The food is pretty good and inexpensive but the customer service is extremely bad. The people don’t really like to be at work and it’s obvious. Simple request result in bad attitudes and eye rolls. The difference in the way they treat their friends that come in and regular everyday people is quite obvious.
Stephen M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Kensington, MD
For years i have noticed this place, but came in sporadically. In the past whenever I had to wait at Hair Cuttery, located next door, I would come here for a donut. The donuts taste very good. The coffee is okay. The employees have treated me well. This place is located in a small parking lot, so one may have to park in the rear of CVS.
Jeanette R.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Silver Spring, MD
I’ve been coming here for over 12 years. Service is ok but food and coffee are always fresh.
Scott M.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Bethesda, MD
Donut«king«? Not sure if it qualifies as a king… But It’s a very nice place. I’d return but I couldn’t justify more than 3 stars to my fellow Unilocaled it is critically important we patronage our local coffee shops
Tiarra F.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Baltimore, MD
Love they breakfast, keep riding pass finally stopped. Sure glad I did, it’s hard to find good grilled breakfast in this area. I always get a turkey sausage platter w/scrambled cheese eggs, home fries cooked well and english muffin. But they have lots more ;-)
Tina K.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Washington, DC
Situated in a strip mall in Kensington, you have most likely passed Donut King more times than you have realized. For years I noticed this spot but never considered giving it a chance since the outside of the store didn’t have much curb appeal. It wasn’t until years later that a friend of mine told me to meet her there for breakfast, which is when I finally gave Donut King a try. Upon walking in I was surprised by the number of people who were dining there so I immediately thought that this place was going to be an unlikely star. Let’s get right into it. The lady behind the counter was not very friendly nor did I consider her to be very professional. She definitely rushes patrons with their ordering process, I can imagine it’s annoying having to deal with so many people who don’t know what they want, but rushing someone who does know what they want is not a nice touch. For that I was not impressed with their customer service. The coffee. It was OK, nothing spectacular and nothing I would go back for. It’s just average, and I was a little disappointed since I had high hopes’s that they were going to deliver a winning cup of Joe. The food, it’s just like breakfast food at a diner. On the greasy side and offers what you can expect for breakfast; eggs, toast, hashbrowns pancakes, you get the idea. I have never had their donuts, so maybe I should give that a try before writing this place off. However, I certainly don’t feel like I am missing out by never going there again.
Kimberly A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Olney, MD
I LOVEEEE!!! Their breakfast omelet! I’ve been coming here since I was in high school(6 years now)! Even when they are super busy I wait because I know the food is great!
Nina C.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Silver Spring, MD
This place is really mediocre. I’m standing in this establishment and I’m reminded immediately of why I don’t really like to come here for two main reasons. 1) The lady who rings up orders obviously hates her job, doesn’t smile and makes you feel rushed in making a decision. Zero customer service. 2) Because of reason #1 you feel annoyed that the food is slightly overpriced and they nickel and dime you for everything. Because of this, I doubt I’ll be back again. Just not worth it.
Dee C.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Silver Spring, MD
If there was a way to leave zero stars, you already know that’s what I would’ve given them. T E R R I B L E «customer service». Just know that if you pay for two coffees(along with $ 60 worth of breakfast meals) at one register, you’re expected to go stand in the other line at the other register with other people trying to order and pay for their coffee(no matter if there’s 8 customers in that line) TOGETTHECOFFEEYOU’VEALREADYPAIDFOR. What a total joke. Not only did the woman ignore us while we patiently waited, when we finally asked for the coffees, she repeatedly said, «I have a line!» It’s sad that I will never get to try said coffee or their baked goods as my family and I will never return to this place again. You’re welcome.
Theresa W.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Rockville, MD
Oh man. I love this little gem of a café. The service is fast and friendly. Seriously, I order omelettes here all the time, and they’re consistent in quality. Very impressed that for a such a small kitchen space, the grill has the menu variety it does. Please try the banana pancakes as well, for something hot, sweet and decadent. My only critique is that if you’ve got a special dietary concern or allergy worry, there’s not much flexibility; no gluten free substitutions, or the like.
