Open since 1956, Primo's is definitely one of the most famous and original donut shops in Los Angeles. It added to creating the pink box that donuts come in, which is now a famous staple all over the world. Their buttermilk bar put them on the map, but they're also famous for their cinnamon roll and a whole bunch of other donuts. Located over in Sawtelle in a small strip mall, there is a free small parking lot attached in back. It's best to arrive early because everything sells out by 11AM. Inside is quite small and is more designed as a place where you grab and go. The server was very friendly, and even though we were late, there were still some good options before close. The cherry donut and cinnamon roll were real standouts. Honestly, anything you get here will be great, and I would highly recommend to any serious donut fan. read more

Primo's Donuts - Cinnamon Roll, Cherry Donut, Vanilla Donut, Blueberry Donut - Donuts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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My husband loves Primo's and since I was wanting to try it mayself, we went today with Murphy the Doodle. Fortunately, we went when it wasn't too crowded so we were able to take our time and chat with Wendy, who gave us so much great information about Primo's. We decided on the Glaze Twist, which I must say is my favorite glazed donut in the city! The Famous Buttermilk stole my heart and I will never eat one anywhere else! The Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Crumbs was the runner up and definitely a great choice. The shop is small, but this is where the action happens! We love Primo's and can't wait to return! read more

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I've been to Primo's Donuts a few times and always been happy with my experience. Every time I've been brought in has been for some cool and unique donuts they are offering. Most recently, they had BTS donuts celebrating their comeback album Arirang! I placed a pre-order for the donuts, plus some extras like Rams donuts and their signature buttermilk bars. Ordering was easy, and pickup was just as easy. Friendly staff inside! Their prices are pretty great, too. They have a small parking lot on the side but it gets filled very quickly with many businesses sharing the space. Love Primo's Donuts for their fluffiness and fun options! read more

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great donuts! excellent service and nice ambiance. Delicious treats for the whole family. I will definitely come again

This updated review is for their glazed butter milk. Excellent. Fried perfectly. Not oily at all. Glaze is great. Not too crazy sweet. There was parking right when I got there Lady who helped me was also super sweet. If you love a good buttermilk as much as I do. Great spot. I do like both the glazed and not glazed. I actually might prefer the non. This way I can eat more of it !! read more

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Havent been here in a couple years. 1st time my glazed twist was still partly raw inside but I was already at work when I discovered it. Thought I'd give them another try today but when she said that would be $28 for....NINE...plain glazed doughnuts? Thought I heard her wrong. I think not! Those are Sidecar prices. The juice aint worth the squeeze. That waa my last attempt. Never again. read more

Best donuts in town! I miss the Westwood location they used to have, but this location is great, too. Everyone is so nice, service is fast, and prices are reasonable-- especially if you're planning on buying a dozen. There's parking behind the building. My favorite ones are the cake donuts!! They also have fun, seasonal flavors/designs. read more

tl;dr the selection of traditional, good-not-great donuts will satisfy, but the donuts do not live up to the sky-high hype Primo's Donuts has been a Los Angeles donut heavyweight for more than half a century. Ralph Primo bought his Sawtelle donut shop on an impulse in 1956, and, over time, he developed a loyal following for its Glazed Buttermilk and cinnamon-laced Butterfly. Nowadays, Primo's is routinely featured in best-of-LA lists, and it has even been ranked among America's best donuteries by Food & Wine magazine and Thrillist. Blink and you'll miss the slate-grey storefront on an industrial block of Sawtelle. The tiny shop feels well-worn. The fluorescent lighting fixtures cast an off-white glow on the posterboard walls and laminate floors. The diminutive donut counter to the right has an unlit glass donut display with stainless-steel trays of mismatched donut varieties. Extra-short stools are bolted in beside two tiny tables to the left. Public radio plays around the space. My partner and I visited on a late Sunday morning, and we were immediately surprised by the limited selection (absolutely no varieties of raised rings were left). The friendly staff member pointed us toward Primo's top 2 selling options: the Glazed Buttermilk and the Butterfly. The buttermilk bar was heavy and dense, sporting a spot-on buttermilk-y flavor; nonetheless, I found myself wanting a larger surface area (e.g., more grooves) to improve the glaze-to-cake ratio. Meanwhile, the bready, softball-sized Butterfly had a mouthwatering texture and uniquely cinnamon-y flavor, but the glaze proportion was lacking. Primo's promises donuts made fresh daily, but that comes at the expense of poor selection if you don't arrive early in the morning. Further, though the quality is higher than the standard neighborhood donut shop, so are the prices -- we spent nearly $7 for our two treats. At the end of the day, the donuts were good but not great (and not worth the premium). While I might opt for Primo's on a whim if I'm already in the area, I won't go out of my way to pay Primo's a repeat visit. read more

