Granny Donuts
1555 Robert St S, West St. Paul, MN, 55118
Granny Donuts Menu
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Classic Donuts
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Fancy Donuts
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Specialties
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Limited Sightings
Healthy Meal suggestions for Granny Donuts
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Classic Donuts
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Fancy Donuts
-
Specialties
-
Limited Sightings
Visit below restaurant in West St. Paul for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in West St. Paul for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
1555 Robert St S
West St. Paul, MN, 55118 - Phone (651) 451-6132
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Opening Hours
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : No
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
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Troy J.
Granny's Donut Shop looks like the product of a bygone era, but you won't find any faster -- fresher -- or friendlier -- donuts in West St Paul. Granny's has become my go-to for saturday morning donuts. A staple in the neighborhood for more than 25 years, Granny's has plenty of old-school charm, backed up by the friendliest service I've encountered in the Twin Cities. The Vietnamese couple that own Granny's is iconic. Xuan, the owner, can often be seen making the donuts. His wife, Que Banh, typically runs the register. For my (donut) money, she's the star attraction of Granny's. She brings the shop to life with her smile, demeanor, and enthusiasm. On a recent visit for a dozen donuts, she "topped off" each bag with free donut holes. After I left a tip, she beaconed me over and handed me another donut as a sign of gratitude. Occasionally, Xuan runs the register. When this occurs, service isn't nearly as good, but the venue's charm remains. The blueberry cake donuts, cinnamon rolls, and glazed donuts sold here are 'culinary crack.' That's probably why the owners are so generous about providing free samples. Granny's is open 365 days. Donuts are inexpensive, but cash only. No credit cards accepted. (There's a convenient US Bank drive-thru ATM machine nearby.)
(5)Samantha F.
Terrible service! I just landed from California and before heading to the hotel I wanted to grab donuts.. The little old man comes out and asked "what do you want" I said "mmmm I'll take a chocolate bar" as I pointed to one. He's got stern and corrected me saying it was not a chocolate bar so I asked what is it then? Not sure if it was a situation where they call it something different so I wanted to know. He's like "pick one what do you want?!" My bf looked at me n saw I was in shock with how he spoke to me. And then he's like "forget it I don't have time for you" and walked to the back. I stood there confused n I decided to walk out. The lady walked to the register n called me back but I said "no that was terrible service" & left. What a great first impression! -_- never again
(1)Marques S.
Terrible service!!! Went in to get 6 donuts for the family... Only 5 varieties to choose from when I walked in. The owner walked out with a fresh tray of 5 additional varieties as she barely greeted me. As I picked my 6 donuts she told me the fresh ones were still wet (icing). I said "ok. That's fine" she proceeded asks which varieties would make up the remainder. I name my 6 and she says but "these are still wet... If you buy 12 I can put them in a box, I don't have a box for 6" I took my money elsewhere and you should do the same.
(1)Jen B.
Horrible customer service :( The donut was good but the man behind the counter was very rude towards me !
(1)Tim B.
Most fantastic donut anywhere in the whole world! I've most places and I've eaten lots of things. This is simply the best. The frittets have chunks of apple in them, the sugar is real, the shortning is real and the best thing is it is in West Saint Paul!!!
(5)Brian H.
Probably the best raised donut in the Twin Cities. Basic, classic flavors, done very well.
(4)Sue S.
We have been searching high and low for a doughnut shop that is the neighborhood variety that just serves up lovely doughnuts at a consistent clip with a reasonable price tag. I'm all for the super fancy flavor combinations at Glam Doll and other shops that can command a $3 per doughnut price. But I also want a place where I can swing in, grab a dozen doughnuts and not break the bank. Thus far in our search, I think I'd put Granny Donuts near the top of the list. It isn't a fancy place but it does the job. Doughnuts are made and brought out in trays, which are displayed in the case. There aren't a ton of varieties, and if you want like more than a couple dozen, they might not have them. As for the doughnuts themselves, they are not huge, which I actually see as a positive attribute. Each one is the size of a good teacup saucer. There were blueberry, cherry, chocolate cake... various icing and sprinkle options... a creme filled chocolate iced variety and a jelly filled variety. So in all, covered the bases pretty well. The man who helped me was super fun. He insisted before handing over my box of doughnuts that I sample one of the cinnamon sugar doughnuts while standing at the register, nudging it across the counter and insisting, "For you. Eat now." Turns out, it was still warm and was the best doughnut I've had in a really long time. When I got home, I found that it's a baker's dozen, so including the one I ate at the store, I got 14 doughnuts for my $10. Not a bad deal at all. I get what Brian is saying. I also grew up on the East Coast, where you definitely don't have to drive more than a mile or two to find a really good doughnut shop, and it's unheard of that it would be so hard to find a place where you can buy a dozen doughnuts for a price that is not in the double digits. It is extremely frustrating for those of us who love doughnuts and have been spoiled by the abundance of options out East. But we are not out East. We have chosen to live here. And by nature, that means that there are just fewer doughnut shops to be found. And so we have to adjust, drive farther and be willing to pay a bit more than we would back home. On the plus side, they have cheese curds here. So it balances out in my book. Oh, and Granny's is cash only. Now you know.
(4)Madison F.
Really steadily busy on a Sunday around 10:00 and we barely had to wait! We got half a dozen donuts including two huge cinnamon rolls/apple fritters and it was just under 9 dollars! Having been to other donut shops in the city I thought this was a steal (I usually exit shocked that it's possible to buy 6 donuts for 15 dollars? Seriously.) They were all very sweet, but they're donuts that's what you buy them for! The woman at the counter was absolutely adorable and tried to refuse our tip and thanked us profusely! The Bavarian cream Bismarck was one of the best I've had! This is definitely a no frills place, classic donuts done very well. I'll definitely be back again! It is cash only! Which is something to be aware of, but with these prices you don't need much cash to get your donut fix.
