This is definitely a neighborhood greasy spoon diner. We were there after noon and there were only a few donuts left in the display case. I ordered my favorite custard filled donut which was tasty but not freshly made. My husband ordered an egg sandwich. Very quick service and our waitress was friendly! Old school diner stools, counter, and booths. Not much in the way of ambiance but an inexpensive meal. Older record albums grace the walls. read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - Custard Donut - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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If I could give zero stars I would. service terrible. Don't eat in, you will fight flies for your food and sweating bullets because it's so hot in there. M my husband ordered the grilled chicken sandwich told him that that was grilled. She had the nerve to ask if he didn't want it because it wasn't grilled chicken. Egg yolk sauce was burnt. She refused to remake simply the two dollar egg yolk sauce, when I told her I was not paying for that and she could take it off she said no I cannot take it off and I let her know I would not be paying for anything if she didn't She take off the egg yolk sauce and then told me never to come back. We left out of there smelling like hot old grease we will definitely never go back. We were trying to support something small and local. Do not waste your money or your time. Bad service bad food. read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - Burnt egg yolk sauce - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Great pastries from the bakery case like donuts, sweet rolls, etc. We come there for breakfast, which is cooked to your order, is hot, and there is plenty of tasty food even for large appetites. Delicious and great value at Golden Donut. read more

I think I was here years- decades- ago when it was a different donut place. Looks the same. Smells the same. Sadly, at 1pm the donuts were almost all gone, so I didn't get any. But I will be back. Old-school donut shops are my favorite. Plus, it's a diner. Plus, it now has hibachi. Which I did try but will review under its name. Get here. Three kinds of good food. In an old sit-down donut shop atmosphere. read more

I really liked the atmosphere here, but I think they need to do something to make the surroundings pop. Everything is so old and faded. Shame. I got the patty melt. You know that mystery meat they served you in school? That's what you get here. I could not stomach it so I got tomato grilled cheese instead and sent back the burger. I don't know how but they messed that up too. See the photos. And, finally, the waitress was really sweet and kind but I just could not understand her. I don't think she speaks much English, poor thing. I won't be back. I wish them a better chef and higher quality inventory. read more

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Classic old diner vibes. I went on a Friday morning @ 8:30, and the donut selections where already somewhat picked over; note to self for future planned stops. Of the bat, Pete the owner and a women where running front of house. I love places where the owner is pulling their weight and not chillaxing on the side. I sat at the counter with old-school padded stool seating bolted to the floor, a feature that's definitely hard to find in central Ohio these days. I got the Veggie Omelette, added sausage. For $10.80, the meal was spot on. The hash browns were surprisingly good. I didn't have to add much salt at all, a big plus. Soft, a few random crisp edges, just the way I like 'em. I couldn't leave without getting a donut or two to try. The Apple fritter was okay; no apple taste or chunks which was a bummer. Donut holes were on the dry side. Next time, either I get there a few hours earlier, or pass on the donuts altogether. Super glad I finally made it to GDD. Definitely a no-frills classic stop to keep in my bookmarks! read more

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We went for the first time after reading about this being a "hidden gem". It doesn't look like much from the exterior, but the food and service were both very good. The portions were very large, and menu choices were extensive and the prices were very reasonable. We ordered the hibachi and it was very tasty and plentiful. Miso soup comes with the meal and it was very good also. The decor is eclectic with record albums in their covers, and brought back memories! Would recommend for those who enjoy a good diner experience that delivers great food! read more

This place is a gem. I decided to try it based on Yelp reviews and I wasn't disappointed. The staff is very friendly and accommodation. The regulars are a hoot if you're into getting the local flavor of places as part of the experience. The food was good and prepared quickly. No complaints at all. Also, I noticed a ton of Uber Eats and DoorDash drivers coming to pick up orders. Clearly, this place has a following and after one meal, I can see why it's a favorite. read more

