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    Early Bird Donuts

    4.2 (203 reviews)
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    EARLY BIRD DONUTS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating

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    Blueberry donut
    Meghan M.

    These might be the best donuts I've ever had. Heck, if I got a cavity from them, I don't think I'd even mind - that's how good they are! It was my first time there and the cashier was very kind and recommended several including the chocolate glazed donut filled with Bavarian cream and the blueberry donut. The blueberry donut was fantastic! It was the perfect level of sweet and the inside was so fluffy and yeasty in the best ways possible. The inside of the store is clean and the service was fast. Overall, would highly recommend for a great donut in Durham!

    Donuts!
    David B.

    Came in on Saturday for some donuts and coffee to get my day in Durham started. This is so easy: service: awesome! Coffee: awesome! Donuts (glazed and chocolate iced): if not the best donuts I've ever had in my life, easily in the top 3. Treat yourself!

    Egg biscuit and coffee
    Dia T.

    Ambience This has a little home town diner feel. I feel if you came in 3 times, they would know you by name and give you hugs. Or maybe that's my own fantasy revealing way too much about my childhood fantasies. Music was a vibe too. Some old school Latin music in the background was where it's at! Service Not over the top, because they got work to do and seem serious about their business. But friendly and patient. Food It's really good fast breakfast breakfast food. Not healthy, come on it's a donut shop for crying-out-loud ( what does that phrase mean anyway). But the donuts were fresh and soft, not overly sweet. I had a maple glazed. The Vietnamese coffee was strong and smooth- the way I like coffee. I've never had Vietnamese coffee but it was on my list and I did see the the wonderful woman making it and it looked like she was doing some extra steps so it's probably authentic. I'll try it again somewhere else for a comparison. The egg biscuit was good. It's not a down south, beautiful Black grandma biscuit... but it's a close 2nd. I loved it! The egg was cooked perfectly on the griddle w a little brown crisp and a light saltiness- YUM! Only down sides- 1. Sour cream donuts are my favorite and I was here at 9ish- none today! Boo. 2. They have reward points, I spent 11 bucks and it said my purchase didn't qualify. Can I get one point for morale please... Boo.

    Tova B.

    OMG my gf and i went on a donut adventure today and we went somewhere else with better reviews but this place was so much better!! and should have better reviews. we came at 1pm on a Saturday and got caramel, sugar, glazed and crumb. they were all 10/10s fantastic. the glaze was melt in your mouth, super fluffy and amazing. i would totally drive the 20 minutes to get them here again and maybe next time go earlier to see what else they have

    DON C.

    Delicious! The donuts were warm and being made in small batches so they were constantly providing fresh warm donuts. This takes a ton more time but with donuts it's worth it! Sooooo good. The apple fritter and cinnamon bun were my favorites. The savory croissants were just ok. The sausage one, had lots of sausage in it but I think it needed some melted cheese, sauce or something to be less dry. Also, the savory croissants did take a bit longer to make, so if you're in a rush, I'd suggest sticking to the sweet stuff!

    Andrea L.

    Was gifted various donuts and pastries by a coworker, and must say was very impressed with the high-quality, and how delicious each of the pastries were! Additionally, I have tried there, biscuit and croissant, breakfast sandwiches that are always delicious and fresh.

    Michael's English Muffins sold here!
    Elizabeth W.

    Arrived around 9:45am and had selected half a dozen donuts over the phone in case they ran out as there was some buzz about that happening on occasion. They were not as fresh or light as I'd have liked. Tried warming them up at home - didn't help. Truly the only one worth ordering was the Maple glazed, and it was inhaled by the two of us. I would get a dozen of just those and skip anything with oddly rock-hard teeth-cracking nonpareils. Would have given four stars if everything had tasted like that one maple donut., but there are just so many outstanding donut options in the Triangle... Nice friendly service and some outdoor eating areas but inside was sort of sharing picnic tables with delivery boxes and not welcoming. Possible the breakfast sandwiches are a category worth trying if you happen to be around here, but we didn't sample those. Just okay. Wouldn't revisit or make a special trip here.

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    2 months ago

    The food there and the donuts are second to none . The staff is very friendly and professional

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    9 months ago

    best donuts in durham; great egg sandwiches too! Highly recommend a visit. Can't go wrong with anything there!

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    6 months ago

    Some of the best donuts I've ever had. Big, fresh, yeasty. Yum! The breakfast croissant is good, too.