(5)Chelsea M.
No matter how snarky that guy is, I have learned it is more his personality and I find it quite charming. My rating goes way up and I highly recommend this place. The donuts alone are wonderful but the owner has always been so nice to us. This is a regular stop anytime we are in the area.
(5)Lorraine N.
I would probably go here more often if they accepted credit cards but NO they only take cash and typically I just don't have green cold cash on me. I did have a few dollars today and so I went in to get a few for me and my coworker I was all over the 1.00 bismark like Lewinsky on Clinton on the drive back. Sorry co-worker I decided not to share---I wiped that cream and the crumbs off my face and nobody was the wiser--saving em' all for myself!
(4)Annie H.
The owners are so nice. I went in not sure what I wanted so they gave me a donut to try. It had cinnamon sugar on it, and basically melted in my mouth. So I bought some of those and a cinnamon roll with chocolate icing. Because I was craving chocolate. At this point I had 3 donuts, one of the owners threw in a 4th so my total would be an even $2. ONLY $2?! So I paid, decided to throw a dollar in the tip cup, which the owner saw so she gave me 6 donut holes...which I totally ate in the car cause I lack self control. But they just totally melted in my mouth. I'm glad I don't live too close or I'd be a regular
(5)Patricia M.
Gentleman did not use a tissue when handling my donuts. Used his bare hands.
(1)Molly O.
I wish I could give Granny's as good a score as everyone else has...but the raised donuts were SO greasy! I firmly believe you should not be able to taste the grease in a donut, nor should it drip. Gross. However, the blueberry cake donut was phenomenal! SO soft and moist, the perfect amount of glaze...each bite melted in my mouth. 5 stars for that guy.
(3)D N.
Yelpers I must agree the donuts themselves are five-star, my issue with is cleanliness, specifically when the gentleman (grandpa?) is serving donuts he uses the tissues but oftentimes has his fingers on the donut as he is grabbing it... Then takes someones cash...then back to hands on the donuts. That is a deal breaker for me... How much does a plastic set of tongs cost??? Fix that and my review is 5 star.
(1)Makayla S.
Best donuts around, I've never been disappointed in the 15 years I've stopped here for donuts. Yum!
(5)Stacy R.
Love Granny's Donuts! Their Apple critters are the best! I have been going to Granny's Donuts for years! I have never been disappointed with any of my purchases!
(5)Savannah S.
I'm on a new hunt for the best donuts in the TC and started at Granny's. I have to say granny's might have ruined everything for me! Super fresh and delicious donuts. I recommend maple or the cinnamon sugar! But really they're all good. Cash only and be ready to order!
(5)Tony N.
Great tasting Doughnuts, but the guy is a jerk. I hear he's sold his place and is closing in the near future. Great Fritters!!! My Wife loves Old Fashions with chocolate glaze. There was one left and I asked him if he could run some glaze over the top for her, he got upset and told me to leave the store and don't come back, SO I DID!!!!! It reminded me of the Soup Nazi on Seinfeld. I've never been back
(1)Roxanne F.
Heavy on the grease, we literally squeezed our donuts and grease poured out. Never trying this place again.
(1)CK L.
0 stars!!! WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!!! OWNERS YELLED AT US! I'm surprised that there are even pictures (of the store or the donuts in the display case) on Yelp. My sisters, little niece, and I walked into the empty donuts shop. There were workers behind the counter but we weren't greeted, which is no problem at all. After looking at the donuts in the display case for about 1 or 2 minutes, the owner got super mad at my sister for taking 1 picture of their donuts. When I heard the owner asked my sister, "Why did you take pictures of the donuts?" I seriously though that he was just joking but he was dead serious. My sister apologize and said that she didn't know. The owner was still mad and yelled at my sisters, little niece and said that it is ILLEGAL to take pictures of their donuts and they didn't need our business. Well, there isn't any signage in their store that say, 'No pictures (because it is illegal).' We didn't buy any of their donuts and just left. We were in the shop for no more than 5 minutes. So sad and too bad for them because their display case was completely full of donuts and their parking a lot was absolutely empty at 3:45pm on a Saturday. I can't speak for the positive reviews but PLEASE TRUST ALL THE NEGATIVE REVIEWS!!! Visit the shop at your own risk!
(1)Tamara T.
Ever since moving to Mendota Heights, I'd keep hearing about how great Granny Donuts is. Everyone was absolutely right. These are *the* best donuts. They are so good, they run out fast on weekends. My Mom's favourite is the white frosted coconut -- too sweet for me! Mine is the plain old fashioned. Recently I brought 3 dozen glazed raised into work for an event and *everyone* loved them completely. As for service, I've been in many, many times, and have always been treated very well. I find the upsell to make an even dollar amount rather fun and ingenious. They also have tossed a free donut or donut holes for me as I'm shopping for my folks. I am a huge fan. These folks are the hardest working couple on Robert Street. The shop is unpresuming, and they may be low or out of stock because they are so popular, but do give them a go. This is a cash-only store, they do not take checks or cards.
(5)Neal L.
Yumma-yumma. If you dont understand, then you likely have never had Granny's. I have been taking my kids there since 2004, they STILL get a free donut hole. The owners are quite fun and very kind Busy on Sunday mornings, so plan ahead.
(5)Jillian B.
