So it is kind of funny, the *nostalgia* attached to this donut shop - I grew up down the street, so as a kid, they were just *the* donut shop we went to (indeed, I didn't realize until slightly later that Ferrell's, which has been a Santa Cruz institution since forever, wasn't actually a big chain.) I remember them being good donuts, but mostly I remember it being the place in elementary school I could go to play arcade games down the street, if I had quarters. Well, we still visit and stay at my parents' place a few times a year, and a couple months ago, after lunch nearby, my wife saw their sign and said she'd love a donut - first time I'd actually *been* there since I was a kid. Inside, it absolutely looks and smells exactly like it did in 1990 - they even still have old-school arcade games, though I don't think the *same* boxes they had in 1990, but still. Same handful of tables, same solid selection of types of donuts. Obviously much pricier, but that's expected - prices weren't unreasonable, the old fashioned I tried being $2.75 (10-15% off if you buy in bulk, which we obviously did not.) That said, I'm not sure if they went downhill a bit since their heyday or if, certainly, I just didn't have nearly as refined a palate in elementary school as now... I remembered them being fantastically good donuts. They are... good. They're not bad, there's nothing wrong with them, if you're in the area and you're looking for donuts, I'd certainly recommend you go here over any of the big chains, not only on philosophical grounds but also because the donuts here are gonna be better. But I've also had much better donuts - I found their old fashioned a bit too sweet, a bit too dense, not quite crispy enough. I enjoyed it, but I wouldn't go out of my way. (I forget the donut my wife got, but she also agreed with me, that it was good but not *great*.) read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - prices as of a few weeks ago - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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We stopped in for donuts one morning while spending the weekend in Santa Cruz. We were immediately greeted. After looking at all the donuts we decided on a mixed dozen. The donuts are big, fluffy and soft! Yum!!!!! There's also some arcade games and claw machines to play inside. And of course we loved the bright pink wall!!!! read more

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Stopped by on a whim, Saturday afternoon, and got a chocolate raised and a blueberry cinnamon twist. We planned to sneak a few bites and finish them later. We ate all of them on the drive home and my wife kept saying, "Best donut I've ever had! The cake isn't too sweet but the frosting and flavor is amazing!" Also the place was clean, the server was really polite and helpful. Might get back into donuts again. read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - Blueberry cinnamon twist and chocolate raised from Ferrell's on Mission St. Santa cruz - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

My experience at Ferrell's Donuts on the evening of Sunday, August 2, 2026, around 8:25 PM was extremely disappointing. I spent $43.49 on donuts and even left a $5 tip, expecting at least courteous customer service. Instead, I was met with a rude, impatient, and dismissive cashier. From the moment we walked in, she was rushing us while we were still trying to decide what to order. Her attitude was cold, snooty, and made us feel like we were inconveniencing her simply by being customers. After paying, I immediately tried one of the old-fashioned donuts while still inside the store. It was stale. I politely returned to the counter and asked if I could exchange it for a fresh one. The cashier immediately said "No." She insisted the donut was fresh and claimed her boss wouldn't allow her to exchange it because she could lose her minimum-wage job. There was no apology, no effort to inspect the donut, no willingness to make things right, and absolutely no concern for customer satisfaction. Think about that for a moment. I had just spent $43.49, left a $5 tip, and they refused to replace one stale donut that I had purchased just moments earlier. The issue wasn't the value of a single donut--it was the complete lack of customer service. A business that won't stand behind the freshness of its own products and treats paying customers this way won't be getting my business again. The stale donut left a bad taste in my mouth. The customer service left an even worse one. I hope management reviews who was working the register on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at approximately 8:25 PM, because this interaction reflected very poorly on Ferrell's Donuts. read more