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    1 year ago

    Delicious donuts and breakfast sandwiches. My husband loves the ability to choose his filling and I love the old fashioned donuts.

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    Page 1 of 6

    Early Bird Donuts Reviews in Other Languages

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    PRESS Coffee Crêpes Cocktails

    PRESS Coffee Crêpes Cocktails

    4.4
    (410 reviews)
    2.6 mi
    $$

    What can I say. Like many others the place beautiful and the crepes were to die for. I had the…read moreFrench toast crepe which had cheesecake filling. So decadent. Lots of good with only one bad. The only bad was no drip decaf but I could get a decaf Americano. So even that compensated for the bad. Would love one of these in Maryland.

    Ordered breakfast to-go because the reviews had me bracing for a 45-minute-plus wait to sit. Turned…read moreout that wasn't necessary, as there were plenty of open tables at 9am on a Sunday. The reviews were glowing, and repeatedly warned about the wait, that my expectations were probably set too high going in. I got the steak and eggs crepe and added avocado, extra steak, and kale. The eggs sit on top, and mine came closer to over-hard than the over-medium I asked for -possibly from sitting in the to-go box for 15 minutes, so I'll give some benefit of the doubt there. The crepe itself was tasty, and honestly I'd come back to try something off the sweets menu. But the fillings didn't land. The steak was a little chewy, and the mushrooms were cut too thick for a crepe -- they made it hard to cut cleanly and felt out of place. The add-ons I'll leave alone since those were my call. Overall the dish felt fairly run-of-the-mill against the hype. One note: this might be a dish better served by not allowing customizations, to keep it consistent to its intent. What threw me is that "steak and eggs" is the menu item, yet they also offer a carne asada crepe with no eggs ...so the only real difference is eggs placed on top, which doesn't change the crepe itself. Felt clear as mud after unboxing my meal. The latte I got was standard. Nothing wrong with it, nothing memorable. TL:DR this read as a solid fallback breakfast more than the must-try the reviews promised. The dogs I saw at the outside tables kept this closer to a 3.5 than falling on the other side of 3.

    Photos
    Inside/bar, Nov 2024.
    Inside/bar, Nov 2024.
    Lavender latte
    Lavender latte
    Salted Pistachio Mocha

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    Salted Pistachio Mocha
    It's a Southern thing: Kitchen and Bar

    It's a Southern thing: Kitchen and Bar

    4.0
    (721 reviews)
    2.3 mi
    $$

    I love this place for consistently tasty food and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Every visit feels…read morerelaxed and welcoming, and the service is always on point. It's one of those spots where you can walk in anytime and know you're going to have a good experience. If you're looking for recommendations, the wings are a must‑try, and pairing them with a Bloody Mary never disappoints.

    So I asked yelp to recommend a place for a birthday dinner. This was the first on the list. So…read moresince I couldn't get a reservation on my birthday to the place I originally wanted to go, we decided to come here. There is plenty of parking on the backside of the building, paid parking out front, and be careful not to park in the apartment spaces on the side...they sounded pretty serious about towing. I had made a reservation but it was probably unnecessary as it was pretty empty when we arrived (it was about 5pm on a Saturday.) The waitress brought a bottle of water to the table and took our drink order. And I know that this place is literally call it's a Southern thing but can I mention how much I dislike drinking out of mason jars? I ordered the chicken n biscuits, my husband got the country hamburger steak plate, my BiL got wings, and my SiL got the crabcakes. We also orders charred jalapeno & sweet corn hushpuppies and frickles as an appetizer. I was VERY excited about my food. Y'all...the only thing that impressed me were the Frickles. Everything else was distinctly underwhelming. I also ordered Blackberry Betta Have My Money which was not that great. My SiL ordered a espresso martini that they said didn't come from a mix but she said it tasted like it was. The bathrooms were very clean. The decor and the vibe were great. Cute even. I really enjoyed that part of it. After dropping off our food, we never saw our waitress again unless we flagged her down for drink refills. It was especially frustrating since there was automatic gratuity added. And since the place wasn't that busy, it felt like she didn't feel the need to earn her automatic tip. Overall I was disappointed in my birthday dinner. I won't be coming back here.