I grew up in Portland, OR....basically the land of food....vegan, vegetarian, ethnic joints, food carts every corner...and Voodoo Doughnuts. Most people have only heard about the place on the travel channel, or maybe one of your PDX relatives have brought you back some on the plane, as so many people do. Portland is also the land of artisan doughnuts, so I'm judgy. I admit it. Since moving to the twin cities, I came across an article about national doughnut day, and the HEAVEN that is the apple fritter at Granny's. I'm 8mos pregnant and drove by it and needed doughnuts in my face. Now. Got a fritter, on old fashioned chocolate iced, blueberry, and a cake with white frosting and rainbow sprinkles:-) The blueberry was my favorite....it melts in your mouth! The fritter was absolutely delish, slightly oily....but in this really awesome way that I probably would hate if I wasn't preggo-craving out. I saved half of it for my husband(the fritter is bigger than your face), and he said it was the best one he's ever had. I believe the quote was "I'm sorry and I'm not sorry you brought these home"..... (wife points for the WIN!) The other two were equally as delicious, and honestly I've been obsessing about getting more since I went there two days ago. About the service, I did wait a few minutes clearing my throat loudly....waiting for someone to come out of the back. Another gentleman walked in and said "They hiding from you?" And went to call for him through the side door. This cute lil old man shuffled out, I ordered. The old man goes "This man has been coming here for over 20 years! Maple doughnut every day!" We all laughed, and I said it's probably because these are so good! "You wait and try! See you again!" He said. It was cute. And totally going back again!
(5)Kristen C.
After moving away from Melo Glaze (another awesome doughnut shop!) I was looking for a new place that was closer to me. I had driven by this little shop dozens of times and noticed it but never stopped in. I finally went in yesterday to give them a try. I tend to be picky with the doughnuts, I always always get plain old glazed and hate when they are old/stale or have odd-tasting glaze. I was pleasantly surprised that Granny's was just as good (if not better!) than Melo Glaze. I purchased my plain glazed doughnut (2 of them) - which were extremely inexpensive at $.75 each - and enjoyed. They were warm (fresh!) and delicious. They were plenty of glaze (but not too much) and they were obviously very fresh. The flavor was spot on. I will definitely be back again!
(5)Marcela A.
You have to try if you haven't yet! Friendly staff, price is unbeatable. $0.80 per donut. It's almost all you can eat donuts! The flavor is - OMG - so fresh and light! They serve traditional doughnuts flavors and styles, but you can not go wrong here. By far my favorite in town. Yep, they beat Glam Doll.
(5)Keith S.
I must have driven past this place 100 times and never noticed it. On my recent donut adventure, I thankfully discovered Granny donuts...and wow. I tried four. Gulp. Yeah. No dinner for me that day. Apple fritter was fantastic, but my favorite....I can't even remember the name. It looked like a glazed bow tie that was chocolate frosted. Very warm, very chewy yet so light. I really want one. Right now.
(5)Karen F.
I love this place. It's located on the very very busy Robert St. but you will never have any problems finding parking. I believe the place is owned by a super cute and nice older couple. I especially love the older lady and that's probably because she always adds a couple of extra doughnuts in my bag ;) Seriously, great treats and I never seem to pay full price. They always ask how many you'll buy and give customers a deal. So worth the stop but make sure you have CASH. If you don't carry cash, there's a Wells Fargo and Bremer Bank nearby. Don't bank at either, lots of grocery stores nearby that have ATM machines.
(5)Toni W.
I have to physically restrain my car from turning into Granny's when I drive down Robert St. headed to another destination. It's tough but necessary because we're not talking health food here. My personal favorite is the Lemon Bismarck and my husband, who used to have favorites in other cities, won't buy apple fritters anywhere else. You want trendy bacon topped or hot pepper infused creations with a latte to wash it down, go somewhere else. I will continue to pop in for 1, yes 1, Lemon Bismarck, to go and find a surprise bonus doughnut hole or two in the bag as often as not. Service note-have never seen either owner treat anyone badly, and they really dote on little kids.
(5)Linda G.
They are very rude!!! I call to ask a question and he said NO and hang up on me! The donuts are good but, the owners are RUDE!!!! I will not go in there AGAIN!!!!!
(2)Mike P.
These were some of the best donuts I have experienced in 6 weeks of getting donuts for plant crews daily throughout the midwest. Crisp on the outside, light and flaky on the inside, and totally delicious. The owner was a hoot, very friendly and funny, if a bit snarky, even at 7 am. Roll with the punches, throw some back, and leave with a smile and maybe a free sample or two. Cash only, though, so bring some dollaz with you.
(5)Paul F.
Yeah, it's great, of course. Even Lil' Ole Cynical Paul, my hip hop alter ego, can't hate on this place (and that guy's a douche!). Owners are friendly to the point where it's annoying. They're so happy to be charging you a dollar for the best meal you'll be having that day. Ugh.
(4)Kareem M.
Amazing donuts. Friendly owners. Good variety. It's kind of a throw back and that's the best party. Good, rich, and well stocked.
(4)Samantha H.
My favorite donut place. You don't even need to bother reading reviews, just go here. Go now. Why are you still reading this when you should be going already?? Anyway, the price is fabulous. There are not four dollar donuts or anything crazy like that. The types of donuts are old fashioned, like basic raised glazed, frosted cake donuts, fritters, etc. The donuts are always fresh. I have gone later in the day and they are still pulling fresh donuts from the kitchen. Nothing is better than a warm glazed donut! The people that work there (own it?) are so amazingly nice. They are always offering discounts on larger bunches when you don't expect it, they throw free stuff in sometimes randomly, they are super nice to my daughter and give her donut hole samples, etc. This always makes me smile. So go here, spend your money supporting a local business, and have a great donut!
(5)Andy T.
Absolutely the best doughnuts you have ever eaten. Bar none, the best. Owners are incredibly nice and thoughtful, and always try to give you free stuff with your order. Best product and customer service for your money, everything made fresh in house. 10/10
(5)Jeff J.
