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Putting a walk-up window in an alley is something that looks cool in photos and sounds neat, but in reality you're just standing next to dumpsters and standing in garbage water while you wait for your donuts. That being said, The donuts from here are pretty tasty. We got a half dozen because it was the most cost effective. They had several unique flavors and then your basic standard style donuts. I really enjoyed the blueberry pancake. It had a nice ribbon of blueberry jam running through it. I also liked the coffee cake donut. Service was friendly but kind of slow considering all they're doing is grabbing donuts and putting them in boxes. I expected it to be a little faster. Price is what you'd expect for an upscale donut shop in Lincoln Park. read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Vanilla glazed. Chocolate glazed. Salted caramel mocha. Coffee cake. Birthday cake. Blueberry pancake. - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Finding Beacon Doughnuts was fluke. I stopped at a coffee shop in Logan Square (The Brewed) and was intrigued by the Oreo Old Fashioned when I was getting some drinks. That led me to look up Beacon when I found that was where the doughnut was from. Beacon is hidden in an alley on Armitage about half a block west of Halsted. You obviously don't expect to see a donut shop hidden in the alley (there's actually no entrance--it's a walk-up window ordering setup that is literally in the alley) so if you walk by and see a bunch of folks lined up, you're in the right place. They have their regular doughnuts--of which the Oreo Old Fashioned appears to be one, thank goodness!--and mix it up with some seasonal flavors or specials. The day I stopped in they had a pumpkin-based donut since we're deep into fall and fewer than two weeks from Thanksgiving. They also had a lavender vanilla doughnut as their special this Saturday. I'm not much a fan of lavender but I tolerate it more in food than as a scent, so I bought one for my significant other and tasted a bite. It was really good! The lavender was quite evident, but not overpoweringly so. If I had bought it for myself to try I'd have been happy with it. I couldn't decide what ones to get so I bought a half dozen and in the mix was the blackberry Bismarck, and that too was delicious. It was huuuuuuuuuge, enough so that I was trying to figure out how to get it in my mouth without making too much a mess with the powdered sugar. It was filled with a ton of jam as well and had the potential to be very messy but I managed. Yum, definitely a favorite and made me realize I like Bismarcks! You can pre-order donuts, which can be a good idea since once they sell out, that's it for the day. You MUST preorder if you order over a certain quantity (I think it's five dozen, but you'll see on their site). And their donuts are vegan. I don't know what I would have expected of a vegan donut, but it wasn't this. They are so light, airy, and flavorful, and I don't know if that has anything to do with the vegan-ness or if it's just that the chef knows what they're doing. But if you haven't liked doughnuts in the past because they're dense or stodgy or whatnot, Beacon may change your view on them. As you might guess there's no parking for this place; you're lucky if you find a spot on the street somewhere. But it's worth a stop so drive on over to see if you're able to find a spot. Though the line may be long, it moves fairly quickly (assuming you've made your decision--don't be like the couple in front of me, who were being so terse that I could feel the tension radiating off them and, as a result of their argument that made even me uncomfortable, took forever with their order). Take a look at the site for their regular offerings and check the menu when you arrive for any specials and you'll help keep the line moving. I have to make an edit, and it's fitting that this happened today, on Yelp's #ThankYouThursday2023. Today I stopped to get some donuts and got there within an hour of their closing. Luckily for me, they had the donuts I wanted, yay! As we (my four month old and I) headed back to the car, the box was lifted in a gust of wind out of my hands and every single donut landed in the alley. Cue sad face. The woman was able to get my order pulled up and put it in a box and sealed it in case there were any disasters again. This time we made it out of the alley successfully and they were just delicious as I remembered when we got home. Thanks, Beacon! read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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These are donuts worth getting up early and standing in line for! I always get the crumble donut.

Cute donut window in the Armitage area. This shop is literally in an alley which involves walking past a few dumpsters. The residents use the alley to go in and out so I felt badly for both the residents of the street as well as the donut crowd that was waiting, as there isn't a lot of room for the line and the cars to go by. I came by on a weekend morning around 8am and there was already a line, although it moved quickly. They take preorders as well but it seems like those take a bit of wait as well. The staff is very friendly and keeps everyone moving. They have a rotating selection of donuts and you can see the trays of them sitting out behind the window. They looked like they were going quickly and some flavors were already out. Donuts were tasty especially when fresh. Some of the more unique flavors were really interesting and nothing was too sweet. Pricing is a bit steep but with the fun flavors it's worth a try. read more