    Photos
    It's a Southern thing: Kitchen and Bar
    Fried Green Tomatoes
    Fried Green Tomatoes
    Dinner menu

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    Dinner menu
    Aaktun Coffee & Bar

    Aaktun Coffee & Bar

    4.4
    (167 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    English: TL;DR: Beautiful atmosphere, fantastic coffee and…read morefood, thoughtful modern Latin flavors, amazing breakfast/dinner spot, and Fernando, the manager, is awesome. We've been to Aaktun in Durham multiple times for both breakfast and dinner, and it's honestly become one of our favorite spots. I'm Peruvian and grew up with Peruvian cuisine, so seeing lomo saltado -- a classic Peruvian dish -- on the menu immediately made me happy. Having also grown up in Mexico and lived in places like Miami, I really appreciate what they're doing with the menu: a modern, delicious take on Latin flavors that feels creative without losing what makes those cuisines special. The atmosphere is absolutely beautiful. You walk in thinking it's a stylish little coffee shop, then head toward the back and the whole place opens up -- gorgeous bar, tropical touches, cozy alcove seating, really cool vibe. One time we went with friends for a special dining experience they were offering, and it was excellent. The food, drinks, and whole experience were made even better by Fernando, the manager, who has always been incredibly warm, helpful, and accommodating. Highly recommend Aaktun for breakfast or dinner. Still haven't made it there for lunch somehow, but at this point we'd be shocked if it wasn't great too. Spanish: TL;DR: Lugar precioso, café y comida excelentes, sabores latinos con un toque moderno muy bien logrado, y Fernando, el gerente, es increíble. Ya hemos ido varias veces a Aaktun en Durham para desayuno y cena, y sinceramente se ha vuelto uno de nuestros lugares favoritos. Soy peruano y crecí con la cocina peruana, así que ver lomo saltado -- un plato clásico peruano -- en el menú me hizo muy feliz. Además, habiendo crecido en México y vivido en lugares como Miami, me encanta reconocer cómo integran sabores latinos con una propuesta moderna y de fusión. Se siente creativa, diferente y sobre todo riquísima. La atmósfera además es espectacular. Entras pensando que es una cafetería bonita y acogedora, pero luego caminas hacia atrás y el lugar se abre por completo: un bar hermoso, detalles tropicales, mesas tipo alcove... una vibra buenísima. Una vez fuimos con unos amigos para una experiencia especial de cena que estaban ofreciendo y la pasamos increíble. La comida, las bebidas y toda la experiencia fueron aún mejores gracias a Fernando, el gerente, que siempre ha sido súper amable, atento y servicial. Recomendamos muchísimo Aaktun para desayuno o cena. Todavía no hemos ido para almorzar, pero honestamente nos sorprendería mucho que no estuviera igual de bueno.

    "Part Dos - Mostly great, with a few exceptions"…read more Food temp is major in my book. While many of the food options were hot, several were not, and I believe that impacted the overall dining experience. We ordered classic breakfast and jerk chicken lunch options. For drinks: Cappuccino and Mango Refreshers. The good: (1) Fried rice - which accompanied the jerk chicken (served hot). While simple, the slightly earthy and bitter (in the best way possible) from the braised/steamed baby bok choy perfectly accompanied the earthy mushroom, and complex soy inspired fried rice. So good - this could be a vegan or meat side entree unto itself - IMO. (2) Scrambled Eggs - If you enjoy large curds of gently scrambled eggs - this is for you. While we enjoyed the remaining options for portion size and flavor, we did note that the temperature was cool to mid - which impacted overall flavor. Jerk Chicken: we understand this is a jerk inspired interpretation. With that being said, the most interesting flavor was limited to the crispy skin. Perhaps the chicken was immersed in a salt brine and basted with a jerk flavoring? We loved the white (perhaps mayo based sauce), and accompanied pickled red onion. But baby, the food temp. Yucca fries - if you're unfamiliar - are the baby of a green plantain and white potatoes. While good, they were not hot. Maybe could have benefited from a unique sauce? Food service good. But the biggest miss was the cheese hash browns and Mango Refresher. Hash brown (cheese) room temp, and tough - Mango Refresher - too tart and not worth the cost. As far as ambience: Customers were Hip, sexy, multi ethnic , and included old and young. We loved our waiter. Overall, a little disappointing especially considering we loved our first coffee breakfast visit so much. Not sure if it was an off day or we just prefer other menu options. However, we'd definitely visit again! Brunch/lunch: 4.2

    Photos
    Iced autumn blaze latte with cold foam - lifewithhanny
    Iced autumn blaze latte with cold foam - lifewithhanny
    Jerk chicken
    Jerk chicken
    Iced dulce de leche latte with cold foam - lifewithhanny

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    Iced dulce de leche latte with cold foam - lifewithhanny

    Early Bird Donuts - donuts - Updated June 2026

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