A M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Kensington, MD
I have a soft spot in my heart for this establishment, partly because I’ve seen the same staff behind the counter for years running and the service has in turn been pleasingly consistent. Set in the middle of a heavily trafficked strip mall, Donut King has a split personality. To the left as you enter is the queue for coffee, doughnuts and other pastries, and the vibe is quiet, almost dainty. Prices are on the high side, at least compared to the competition of three 7-Elevens in a half-mile radius, but quality is higher too. To the right is Queen’s Grill(that’s their name for it), a full-fledged greasy spoon with a more energetic vibe. This is 20 feet down, behind the same counter. Prices are better and the fare is great… not gourmet, but solid for a quick prepared breakfast or lunch, everything from eggs over easy with hash browns and toast to bagels and lox. Think of those Dunkin’ Donuts/Baskin Robbins combo places but with slightly better coordination and much more professionalism. If you want to stay, there are plenty of seats but an awkward layout and usually just enough of a crowd that there’s no place to be comfortable doing much other than eating and making a quick glance through a newspaper or the diversions of your electronic device. This isn’t a place to settle in but to fuel up.
R S.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Chevy Chase, MD
I’ve been here a few times and just ordered a egg and spinach breakfast sandwich on rye. Well, like other reviewers state, the sandwich contents are sparse. It appears one egg(two eggs may be stretching it) with just a little spinach was used between the two pieces of heavily-buttered bread. The coffee is awful, but they do offer expresso-based drinks which are OK. Workers behind the counter are rude: no smiles, no thank you and no real understanding of English. A good thing going for this place is the donuts are cake-like and taste better than Dunkin’ Donuts across the street. The bakery section also offers a lot of cookies and cakes. For this, I offer two stars and will only come here for take out donuts(or bakery items) in the future and get coffee at Starbucks in the same shopping center or Java Nation(take out cups only) down the street. A big thing in my book is restaurant cleanliness. I never witnessed one clean counter or table in the place and this is the time of year(October) people start getting sick. People will leave and then a new group will sit-down without the restaurant workers cleaning anything. So, two stars for«Meh. I’ve experienced better.» I will be back for the delicious donuts, but that’s it.
Andrew D.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Silver Spring, MD
Great donuts, pretty good breakfast, terrible coffee. The variety of donuts isn’t stellar, but everything they offer is tasty. The sour cream glazed are a favorite in our house. Breakfasts are super simple, eggs and pancakes type affairs served on disposable plates. Lots of the condiments like syrup and sugar and things are in a central spot that gets crowded if several people need to get things. And the coffee is on par with dirty water. Go down the street to Java Nation for coffee.
Deniz A.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Rockville, MD
The food is delicious, it’s just like a homemade meal using good ingredients BUT it’s overpriced.
Chris A.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Fairfax, VA
Owners seem to care only about making $. Plus NO customer service quality.
Caroline G.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Rockville, MD
This place is very underwhelming for the breakfast deli side. We ordered a steak quesadilla, egg and spinach on a croissant and banana pancakes. Ok. The banana pancakes were really delicious — fluffy, light and filling! The other items we ordered were small in size, lacking in flavor and way too expensive! I also ordered a variety of donuts to try and those were not too bad. More on the cakey side, but there is a good variety and the price is affordable.
Suheilah H.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Frederick, MD
Went to Donut King in kensington last weekend with my family of five and everyone loved their meal! Service was good, food was great. The only downside was the coffee, you can make a better of cup of the instant stuff at home, but they have a great selection of other drinks. Im not sure how early you need to be there to get the fresh donuts, but they were pretty wiped out at 11. Also, the smell in the place was a bit off. You would think a donut place would smell enchanting, but not here, not horrible… just off. We will definitely be back for a quick bite.
Jennifer B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Washington, DC
My daughter and I love this little place! We have breakfast here at least once or twice a month. They have a little hot food side and a bakery. I usually get the egg & scrapple platter(yes, SCRAPPLE), which comes with homefries and toast. Fresh, cheap, and quick. My daughter usually gets one of the yummy apple fritters from the bakery. Good coffee, too. Friendly people and fast service. You can’t go wrong here!
Jessica P.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Kensington, MD
Donut King is great for breakfast. They have diner-esque options that are executed very well. Pancakes, bagel sandwiches, omelets, etc. have all been very tasty and made to order. My personal favorite is the fact that they serve Scrapple– a southern breakfast staple that is rare to find around these parts. My husband is a fan of the breakfast potatoes, which you can add to any meal. They also have a large bakery section with a variety of homemade donuts and yummy treats. We have gotten a cake, as well as some cookies and they have been very good. The donuts are tasty as well– my personal favorite is the Boston crème. The only downfall of Donut King– and for me it is a rather big one– is the coffee. It has an acidity that I really don’t care for, but it could definitely be personal preference. They offer espresso-based drinks as well and I like those a little more, although I think they are over-priced. Overall– this is a great neighborhood joint to grab a quick breakfast on the weekends or even a weekday.
Mikki M.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Beltsville, MD
Pretty good food. Nice atmosphere. And they’ll customize orders. Not the cheapest breakfast place around but their chocolate chip pancakes are worth it. I’ll definitely come back :-)