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Vegan donuts that taste amazing! We enjoyed the vanilla bean cronut, apple fritter, raised glazed, and blueberry pancake. I'm not vegan, but my wife is so we each come with a different perspective. Real fruit and jam fillings, I enjoyed these donuts as well as any I have eaten that are non-vegan. I try to post vegan options that are good because it's such a victory when we find them. We found one today! My wife loved them over the others we have found in Chicago. The walk up alleyway ordering is fun and an experience in itself. I suggest ordering ahead as they sell out quickly. Great communication that our order was ready. And cute neighborhood with fun shops. A short walk from the Brown Line. We will be back. read more

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If I could give more than 5 stars to Beacon, I would! I found out about Beacon through a recommendation and am so glad I did. It's tucked away in a little alley and is a window that you order from. The wall is painted and colorful where the ordering window is. The employee was friendly at the window. I went on their website to make an order ahead of time because it says that they highly recommend that and that once they sell out then they close for the day. I was planning on ordering 7 doughnut but they were the same price as a dozen so I went for the dozen. There were some doughnuts not listed on the website that I wish I would have tried like the chocolate coconut caramel doughnut. I also didn't get one of the doughnuts I ordered, the salted caramel biscoff doughnut, and I would have loved to try that one since I ordered it. Instead, I was given 2 Boston Creams, which ended up being okay because they were one of our favorites. My favorite doughnuts out of all the ones we tried were: 1. Blueberry Pancake 2. Cinnamon Coffee Cake 3. Boston Cream 4. Birthday Cake The blueberry pancake was the most unique out of all the doughnuts and not a doughnut you can find anywhere else. This one was pure perfection! The blueberry jam, the fresh dough, and the powdered sugar were amazing. This one is a must! The cinnamon coffee cake was fresh, not dry, and had great coffee cake flavor. The icing drizzle was tasty. The Boston cream was filled with custard that was delicious. I loved the dark chocolate that they used for the frosting and the cocoa powder that was sprinkled on top. Birthday cake has a vanilla cake frosting with rainbow sprinkles on a cake doughnut. I liked all of the other doughnuts that we tried. I don't think I would need to get all of them again, but since it was my first visit I loved trying the different doughnuts. They were all fresh and tasted high quality. They weren't greasy like some doughnuts can be. I highly recommend doing an online order to make sure you don't miss out on the flavors you want to try. Next time I am visiting Chicago, I will make sure to come back to Beacon! read more

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AMAZING ARTISAN VEGAN DONUTS!! Staff is friendly and awesome! They are responsive and respond via text if you have any questions about your order. This was my fiancé and I's first time ordering and we were so glad we ordered ahead! No wait for preorders! The line was long for regular orders, although it moved pretty quickly! They do sell out of flavors fast so do yourself a favor and order ahead! Worth every penny!!! Keep in mind this is not a cafe style donut shop if you're looking for a sit down type of experience. Street parking only. There are also some cool murals and boutiques in the area to explore and take pictures while you wait on your order! read more

Beacon Doughnuts - 3 Cinnamon Coffee Cake, 3 Apple Fritters, 2 Blueberry Pancake, 2 Glazed, 1 Vanilla Bean Cronut, 1 Boston Crème - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

One of my favorite donut shops. You can't go wrong with the old fashioned Oreo. Very good flavor. I also like the Raspberry Grapefruit Sufganiyot. Service is always fast and friendly. I know the entrance is in an alley but the donuts are too good and I love the artwork that covers the place. read more

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Six stars! Just the raised glazed donut will knock your socks off, but some of the more creative ones will blow your mind. Very pleasant service, and the coffee was good too. read more

I really don't think this place needs any more 5 star reviews but here we go! I've gone a few times and their donuts are perfect if you're craving something really sweet and decadent. Do not expect an average donut, especially not with the Morning Bun shown below. Unique flavors, super sweet staff, and the cutest set up ever! Totally recommend read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Morning Bun - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Unfortunately I don't remember the names of the ones we got but they were all pretty substantial in size and delicious. A good way to try out a variety and take as a gift to someone's house. They are on the pricier side and although none of them particularly stand out in memory, it's always nice to support a local business. It's nice that they're vegan too, you really can't tell much of a difference! The service was friendly, I'd recommend trying them out! read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I have to admit - I didn't rush to try this spot because vegan donuts didn't sound appealing. Well... I'm an IDIOT!! Beacon Doughnuts are SO good! I got the Pumpkin and the Apple doughnuts, and they were a generous size and so very flavorful. The storefront itself is very photogenic, so it's Instagram candy. I will definitely be back when I'm strolling through Lincoln Park! read more

Beacon Doughnuts - Donuts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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