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Ordered French toast, home fries & bacon on the side. Upon arrival, I gave the woman at the front desk my order name. She gave me a hard time, telling me to show her identification for the order. I would've obliged, but I didn't have my ID! didn't expect to be carded while picking up food. She ended up giving me my order after some explanation. French toast, bacon & Eggs were great. Home fries were just smushed potatoes and they weren't seasoned. Cool vintage diner ambiance. read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Perfect breakfast place which is tasty and very reasonably priced. I ordered the Denver omelette and hash browns. The omelette was huge and the homemade hash browns were tasty. It came with two slices of toast. Place used to be a Jolly Pirate Donut Shop so seating is limited but they do have counter service and booths! read more

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Second time coming in and I'll say I'm a fan of this little local spot close to home. First time I dined in and it was your run of the mill local breakfast spot where everyone who was in the know knew to order carry out. It's a small location with a few staff, do yourself a favor and order carry out. But if you don't mind the wait dine in and relax! Pro tip, park on the sides because the front gets congested with people in and out. While I'll be honest I don't quite remember what I had, I knew it was definitely somewhere I wanted to come back to. My second trip I called in my order like a boss, and had EXCELLENT customer service while ordering, super friendly and left nothing to be confused over. Ordered a Club that comes with chips. 15 mins later I opened the box and from the smell alone I knew that is was exactly what I was looking for! Even in the few moments of being inside I hammed it up with the woman ringing me out and another patron like I'm there all the time. Also do yourself a favor and grab a donut... because well... why not?! read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - Club Sandwich with chips - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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QUITE POSSIBLY THE BEST GLAZED DONUTS IN COLUMBUS... ! OK, I admit it, I love old-school glazed donuts. Plain, traditional, glazed donuts like when we were kids. In my heart-of-hearts I believe icing and sprinkles and fillings are a cover-up for the lack of true artisanship in the donut. To me, the best donuts are nothing more than sugar, flour and oil - a hot, fresh, old-school glazed donut. Golden Donuts & Diner on Lockbourne Road, just north of Refugee Road, makes outstanding glazed donuts - quite possibly the best in Columbus. Certainly the best I know of. Come to think of it, I hate writing this review, because it's making me hungry... now I need to invent an excuse to drive to the south side... SO GOOD. read more

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Well, well, well! What a find on the outskirts of Columbus! Super friendly staff that welcomed us as new guests w a warm smile! The food was excellent and we only wished we had more room to try more items! You would drive by it 100 times and not stop, well STOP IN! The music is outstanding also! read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - Excellent veggie omelet w crispy Home Fries! - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Very good breakfast. Eggs were done just the way I like. The corned beef hash was some of the best I ever had. We will be back! read more

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Really nice place to eat. Great breakfast and a great staff. My wife got the #2 breakfast and I got the #1 with steak. It was cooked to perfection. We picked up a few doughnuts before we left. The bathroom was disgusting because some smart genius felt like urinating all on the floor near the urinal. I will come back soon for their other menu items. read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Saturday Breakfast with some friends. Ventured down to #goldendonutsanddiner on the south side of Columbus. I had the Denver omelet: sausage, onions and peppers. We tried the corn beef hash (recommendation from a friend), which was delicious!! They also have a large assortment of donuts, but get there early because they run out quick! read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - Corn beef hash (side) - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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Very personable business with lovely people. Met the very interesting owner and would recommend this place to anyone. Food and donuts are good too! read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - Club Sandwich - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

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This place is a hidden gem. It's located in what used to be a Jolly Pirate and has a very vintage feel to it. The food is phenomenal. We had a grilled cinnamon roll and the golden buster. The grilled cinnamon roll isn't on the menu, but they were more than happy to put one of the cinnamon rolls on the grill for us when we asked. It was crisp on the edges, soft in the middle, and not overly sweet. It was hugely satisfying. The golden buster was a very nice size, with eggs, ham, home fries, sausage gravy, cheese and toast. The sausage gravy was obviously made in house and was so yummy! Ordered my eggs over easy and they were perfectly cooked, something that most breakfast places I try mess up. We took a baker's dozen of donuts to go for just $10.75 and the kids loved them. Apple fritters, bowties, sprinkled, and custard filled. They were fresh, had a nice texture, and weren't sickeningly sweet like some places make them. Overall, pretty perfect. We will definitely be coming here again. read more