Primo's Donuts - Glazed Buttermilk Donut - Donuts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

What I've Ordered: -Chocolate Devil's Food Pretzel -Cinnamon Roll $2.95 -Cherry Cake Sprinkles $2.95 -Butterflies -Glazed Buttermilk -Glazed Twist Primo's opened in 1956. Their family business has spanned three generations. They are most well-known for the Buttermilk Donut or the Butterflies Donut. Those are the most popular donuts according to the staff. I've also tried other donuts and I tend to agree with the staff. Out of all the donuts I've tried..Butterflies and Glazed Buttermilk are my favorites. The Chocolate Devil's Food Pretzel was quite good as well. They're known for their cake donuts. Don't deviate from that! I've tried other donuts from Primo's like the glazed tail or a cinnamon bun and they are so-so. I liked the cake donuts the best so far! I've been coming here about once a week for the past month. I will continue to try other donuts and update this review. FYI, they open at 6 AM Monday-Saturday and 7 AM on Sunday. read more

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Our family lives in Santa Monica and we were here for a visit. I was craving donuts, and my brother in law recommended this place. We bought a box of all kinds. They make their own cream filling which was outstanding! The staff were very friendly, welcoming and helpful. Hole in the wall place, clean, parking in the back. Total gem, wish we had one back home! read more

The donuts were amazing! they had just ran out of the Buttermilk they are famous for but we got the original Buttermilk instead and it was amazing! Also got the old fashioned with vanilla glaze and double chocolate donut those were fantastic as well. There was a decent parking lot in the back with ample parking when we got there a around 9:45am. The inside of the shop is pretty small but they do have a small indoor seating area. read more

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The BEST classic donuts in LA! And I've eaten a lot of them. Primo's isn't fancy like a Sidecar or SK, but they do all your favorite donuts well and it's a nice, family-owned business that's been around since the 1950's. The dough is perfect, both for raised and cake donuts, and they're always made fresh. They're most well-known for their Buttermilk Bars though, and for good reason! I also love their Tiger Twists, Apple Fritters, and Chocolate Frosted donuts. You can get vegan donuts here and gluten-free (though those you have to pre-order) so there's truly something for everyone. read more

I asked the employee what the most popular item was and of course had to try a sprinkle donut. Very quiet inside and the food was great. Not much of an area to sit down. read more

Primos is a classic and I was reminded why in a recent work trip. I landed in LAX around 2p and got to Primos around 3p. For such a small, local spot they put out top notch donuts. The selection wasn't as large as the morning, but I got the cinnamon buttermilk donut and ate it as I drove. The donut had a crunchy exterior and a nice chewy, pillowy center. I'm glad I don't live closer to Primos because I don't think I have the self control not to come by multiple times a week. read more

If you like dense flavorful donuts this is the place for you. If you want something a bit more light and fluffy, steer clear. The service was pretty good, when we got here the line was out the door but it moved quickly. Inside is very plain, everything is practical, no flourishes. Just donuts and machinery. Overall it was ok, but not great. Parking was a breeze in the lot right behind Primos. read more

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A little disappointed by my first visit to primos! I bought three donuts and the total was $9.55 which I think is a little crazy for old fashioned donuts. I tried the buttermilk bar, old fashioned maple and raised plain glazed. I was most disappointed in the raised donut because it was as dense as the other two! Definitely not the best donuts I've had. I did enjoy the flavor of the maple one however. there is a parking lot but some spots are reserved for other businesses in the plaza so a little confusing read more

