Stan’s Donut Shop

Awesome glazed donuts. Going to Stan’s is a great Saturday morning tradition. I’ve never stayed there to eat, we just get them to go. Get there before 9:00 if you don’t want to wait a while for fresh donuts. Cash only!

Ok! Coming from Tucson, where mexican bakeries serve just the best things, this also serves the best things that are donuts. Creamy, fluffy, tasty, filling, these little goodness rings are just too good!

Tried this place out because my friend strongly recommended it and strictly told me to go before 9 AM so the donuts are fresh and there won’t be a line. Great mom and pop shop with a good assortment of donuts. So I woke up early and I got a lot of different donuts for my family since I wasn’t sure which were good but the glazed donut was by far my FAVORITE. The best glazed donut I ever had and I don’t even LIKE donuts that much. Great place! Will be going back!

CASH ONLY!
What happened!!! I haven’t been back to Stan’s for a few years, and was finally able to stop by today. Sadly, their original glazed wasn’t as crazy delicious as I remembered. Don’t get me wrong, it was still very good, but a little more dense and less airy/​fluffy than before. I was smarter this time and placed my order a week before, but since I had to pick up the donuts around 7:30am, a lot of the premium ones like twists weren’t ready by then, so I had a limited variety to order from. I ordered 8 dozen assorted for the office, and the majority were ready when I got there. If you don’t call ahead of time there’s a maximum of the original glazed you can order, so calling ahead is the way to go if you have a big order. I got to try bites of a few different donuts this time around:
–Strawberry Buttermilk: Surprisingly light for a buttermilk donut, and it had a nice strawberry flavor that wasn’t fake tasting or overpowering. Recommended!
–Chocolate Old Fashioned: Also surprisingly light for an old fashioned donut, with good chocolate flavor. I prefer the original glazed though, so wouldn’t go out of my way to get this one again.
–Glazed Old Fashioned: Good, but very sweet/​dense.
–Sprinkles: Solid version of a cake donut, and the cake was nice and fluffy.
–Glazed Donut (
): Still my favorite out of the bunch, although the strawberry buttermilk gave this a run for it’s money this time around. This is a must try if it’s your first time to Stan’s!
Parking was easy since the lot is a good size, and I came early in the morning. I will definitely be back for more of the seasonal buttermilk donuts and their original glazed!

OMG best donut EVER!
I’ve tried Voodoo Donuts (meh), and Krispy Kremes (blech). Stan’s is AMAZING! Seriously — the texture and flavor are what donuts are meant to be!

Holy moly that was just SO yummy! Went based off reviews and it was AMAZING! Fun to see the doughnuts being made right in front of you. Also cool to sit at the old school bar. Doughnuts literally melt in your mouth. Cash only. Surf coffee was great too!

CASH ONLY. LONG LINES. DONUTS RUN OUT FAST.
I LOVE THAT YOU CAN WATCH THEM MAKE DONUTS IN THE WINDOW!
There is seating inside, but its uncomfortable because the line crowds the seating area.
This place is CASH ONLY! And I recommend coming in with small bills!
/​/​SERVICE
The service was fast and quick. My friend and I were fighting over who gets to pay and confused the poor lady at the register. Despite the trouble we caused, she laughed and joked with us. She handled it really well even though it was hectic and busy and the line was long! I really appreciate this! Quality service!
/​/​FOOD
Get the glazed donut. You won’t regret it! There are two kinds of donuts. The fluffy and light donuts and the old fashioned dense cakey donuts. Both are delicious. You can’t go wrong at Stan’s! The donuts come out HOT and FRESH. There’s no place like Stan’s! If you are in the South Bay, you have to try this place at least once!

Stan’s Donut Shop is a hidden gem in Santa Clara. It’s got an old timey feel to it, having just a small windowed counter for displaying the donuts, and a strip of bar seating for those who wish to sit, relax, and enjoy their donut with a cup of coffee. In addition to the standard assortment of glazed and sprinkled donuts, their signature is the buttermilk donut. Every day they offer a different buttermilk donut flavor, and they only make a limited quantity per day. If you’re looking to try one, I recommend going before 10am, or you better call ahead to see if they still have any.
This is a must try place for any donut lover!