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Don't sleep on this place. It's so good. I know it's deep on the south side but the food is worth it. Eyes are cooked perfectly, and they have things one wouldn't expect-like gyros. Things to note: not good for large parties- no room. This is a true corner diner. Come in and sit down. Time moves a bit differently here. No fryer so no fries-sandwiches served with chips instead. DOUGHNUTS-cheap and great deals after 1pm because they closee at 3. Not open Sundays. But EAT HERE!!!! read more

Stopped by here on a Sunday and they were closed because the owner died. Yikes! Came back before work a week later because I had to get up super early to hit the BMV anyway. This is on par with other greasy spoons that still have prices from the 1980s (GVCS, Daybreak, Shades, Buckeye). The old ass decor was spotless although aged. The menus could use a good rub down. They were kinda sticky. Everything else was okay though. The counter was half full with a diverse group of regular patrons. The waitress was a kind Asian lady, which I thought was interesting since the owners are Greek and these family joints tend to keep it in the family. Anyhow, it was not unexpected but pleasant to find so much diversity in this little old school diner. This is one of the things that makes the southside superior to the north or west sides of Columbus. My meal was just around $6 with tax and I got two eggs, home fries and toast for $4.17 and an extra egg for $1.20. The eggs were great, cooked perfectly. The home fries are more like the skillet potato variety. Not shredded or cubed, but cut. The coffee wasn't bad, although still cheap auto drip, and was served in a 16 oz. cup for .95 cents. One thing that was outstanding - the hot sauce was really, really good. It was in a generic squirt bottle too, so they're either buying it in bulk, or maybe, I like to think, making it in house. It was really flavorful! The food came out insanely fast. Like, within minutes of my ordering it. No GVCS experience here. The waitress never stopped by to check on me again, which kinda sucked cuz I would have liked another coffee toward the end of my meal, but truth be told, I had enough to eat and drink so I went to the front to settle up and order a donut. Got the blueberry cake and as others describe, they're big, old fashioned, fried, and spectacular. Will be back for sure. Opens at like 6am. Word. read more

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I ordered the #2 breakfast and my husband got the #1. Not many people working but they helped serve quickly. The food was delicious and has me wanting to come back to try something different next time. The bathroom was disgusting and looks like it hasn't been cleaned in a really long time. That was my only gripe. We got a few doughnuts to go and they were fresh and delicious. The customer service was great and they were very friendly. read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - #2 breakfast - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

There's some good food here, especially for breakfast. The apple fritter French toast is some of the best I've ever had. It's a cute small 1950s looking donut shop that serves a great breakfast and some lunch foods. Will definitely be back to try out some of their sandwiches. Great neighborhood restaurant in the southside of Columbus. read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Out of the way unless you know where you're going. Use your GPS if necessary but just try it....you'll agree it's a terrific hidden jewel. No advertising. PETE DOESN'T NEED TO ADVERTISE!! One visit and you'll be convinced that the drive to the South End, Lockbourne Road, is very much worth the effort. I have no clue about the preparation of Pete's biscuits and gravy; I just attest to the fact that it is more than likely the absolute best biscuits and gravy in town. CASH ONLY! That's my biggest concern. I never carry green paper money so that's a difficult thing for met to remember about Pete's Golden Donuts Diner. Portions are county sized, priced like a southern diner. DONUTS! Made fresh daily. Daily specials! Service is attentive, professional, welcoming amd most of all personal. Grab some green and head down....No disappointing aspect at all! read more

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I had to drive someone to an appointment this morning in the area and we passed the Golden Donuts Diner on our way there and decided to stop on our way back. The only bad thing about our visit was we had no time to dine in and only were able to grab some donuts and coffee to go. Golden Donuts is a full service diner hidden in an old Jolly Pirate. They did a good job decorating it to make it their own between the records on the walls and all of the pop culture pictures. You get a sense of the owners and employees by seeing the music and people they thought were relevent. As stated they offer all the things I like for breakfast but we had to run so it was a dozen glazed, some apple fritters, a chocolate cake, a few filled sticks, and a couple of cups of joe for under 20.00. The fritters were the star and the glazed were fresh, fluffy, greatness. Prices for the hot food on their menu seemed very fair and the portions on the plates i saw looked healthy. Our service was fast, friendly, and attentive; a mix of chit chat, a few recommendations, and multiple thank yous. You can tell the place is a little older, but they keep the dining room clean. If I am back in the area, I will make it a point to come back and try their hot breakfasts and make sure to grab a couple of donuts to go. read more

