Very filling and the dough is different compared to everywhere else! Definitely going to stop by any time I'm in the area

Monarch Donuts is such an institution. I drive by it all the time but since I am a late riser (hah!), I never had the chance to stop by. Last week, my mom made a trip over to Monarch one morning and it was sitting on the kitchen counter when I woke up...and it easily became the best morning EVER! I didn't get a chance to take a picture of the goods because I inhaled it so quickly but these donuts were amazing! They were crispy on the outside but so soft and chewy on the inside--almost as if it were a mochi donut. I usually find that donuts are way too sweet, but these were perfect. Definitely loved all of the donuts we tried, but my favorite was the chocolate covered one with the cream inside. It just had the best of everything! I absolutely hate waking up early but I just will have to to get these donuts! I'm absolutely hooked--gah so dangerous! :p read more

Went here for the first time today and we are fans for life! Jonathan is a so kind and genuine. Having a chance to talk with him and hearing his story really brought sunshine to an otherwise pretty cloudy day. He treats his patrons like friends and family. He wants to spread joy and happiness through his craft. He sold out by 7:30 am but he texted me early to let me know my order (which I pre-ordered 48 hours prior) was still waiting for pick up. So kind of him to wait for us to come an hour later when he could have just sold out and went home. He really truly cares!! read more

The best donuts in town! And even better service. It is cash only though. He is amazing

This place has the best apple fritters! The apple fritters are so popular they have to set them aside exclusively for the apple fritter connoisseurs. The guy working there was really nice. However if you want to pickup some of these donuts, you definitely need to go early. They were almost sold out at 7am! The apple fritters have the perfect cinnamon and apple flavor. It's more soft than your traditional apple fritter, but I think it's better this way. Absolutely LOADED with apple chunks and the inside is nice and soft but not raw. Their donuts are really good but I think their apple fritters are the best. This place is a must try! read more

Monarch Donuts - Apple fritter - Donuts Near Me - Arcadia, California

Housesitting for friends and decided to give this place a try after looking up donut shops in the area. A very friendly gentleman helped me. I ordered the apple fritter and he went out of his way to look for the best one after i mentioned i like them. I will join the chorus and say that the apple fritter is very good. Not overly dense and just sweet enough. I was there around 6:30 AM and there was no line. read more

APPLE FRITTER PERFECTION! So when you do a Google search for "BEST apple fritter donut in Los Angeles," up pops an 2015 LA Times article about the Best Apple Fritter, and it claims it's here at THIS donut spot, that's actually "a bit" east of L.A., in Arcadia. Since that is one of my fave donut options to chow down on, and I've had no success finding a decent fritter in my hometown to satisfy cravings that can be borderline HANGRY, I am on a hunt! Couple of roadblocks that'll sabotage your fritter rendezvous, though. First hours of operation are only early morning hours: 5am - 9am. Second, there is a limited supply available so if you get off work @ 7am, and try to rush here, you are gonna be straight boo boo facin' :( That was my Initial attempt after work... WHAH whah whaaah! Fortunately, Mr. Jonathan has provided his cell number on Monarch's yelp page and following his instructions I was able to get a hold of these yummies! Really Friendly chap, this Jonathan! Our first meeting when I actually bought something, he dropped a loving spiel about his Grandma (R.I.P.) and said "Mom's have the hardest job in the world." I totally believe parents put in A LOT of work to raise kids! I have 3 myself, but that's beside the point. Let's eat! APPLE FRITTER DONUT: I WAS NOT READY for how DEEELICIOUS this was gonna be!!! Fritters are packed individually and THEY ARE WARM when you receive them. YES! WAAAARRMM! These are the traditional style fritters, big in size, the outside glazed with a crisp exterior, yet the inside is soft with a VERY generous quantity of apple chunks mixed in. The most I've ever seen! The glaze is not too sweet, the fritter is not too thin. The apple chunks are so plentiful that you can't hold the fritter like you normally can, or it'll break off quick and fall! Don't lose this donut! Gotta separate pieces as you go and keep the rest in its baggie ;) Definitely FULLY enjoyed this as soon as I sat down in the car... straight BLISS! Mmmmm! Had 2 more too! 1 for Wifey, one for later HAH! I got other donuts but I don't even remember what I bought. Those were eaten by my kids lol EASY RECOMMENDATION! Get your hands on one of these apple fritter delights, definitely worth all the trouble ;) ENJOY! read more