Walked in on a weekday to get a couple dozen donuts. Part of my order was to be glazed donuts. But at 10:30am the clerk tells me that they are out of glazed donuts for the day! WHAT? A donut shop out of donuts at 10:30am and they don’t close until 3pm.
NOTE TO OWNER: You may be well liked by locals. But this local strongly believes that a donut shop should have the full variety, including glazed, for most of the hours you are open. Because of your lack of having full menu availability I went to your competitor Krispy Kreme and bought 10 dozen glazed donuts (for my son’s special Ed school). I purposefully BOIGHT that much to give them more business as a reward for having what I wanted.

I love Stan’s. If you live in near Sunnyvale or in the South Bay it is a must visit for donuts.
They make them fresh and you can see them cutting and rolling donuts throughout the morning, and let me tell you, there is nothing that compares to a freshly glazed warm donut.
You really can’t go wrong here between the classic glazed, or old fashioned cake donuts.
And to this day still ~$ 9 for a dozen. Stan’s is a local treasure.

Visited on Sunday afternoon and was worried that we wouldn’t get to try fresh made glazed donuts since a lot of other reviewers mentioned waiting in line right before this place opened.
Well worry-​no-​more because they don’t stop making fresh glazed donuts! No need to wake up super early to snatch this good stuff, woohoo!
The donuts here are amazing, not only because it’s fresh made but because the dough that they make is perfect. And you can see their entire donut making process right when you walk in.
Its warm, soft, doughy, and large. You really do get that warm fuzzy feeling in your belly from eating it. It feels like home. Krispy kreme can’t compete.

I’ve heard people rave about this place before I relocated to the area, and the donuts were true to the hype!
I walked in at 6:30AM and there were already people ordering their donuts at the bar. When you first walk in you sense the old donut shop/​diner vibe with some people sitting at the counter eating their donuts in old bar stools drinking coffee.
I ordered 2 dozen of the original glazed donuts and it only cost $ 18. The donuts were delicious as they were fresh from the fryer and I’m already drooling in anticipation of the next time I stop in. Don’t forget CASH ONLY.

Definitely the best glazed and sugar donuts in town!
I got to taste this when a co-​worker brought it to work… I asked where it was from and I heard Sam’s donut… kept searching for it… until finally someone brought a box with the name and address on it… took a picture to make sure I got it right :) It’s Stan’s Donut!!! Donut heaven!!!

It’s been close to five years and it’s time for a review update.
Stan’s is a Santa Clara and maybe even a South Bay institution. People who have lived in the area for a long time know all about Stan’s. For the n00bz, don’t expect to come here and find a big donut shop like Krispy Kreme with lots of seating, donut options and late closing times. Not gonna happen. Stan’s is a no frills donut shop.
Facts:
* On the inside, there’s a long table/​counter with seats side-​by-​side for people to sit at and eat their donuts.
* You can also watch them prep the donuts too.
* There are a few beverage options from which to choose.
* There are a variety of donuts to choose from, but probably not as many as you would find at chain donut shops.
* Lines are always long. I came by recently at 5:30am so that I could wait outside their door and be first in line when they opened at 6. Between my arrival and when they finally opened the door, there were at least seven people who came super early and waited in line behind me.
* CASH ONLY
So why is Stan’s so popular? Because their glazed donuts are amazingly, out-​of-​this-​world delicious. As soon as you bite into a fresh one, you’ll know what I mean. These aren’t like your half-@$$ed, wedding ring-​sized glazed donuts like the ones they have at Krispy Kreme. These ones have a lot of dough and are fluffy af. I’ve tried their other donuts and they’re great, too, but the glazed are, hands down, the best.
So, if you haven’t done so already, get over here. You won’t be disappointed and you’ll become a habitual customer. And, if that ends up being the case, GET HERE EARLY. You won’t have to wait in a long line and you’ll be able to get the donuts at their freshest and tastiest.
I love this place.
5 stars all the way

For years, Stan’s Donuts has been my Platonic ideal of a donut. I’ve eaten many a donut and compared it unfavorably to the greatness that I remembered Stan’s to be. When I was planning this trip to California, I made room in the schedule for a stop in at Stan’s. Friends discouraged me, warning that there was no way it could be as good as I remember, the same way my memories of Henry Schmidt Park include a full-​sized train engine.
Well, they were wrong. Stan’s was every freaking bit as good as I remember. Just unbelievable. And I love that it has barely changed from the time my father started going there (the early 60s) to now. Bravo!

