My wife and I are donut-heads and are always excited by the chance to try a new shop. Durham has no shortage of good donut options, and Early Bird easily fits in to that scene and holds their own with unique offerings. We tried the sour cream old fashioned, blueberry cake, cocoa raspberry filled, and apple cider. I really wanted to try their fritters but sadly they did not have any today. We really liked them all, but the sour cream old fashioned was the stand out to me. It has a texture similar to a cruller (which I don't know of any other local shops making this style) and has a slightly tangy flavor. I absolutely loved it. It's one of those things that'll you get a couple of on top of your order just because. I also loved the blueberry cake, as I grew up eating this style and again, don't know of any local shops making them like this and they are just like I remember. The apple cider was good, which a strong cinnamon (and maybe cardamom) flavor. The interior of the shop is nice too, plus they have all kinds of hot breakfast items we'll have to try next time. Also thumbs up on the Apple Pay (they have support for Android devices too), makes the payment transaction super fast. read more

Ambiance is nothing special but is largely irrelevant - you don't go to a doughnut shop for chic interior. Doughnut selection is pretty standard with an array of old fashioned and hip doughnut flavors. Execution on plain was good but not great. By far the biggest standout is the apple fritter. It is huge and delicious, although idnprefer a bit more apple and a bit less fritter. Haven't tried the biscuits. read more

This new restaurant had a coffee shop vibe and food that did not disappoint. The donuts looked delicious, however, my friend and I opted instead for their breakfast sandwiches. At $3.99 for a sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit, it was not only thrifty but also filling. read more

These are the best donuts I've ever had in my life. So fluffy and soft and HUGE! You can choose your own donut/filling combination. Their egg sandwiches have a weird seasoning on them and aren't very good. Skip the eggs and just go for the donuts!! read more

Early Bird Donuts makes donuts with a depth of flavor and richness that has been hard to find lately. This is the sort of honest quality you used to be able to find in family-owned, country donut shops all over, but unfortunately those kinds of places have slowly dissappeared over the past 15 years. If you've been missing that authentic, handmade experience then you should check them out. read more

Customer service was great. Donuts were good and flavorful. My viet iced coffee was average. It had potential but needs work. The coffee was weak in my opinion and my drink was warm and the ice literally melted in two minutes. I bought a dozen donuts in the morning and didn't eat some til the evening and found that the chocolate icing did not stick. I would return when I'm in the area. Hopefully things will improve. read more

Really awesome fresh donuts of any kind (yeast, cake, simple, bacon maple, etc . )Great selection - and they have breakfast sandwiches on crescents or biscuits also. Vietnamese iced coffee a real treat. Owners are attentive. Free parking in back. Worth a trip. read more

I was so disappointed with this place. I am from out of town and thought this would be a nice place to take my sister who just had brain surgery. We got there 11:50 and they said they wouldn't make us a sausage biscuit . If they don't want to serve up until noon then say that. Moreover they didn't even care. SERVICE is everything! We went to nearby Nosh and loved it! read more

Best donuts I've ever had the only problem was I wanted to try all of them! The apple fritter is almost the size of my infant daughter and is chock full of apples!(an apple a day) read more

My husband and I stopped by Early Bird around 9am on a Saturday to grab breakfast and sadly had a very disappointing experience. :/ The store's decor and overall space is wonderful! It was very cute and clean, fresh flowers on every table and plenty of indoor seating. We really loved the interior. Their menu was a decent size; they offered croissant and biscuit sandwiches in addition to all of the donut options, as well as some regular and decaf coffee. Early Bird also does this really cool thing I had seen before at a donut shop--you can basically fill almost any of your donuts with a variety of fillings, such as chocolate, custard, fruit jellies, etc. It was such a good idea, in theory. As I said, we arrived around 9am on a Saturday morning. As we waited in line behind a couple, several more people ended up forming a line behind us. My husband tried to order a bacon, egg, and cheese croissant sandwich, but was told there is no more croissants, bacon, or eggs left. Instead, he got a sausage biscuit with cheese, but the sandwich did not have cheese when he got it and the sausage patty was really dry and hard (kind of like the kind you can get at a store and keep in the freezer). He also got a regular coffee which he could serve himself, but they were completely out, so he had to wait around 10 minutes for some more. Our donuts were good, but there didn't appear to be many left. As we sat and ate, we could hear the woman at the counter explaining to the customers they were out of biscuits now, out of this, out of that. It was pretty surprising, especially for it being a typically busy time for a donut shop. The staff were pretty friendly for the most part, but everything else was just kind of a train-wreck sort of experience. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt and think maybe it's because they're still pretty new and trying to get the hang of it. It really was just not good. My husband and I left really disappointed and still hungry. read more