My favorite doughnuts in town. Nothing new-age here, just perfectly executed traditional cake and raised doughnuts, with great service at the counter. This is a traditional doughnut shop that cares about using the right ingredients to make and excellent doughnut. Raised are light and airy and cake are crunchy on the outside and light and moist on the inside. And they get the frosting and sprinkles just right.
(5)David S.
Best dougnuts in MN!!!! Guy behind the counter is hillarious deffinetly a landmark!!!
(5)Samuel W.
The donuts here aren't bad. They're fairly run-of-the-mill in terms of variety and flavor. But their customer service is pretty awful. My mom and I went in one day to get half a dozen donuts. It was completely dead in the store and there wasn't anyone coming in behind us. The guy behind the counter didn't acknowledge either of us when we walked in and continued working. We didn't mind because we were scouting out what we wanted. Out of nowhere, he popped up and said, "Are you going to order or not? I don't have all day." We were both very put off and annoyed by this. But then as we started pointing out what we wanted, he kept sighing and getting pissy. We bought less than we went for and left. We've yet to go back and we likely never will. If you have a hankering and decide to go, make sure you bring cash. They don't accept cards. And be prepared to possibly deal with pissy employees. Personally, these donuts don't do it enough for me to want to put up with crap like that.
(2)Jim C.
Intrigued by fellow Yelpers' reviews of great doughnuts and lured by a morbid fascination with interacting w/ the legendarily cantankerous owner of this establishment, we made a family trek out to West St. Paul over the weekend. We arrived and were relieved (if perhaps slightly disappointed) that the man was not at the counter--though he could be seen doing some work back in the kitchen area. Instead, we were assisted by the incredibly sweet older woman who works there. There were five of us and we ordered about 8 doughnuts, which we ate in the shop. They were unbelievably good. We tried blueberry, strawberry and chocolate cake doughnuts--which were amazingly light and really flavorful. Typically a good sized cake doughnut rests like an anvil in your gut, precluding further consumption, but no such limitations with these confections. We also tried a number of raised doughnuts, including blueberry bismarck, chocolate Boston cream, glazed twist and more. These were even more outrageously good. In fact, my wife, who as a rule completely eschews doughnuts ate the better part of three of them on site and continues to sing their praises. The only disappointment for me was the apple fritter--usually my favorite. Theirs had a lot of apple chunks (a good thing), but sopped up an unusual amount of frying oil (a bad thing). We'd ordered two of them for the group, but collectively, we could only eat one of them. That said, it was a small disappointment in an otherwise amazing selection of incredible doughnut delights. When we got up to leave, we decided to order a few more to take with us. The lady behind the counter laughed as we kept adding more to the order. She talked with us for about 5 minutes and even slipped an extra doughnut in our bag because she thought it was great that we'd made a family outing of coming to see their shop. All in all, it couldn't have been a better experience--from the doughnuts to the service. It's probably a good thing this place is 15+ miles away or I'd need to start shopping for larger sized pants soon.
(5)Luan T.
There is very few mom/pops' places that make this good quality donuts any where or any time . I am not going into every details what you should order but go early, be precise like you going into the Soup Nazi's episode of Seinfeld. No, I am not kidding. Seriously, go early, bring cash, be 100 percent sure you know what you want, make sure you have your count is correct (i.e. Pick your dozen ahead of time). If you screw up and get passed up to another customer that grabbed your last donut, you have been warned. I see a few complaints on the owner - let me put this way, he is like a very loyal dog in your yard. If you go here often and take care of him, you know the rest. Suggestion, you want him to be on his good side, order a doz right off the bat. He is the ultimate salesman, especially you get anything less than a dozen...again, you have been warned. P. S.. I love this place, especially the apple fritters... I would sacrifice my first born for it... Okay, I might exaggerate just a bit... Okay, I might demand 2 fritters for my son (if my wife lets me)...
(5)Saby K.
The basic glazed donut is clutch! I've had donuts a second day and they are still fine but I wouldn't go past that. I've also had an assortment of other donuts, and this is my go to place.
(4)Linda H.
I must increase my rating because ever since moving to Lowertown, we have visited Granny Donuts a few more times. The cranky owner grows on you after awhile and I figured him out! He ALWAYS demands you get more donuts than you originally came in for...(Great Salesman he is) so what we do now is go in asking for two less than we actually want so when he demands we buy six instead of 4 or 4 instead of 2, its really the amount we wanted anyways....Trust me, there is no saying NO to this man.....Just order two less than you really want and everything will be fine!! Still, hands down, best donuts in town! BRING CASH!!!!!
(4)Annie O.
LOVE this place! They're even open on Labor Day! Yay traditions! I think some of the bad reviews have a lot to do with a language barrier. They are not expert speakers of English and thus likely struggle with some unsaid cultural or language "norms.". The owners have always been kind and sweet. We can't wait to be back for more "good donut!"
(5)Dodi A.
I got 4 twist doughnuts and were soaking in oil. Some other time were good but this time I embarrassed myself in front of my friends with those doughnuts. Dripping oil out of them. Unacceptable. I make better doughnuts at home for my kids
(4)Margaret R.
WORST customer service I've ever experienced. First visit, the lady working at the counter added up the amount incorrectly, so I corrected her. She was very rude and told me she added the amount correctly. Ah, no you didn't. Finally someone else beind the counter stepped in, added the amount, and guess what? I WAS CORRECT. Second visit, the owner told me to buy a cherry donut. I said I don't want to buy something that I normally don't eat (cherry). He kept insisting and I asked if he would give me a small sample. Well, that set him off and he said "I HAVE NEVER GIVEN FREE SAMPLES! I don't need your business." What a jerk. I'm not cheap, I have money to spend, but won't be spending at this dumpy establishment EVER again.
