Winchell’s

We love this place! We stop by all the time! Food is always fast and fresh. Employees are always very friendly and have great customer service. The parking lot is AWFUL, but then again the parking lot for every store on this side of rosecrans is. I’m going to miss this shop when we leave. Way better doughnuts then the grocery store or even Dunkin’ Donuts!

I miss this place so bad. No other place out here in the mid west has even come close to this place. I miss my chocolate covered crullers I use to get here. If the owners ever read this, please consider branching out in Iowa and Missouri. This is the best donut shop in the world.

So Winchell’s is a classic in California and this place is no exception. I could go on and on about their donuts, but I’d really like to review their philanthropy and community service. From 2011 until 2013 I used to pick up free donuts in support of the San Diego Airport USO, and the San Diego Marine Recruit depot. While I am no longer working in the area I know that this store still continues to support the surrounding veteran and active duty military organizations. Not only does this specific Winchell’s donate thousands of dollars worth of baked goods weekly, but they packaged it up nicely and expected nothing in return. I can’t imagine I would ever go any place else!
Cons: Parking can be crazy. I had to figure out after a few months that the best place to turn was the street before and then come around back. Its almost impossible to park up front and then you run the risk of backing into busy Rosecrans Ave.

Winchells rainbow sprinkled cake donuts are the most superb and wonderful donuts of All Time!!!

$ 9.99 for 14 donuts is a pretty good deal, but the donuts are just ok.
I have vague memories of a great donut shop in the Pt Loma area from 10 years ago. Either this is not it or they have gone downhill.
The good: The donuts are big and there’s a huge variety of them, with almost every variety available with chocolate icing. Their visual presentation brings false hopes.
The not-​so-​good: as another reviewer said, there is no particular donut that was unique or outstanding. I think the Apple fritter was my favorite, followed by the Boston cream.
For the price, variety, and size I like this place better than Dunkin’ Donuts, but would not make a special trip.
Side note: now that restaurants have to publish their calorie count, I can now see that the donuts have up to 430 cal each!

I must confess I have a sentimental weakness for Winchell’s that dates back to my youth, specifically a weakness for rainbow sprinkled cake donuts. The closure years ago of any Winchell’s within any reasonable distance of where I live has only strengthened my longing. A five year old in my travel party, who also has a weakness for sprinkles, conspired with me to force a stop here this day.
Did you know Winchell’s now serves salads? I did not. But I did not order one. No rainbow sprinkles. The white frosted rainbow sprinkled cake donut was everything I remembered it to be and the five year old seemed more than pleased with the pink frosted version of the same donut. Thanks Winchell’s.
Our server was patient and friendly. The prices were reasonable. It’s a small store, but there was more seating than I expected. Parking was a squeeze, but it was off the street and worked well enough. The shop does lack curb appeal, but inside it was clean and well maintained. It’s a five star Winchell’s, but realistically it’s at best a three star destination in a larger context, so let’s give it a sentimental four stars. I’ll definitely drop in again if my craving for sprinkles overtakes me.

I now know, that I am old school. I expect a pleasant, friendly demeanor when I am helped. Now, maybe that is too much to ask? If that is the case. Then any business wanting my money will go out of business.
I just happen to be in the area when my son asked, «Mom, can I have a donut?» I said, «of course!» I quickly search within Unilocal for donut shops. Winchell’s pops up at the top of the list because it was within a mile of my location. Sweet.
The parking here is right off the main street. Only a few spots in addition to the handicapped spot. This is not only impractical but can be dangerous. I lucked out because there was no cars there at the time. As we walked in, the lady behind the counter was sweeping behind the counter. No smile, no pleasant greeting. She just kept on going. It wasn’t until I said, «Hi, we would like some donuts.» When she finally came to the counter. Again, no smile, no warm greeting, or apology that she made us wait. I bought 4 donuts in total, paid in cash. And, we left. No goodbye or have a great night.
The donuts were ok. Nothing special.
The only good thing I will say about Winchell’s is that the shop looked clean and was fully stocked with donuts. This is why they receive 2 stars.
The parking, and customer service does not entice me to return.
And, now I know that I am old school.

Alma was so nice and replaced the horrid donuts I got a few months ago.
We tried them and they are much better. She did say they are mostly fried now, so they are quite heavy on the stomach but good in moderation.
The tiger tail is still the best. I’m not sold on the cronas.
Always have hope for a better result when the person in charge puts forth the effort to listen to feedback and attempt to rise above!
Excellent service.

