A classic donut spot, Colonial Donuts is one of those 24hr donut shops - the OG type donut spots. Donuts of all kinds, including mochi, classic donut holes, churros, baked cookies, breakfast sandwiches, croissants, coffee, hot chocolate- they have it all. Tried and true, this is an all-time best spot; conveniently located on Lakeshore. This is one of those places you stop and get donuts for the family just knowing you'll be able to get something for everyone. read more

I want to start off by saying that this is my second review for a non-gluten free place. I am being re-tested for celiac disease and engaging in the "gluten challenge". I haven't had a donut since childhood and polled on Facebook since the classic Rudy's is now closed. About 50 people strongly recommended colonial which is why I picked it. We came here at 10am on a Thursday. Service was quick and no line. There were a great many donuts to pick from. We ordered a filled maple bar, glazed raspberry jelly filled, and a buttermilk glazed. One thing we noticed is that the filled donuts are filled very generously. I've never had a jelly donut filled all the way through before. It was filled to bursting. The jelly isn't too sweet either. The maple bar was advertised to be filled with maple filling but had a vanilla custard instead. It was pretty good. It's filled from both ends generously. Probably about a half inch of the middle has no filling. So it's easy to split in two. The maple glaze on the maple bar was not very maple-flavored. It was too subtle for my tastes. The maple bar and jelly donut were both quite light and fluffy. The buttermilk donut was on the dry side, but the glaze is good. Not too sweet. read more

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Parking: outdoor street paid parking Entrance: no steps Interior: well lit, high ceiling, flat floors easy to walk and roll cart or wheelchair, wide isles No chairs, just tables unfortunately Service: friendly, helpful, knowledgeable Food/Goods: various, organized and smell so fresh and good Neighboring hospital staffs thank you for opening throughout the night, you have saved us many many times read more

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If you know, you know... and this ube donut from Colonial Donuts absolutely delivered. First of all, just look at it. The color alone stops you in your tracks. That vibrant purple ube filling peeking through the fluffy donut makes it almost too pretty to eat. Almost. But the real surprise is the flavor and texture. The donut itself is soft and airy, with just the right amount of sweetness. Inside, the ube filling is rich, creamy, and packed with that signature nutty vanilla-like flavor that makes ube so addictive. Then you get that light glaze and crumb on top that adds a little sweetness and texture to every bite. It's one of those treats where you take a bite and immediately pause because you weren't expecting it to be that good. If you're anywhere near Lakeshore and want something a little special for yourself, do yourself a favor and grab one of these ube donuts. Pro tip: If you see them in the case, grab one before they're gone. read more

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I used to come here often, but I will not return. The owner is rude and argumentative during simple order changes. Even when you stay calm, there is no excuse for this behavior. The donuts are fine, but I cannot support a business run this way. read more

My wife used to go to Colonial Donuts as a kid. This was my first time trying them. They are an East Bay institution serving old-fashion no frills type of donut place that started back in 1969. They are open 24×7 and constantly churning out their delicious donuts. No sitting available anymore since the pandemic, I assume as there are only tables there. I only had room for one donut and I got the blueberry cake donut. It had a crispy crunch on the outside yet moist cake-y inside. read more

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I was walking back to my car after dinner on Lakeshore with some friends when I noticed a donut shop with the lights on, donuts displayed, and people inside at 10pm. What? I did a double take and was thrilled to see that it was open 24/7! It's an old school donut shop, all the basic donuts are here with a few unique ones. They had a great selection of donuts considering it was so late at night! 4 stars automatically for any donut place open at all hours (especially in a neighborhood that can be a little sketch) and the 5th star was earned by the glazed donut I got at a reasonable price. So soft and fluffy, it was still warm! Definitely hit the spot! read more

If you've never been to colonial donuts, are you even from the bay? I love it here. This is the perfect late night snack. I always go between 10pm and 12am when the donuts are fresh out and piping hot. The customer service here is really good and there's always a line when I go. It's a cute little glass box, with well lit lighting, and I love that they're back to letting people inside to order their donuts. -- especially since it's been freezing in the bay If you're looking for delicious donuts that won't cost your normal and a leg, check out colonial. read more

Colonial Donuts - Late night eats. - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

I really do love a good donut shop. This laid back spot is the perfect place to grab a donut pick-me-up at any time of the day. Not only are there so many donuts to choose from, but I am convinced that you cannot go wrong with any of them. The staff was super nice and welcoming, too! I tried the: crème filled maple bar, the coconut cake donut, and the ube crumb cake donut. Let me tell you, they were all delicious. Even though I bought them at 5pm, they all tasted so fresh. I was super excited to try the ube crumb donut because I had seen so many yelp reviews mention it, and it did not disappoint. It was the perfect sweet treat, and was so nice and fluffy. I think it could use a touch more ube flavoring, but I'm biased as a huge ube lover. Needless to say, I will be back! :) read more