(1)Andrew H.
I was here a few days ago, still on my mind. Love the place. "Granny" as they call her, is a lovely woman and always asks how your doing. Have yet to have a bad donut, not as good as some of the places I've been else were in the country but it leaves no one disappointed.
(4)Soraida H.
AH-MAY-ZING. The donuts are soft and fresh. Crispy and golden on the outside. Fluffy and warm on the inside. And a mere 75 cents each! My older sister and I each got a cake donut, my younger sister decided on the Bavarian cream. We all enjoyed our treats. The only sad part was that they didn't last long enough! Also, the owners are adorable. And super funny and sweet. Sweet like their donuts. We seriously chatted with them for a good ten minutes and had a great time. We would be more than happy to visit again.
(5)Crystal S.
Yummy donuts and independently owned by a very friendly and welcoming couple! The interior is retro 1970s which is kind of fun :) 1 star knocked down because it was not very clean in there. I think they run it by themselves without staff though, plus it was a Sunday which is probably a busy day. Overall; great local place for that pesky donut craving!
(4)Jess R.
This place looks a little sketch from the outside but man does she make a mean donut. So delicious!! We tried a couple different kinds, all so good. She gave us a BUNCH of free donut holes which melted in your mouth. If you want good donuts for cheap -- go see Granny!
(5)Cartier L.
My sister just called this place. the guy was very, very, rude. he mistook my sister for another customer that had been harassing their store. He told her to stop calling and basically refused service.
(1)Susan V.
The donuts are to die for. Best donuts I've ever had, hands down. The couple that own the shop are so adorable and sweet, I am happy to give them my business. They were giving us free donuts and donut holes while we were waiting to pay. The cake donuts are incredibly soft and moist. I didn't get to try the glazed donuts, gave it to a friend but she definitely agreed that their donuts are divine. You won't be disappointed. Make sure to bring cash if you do stop by. They're open everyday and have been in business for over 26 years.
(5)Todd J.
I really wanted to enjoy these donuts. My sister loves them and goes there whenever she's in the cities. Regrettably, every time I have tried them I have found them to be overly greasy, as if the oil isn't the proper temperature and it's soaking into the batter/dough, when it shouldn't. A donut should be properly moist, without excessive oil soaked into the dough! It's more obvious with the raised donuts, where you can see the oil sheen on the donut itself (aside from glazed variety). I'm happy for everyone else who enjoys these, but the excessive oil in these that I've tried (cake, raised, fritters) ruins the experience in the mouth and in the gut. I am surprised that other local/professional review sites (CP) don't account for this in their reviews of this place. This just seems like a huge baking 101 mistake, not frying your donuts at the right temp. :-( It seems many are mistaking greasy donuts for moist donuts.
(1)Michelle A.
If these aren't some of the best donuts I've had in the last ten years... Granny Donuts. Not much to look at from the outside, but they make a damn fine donut. Get your donut-loving butt down here and enjoy some old fashioneds and long johns the way they were meant to be made. Yum!
(5)Elizabeth S.
Technically, it's Granny Donuts (not Grannys Donuts). When you're there eating the best donuts ever, take note of the sign! And then take another bite, because you ain't in West St. Paul for a goddamn sign. I used to think I didn't like donuts. I thought I liked the icing and was just eating the rest because it had to be done. But Granny! Oh my. Even without the icing, these pasteries are magnificent. I never thought of myself as lucky for working in this area until now. Get there early and grab a favorite. My suggested itinerary is to hit up Granny Donuts on a Saturday morning, no later than 8:30, then drive down Southview Boulevard to Black Sheep for some fantastic coffee. They don't accept credit cards or checks. Cash only.
(5)Jay P.
Well, it's a donut shop. Simple, clean, easy. What struck me most was the steady traffic in and out of this place. We waited a few minutes when we entered and the line basically never shrunk to zero during the 15 minutes we were there. This place moves some donuts! I had a blueberry bearclaw and it was good.
(4)Jackie R.
I have been so sad since Krispy Kreme left Minnesota and keep searching for something to replace it. I still haven't found it but Granny Donuts comes close. The raised glazed are really really good. I usually get a cake donut as well but the raised glazed are my favorite. The two people I have encountered working here were so cute and sweet. My only complaint is that it's so far out of my way!
(5)E L.
I was sad that when I arrived yesterday they were all clean out of raised donuts and most other items. It would be an hour before I would be able to get raised donuts so I had to leave. I think the inconvenience of this makes my rating go down from 4 stars to 3 stars in addition to the fact that sometimes people who serve the donuts don't wear gloves when they touch the donuts and bag them. I really wish ALL people would wear a hairnet and gloves when they serve food. I know I do. But the quality of the donuts is good. I love the raised donuts and they put enough chocolate on them which is good. They have chocolate milk, juice, and hot chocolate as beverage choices which is really nice. Overall I like this place.
(3)Ks K.
I don't know how, nor how we could do it again, but at 2pm on a Saturday, we got Hot Donuts! 1 glazed raised, 1 chocolate glazed raised. The BEST! Beats the heck out of krispy kreme, cuz they only have regular glazed raised. We went back on a Sunday morning (early). Somehow not quite as good as the 1st time. Maybe we were just really hungry & they were quite fresh. This time, not quite as good, but still darn good, warm & airy (glazed raised).
(4)Sam M.
After the rave reviews both here and with the city pages, I was eager to try this place out. This morning's sojourn to Rochester was a perfect time. It looks like a donut shop, and walking in there are no surprises. Big glass case filled with many varieties of donuts. Each tray is labeled and priced. I found every thing I was looking for except a powdered sugar creme filled. Admittedly I didn't show up til about 10:30, so I may have missed out. The people there are friendly and I felt quite at ease shopping there. There are no novel flavors here, for all I know I stepped backwards through a time portal to a 1970's donut shop. However, each donut was good. Definitely a cut above the "grocery store" types. If only we could get Granny Donuts and Mojo Monkey to have a child. That child would be the Ultimate Donut Shop.