After hearing a local radio station review this diner, we decided to try it. They gave it 4.5 "bellies" out of 5. I would give it 2 or 3. The pita in the Greek gyro was hard. Stale or over cooked? The sauce on the cajun grilled chicken sandwich was not good and caused my husband to eat the chicken without the bun. We had the freshest donut for dessert- delicious! read more

They get 4 stars for the amazing Bismarck we took home when they handed me the bag the donut was still warm. They fill that sucker with more cream then i have ever had and they don't skimp on the icing either. As for actually dining there......well i won't do that again. You seat yourself and eventually someone comes to greet you. The server really is just an order taker and after that your on your own. I ordered the golden buster i assumed it came with a biscuit but that's my fault i should have paid more attention. Sausage gravy is house made because it taste similar to mine it had good flavor but it was cold and covered all the other food making it generally cold. The only hot item on my plate was the eggs. If the order taker was a server she would have come back to our table and i could have ordered a biscuit and have her nuke my breakfast and get more coffee. My partners food was cold too except for his eggs. I derermined that it's best to order take out from here. The server was a nice enough Asian lady but she never came back to our table and we had to hunt someone down to get our bill. Take out is best bet. Donuts are really good. read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - golden buster weirdly doesnt include biscuits but still looks yummy - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

EDIT** Tip: this place is Cash Only Just moved to town and tried this place for brunch today. Delicious! We had two 'fancy' donuts (apple spice was awesome) and two meals (corned beef hash and the gravy covered potato dish whose name I'm forgetting). Everything was super tasty. The sausage gravy was spot on. I'm giving 4 stars because the gravy dish was supposed to have eggs but didn't. Next time, if all ingredients are present, it'll definitely get 5 stars. read more

Found a great place with really good food at great prices. Having chopped steak and eggs with fried potatoes, only $6.99! read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

We recently drove by this hidden gem and decided to stop in to try it out. It feels as though you're stepping back in time when you walk into this diner. There are record covers all over the wall and James Brown was playing over the speaker as we stepped up to the counter. The staff is extremely friendly and you can tell they have pride for this local diner because you can taste it in the food. I ordered the Double Decker Cheeseburger with fries instead of chips and my friend ordered the #4 Traditional Breakfast with eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast. The prices are completely affordable and the turnaround time for the food is 10-15 minutes. My burger was perfectly savory and delicious! The patties were juicy and charred from the grill and the Swiss cheese was melting off the sandwich when I got it. The pickles and lettuce are fresh and crisp and the bacon on top was cooked just right. The fries were tasty and had just the right amount of salt. My friend's hash browns were delicious! He added onions and peppers to them which bumped them up a notch and they were so crispy and buttery, my mouth is watering just thinking about them. Lastly, the doughnuts are phenomenal! The Apple Pie doughnut and the Blueberry Cake doughnut is how we chose to end our first meal here. They are flavorful and fresh. We've been back several times in the last couple of weeks and would definitely recommend this joint to anyone wanting a delicious diner treat! read more

Great local business. Been getting the apple fritters since i was a tot! And 29 years later they are still delicious. Always playing great classic oldies and super cheap. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger knows a good donut shop... they have a few pictures of him while at the diner. read more

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Donuts were good! Food was good too! I got the corn beef hash and my husband got two egg white sandwich's with cheese and bacon. He thought it was really good. If you go after 1pm and you buy a dozen donuts, you get 6 free. They still tasted good and not stale. They were even still good the next morning. Again, no pictures because the food was take out and food always look better when you eat there. I forgot to take pictures of the donuts :-( read more

Amazing food, excellent service, good pricing. Flavor of food is always consistent! Would give 6 stars if possible!!