Monarch Donuts - APPLE FRITTER PERFECTION! Look at all the apple chunks everywhere! :) - Donuts Near Me - Arcadia, California

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The sweetest man runs this sweet establishment. We've been coming to Monarch Donuts for decades. While each donut is delicious, the apple fritter is a sight to behold. Get there early before they sell out - cash only! read more

Was looking for something different to celebrate my little one's first birthday. I thought custom letter doughnuts at the park would be great, I called a few doughnut shops but Jonathan was the only one who responded immediately and was great at helping me bring the idea to life. You can tell they were hand made with detail and love. They were a hit! So soft and delicious Thank you Monarch Doughnuts read more

Monarch Donuts - Hand-cut doughnuts - Donuts Near Me - Arcadia, California

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Went this morning and great customer service the best ... definitely will stop again .. read more

My husband and I stopped here on the way to Intelligent Eye Care. at 7:45 AM, The donuts were delicious and fresh and the coffee was great. To boot, the owner did not want to charge us! He said it was free-We could not believe it! We paid him and gave a homeless man enough for another cup of coffee. What a great start to the morning! Carolyn C. read more

Where do I start. Jonathan should teach a class on customer service. He is in a class of his own. One of the best around. Now onto the donuts. Can I just say wow !!! The Apple fritter lived up to the hype. Delicious. The strawberry shortcake donut is soooo good. The crummy yummy was so good even on the next day. Now that is a testament to his skill. I have to say these were the best donuts ever. Loved them. read more

Monarch Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Arcadia, California

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Wow what a sweetheart the owner is! He certainly loves God, the memory of his grandmother, and mothers everywhere. He will certainly tell you too. The apple fritters are the star of Monarch's line-up and do not disappoint. Huge and suitable for sharing. Jonathon also mentioned he is one of the few who makes the cinnamon crumbles from scratch. It shows--delicious topping! While the dense fritter was tasty, unfortunately the donuts were significantly undercooked, leaving them flabby and unappealing. The chocolate icing lacked flavor as well. Despite warnings to preorder there was nobody there at 6:00am and plenty of fresh product available. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area, or a special trip if you particularly love apple fritters. read more

Monarch Donuts - The star of the show! - Donuts Near Me - Arcadia, California

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I don't even know where to begin with this place but I can tell you one thing. They have the best donuts on this side of the Mississippi River. I have yet to try a bad donut from this place and I don't think I ever will. Each donut is made to perfection they're always soft and generously covered with its toppings. The service here is 10/10 the owner takes pride in his business. If you're a future customer reading this I am telling you right now that you're taking too long. Drive down there and give yourself a life changing mouth watering experience. read more

It was such a pleasure meeting Jonathan, the owner of Monarch Donuts. I first tried his Apple fritter when my coworker had brought a box to work last year but since the pandemic started, I've been a little nervous venturing out with my daughters, but we finally got to visit this special donut shop this past weekend. Because it was our first time visiting, Jonathan gave us a background of how his donut shop came about--what an uplifting and inspirational story. His grandma and mother must be so proud of him for being such a positive and compassionate person for our community. My daughters were so delighted they were able to try his donuts (one chocolate sprinkles and one vanilla sprinkles) and quickly gobbled them up once we got to the park. Can't wait to be back soon!!! read more

Monarch Donuts - These two princesses enjoying their delicious Monarch donuts! - Donuts Near Me - Arcadia, California

Not only was the food super delicious but they guy there was super super friendly. We drove all the way from Del Rey and it was def worth it. Also really appreciated the little bonus donut holes they put in the bag. Thank you! read more

Monarch Donuts - Apple fritter - crunchy on outside, soft on inside w apple and cinnamon - Donuts Near Me - Arcadia, California