(4)Seppuk U.
Ha! I knew with all the good word of mouth I've gotten and happy reviews all over the Internet my absolutely terrible initial visit must have been an outlier. I went back today and had the experience I expected the first time I went, based on all the talk. Awesome. I got French Crullers, and a couple each of raised: sugar, glaze, choco frosting. I wanted to eat them all. Too bad so sad for the peeps thinking I was bringing them back a donut mwahaha! Bah, I didn't eat them all, just a couple but the way my friend's faces lit up when they bit theirs I regretted my decision not to be selfish. Lady behind the counter was pleasant, even gregarious. So one good visit, one horrible visit. Next one is the rubber match. I expect great things.
(4)Evan H.
BEST FREAKIN DONUTS EVER! We got a dozen and tried a blueberry cake in the parking lot. Turned right around and went in to get another dozen. The owner is a real character and quite funny. Definitely be prepared to get more than you expected.
(5)Mark M.
Five stars for the wonderful, old-fashioned donuts. ZERO stars for the service. Anyone reading this who is a close friend or family member of the couple that runs this place should really try to get through to the old man....he is NOT funny, and the hostile way he behaves is driving business away. Why would someone work so hard for so many hours and then behave in a way that makes them constantly lose money? When someone comes in and buys one or two donuts, they are not looking be be strong-armed into a deal (and his "deals" usually mean he is dropping a nickel off of the price for buying additional items). I come here much less than I used to, as I don't need the BS from him; and I always hope it is his wife that waits on me.
(3)Dennis L.
By far the best donuts in the Twin Cities. And what's sad is that i've driven by this place so many times before without stopping in. Mostly because i've always thought it would similar to a generic donut shop. Boy was i wrong! It was only after my gf told me that someone brought them into her workplace that this place perked my ears. Hearing that it basically sent her to heaven, I had to get a piece of this action myself. The donuts i tried were simply amazing. The Devil's Food choco-iced, the lemon bismark, or even the regular sugar-raised donut, you can't go wrong. When you get them fresh, they are moist and melt in your mouth. And as a big fan of Krispy Kreme and Dunkin Donuts, i can say this place ranks right up there with them. The only thing i was disapointed in was that they ran out of the Apple Fritters and the Glazed-Raised donuts...I can't wait to go back and try those!
(5)Jessica G.
Great donuts but lacking in customer service. I misunderstood my total this morning and the woman behind the counter completely chastised me. I haven't gone back to this place for a while because they always manage to piss me off in the 2 minutes I'm in the store.
(2)Lauren D.
I came here after reading a list of the top places in Saint Paul. My roommate and I got here around 10 and there were a couple of tables of people chatting and eating. Since it was our first time, we asked what was good, but the lady said choose whatever type you typically like. I got an apple fritter and my roomie got a cake donut. My apple fritter was huge and delicious. Plus, it came with 3 donut holes. My roommate enjoyed her donut and her extra donut hole. Overall, it was a nice place, but I need to come back and try a few more things before it blows me away.
(4)Victor M.
I love this place i go oten to get boxes of there donuts!! they are soft and fluffy and sooo good.. i like to go at 7am when they are fresh... the husband and wife team are very nice. they open when the sun comes up and close whenever.. make sure you bring cash because its cash only.. there coffee is ok but who cares with donuts that good..
(5)Brendan S.
Never Going Back! Just went here to buy an apple fritter donut & was greatly disappointed-not just with the quality of the cold donut but the very poor attitude of the owner- he was rude to me for no apparent reason & makes me want to not only never go back, but discourage others from wasting their time/money here- DON't Go Here.
(1)Kirk L.
Try to stay away from donuts in general. HOWEVER.... I was so impressed when I picked up a couple Apple Fritters on Saturday morning. Sinfully good...
(5)Vince C.
The other day, I was really jonesin for a donut and came to my friends on Yelp! Simply typing in "donuts," brought up this place and man, I am glad it did! The devils food chocolate-iced donut left me smiling and giddy, the regular glazed-raised made me wonder why I ever ate donuts elsewhere, and the bavarian cream-filled donut made me really angry that nobody told me about the place before. Seriously. These were the best donuts I've ever had. I didn't have the coffee because my wife wanted Starbucks. But what they had was black and hot and that's really all you need when you're eating donuts this good. $7.50 gets you a dozen of the best donuts in the Twin Cities. I have a 2-year old, so getting up early is not a problem for me! Due to Jared's review, I ordered an apple fritter. I am not someone who normally likes apple fritters, but I thought I'd try these. Honestly, they were really way too sweet and dense for my tastes. My wife agreed with me on that one. I didn't take a star away from my review though, because it's not like I enjoy anyone else's apple fritters. My daughter was too busy shoving the free donut-holes they gave her into her mouth to say anything of value. But her eyes were shining and they were already asking when we can come back. Not soon enough, that's for sure! Note: Cash only, folks. Cold hard cash for warm soft donuts. Fair trade, I think.
(5)Shannon R.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! The blueberry donuts are to die for, the sprinkles, maple and old fashioned are way yummy too. I never know what the hours of operation are and they only take cash, but usually they throw in an extra surprise donut or 2, or just some donut holes if you're buying only a couple things. The family that works there is very friendly and did I mention that the donuts are ridiculously delicious?! I honestly don't even like donuts unless they come from Granny Donut. When I used to work overnights in an ER, we'd send someone out there at like 4:30am and I think it was the older guy working who would give us extra donuts for the pregnant doctor and the other doctor who had a bunch of kids, he said they were "for the babies", haha, so awesome and nice.