Taking our morning walk from our hotel just a couple of blocks from the harbor, we came upon Winchell’s.
I have to rate this donuts shop average because there was nothing that stood out and made my mouth water. Only the standbys that you see at other donut shops and grocery stores. I did not see anything unique that this shop could call their own and make me want to drive a distance if I lived in the area.
Here a donut is just a donut

Good donuts. So so iced coffee. This area it is located in sucks. The parking lot is as big as my living room with minimal spaces. The turn to get in here is also pretty difficult. Backing out of here is a task as you are basically backing out into oncoming traffic. Oh and the transients in the area are another thing to deal with.

I can’t tell you how many times Winchell’s gets brought into the office. It really is ideally placed for uninterested managers to stop in on the way to work and attempt to buy their subordinates’ approval through fried pastry product. The doughnuts are fine, but pretty much any independent doughnut store is putting out better product than Winchell’s. On the other hand, I stop in here regularly for bagels. For whatever reason, chain doughnut places have good bagels and cream cheese (Dunkin especially!). So get your bagels here, settle for the doughnuts here, and try questionable management motivation techniques by stopping in here.

I got donuts on donuts. Coffee is hot. Place is sort of clean and sort of long time dirty in the cracks and crevices. Very small parking. I’ve never been here when I couldn’t find a spot. Coffee is so so. Donuts taste like grocery store donuts. At least they don’t blast away the music like Burnbucks across the street. Also this is not such a Club Med for homeless and cigaret smoker haven as Burnbucks.

If you can get here before the AM rush, this place is great. Very inexpensive and fresh! I bought 3 dozen (with 6 extra because their «dozen» comes with 14) for under $ 30. The donuts themselves, in addition to being fresh, had great flavor and pretty big.

No matter what time day or night this location is always fully stocked. And their donuts are delicious.

Great donuts and great prices! I went to Winchell’s for a quick breakfast. I knew what I was in for in terms of a corner breakfast shop and had been to another Winchell’s in Saipan. What I wanted to Unilocal about was that for very simple breakfast sausage egg and cheese bagel it was delicious the bagel was so very tender that when you bit into it all the other ingredients didn’t smoosh out… smoosh? It was simple perfection every bite and no this was not organic, free range, sustainable, no GMO, yada yada yada but for what it was it was delicious both texture and flavor. I also had 2 donuts when I expected one and the coffee was delicious!

We bought the ranchero egg on an everything bagel & egg, bacon, and cheese on an everything bagel. They both were good. The coffee wasn’t bad either. The food actually tasted like Einstein breakfast.

As far as I know, there aren’t any other locations in this area to grab a coffee and a doughnut. I know, right? Seems like the perfect area for a proper Dunkin Donuts out here.
Alas, Winchell’s somewhat fills that void. It doesn’t serve the finest coffee, or the tastiest doughnuts, but it is solid, and the combo deals are good. Where it struggles is the overall atmosphere. It’s jammed into a mini mall and the little dining room is tough to politely navigate when other people are there. And there’s pretty much zero parking. If you don’t have a skateboard or flying saucer you are pretty mush SOL.
Otherwise, a good grab and go spot with friendly staff serving a purpose.

Totally passable donuts. Start to finish, top to bottom, you’re probably not going to have any major objections to any of the donuts in the shop. On the flipside, however, you’re probably not going to fall in love with anything here, either. There’s no killer menu item that you drive across town to try. No attention-​grabbing creation you can’t live without. No, if there’s something here that you really love, you can chalk it up to personal taste. If you love apple fritters, for example, you’ll like theirs. Not love, but like. But it’s less to do with their version, and more to do with your tastebuds.
I was on a serious donut seeking mission, and this filled my soul (and my bag) with a variety of sugary goodies. Soft enough. Sugary enough. Chocolatey enough. Yes, there’s nothing wrong with a bag of donuts and this was the closest I could find.

They only get 2 stars because they have donuts :(every thing else was all wrong… the service was in spanglish or something like that. The donuts were hard and the frosting soso. We tried and we failed. Im hoping that i caught them on a bad day because Winchell’s is never this bad.

I love Winchell’s! And this one is ²⁴⁄₇!
Donut was great. I got a chocolate coconut cake donut. YUM.