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'2021"... HANDS DOWN THE BEST DONUT SHOP, EVER! So delicious, fresh and sold out by 9am!!! 'ORDER THE DAY BEFORE!" Jonathan, the owner is amazing at this donut craft, all his Donuts are fabulous! I recommend the cronut, a delicious blend of donut and croissant you will not believe this one, addiction at first bite! And his famous apple fritters, you can taste the cinnamon the delicious blend of apples and tasty glaze that will most definitely keep you coming back for more... Guaranteed,it will become a family favorite,so be sure to order more than two, you're going to regret it if you don't! And did I mention the Bear Claws? They are a massive blend of cinnamon, apple's and sweet glaze,that have a delicious...''DELICIOUS" outer crunch along it's edge and inner moist softness that makes you come back to Monarchs again and again! The fact that they're made fresh daily,is why,and like I said, sold out by 9am. That alone speaks VOLUMES! Go get you some of the 'Best Donut's in LA", right here in the Town of Arcadia, a gold mind of sweet sunshine,that you just gotta try! read more

Donuts are great. The guy working is a wonderful man, and he's so kind as well. I was walking home on 3/25/2025 and stopped by to ask for the price of a donut, and he hooked me up with a box. He said it's to make people happy. This is the greatest place known to man, will visit again. read more

A friend of mine recommended this donut place and I am in love. The owner Jonathan has the best Apple fritter I have ever tasted. He has a variety of various donuts and they all are delicious. Definitely will be returning to this donut place. It's so unique it's only open from 5am to 9am and if you want their most famous fritter you better get their early. Easy parking. Place only takes cash no credit cards. Their donuts are filled with love in regards to women who cook in the kitchen. read more

Monarch Donuts - Donuts - spotless fritter , cinnamon bun, crumb jelly and churro - Donuts Near Me - Arcadia, California

My work schedule allowed me the time to venture to Arcadia, where I've always heard about Monarch Donuts, but never quite got the chance to try. Upon visiting, what I found was passion and love for a craft, and the community. I'm a big apple fritter guy, and word on Yelp says they've got the best- alongside the rest of the exceptional menu. Each donut was fresh, soft, and overall satisfied the quintessential qualities that one would want in a donut. Jonathan let me in on his inspirational story, and how he goes above and beyond for his customers. The way he spoke indicated to me that this wasn't a job, this was his duty. He wants to make the best donuts there are, and he looks forward to interacting with people everyday. Come early- I don't imagine there's much parking on Huntington, and the shop closes at 9AM. read more

I Just came by to pick up two dozen donuts for work, I didn't know it was cash only. I asked if I could pay Venmo or zelle, John the owner doesn't have either so I thought I was out of luck. But no this man is awesome he is so kind and cool to talk to. The donuts were amazing definitely the best around, you can tell he puts his love into them. John if your reading this thank you I appreciate you man keep up the good work ! So if your in the area and looking to satisfy your donut craving definitely check them out you won't be disappointed it might just end up your new favorite spot!!! read more

I have reviewed quite a few donut shops. I usually base my first review on the Apple Fritter. People have been telling me to try Monarch for years; however, they are usually only open in the morning hours, and I think they close shortly after 9am. I'm always up before that time; however, I usually never leave enough free time to stop by. Well, I stopped by for the first time on March 13, and I soon learned that in order to get Apple Fritters it is best to text the owner the night before, so he can set some aside for you --- or set some aside of any particular donut that you would like. They had some left when I stopped by on March 13th just before 9am. I tried some kind of fantastic cinnamon roll donut. It was one of the freshest and most delicious donuts I have ever eaten. However, I still had my heart set on the Apple Fritter. Well, today March 18 my Husband (who I told about Monarch last weekend) went to the store and got me some Apple Fritters (he texted the owner last night). They set some aside and he came home with some this morning to celebrate my birthday! I have tried lots of Apple Fritters. Some were ok, some were good, some were great. However, this one tops them all -- I truly mean that. This one gets eight stars out of five. It is the freshest, fluffiest, most delicious, well baked/fried, perfectly glazed apple fritter I have ever had. Ironically, most apple fritters also don't have a lot of apple. This one does! It is just so delicious. I can't wait to try them again, and I do promise to get other kinds as well in the future. read more