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Highly recommended and highly dry and disappointing and rude staff!!! Ugh!!! Food needs improvement but would not let me check the box but then again it was awful all the way around!!! read more

Overdue review - ordered jelly donuts for hanukah and they were stale and not that good. For the relatively high price expected more. Will go to donut friend next time. read more

Good, very good,....but not great donuts. This is a great place to go if you're in the area. Donuts are well made, generally fresh, flavorful and appealing. However, nothing special. This is a "good" donut shop in the fully accepted "donut shop" definition. Not worth a special trip but definitely worth going if in the area. read more

Honestly, the most delicious donuts I have ever had. Don't know how they do it, but the taste is amazing. Wish I could go more often!

I've missed Stan's and was in the area so wanted to stop by and see what the new place was like. I saw on Yelp that they had a tribute donut to Stan so I knew I had to get some. I didn't see any in the display but asked and they mentioned they only make them a few days a week and call them "primo pockets". They are peanut butter and banana filled and dipped in chocolate. This donut was perfection and brought me right back to the days of Stan's donuts. I'm happy they have this tribute but wish they could make it an everyday option or at least set days so I know when to come. I think they should lean into honoring Stan as his donuts were a staple in the community. Apart from the primo pocket, the rest of their donuts are pretty standard options. Good donuts but not worth a 30-45 minute drive over the hill. If I had a guarantee the primo pockets would be available I would drive hours for that donut! read more

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After living on the Westside for nearly two decades, I FINALLY got around to following the advice of my neighbors about where to get the best donuts. I wasn't disappointed. While these aren't the newfangled Instagrammable creative pastries currently in vogue, they are uniformly non-greasy and delicious. read more

We ordered vegan jelly donuts last year and we were so excited to find a place that had vegan jelly donuts! This year we called in five days before hand to place an order for vegan donuts again. There were stacks of boxes for pick ups when we got there and had no issue picking them up. People started trying them and one after another stopped eating because they tasted terrible and super bitter. Instead of posting here immediately we reached out just to let them know and were told we were the only ones who complained and they sold 2k donuts and implied it must be our problem. So not only did we waste over $50 on donuts, had to pivot for our party's dessert option during the party, but the customer service is terrible. read more

My aunt had mentioned this place years ago and it gets various rave reviews. However, I thought the donuts were good but not much different from other donut shops. Service was polite and parking was convenient in the back lot. read more

Good donuts. Parking in the back. Shop is small. Service was fast and friendly. Came in later in the day on a weekend and there were still some good options left. read more

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A lot of variety offered here. However, they sell out early on the really great stuff. I haven't been there in a while since so far from my home. read more

Just a sad update: because I had such a great experience during my first visit, I went back 2-3 times for another yummy donut. Unfortunately, I have not been able to get a vegan donut. They make a VERY small batch of vegan donuts and apparently not every day. Why?!? Each additional time I've gone, they've had dozens of non-vegan donuts and baked goods, even 20 mins to closing. My advice, make more vegan donuts and on a daily basis because they're obviously in demand. I'm sad to have to leave a bad update. Hopefully they will make adjustments. read more

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So, Primo's Donuts are literally a mile from my house and I have never ever tried any of their products UNTIL an hour and a half ago. My bff Merilee was shocked that I have never eaten their offerings...tbh, I am not a DONUT girl unless it's a New Yawk Jelly Donut... oh that brings back childhood memories. I digress. Anyway, what they do have that I love are Apple Fritters... these fritters blew me away and I don't have enough words to describe their delicious, sugary and apple mixture taste. You all have to taste them yourselves! Sooo good. And mine was still warm. A neighborhood icon that has been here since the 1950s... a westside landmark! My community! Plenty of parking. They close at 3p but are open at 6a. A must! And I will definitely be baack! read more

I went to Primos on Easter Sunday it was early in the morning around 730. The gentleman who was working there was constantly picking his nose and twice reached his crotch area. The donuts are ok way over hyped. I've never had issues there but this last visit was probably my last. read more

We used to pick up donuts from Primo's often when we lived down the street. Everyone at my office loved them, and my wife and I love their donuts too. The buttermilk donuts are especially delicious. Especially the salted caramel flavored ones. Those are my absolute favorites!! The best donuts always sell out in the morning, just FYI. They have a big parking lot as well, which is convenient. read more

Primo's Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Close by, everything delicious always fresh! Our go-to place for holidays and special occasions!