The lady behind the counter was very sweet and jovial. She definitely gets 5 stars! The inside was vary clean and the doughnuts were well organized.. there were 2 coin operated toy machines which I didn't really understand. But otherwise the way the inside looked was very welcoming. I ordered a peanut chocolate, glazed cake, doughnut, and an apple fritter. Both were good, "not great, but good, solid C+ doughnuts" but the cost for two donuts was $5.75 !?! $3 a doughnut, whaaaat???!?!?! Boy do I miss the days of a .20 cent jelly filled glazed doughnut. How times have changed, sad face, but honestly the prices at Ferrell's are ridiculous. All things considered, IMO The juice is not worth the squeeze. 2 stars read more

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I thought I knew great donut places ! Wow if I lived here I'd be visiting often! So much room to sit down! Well lit I did a u-turn because I noticed they were open. The selection they had was incredible ! So many donuts to choose from, and they all looked so fresh lots of choices of chocolate milk, regular milk, 2% milk and many other things to drink they even have a arcade claw game James was who helped us and he was so great very happy to help and very polite. Very refreshing. ! We went with the cinnamon roll, which was only four dollars and humongous soda delicious read more

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Holy cow! Huge fluffy tasty donuts, open 24/7 and zero pretentious ambiance. No notes. love love love. read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - Strawberry sprinkle and chocolate custard filled - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Checked out Ferrell's Friday 10/4/24 as it's down the street from our hotel. Huge variety of donuts and other goodies. We shared their cro-nut and a crumb donut. Both were larger in size than your usual donut and very good! A young man served us and he was very friendly and welcoming. Definitely worth a visit! read more

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Good donuts. Love that they stay open late. Living in west cliff this spot was pretty convenient. But once the locals started to recognize me they started to treat me differently in a bad way. Also if you pull up playing loud music they will INSTANTLY tell you to leave even if you calmly tell them you can turn off the music and that you were about to buy donuts okay place. Okay donuts. Kinda friendly unless it's the old white guy is there. read more

The donuts...I mean do we even have to mention the yumminess!! Cake donuts, traditional donuts, claw machines, video games, oh and donuts!! Did I mention the donuts?? Great staff, fun place! read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - Boss Claw has given Ferrell's an Upgrade! And these machines are set to WIN! Ty Ferrell's for the fun! - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Always friendly service from whoever is behind the counter. They are quick on their feet quick to get you out of there with your donuts and quick with a smile. I just moved to Santa Cruz, and this kind of service and product will have me coming back often. Well, not too often... They are donuts after all! But it was yummy and the selection is crazy. Can't wait to go back actually. read more

Homer Simpson, who i consider to be the king of donuts would not be able to change my mind about Ferrell's as it's probably the worst donuts I've ever had in my life. The inside of the bakery reminds me of a bathroom from the 50s when people were using tacky covered tiles for flooring giving it an old diner look and feel. Service was great, the cashier made some recommendations and was so patient and informative while i was ordering. I understand that this place is open 24/7. However, that is no excuse to serve stale old donuts to a customer. I aas so eager and excited to try this place out as they had Cronuts on the menu. I've had cronuts from places like Paris Baguette, which were phenomenal from the taste to texture. No clue who's making the cronuts for Mr. Ferrell. Because the Cronuts here are absolutely a nightmare. One bite and all i got was a chewy dry texture of an old croissant that needs to be put in the toaster to rejuvenate its original texture. Dry, chewy, and had Homer Simpson crying. The raised donuts are again, dry, chewy, and I'm pretty sure they were worst than the donuts at 7/11.... And that says something and which has me so confused on how this business remains operating. read more

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On the one hand, not very good donuts are still pretty good. On the other hand, stale donuts are very disappointing. That's Ferrell's: pretty good but very disappointing. Three visits over three months and none of the donuts are memorable. Twice they tasted day old. Maybe the problem is I've always showed up early afternoon and these are only fresh in the morning. Maybe. The coffee isn't good and there are five fantastic coffee shops within two blocks. They claim to have bagels but I've never seen any by early afternoon. And this location doesn't seem very clean. So what's good? The people. Everyone I've interacted with has been nice and a little apologetic. read more

