With an impressive 4.77 rating across all user-driven platforms online (108 total votes and…read morecounting), you would imagine Fresh Donuts would live up to the hype. On paper - actually on an Excel spreadsheet I created - those scores rank them as the third best donuts in Middle Tennessee! Having now eaten at the entire top 25 donut spots, I can provide my impartial review. I found this tiny, unassuming shop in a strip mall with no sign. Unlabeled with a lackluster, no-frills interior, you'll find the secret store adjacent to a Fantastic Sam's southwest of downtown Columbia. In the first few bites, I realized that the donuts at Fresh Donuts were shockingly mediocre for such lofty ratings. But you must consider that a Columbia 4.77 isn't a Nashville 4.77. In a smaller town with fewer bakery options, ratings are always going to be skewed higher. That's true throughout the country. To pull off a 4.77 in Nashville is nearly impossible unless you have a really special product that distinguishes itself among some serious competition! So you must temper your expectations in a town of fewer than 50,000. The maple frosted donut here, my favorite donut flavor, wasn't bad. But it struck me as average and unremarkable. The cinnamon twist wasn't as light and airy as some of the exemplary versions you'll find in Nashville, and the cinnamon was nearly undetectable. While the donuts were fresh even in the late afternoon with a dwindling supply, which is impressive and lives up to the name Fresh Donuts, I wouldn't make this a destination for Nashvillians who are thinking of driving an hour down to Columbia. If you happen to be in Columbia, yes, this is a good stop for donuts. But don't make a road trip out of it just to sample what are allegedly the third-best donuts in the region. They simply aren't what the ratings imply, and I made the trip so you wouldn't have to.

Vefy friendly and great donuts. I think someone was malicious marking it as closed. Good price…read moreand stays busy

The box of doughnuts I purchased... Top row: chocolate,…read moreglazed, old-fashioned, old-fashioned, maple, glazed, old-fashioned. Bottom row: blueberry, chocolate, glazed vanilla cream, glazed doughnut. Apple fritters not pictured. Never knew this place existed till I read reviews on Yelp. People saying they came from all over to try the pastries. Had to join the crowd and try them myself. Some, I was eager to get, weren't available when I went. They said they didn't make as many, when schools were in session. I'll have it go back in the summer, when sales increase. Anyway, the ones I chose today were delicious. My favorite was the Maple Old-fashioned (yum yum!) Hope they have that every time I go because I will want it again and again.

I've been trying to make it to this place for years!! While the daily closing time is listed as…read more3:00 p.m., the store actually closes when they sell out of donuts. And as popular as this spot is, they sell out well before 3:00 every single day! So on several occasions over the past five years, I've driven an hour down to Lewisburg at 1:00 or 2:00, only to find a closed store at the end of a fruitless trip. Finally, I made the pilgrimage to the Lewisburg Donut Shop on a weekday morning and found it open! Hallelujah! And indeed, the donuts did not disappoint. The apple fritter is among the best I've had, almost as good as Fox's in Green Hills. But that maple with a soft, yeasty, melt-in-your-mouth dough is astounding! I can understand the lofty ratings now!

Favorite place in the world!! No place on earth makes better donuts & believe me I have LOOKED!!!…read moreMy boys & I love to go get our mixed dozen (if we can get up early) on the weekend & have lazy days

Happy employees, very clean inside, lots of great choices for donuts muffins and coffee…read more It could use some updating on their atmosphere for the sitting area.

Recently did an online order for 2 dozen donuts for my daughter birthday. I wish there was more a…read morevariety between the two boxes but it's fine. Definitely would love to go back & try the other donuts we didn't have. Everyone raved how sweet & delicious they were! The Lemon donut was the talk of the party!

Service - great! The servers are friendly and quick…read more Ambiance - I liked it. It's retro feeling but don't have a lot of seating. It's also kind of hot in here. Probably miserable in the summer. Donuts - amazing! The best way to describe them is a sweet croissant. It's a yeast donut with multiple layers. We've tried the maple bacon, honey glazed, blueberry, turtle for the sweet ones. Savory - chicken bacon ranch, fig & pig, buffalo chicken and Margherita. So far haven't tried one we didn't like. If you have a dairy intolerance or allergy, there are options but be sure to ask first.

I'm giving a one for my review today because why offer mobile ordering. And not be able to pull…read moredirectly around just to be parked at the speaker just to tell them you have a mobile order. I think that is dumb. People wouldn't want to pull around when they have a mobile order if you wouldn't stop the customer at the speaker. It's one thing to get our order and then park us in the parking lot but it's a whole other thing to make us wait at the speaker every order just for us to say I have a mobile order. Also maybe you should work on making the coffee correct. But it consistently tastes different every single time. It never tastes the same sometimes it's good sometimes it taste like milk no coffee and sometimes it taste like water no milk or coffee.