"Shrinkflation" has hit my beloved Primo's donuts. They've always been a little pricey for donuts, but you didn't mind paying because you were getting a bang for your buck. Unfortunately, this is no longer true. On my last visit, I was charged $4.90 for two chocolate donuts. I've been buying these chocolate donuts for years, and they were visibly smaller. This saddens me, because I'm no longer willing to drop nearly 5 dollars for two miniature sized donuts. The two donuts fit in the palm of my hand. Sadly, they've lost a customer. It's cheaper for me to go across the street to Ralph's market and buy Krispy Kreme doughnuts for less money. I hope they come to their senses, and give their loyal, long time customers value for their money. read more

Primo's Donuts - Two small-ass donuts. - Donuts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Hype. Just another donut shop. Limited selection. Pricey. Kinda grimey ambiance. Can't recommend............

We went to the Topanga Social location that recently opened. Unfortunately the donuts were stale. Being that we went when they had just opened, our expectations were having fresh and fluffy buttermilk bars, cinnamon rolls, and Apple fritters. We spent a fortune on products that weren't palatable. I did notify Primos via email and a representative responded with: the donuts were made fresh that morning and were on the delivery truck at 7am, being transported for sale. Obviously, quality control was lacking. I do hope they find success at their new location. But if the quality remains as we experienced, it will lead to their demise. read more

This is a good donut spot, it's A-OKAY in our book, nothing to complain about it passes our QC (quality control) standards of average to performing traits in price, quality, and quantity. At first, there was a bit of sticker shock for a $2.50 donut, as I had not bought a donut in ages, so was used to the $.50 to $.75 rates for regular donuts and $1.00-1.50 for special donuts. However, later after coming to Primo's, I went to fast food styled donut chain Krispy Kreeme and found they charged $1.99 per donut where I thought they'd be closer to $.75-1.00 per donut... so it's clear I'm back like in the 1990's in pricing, 25+ years ago. So, setting aside the personal perceived price and value of a donut, these donuts were good. My son loved his experience here, and that itself say's I'd recommend this place as well as come back. Personally for me, as not a connoisseur of donuts, "a donut is a donut" per se, I'd say this was a good donut, but nothing super special that stood out. It was fresh, moist, fluffy and delicious, meeting all expectations. read more

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There's often a line on Saturdays, but the donuts are worth it. Not sure if it's quite as good as its hype, but the donuts I bought were fresh and neither greasy or cloyingly sweet. They totally hit the spot when I had a donut fix. read more

We love their donuts and how fresh they are! This is one of the spots that is 100% worth the wait :) They have a great selection and everything is amazing. We love that they also have Gluten-Free options. The workers are very friendly and helpful. Definitely our go-to donuts on the westside! read more

This is not your typical donut shop. The donuts are more substantial (dare I say "elevated" - but not in a pretentious way) and come in a wider variety of flavors beyond just the usual lineup of raised, cake and old fashioned. We've tried several of the varieties and they were all excellent - some of the best donuts I've ever eaten. Because of how substantial their donuts are and the slightly premium pricing, this might not be the place you go to if you just needed several dozen donuts to bring into work on Friday. But, for a special treat or for people who appreciate a high quality donut, this is a great donut shop. read more

The young man was incredibly rude and they didn't have the prices displayed. The donuts are not great and expensive.

Hands down the best Buttermilk doughnuts ever. Crispy outside, light with a perfectly sweet glaze - I have longings for the Buttermilk Bar. Prices are high but worth it. You can taste the quality - for instance real blueberries in the glaze! - and I love how their doughnuts are airy and spongey. If you prefer dense ones, they have them, too, and self-serve coffee. Add to that quick and friendly service. Come early as some favorites sell out fast, like Boston Creme this morning. Applause for plentiful parking in the back! For next time my stomach requests the apple fritter! read more

Primo's Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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