I'm a half star from a 5. Personnel can make a mediocre experience much better. Without them, I'm at a 3. Tune in here. The geography has grit. The building, a previous Jolly Pirate, does not have valet parking, nor outdoor dining in the topiary garden. You've got a row of pedestal counter seats, with with a row of 2 tops against the window behind them. Sound familiar? To your right is a few booths, maybe 4. The floor is linoleum. The repaired ceiling is drop panel. The walls could use some paint, but it's on their list. Did you lock your car? There's a lot of sketchy foot traffic, but most just grabbing a donut and coffee. Standard breakfast fare with a special outside posted on the sign. Let's face it, you're here to go through the motions of eating a good breakfast. We all know you're just anticipating carrying your check to the register, where you can get some fresh donuts "since you're already here". V, our server from behind the counter greeted us knowingly from only twice before. After looking back at Yelp, I realized, I ordered the same again. Sweetie had the Jalapeño omelette special. Cosmo the owner came out with a sheet pan of hot fresh donut holes for us to sample. He spoke warmly, and genuinely to us, as if WE the customer were important. The corner TV was showing Keno, or Lottery. The breakfast food was not excellent in a way that made you think about when can you get back here again. The sausage gravy was top 5 around here. Flavor, taste, texture, and content was right on. As is with all breakfasts served, don't burn or overcook it, and it's fine. Now, down to the donuts. First off get whatever's just come out. The apple fritters are excellent. We always include the cherry donut as well. The cinnamon apple crisp was new. Maybe seasonal. The one distinguishable difference I found is a crisper coating. I don't know if it's a hotter oil, or longer fry time. Does it seal in flavor, or is the flavor just there. This is a donut you can dunk without fishing it out of your mug. If soft muffin like donuts is your thing, stay with the fresh, just out donuts. Still have not tried the coffee. Nobody messed with the car during the writing of this recollection. Lol read more

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They now take credit card payments! Been coming here for over a year now, so it's an amazing addition. Coffee is always hot and fresh, donuts are great and have good selection. Has great music amazing atmosphere, regulars are friendly. And have Ohio lottery! I can keep going with the good facts on this place. read more

Golden Donuts & Diner - Crazy best album covers all over - Donuts Near Me - Columbus, Ohio

Lots of yum here. From the bowties to the decor to the menu to the guy in the kitchen. Also, the price was nice too- 10.79 for a dozen mixed. Worth it!!! - Carrie Fisher (and me) read more

This is tricky for me- their donuts are THE BEST! Not anything crazy gourmet, but they are fresh and so delish. But, I didn't want to write a review until I'd been there to eat some "real food". I gotta say, I was not impressed. While the service is very friendly, and I dind't expect anything more than a greasy spoon diner breakfast, it still was sub-par. The omelette, while only $5.49, and served with homefries and toast, had a really weird taste to it. Almost fishy. Ew. Will I go there again for breakfast? No. Will I eat their donuts? All the time! Side Note- CASH ONLY!! read more

This is a very decent south side diner. Nothing fancy but it's good. I've had several of their items and they have all been good, especially for how cheap the diner is. Donuts are decent. Service is quick. No complaints. read more

I live really close and love going here but this visit was definitely terrible and the waitress did not seem to care. It took 40 minutes to get our eggs and home fries. I love the donuts and decided to get some before leaving. The same waitress grabbed the wrong donuts. I do not know what the issue was but this time I was not treated like a local who comes in often. read more

Great spot. Is what it is...cool atmosphere, good food, great doughnuts, and locally owned and operated.

I just recently got a home in the Southside of Columbus and really want to get to know the community so my friend told me this is one of the places to go. I couldn't believe the prices. Like, I'm pretty sure it's cheaper to eat here than getting a meal at a drive through nowadays! The donuts! Omg, the donuts! If you knew me and realized how much I hate donuts (worked in a donut factory for a year) you'd realize who big of a deal this was! Thanks to this place, I have raised the peace flag and ended my war against donuts. The coffee is pretty good, the people are great, and the food is old fashioned yummy. Don't expect the breakfast to look super fancy, but it's definitely a lot better than a drive through for the same cost or less. read more

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