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The perfect little donut shop was exactly what we hoped it would be, Amazing! Sweet Lady helped us pick some of our favorites. Adorable, cozy beach shop that seems almost of yesteryear. Best news, the donuts were perfect. Even hours later when we ate the remaining ones, they were still yummy. read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - Spotted this place the night before. Hit it on the way out of town. - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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Tried to order a donut, the worker looked at me and immediately said "uh oh ur last" and i looked at him in confusion, he then said "no". I was served last. This was very disappointing as i was with all my friends. Next time i will be going to the ocean location. Better luck next time Mission Street. As i am writing this, he willingly ignored a customer. Thanks guys! read more

You can't come to Santa Cruz and not stop by Ferrell's Donuts as it's a local staple and totally worth the visit. They have such a wide selection of donuts, from classics to more unique options, and every one I've tried has been fresh, delicious, and satisfying. What makes Ferrell's even better is how reasonably priced everything is. In a world of overpriced pastries, it's refreshing to find a place that delivers quality without breaking the bank. Whether you're grabbing a dozen to share or just stopping by for a quick treat, it's the perfect place to satisfy your donut craving. read more

The fact this place is open 24 hours is amazing! Husband and I were enjoying Santa Cruz for our anniversary weekend and stayed up late a couple nights. This place is right across the street from the hotel we stayed at. The donuts were delicious! read more

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Some of the best donuts I have had! Great price for how big they are too. Hamm and cheese croissant could use a bit more ham and cheese but they are delicious and fluffy. Not the greatest spot but very cute! Went at around 11:30 and they had a lot still. read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - Menu - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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We love coming here! It has been our go-to donut shop for years. The donuts are HUDGE and always super fresh and yummy. There is a wide variety of flavors to choose from so there is a little something for everyone. On top of this, the people working behind the counter are always super friendly and go above and beyond with their service. You can tell that this is a family operated store. I very much recommend people make a stop here for a sweet treat. You will not be disappointed, and the prices are very reasonable (which can be increasingly hard to find in a tourist area like Santa Cruz). Must stop place to visit for sure! read more

A fabulous array of some of the most scrumptious donuts in the gorgeous city of Santa Cruz. Jacob serving us was an absolute rockstar. Cheers! read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - Yummy! - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

First time back since college when this was a common late night spot. I got my usual, which is a chocolate old fashioned and the ratio of chocolate to donut was off (too much chocolate) and the chocolate was too sweet. But a lot of the value that Ferrell's brings, as when I was younger, is that it's open 24/7. That gives you an extra star for sure. read more

I'd say this is THE go-to late night food spot in Santa Cruz. Not only because it's one of the few places that stay open 24/7, but also because the donuts are delicious. read more

OMG!!!! One bite of the chocolate chocolate doughnut and I forgot to take a picture Sooo good crispy outside soft and pillowy inside chocolate frosting Old school vibes Super friendly read more

Always open, always amazing, just went in again and the lady at the front desk gifted a free donut. Will be coming back!

I love donuts. These were some good donuts. Really big fan of maple. I kinda wish I had some more now. read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Best donuts in town. These are your classic pink box kinda donuts done right. They're fresh and exactly what you want in a donut. I go for a classic sprinkled donut or sometimes their blueberry donut. They also have ham and cheese croissants that taste just like the ones I'd get in Newport during my college years. They have wifi and plenty of seating as well. I believe they have a $5 minimum to use a credit card and given how cheap their donuts are you might want to bring cash! read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - New sign! - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Tasty donuts and cool claw machine! Great place to chill and hangout in the area. Owner and staff are very friendly. read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

I went to pick up breakfast for Shana and myself from a donut place we saw coming in and the reviews were very good. There was a line but it went fast, seems everyone there besides myself were regulars as the lady working knew them and she them. The donut options are many including donut holes and the donuts are large and they have bagels as well. Shana got an old fashioned and an eclair that the filled at the time of order with whip cream or custard. That was amazing. They had coffee you could make there, no refills though. They were fast, friendly, and very good. I don't eat at many donut places but this is in top 3 easy. read more