(5)Mr W.
Fantastic donuts. Whenever guests are in town, I take them here. The owners are very nice, just make sure you know what you want when you get to the counter and have cash.
(5)Abeni D.
Wow! Very impressed with this place. After having a stressful day there was nothing like having a good donut. Thanks for the friendly service and awesomeness Granny Donuts.
(5)Becky S.
I wholeheartedly agree with Edmond. This is easily the best donut shop in the Twin Cities, though I do understand Brian's review. One must remember this is a small business and not a Dunkin' D. You snooze, you loose. This place is so well-known, if you don't get there early, they may not have your favorites. I love raised donuts, lemon bismarks to be exact. And I often miss-out because I am not a morning person and those yummy lemon bismarks are others' favorites as well. But every so often I stop in and there is one or two left and that simply makes my day. Simple pleasure, a fantastic donut. Why are the lemon bismarks my favorite? The lemon filling is a bit tart and not too sweet. The doughnut is light and fluffy and they don't usually put powdered sugar on them unless you ask. I LOVE that.....because as you know, powdered sugar is messy. Nothing fancy about the decor or customer service though it is family owned. It's all about the donut.
(5)Hector S.
Great donuts. Good selection. Good customer service. I will be a regular customer. Only thing I wish the took credit cards.
(5)Brian L.
Disclaimer: I'm from New England where donut shops are abundant, fast, and well-stocked, with decent coffee to boot. One Sunday, late morning, I had some reason to make the 10-mile drive to this location in West St Paul. The exterior decor was promising as were the 70's-ish tables and chairs within. But I was greatly saddened when I saw the stock of donuts available. They had the standard glazed donut, bavarian creme, and one additional variety. Plus a handful of frosted coffee rolls. I asked if any others were coming out and was basically told "what you see is what you get." Luckily, I waited and within minutes a fresh tray of devil's food donuts arrived. I bought one with a cup of coffee and scarfed it down. The donut was very good, and being warm from the oven made it even better. The coffee was bad, but that can be forgiven. [edit Sep. 2010: on a recent visit, more than 20 varieties were present, and I had a difficult time choosing! I upgraded them to 4 stars - the donuts were delicious.]
(4)Ed T.
Okay I guess it's better to clarify why this is the best Donut I've had in the Twin Cities. Like what others have said, you're almost better off calling in advance or stalking the place if you want to get your picks of favorite donut. When you get the donut you want, you're in for a tasty scrumptious treat especially when it comes out fresh. It's rare to find Mom and Pop donut places like this and I'll be even sadder if it ever dissapears because they really took their timing crafting their skills in making a delectable donut and you can taste that difference.
(5)Trisha K.
Amazing donuts that melt in your mouth! They were even warm. I've never had a better donut! Worth the drive!
(5)Justin N.
The donuts were good and the staff was great! The only thing I would like to see change would be the varity, I can get the exact same donuts at the local convience store! Which is why I only gave them 3 stars
(3)Greg B.
Found my Krispy Kreme replacement after being here for 4 months craving something close to that wonderful place!
(4)Jared G.
I moved away from the Twin Cities, and I miss Grannys Donuts in a very bad way. I would make the 25-30 minute drive from Minneapolis over to St. Paul at least once a month, and if I was even remotely close to the location, I would drive another 20-30 minutes to stop by there. All this for two reasons: 1. The BEST apple fritter in the world. Chunky pieces of real apple; a combination of soft, gooey, chewy goodness with crispy fried sugary form. It holds firm in your hand and melts in your mouth. 2. The BEST maple cinnamon bun in the world. Words can hardly do this pillowy, perfectly sweet and flavorful bun justice. I usually bought a box of fritters, maple cinnamon buns, and a few devil's food chocolate cake donuts. Rarely would the entire box make it home. And I'd usually buy and extra one of each to eat before I got home and had to share with the family! That being said, you must go in the morning or they will certainly be out of at least one of your favorites. Once ma or pa recognizes you, they're likely to throw in some donut holes for free or give you a discount when you buy a bunch. Thanks Grannys; I look forward to my next visit home to savor your sweetness.
(5)Lucas K.
This place is as good as it gets! If you're disappointed the first time you go, go again! Never stop going because eventually you'll agree! BUY THE APPLE FRITTER!!!
(5)Diane N.
The donuts here are extremely tasty. They're the best. What I especially like about the place is the owner. He takes such obvious pride in his work and cherishes his customers. I hope his business continues to prosper.
(5)Britta S.
Went to Granny for the first time today after reading about them on AV Club. They weren't kidding, these are the best donuts out there. Got a half dozen and every kind was amazing: old fashioned, cake, or raised. If you're craving a donut, get down here immediately; you won't regret it!
(5)Matthew K.
We went on a Twin Cities wide donut tour and Granny Donuts were the best. Great dough and glaze. The donuts were top quality and the best price.
(5)Mel B.
I decided to stop here last minute, and I am so glad I did! Their donuts are, of course, delicious. But they are also very kind and sweet, generous, and I will definitely be back. Their chocolate devils food donuts were the best I ever had. One warning: they are cash only! There is a US bank a few buildings down with an ATM if, like me, you never seen to have cash when you need it. It was probably my guardian angel trying to tell me I really didn't need donuts today. NPR was also doing a talk on how Americans are addicted to sugar. Clearly, my angel's recommendations fell on deaf ears today :). #sorrynotsorry
(5)Joshua N.