The donuts here are outstanding! "Craft donuts" or "artisan donuts" would describe them well. They are exquisitely tender, yet somehow they manage to be somewhat sturdy at the same time. There is a crisp crunch when you first take a bite followed by a heavenly, fleeting scent of yeast. The glaze is vanilla scented and perfectly proportioned to these tall, generous donuts. Everybody has a donut limit, and mine is higher than most, but trust me here. These substantial, satisfying donuts are different. You should plan on needing to order only about half as many compared to the robot made, imagination-free donuts you get elsewhere. This is a new business, and they are dealing with the normal growing pains. (There was no milk. The coffee cups were too small) but their core business, crafting handmade yeast-risen donuts, is totally ready for prime time. Surprise your staff. Bring a box of these beauties to your meeting. They definitely carry a wow factor! read more

These donuts are delicious! And I love that you can pick your filling. Warning: that cream cheese filling will have you coming back for more..and more! read more

I've tried a few donuts here and they've all been very tasty. My favorite is the apple fritter. It is exceptionally huge but one of the best I've had. read more

Light, airy, and delicious donuts! We loved being able to choose the cream filling for Coco Razz. Will definitely be back to try the Vietnamese iced coffee. read more

Kid friendly spot with delicious goodies. Crew is cool and the croissant samiches are fresh and delicious. If you are close to big duke or just need a sweet tooth fix this is the spot!. read more

Better than the other Donut shops in town! Owner makes them himself every morning. Light, chewy, filled to order, My favorite is the raspberry-filled jelly donut. Somehow the hollow for the filling is right in the center of the donut, not to the side. If you pay with card or electronically, you get notices of discounts and special items. But even without these rewards, I would still be a fan or Early Bird. And meaningful to me, the owner and crew seem to get along well with each other and send out peaceful vibes. Stores where employees seem downtrodden, apathetic, or aggressive are not businesses I like to encounter. read more

The donuts at this place reminded me of my favorite mom & pop donut shops in Southern California growing up. My husband thought the glazed yeast donut and donut holes were better than Krispy Kreme. The Vietnamese coffee is authentically made with the drip method over a bed of rich condensed milk. They've started out strong for only being open two weeks! read more

Very friendly staff... like that you can pick your filling for your donuts!! I got a half a dozen of donuts and they did not disappoint. Have been looking for the maple bacon glazed donuts abs I have found them again!!! my fav read more

I guess the name really does imply that you have to go early to actually get a donut. I went 2 hours before closing on a Saturday morning and they didn't have any donuts...or pastries...literally nothing but coffee. We left without making a purchase. read more

We stopped by to grab some donuts for our way back to Dallas. The place is nice and clean. You pick your donut, then you can choose the filling. The Bavarian cream donut is very delicious. The cream is not too sweet. Soft and slightly chewy dough. Maple bacon donut is tasty. read more

Early Bird Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Great donuts here and a nice open feel with plenty of seating! I especially liked the cake donuts (I usually don't) because they were light and fluffy! The cinnamon roll is huge and delicious, especially since the icing soaks down in between the yeast dough. They had some issues with making a vietnamese iced coffee for me and were very apologetic and gave me a refund and a regular iced coffee to make up for the issues. Will definitely return! read more

Yum! My husband and I checked this place out today and were very happy with the offerings! We shared a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit, and it was delicious. My only regret was not getting one just for me. We split 4 donuts: blueberry cake, cinnamon crumb cake, chocolate frosted chocolate cake, and a raspberry filled chocolate frosted. All four were good, but the blueberry was outstanding. All that goodness came in for a price under $10. Not too shabby! read more

The donuts are delicious, from what I've had so far anyway. It's a little pricey, but I definitely recommend.

Quality ingredients and home cooked food for a great price and a fun atmosphere. Came here twice for breakfast during our 3 night stay. Check them out and take a selfie with their camera to post on the board! read more

While visiting my daughter last week we went to Early Bird Donuts and let me tell you they are worth every single calorie. The best donut I have ever eaten. They have a variety of raised donuts, filled to order yeast donuts, cinnamon rolls and apple fritters, but only a few cake donuts. They also have breakfast sandwiches and biscuits. The filled donuts are so good. You pick the donut "shell" - glazed, chocolate frosted, cinnamon sugar or powered sugar. Then you pick your filling - bavarian cream, vanilla cream, chocolate buttercream, raspberry, lemon, apple and cherry. We shared a egg and cheese biscuit, apple filled cinnamon sugar donut and a cherry filled glazed donut. So good. I can't wait to visit again. read more

Visited Early Bird Donuts on a cold Sunday morning and it was wonderful. We had a sausage-egg-cheese croissant and I believe it was all made in-house and cooked fresh, meaning nothing was pre-frozen. It was a huge portion for a great price and it tasted delicious. We also got an apple fritter which was HUGE--I'm talking big as your face--and it was amazing. Crispy outside with a soft inside and wonderful apple-cinnamon flavors. We got two other donuts but were so full that we'll eat them later! They have Joe-Van-Gogh coffee which was brewed very well and it was great to see local businesses supporting each other. There are several great donut places in Durham, but many are what I would call "specialty" or "fancy" donut shops. Early Bird's feels like a classic donut shop from home that has, by far, the best overall donuts in town. read more