Mmmm donuts. Seriously, who doesn’t love a warm fresh donut with just the right amount of chewy dough and melt in your mouth sugary glaze coating each bite, even if just for one guilt free bite? Stan’s has been in the business since 1959 and based on the dated interior you would probably agree.
They’re best known for their glazed donuts and the whole process unfolds in front of your eyes if you happen to be waiting for their next piping hot batch. They open at 6am and expect either a wait in line or wait time in between batches. Although they technically close at 3pm, my last visit on a warm Saturday afternoon at 1:30pm resulted in, «sorry, we’re completely out».
I really shouldn’t have to write much more because if you appreciate a good donut, you need to pay Stan’s a visit. I’m sure you will absolutely enjoy your post donut induced coma.

It’s true! Stan’s has the BEST glazed donuts in the Bay Area.
I don’t know why everyone keeps comparing this place to Krispy Kreme, the only thing that are similar is that they both come out warm & fresh. Other than that, there is no comparison between the two.
Stan’s glazed donuts are so good that after the first bite we took (we were already outside sitting in my car with half a dozen), we closed the box & walked right back inside to buy another half dozen.
The donut is unbelievable! I’m salivating as I write this review & wanting another dozen or three!
Long story short, I will definitely be back!!! I found my new favorite donut shop!

Stan’s is such of a popular place, and that is for a good reason. The doughnuts are good!
This doughnut shop tends to run out at the later hours (around 11AM — 12PM) So if you’re looking for a good doughnut, I suggest coming here when they open right up. They make them fresh every morning! So get your alarm set at 5 in the morning and drive up here (srs)
Well, that’s what I exactly did, I came in as early as possible and lo and behold, the glazed doughnuts were coming out of the fryer! There was multiple racks in the back filled with many doughnuts, all still warm. They were also still making them, which is cool since I got a chance to see how they were made, Hoorah!
My glazed doughnut came out warm and soft. Each bite I took from that doughnut melted in my mouth. Explaining the taste with words isn’t enough, stop reading and go out there and try it.
Besides their delicious glazed doughnut, they also have a variety of cake, bars, old fashioned, and filled doughnuts. Cake doughnuts ranging from coconut covered to maple to chocolate to sprinkles and so on. They are all good! I have yet to dislike any. Cinnamon rolls are out later in the morning… Buttermilk flavors vary by day, my favorite is the lemon flavor and if you kept reading, you’re seriously missing out! lol
In conclusion, Stan’s is the best place in the bay for doughnuts and trust me, I’ve been to countless doughnut shops all across silicon valley. No one beats Stan’s glazed and their doughnuts. That’s all I got to say.

I think I know why I haven’t written a review for this place yet. It’s too obvious!
It’s obvious that I’d give this place a very high rating. Not only because I salivate whenever I’m in line or smelling their fresh glazed donuts… but also because I’m salivating right now just thinking about their raised donuts.
It’s obvious… that everybody and their moms love this place. Stan’s is award-​winning every year. And with a 4.5 star rating with almost a thousand reviews, I’m sure whatever I would say about those addictive glazed donuts would have already been published.
The only few tips that I found most useful are to come early and have patience. Get them while their hot! And with a line out the door on some days, they could run out of their famous glazed by 11am. Also beware: One bite is all it takes to become addicted.

Stan’s sets the bar for donuts… And it’s obvious by years in business, sticking to doing what they do best, not deviating from their product, long time and loyal customers and passionate original owners.
Step Thru Stan’s doors and time stood still and you’ve stepped back 40+years. Simple and Classic setting, fresh donuts bobbing in a vat of hot grease (sigh. I know, not healthy) and eye candy in a simple lit display case.
My other half is more the donut lover then I. He enjoyed Good ol’ classic glaze while I nibbled on the dessert-​like blueberry buttermilk old fashion donut.
While I’d love to award 5 stars. I had to refrain because while I love a hot donut (and swear to goodness I only had just 1 lil’ bite of his glaze donut and a few bites from mine) I couldn’t help but feel terribly naughty when the icing, heat and grease oozed all into one.