Probably one of the few or only donot shop opened 24 hours. There's parking in the Trader Joe's parking lot, even though it can get very hectic at times. I do like how they have a back entrance directly from the parking lot. Their donuts are decent. Some are better than others. Ube is my favorite here. Their Apple fritter is not good. Too dense. do not order their churros! It is very bad. Pretty much threw it away in the trash. Their cookies are ok... they also sell day old stuff for $1 I believe. read more

Good FRESH Donuts & yummy breakfast sandwiches. I've lived in Oakland my whole life. I have no clue why I never knew of this place. Came to yelp at 4am looking for breakfast sandwiches and bam- It suggested Colonial Donuts. Open 24 hours. Reviews from 10-14 years ago. And I'm just hearing of this place. Service was awesome, Food amazing. Ambiance - Fantastic!!! 10/10 definitely recommend read more

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Open 24/7 Yummy donuts Fast and friendly service Will be back to try those mochi donuts :) read more

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Went here yesterday and bought 2 donuts. Ube Donut: Ordered this donut because I love Ube in general and I had to try it. It did meet my expectations. Not too sweet, super moist and you can taste the Ube for sure. If you are an Ube fan like myself, I would recommend this donut with a nice cup of joe. Blueberry Donut: I love Blueberry everything so I had to get this donut again. It was always a special request when I my brother would ask me to house sit and watch his pup during his travel plans. He would ask me what I needed before he travelled and it would always be A (meaning 1) blueberry donut, but he would practically get me dozen. 1 or a dozen... either way...Yummm!!!! Check this place out if you are a donut lover like myself! :) No photos available because I devoured both donuts before I remembered to take a photo. I will take some next time! read more

Generationally great. Definitely been coming here since I was a kid. Not many places left where you can grab donuts at 4am for early morning workdays. read more

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. read more

Colonial Donuts - 2 Sprinkled Donuts, 1 Cake Vanilla, the other a Chocolate Glazed - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

It's a convenient place to grab donuts if you're in the area. In my experience, they tend to give out the older donuts first, which can be disappointing. The staff hasn't been the friendliest, and the overall atmosphere feels more focused on getting customers in and out than making them feel welcome. They still don't have chairs available for seating, no pets are allowed, and there are no customer restrooms. It's fine for a quick stop, but don't expect a warm or inviting experience. read more

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 :) read more

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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! read more

Colonial Donuts - 2/8/2025 cherry filled $1.75 yummy - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

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. read more

Colonial Donuts - Apple Fritters - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

My ride or die donut place. This place is open 24 hours so it is always there for me whenever my sweet tooth hits. The donuts are better than most for sure, especially the old fashioned and buttermilk. The raised and cake are pretty basic but solid. They have coffee and a drink fridge. It's basic but exactly what is needed in a dessert emergency. read more

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. read more

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Pretty great doughnuts. Oakland teachers would get them a lot when we were on strike. Love to all of them! They would often give us some extra free doughnuts! read more

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. read more

Colonial Donuts - Dozen hand picked donuts and a scratcher! - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

Amazing donuts, an Oakland staple that is a must for grab and go donuts. Check it out!

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. read more

Donuts stale very poor service would not return the only good thing is that it's 24 hour open

Wanted to find something quick to eat but didn't know what we wanted. Looked up donuts and found this place and I'm glad we did. The woman that helped us was so nice and the donuts were delicious! I got a maple bacon donut for myself, my boyfriend got an ube donut(he ate it before I got to take a picture) and we got an apple fritter to share. We loved every single one. That maple bacon donut might've been the best donut I've ever had and I'll definitely be back for more whenever we're in the area! read more

Colonial Donuts - Maple bacon donut - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

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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! read more

Colonial Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

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My previous review said Colonial Donuts is "one of the best" in the Bay Area. I gotta come back to say that, for me, it is THE BEST donut in the Bay Area! The consistency of the inside of their raised donuts is like eating a very fresh piece of challah bread -- and, those of us who know challah, know that that is FRESH! My favorite of the raised is the one with chocolate + sprinkles on top but, specifically, since they have about a half-dozen variety of sprinkles (which is yet another plus about Colonial), I'm talking about the ones that are known as non-pareils -- if you don't know, they're the kind that look like super tiny balls in multiple colors -- and when you take a bite and crunch all those little sugar balls, together with the chocolate frosting, together with the light-as-air cake interior ... well, it's a little piece of heaven. read more

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. read more

Colonial Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

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. read more

Colonial Donuts - Mochi Donut - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

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. read more

Colonial Donuts - Ube, old fashioned, and a raised glazed donut - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

Absolutely the nast nastiest attitude, snatch my card out of my hand. I wouldn't go there for the last donut place on Earth. The cash your snatched my debit card out of my hand. I was not rude or anything. I am going to stop supporting 99% of these business. read more

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. read more

Who does not want a donut whenever the mood strikes? Yes indeed, freshly made donuts ready and waiting and calling your name. Check them out. read more

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 read more

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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. read more

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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)! read more

Colonial Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Oakland, California

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Hate where it's located. The donuts are fresh and delicious but when we've gone here- there is always a pest/fly issue. Other than that, I'd rather have them a drive thru. read more

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 read more

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