This is the best donut and breakfast sammie place in Durham. My favorites are the Boston creme donut and sausage egg and cheese biscuit. You can order ahead which is convenient. Great for post call brunches and casual morning meetings. read more

They make amazing giant donuts, and I left messages on a Wednesday ordering one for a Saturday pickup (they need 24 hours' advance notice) for my kid's 18th birthday. I called again Friday and left another message. I crossed my fingers and called Saturday morning hoping I was worried for nothing and it was ready for pickup, but the owner said they had not heard (maybe not checked?) the messages. Learn from me- don't rely on their voicemail, even though they have one. In addition, they did not offer to try to make it ASAP, or tomorrow, or anything else. read more

I've been here a few times now and while the donuts are good, nothing really sticks out to me as fantastic (and as Rise is my reigning favorite, it can be hard to justify going elsewhere unless it's phenomenal). I do really like that you can get "fillable" donuts with the cream filling of your choice, it's a neat option that has drawn me back more than once. The jalapeno cheddar kolach is also a standout favorite- tasty, and a generous size.The Vietnamese coffee they have is also good (strong and sweet, my favorite style), but it sometimes takes so long for them to get around to making it that we're mostly finished with our meal by the time it gets brought over (I get it, it's a process, but it does NOT need to take 15 minutes). I want my coffee with my donuts! I don't like that once they run out of biscuits, they stop serving them. For instance, in comparison, when Rise runs out of biscuits...get this, they bake some more! Crazy concept, I know. The end result is that if you come to Early Bird later in the morning, you may very well end up with NO biscuit/kolach selection at all (you really do have to be an "early bird" to eat here...corny, yes, I'll show myself out...). Not worth driving out to have to choose amongst the few leftover donuts. Another odd detail, if you sit at the bench that runs along their very front window, the raised bench (if you sit with your back to the window, facing the counter) is WAY too high in comparison to the table, and you don't actually have room to fit your legs! The bench on the other side of the table is not raised, and sits at a normal, comfortable height, so I don't know why they overlooked the bench on the other side of the table. It's a weird, uncomfortable oversight. read more

Wow! The freshest donuts I've ever had. Breakfast sandwiches are equally as fresh. Great little quit place to hunker down and do some work has WiFi & better than Starbucks and DD by a country mile. Excellent staff very friendly. Highly Highly recommend. read more

Great donuts, and the biggest apple fritters I have ever seen!

Best apple fritter and cinnamon swirl of my life. So glad this place opened. I'd sell my firstborn child if that was the only way I could have another fritter. read more

Great food, and everything is fresh. I really enjoyed their sausage egg and cheese biscuit. Also the samples are great too lol.

This place has the best donuts in town!! The apple fritter is SERIOUS and it's the only place I can find good kolaches for my husband. Have great breakfast sammies too. Friendly owner who is always in the shop. read more

Delicious donuts and outstanding service! We visited Early Bird on a whim one Sunday morning and were treated with a almond-chocolate donut, sausage egg and cheese croissant, and a bonus donut from the host "just because." Love these guys and will definitely be back. read more

Another attempt to try the donuts and it has been another fail. Last time I came 2 hours before closing and they were out of all donuts and was told it was due to a football game making the demand higher than anticipated. This time 3 hours before closing and again not a single donut in the case, no events going on to make demand unusually high today. I just don't understand the business model of only selling donuts for 2 hours after opening and why they are listed as staying open until noon if they don't have any donuts to sell. Their supply chain needs some work to be able to estimate and meet demand because it is a pain to drive all the way to the donut shop to be disappointed. While we were there three people walked in and walked out with no donuts. I saw another review on here with the same opinion that said to either close earlier or make more donuts and I can't agree more. Seems ridiculous that a donut shop can't keep their donuts in stock during business hours. read more

The best donuts in Durham. I've tried Monuts, Rise, everywhere -- most of them were too sweet/cloying and didn't taste fresh no matter what time I went. I've never gone early enough to get special flavors, but I've tried several different cake donuts, a filled donut, glazed with chocolate and the old fashioned kruller. All great and light and fluffy, even the cake donuts. The apple fritters are the best I've ever had. The owner told me they come in at 2 am and make everything from scratch. Good breakfast croissants too. And the Vietnamese coffee is great, I don't drink coffee every day but I always get it here because it's so good. read more

My family loves Early Bird Donuts! The donuts are always fresh and the staff friendly. They have a wide variety of flavors including choose your own filling. The biscuits are not our favorite but the donuts are the best in Durham. And yes, we have been to Monuts and Rise many times! read more

Best! DONUTS! EVARR!!! What is wrong with the people giving this place 4 stars?? These are the best donuts I have ever had in my entire life! I am a cake lover and I would drop cake forever if I had to chose between cake and donuts! Absolutely amazing, the prices are great, great for a team meeting! read more

Early Bird is our family's favorite doughnut place spot in Durham! Every flavor we've tried has been great and love that you get to choose your filling flavors. I especially like the old fashioned flavors like cruller and sour cream. All around great place that you can tell takes pride in what they do. read more