Donuts are and come with a beautiful story. Johnathon, the owner and baker, works super hard to deliver a quality product and you can taste it! The apple fritter, cinnamon crunch, and glazed old fashioned were our faves but they were all delicious! For walk up they take cash, but if you preorder, you can Zelle and pickup which is super convenient. The letter donuts are super creative and made in whatever delicious flavors you prefer. It's a small place but has a ton of heart and donuts are delicious! read more

HOT DAMN, THOSE APPLE FRITTERS. Hands down one of the best apple fritters I've had in my life. Jonathan is amazing. He's extremely friendly to every one of his customers and he makes sure they all get what they want. I remember my first day coming here. It was around 6am and I wanted to grab a dozen of donuts for my class because I had a presentation that day (yes I'm trying to get those extra points). I told Jonathan I needed a dozen and to choose his best ones for me. I realized that even during that time of the day almost all his good donuts were gone! But good thing he had a few to give to me to try out since I was a first timer :) He ended up giving me a free apple fritter for free since he said I had to try them. Little side note; I was so nervous for my presentation that morning but after taking a bite of the fritter...okay maybe eating the whole apple fritter, I felt a little bit better that morning LOL. But damn, that apple fritter was freaking amazing. It was huge, fresh out of the oven, filled with bits of apple pieces, and had a burst of flavor. Anyways, my classmates loved the donuts and the few apple fritters he packed in there. I'd definitely recommend Monarch's Donut for those in town and for those who want that apple fritter of his! Awesome service and delicious donuts! What better way to start your morning than to have some Monarch's Donuts! read more

Wow!! I appreciate you so much and Thank you for recognizing that moms do have the hardest job in the world. ...I came for a dozens donuts and left with happy tears ,a happy heart , a smile on my face...and free coffee! .THANK YOU MONARCH I am your friend for life....wow! read more

The sweetest person runs this establishment! I walked up at 6:15am and was greeted with a "good morning sunshine" instant smile on my face. And not to mention the donuts!! Super good and savory! I really only came for coffee, I'm not a big fan of donuts. I grabbed one anyways, and it was so good and fluffy! read more

My mom has been raving about this place since she first went at the start of the pandemic. I came down for a visit and she enthusiastically made sure I got to try these donuts. I requested the dream cream and the apple fritter. Both were fantastic, along with the tasty donut holes. While we've had versions of these donuts, these are in a whole different category of soft and tender! I also appreciate the flavor of the apple fritter, which seems to have more depth and seasoning. read more

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Fresh foods the owner makes these goods and services with his passion. I recommend it to those who love sweets, sugar is a must-try place. You will not regret it. read more

Amazing ! Donuts and a humble owner! Truly grounded and honest about his work . Apple fritter was like crack! Took a box to the station and they didn't last long. So moist and fresh. Must have ! read more

I do not know why more people don't come here. This place deserves ten stars. All I know is I feel so happy I finally came across this place and Jonathan! Jonathan is insanely the sweetest most genuine soul. If you ever feel you need a pick me up, come here before it runs out of donuts because this guy will just make you feel all the love! He made my son's 4th birthday donut cake in less than a 24 hour notice. Having witness how he interacts with customers, Jonathan just goes above and beyond for his customers. I feel thankful and blessed to come across this amazing delicious donut shop and Jonathan!!! read more

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After a long day of fun filled vendor meetings at work, my wife asked whether or not I've heard of Monarch Donuts in Aracadia. Apparently, she was talking with a friend and apple fritters came up and Monarch allegedly had some solid ones. Quickly opened up Yelp and noticed from the reviews that once they're out....they're done for the day. It was good that they open at 4am as I'm usually at work by 5:30. Decided to head over to check it out the next morning. Arrived at around 4:30 only to find the shop in near darkness but upon closer inspection, I noticed racks of donuts in the window. Waited for about 5 minutes looking for any sign of movement inside but nothing. Decided to give them a call and was surprised Jonathan answered after the first ring. Apparently, he was out delivering some donuts and was on his way back. Decided on a mix of donuts for my dozen and ordered 6 apple fritters. The car ride to work was a the longest 20 minutes of my life as the car was filled with a sweet scent of the fresh donuts. The apple fritter did not disappoint and was probably my favorite out of all of them. Nice crispy outside and a fluffy center with the perfect ratio between dough and apple chunks. This was the first Second best was the strawberry glazed which unlike other shops, it didn't have an artificial taste to it. Will definitely be back to try other donuts and for more of the apple fritters. Don't expect them to have a variety of donuts like Dunkin or another chain as it looks like this is a one man shop. read more