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Thought they tasted stale. Definitely not good at all. The only good one that was good was a blueberry one, and that was the only fresh one they had available. read more

Really good Solid Donut spot! Was staying at the Mission Inn across the street. Walked here in the morning to have donuts with my morning coffee. Donuts were solid! Had the Chocolate Old Fashioned, and Glazed Cronut! Forgot to photo the Glazed Cronut. Nothing over the top, just good, old school donuts! Clutch spot! read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - Chocolate Old Fashioned - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

Expensive. Good selection. Good quality. The price will go up significantly for choosing "special" donuts

Get the traditional glazed donut! Delicious! We also tried the old fashioned, but the OG glaze was so fresh and fluffy.

Donuts are good - not like designer donuts but a step up from chains like Dunkin and Krispy Kreme. Service was friendly and helpful. Ambiance is definitely not it, so if you're looking somewhere to sit, I'd maybe go elsewhere. read more

We came back from a beautiful walk along shark fin cove and were hungry for a quick snack and there it was Ferrells Donuts! We quickly pulled over since the vibrant neon sign caught our eye and was so inviting! We walked in and loved the pink and white colors paving our path! As soon as we walked in the employee was instantly soooooo friendly with a great big smile! Our food restrictions were a non issue as they quickly accommodated to our needs! We were eyeing all the donuts & the old fashioned donut immediately felt like the right choice! we saw chocolate and glazed and quickly the employee offered us maple old fashioned donut fresh from the kitchen! my mouth is literally watering as i write this! i took a beautiful glorious bite if the aromatic maple donut and was instantly transported to paradise by the beach! That donut was delectable and so peaceful and comforting! Should i just go back and get more? I will definitely be back soon! read more

The owners are amazing, generous, and kind. I worked with them to host an event in honor of my nephew. Out of the goodness of their hearts, they donated the donuts. On top of that, the donuts here are excellent. And the staff are super friendly and efficient. Please support them. read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - Ian, me, and Tina. - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

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I saw this place on the edge of town coming into Santa Cruz from the north. I drove past it but drove back from our hotel a day later and I'm glad I did. The donuts here are larger than what you'll normally find at most donut shops. But don't think they're only making than huge to get you to buy them. The quality and taste of these are on par with the best I ever had and I would like to think of myself as a donut connoisseur. The donuts here are classic. Don't expect to find ones that you see at some of those shops that claim to have gourmet donuts with all sorts of flavored colorful toppings but on a cookie cutter mediocre donut. This place doesn't do that crap. Ferrell's does it right. I recommend this place to anyone visiting Santa Cruz. They're one of the best food places in the whole city. read more

1st of all THANK YOU FOR BEING OPEN DURING THIS PANDEMIC. I came in around 1030pm, but before heading over to this location I did call before going because almost 90% of all places have special hours due to Covid. On yelp this place is 24/7 but they do close at 11pm. Place had PLENTY of parking, street and lot. They did have have MASK REQUIREMENTS for both guest and employees. Prices were exceptional. But this place NEEDS TO GET A DEEP CLEANING. There were gnats EVERYWHERE. The tables were dusty (they were put up due to no dine in). Their ice cream case/ display, YUCKKKKK! I couldn't take a picture since my phone was in the car but it was disgusting. read more

Ferrell’s Donuts - 1 dozen $11 - Donuts Near Me - Santa Cruz, California

was driving to Monterey from SF to see the otters. needed a bathroom break. walked into heaven. Best donuts ever! melt in your mouth heaven. these were a 10 to Krispy Kreme being a 7! worth the stop!! read more

Under new ownership and different bakers. Toys along the top are gone and the walls painted white. New menus going to be installed soon. The old fashion and glazed raise are good. read more

I loved this donut shop! The selection was huge! Any donut you could possibly crave they had! The service was great, staff was so nice and we had the longest conversation with them, very welcoming people! The ambiance was nice, lots of seating. We will most definitely be returning! read more