I pull up to the drive through, i said give me a minute please. She said nothing. I then start…read moreordering. She rudely said "you are ordering but i said i am not ready. But i guess i will put that in for you even though you shouldn't be ordering." She did not say anything to us. Even if she did she could nicely say "sorry one moment please" she was very rude. Shouldn't be a worker for any customer service. She's rude and has no right to speak to me that way. I am a paying customer and i was nice. She should not work there. It was 10/25 at 7:54:36 am. Coffee was good as always. I am a regular and come multiple times a week but not if i keep getting her as my order taker.

Donuts were good and aplenty on a Sunday afternoon. Went to Daylight Donuts first but they ran out…read morefor the day, so ended up at Donut Palace. There were seriously a lot of donuts. They were on average $3.50-$4.00 each. Extremely expensive. I've come from LA where family owned donut shops were in every corner, so I'm always in search of these small shops in TN. I've been never a fan of dunkin. Glazing was a bit much but didn't mind it too much. I've paid a lot for desserts before but never this much for donuts. I have to say that at this price, you would expect gourmet donuts. HOWEVER - I would actually very much prefer this over those gourmet ones nonetheless. Something about the Asian donuts just tastes much better :)

Absolutely disgusting. Shop was filthy, don't know how they have not been shut down by health…read moredepartment. Way over priced and the donuts were nasty. Spent $25.00 took one bite and stopped at next garbage can and threw them away. It was that bad. Place smelled like raccoon grease. I now have to go home and change my clothes because I smell just from stepping in for two minutes

Found K-May donuts by a total whim!! From MI, wanted donuts on way home from FL. No one had them…read more Publix was closed-Easter. Wanted a new cast iron from Lodge Store-closed. Stopped at Kay's, bought 6. BEST ever! She was so kind, super polite! Will stop here over Buc-ee's any day!! Donuts were light, super fluffy, excellent flavor, nice and tall, and just melt in your mouth! Thank you!!

We stopped by to check out the bakery located next door to the tamale store in Athens. For every 1…read morecustomer going to the tamale store, there were 6 going in to buy freshly made donuts, bear claws, fritters and filled cream puffs. This is a locally owned mom donut shop I believe. The sweet lady behind the counter was busy with customers ahead of us. She has 3 other people working behind the counter so the wait isn't long. You need to get there early in the day for the large selection. We got there about 2 hours before closing. Because there were people ahead of us I watched 3 dozen pastries go out the door. The selections were slim but something is better than nothing. I purchased a cream cheese filled donut and a chocolate donut to go. The cream cheese filled donut was divine. Hubs asked me why I didn't buy more. I bought the last one that's why I didn't buy more. The chocolate donut was very good but not as good as the cream cheese filled donut. The pastry was soft, not overly sweet and the delicious cream cheese filling was velvety and not very sweet resulting in delicious bites. We highly recommend this store. You might not care for the tamales next door as we all have different tastes. The donut shop has enough variety that a person can find something sweet and delectable. Please give yourself some love and visit K-May Donuts. They are fire!!

Just stop here. You know you want to. A few tiny donuts isn't a big commitment and you'll still…read morehave some to share. They're friendly, their donuts are tasty. You must visit. It's everyone's favorite airstream trailer. Spread the love.

Best "tiny" doughnuts ever! If I weren't afraid of weighing the same as the trailer these yummies…read more are served from, i would sit there daily and consume every flavor till I burst! Always get friendly service! They have regular menu items and specialties during holiday months. They have also been known to add different flavors from time to time. So, it's fun seeing what they have new, and it's especially enjoyable tasting all their various concoctions!

Happened upon this place while passing through -- blink and you'll miss it. First impressions from…read morethe parking lot don't say much, but once inside I was greeted with genuine Southern hospitality from who I assume was the owner and his family. They offered me a free glazed donut since it was my first visit, and it was superb -- soft, perfectly glazed, clearly handmade, and not full of air like Krispy Kreme donuts. I asked for recommendations and was pointed to the honey buns since they were out of their other best sellers. I ordered a honey bun and a maple éclair. The honey bun was honestly one of the best I've ever had. The éclair was cream-filled with maple glaze and absolutely delightful. The filling was a little too sweet for my personal taste (I'm not big on super sweet desserts), but that's not a knock on the place. In my opinion, about half the filling with that maple glaze would be perfect -- and adding bacon would take it over the top. They also appear to serve lunch, which looked very appetizing. I was there strictly for donuts this time, but I'll definitely be back to try it if the food is anything like the pastries. All in all, this place is a hidden gem. I highly recommend giving them a try if you're in the area -- you won't be disappointed. It's always great to support local businesses over corporate chains with half the quality. Give these guys a shot.

We had Morning Glory a while back on our way to the fire academy, hands down the best donuts I've…read moreEVER had. I've been around through LA, all the famous donut spots like side car, Krispy Kreme etc. I will drive from Franklin to Bell Buckle for these!

Stopped on my way home from the market-- yum!! It's just drip coffee but it's good and also…read moregrabbed two of their have dozen boxes of their fresh mini donuts and YUM!!!

Best doughnuts ever! They are soft and fluffy! The perfect one bite! They offer several flavors,…read morealong with a limited beverage selection out of an Airstream. They also have a little seating area to done in!