Good enough for West St. Paul. Sadly that's not saying much. Yelp says this review isn't long enough, so I'll elaborate: 1. This place is pretty rundown. So it fits in the area nicely. 2. Friendly staff will gladly steer you to the $2 donut if you appear unsure of yourself. 3. Remember what donuts were like in the 1970's? Welcome to the unremarkable past, but greasier. It's not fully their fault. It's hard to look good in this most unremarkable of suburban hells. Turn on to route 62 and keep driving. You can do better.
(2)Dana C.
Wow, we are donut junkies. Was told of this little shop by several people over the years, finally had our experience. The donuts beat any of the shops you see written about in the newspaper. Simple, delicious, and melt in your mouth donuts. The owner adds sass and his own version of customer service. I can see where one could be offended but the donuts make this well worth the trip and wait. The attitude adds to the experience. I ordered a dozen various donuts plus 2 apple fritters. I was questioned why a skinny person would order so many by the man behind the counter. I thanked him for calling me skinny (the scale disagrees), explained I have a teenage son at home who is a swimmer that eats, and he brings swimmers over that also like to eat. I also have a husband who love fritters. He said I could have no more after I gave him my order. I laughed and said I'd be back. Regarding the donuts, my husband said the fritters were the best he's ever eaten. Not typically a late night snacker, he got out of bed at 11 pm to grab another donut! Beats any donut, including Krispy Kreme. My personal favorites are the raised glazed donuts and the raised sugar delectables. Bismarks are good too, long johns were heavenly. The chocolate donut, I couldn't tell you, the teenager ate it before we got home. Thankfully, I have a teenage son who eats, I would be 10 pounds heavier. We got there at 7:45 on a Saturday only 2 customers in front of us who took awhile to order. I'm thinking 7:30 is better, there was a line going out the door when we left.
(5)Nhi V.
Just SKIP this place if you're looking for delicious doughnuts. Really disappointed about this place. Ask yourself would you like grease with your doughnuts? If yes then I guess this is the place for you. Came to granny's doughnuts on a whim since I was in the area. Firstly its in a great location, but the customer service is totally non existent and AWFUL here. I asked several questions and the owner that was working was super rude, dismissive and insulting not to mention very condescending! I bluntly asked him does he have to be rude towards customers that are purchasing his products? Of course no apology or explanation he became even more offensive. Glad I only bought 2 doughnuts because these were nasty. I could tell they were very greasy in the case but holes they weren't overwhelmingly oily. I cut into it and it was damp and soggy. Took a bite of it and all I could taste was grease. I didn't even want to finish the doughnut after that one bite. Just cold and greasy doughnut in your mouth. I have a very strong stomach but after 10 mins my belly didn't like all that oily business! The size and appearances of the doughnuts were depressing but the selections were large. Pricing was cheap thank god because these doughnuts tasted awful. Another yelp about this place is it does not take credit cards only cash - seriously, get with the program! Don't waste your time here with these greaseball doughnuts drive 5 more mins to puffy cream where service is pleasant and the doughnuts are large and not at all greasy.
(1)Jonathan T.
My abs -- where are they? Oh, that's rightttt... As of now, they're mainly covered in sweet awesomeness thanks to Granny Donuts. --OK, this ain't true. I've eaten other tasty baked confections and other delicious treats in my lifetime, but none like the donuts I had at Granny's. Sure, I've only visited once, but that's all it takes to become a believer of this West Saint Paul institution. Will you on day see me on A&E's Intervention showing me on my couch scarfing down a box of their stuff? Possibly. #imrambling ***** Patrons definitely do not visit Granny Donuts for their décor or ambience. I mean, damn, the walls, floors, and seats date back to the Vietnam War era. Instead, they attract regulars by 1) pumping out delectable donuts daily and 2) keeping them at a reasonable price. The awesome smell of the place doesn't hurt, too. ;) For fewer than five dollars, I purchased three memorable and tasty pieces of heaven: *Vanilla Glazed Donut: I inhaled this thing, mainly because I've never tasted a glaze oh-so amazing. I love the classics, and they do this one well. *Chocolate Long John: Did you know that John/ Jon means God's gift? (Jon, how do you know that? ;0) After my first bite, I can certainly say that this treat certainly lived up to its name. Not to mention, I spilled some of the frosting on my shirt and almost got into a car accident on Robert Street. I was trying to find out where the dollop of chocolate landed on my shirt, and how I would get it in my mouf. #chubbypeopleproblems *Apple Fritter: Due to the flat and pancake-like shape, apple fritters remind me of land minds I've read in books and seen in movies. And like a land mind, this one went boom in my mouth. SWEET-TART EXPLOSION, YA'LL. Aside from these noms, the elderly Chinese woman that served me (owner? Co-owner?) gave me several donut holes to also make it more difficult for me to lose weight and look sexy this summer. You won't find a donut with bacon, candied pecans, infused mint, and natural sourced honey covered there. You will, however, discover a mom and pop shop serving classic donut joints that appeal to errbody. VERDICT: I would be more than willing to run around Lake of the Isles every day, if it meant I could eat one of their apple fritters once a week. Why are they so far from my house? :( That's probably a good thing.
(5)Scott E.
I was here thirty years go. The husband and wife team that own and operate the place have aged but their welcoming smile and doughnuts have stayed the same. By 10AM most of the cases were empty. Customers buy doughnuts by the dozens. The owner knew everyone in line but me. One duo has been coming here before they were married and today shared that their oldest was finishing college this year. The genuine friendliness of the owner makes waiting a few extra moments to be served acceptable. Be prepared to be talked into a few extra items. He also hands out free basic doughnuts randomly to boast about having the crispy outside and softest inside anywhere. He is proud of his product and business. There is plenty of parking in the stand alone lot. Easy to find. I had the apple fritter with real Apple pieces. Exceptional. Prices are reasonable. Quality is superior. Customer service is off the charts. I look forward to coming back here soon.
(5)