Monarch Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Arcadia, California

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I can't believe I'm barely writing this. (Sorry Jonathan) Maybe because I want the donuts all too myself, but that's not fair! I'm a sucker for Apple fritters and I hate that I tried these! I can't go back to just regular donut shops anymore. Nothing compares to these. And let me tell you, we bring these to all my family events now and now my family expects them! The Apple fritters have the perfect ratio of apple to donut. Serious I'm not lying! Now on to the other donuts! The dough here is magical. Nothing I've ever tasted. I am a marathoner so let me tell you I've tried my fair share of donuts. And these by far are the best hands down. We go a lot and Jonathan is such a big part of the community. The way he supports schools and our health care workers is amazing. Jonathan has become one of the favorite members in my family. He even made birthday donuts for my birthday and my family loved it way more than cake and it was so good that we didn't even have left overs. read more

In my opinion, the best apple fritters, in Los Angeles. Crunchy and sweet, and not overly cooked. Has a very moist taste. The owner is very friendly as well. Just make sure you get there early because they tend to sell out quickly. read more

This place is a great place to get a great donut with a great person. Jonathan not only makes delicious donuts but sells out fast because that's how delicious they are. If you ever have a craving for donuts this spot is great. I am going to recommend this to everyone I know. He does not know it but he made my birthday very special read more

Monarch Donuts - Half a dozen donuts already eaten the other half - Donuts Near Me - Arcadia, California

Been following this place and been planning on coming to this place for yrs, and read so many wonderful reviews about the donuts as well as how wonderful a human being Jonathan is. I tried it for the first time today and hand delivered by Jonathan himself to the IE. How's that saying "if the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then..." (I think I'm the mountain if I go by this reference lol). Really delicious and fresh donuts and chatting with Jonathan was a treat! Will definitely go here for all my donut cravings in the future! read more

Went there this morning to try to purchase a dozen the guy just Stared at me while he open the window and handed a coffee to another customer and didn't say anything and then closed the window. I just walked away I recommend 24-hour donuts in Monrovia on Huntington read more

I'm not a big donut connoisseur, but working in close proximity to Monarch Donuts might end up being the diabetic death of me. Unlike many chain donut shops, Monarch Donuts lack the heavy deep-fried flavor of cheap, mass-produced donuts, and instead are perfect little pillows of soft and airy sweetness perfection. I grabbed a box of donuts for my colleagues prior to work - this was at approximately 7:45 on a Thursday and already it was clear that this place is quite popular early in the morning. Jonathan, the owner, greeted with me with a pretty impressive degree of morning bubbliness and was super friendly and helpful, even pulling out a few last apple fritters for me. I also tried a cinnamon donut, sprinkle cake donut, and some kind of chocolate glazed donut - all were perfectly decadent and super tasty. My husband, similar to me in not being a big donut fan, could hardly stop helping himself to the samples that I brought home later that day. There is no outside seating, and Monarch Donuts is cash only, but that won't deter me from these tempting treats in the future. Big A+ recommendation if you're ever in the area looking for a special snack and wanting to a support a kindhearted small business. read more

There is something undeniably homely about this superbly small donut joint. It wasn't the same owner before, but now Jonathan has doused the place with a flair of passion that brings you to smile everytime you walk up to grab your morning filling! This ain't a place for the rainbow-coloured and fancy doughnuts, but for the classic and original fares. The APPLE FRITTER here is unrivaled, and it's basically the only thing I get here. It's warm and fresh out of the kitchen, brittle on the outside and unassumingly soft in the inside with ACTUAL APPLE BITES. Instead of the stale red-brick typical of your street corner shop, this one here is a bright twisted maze of the rightly sweet, crunchy dough, with a light, pale glaze. The shop opens really early in the morning, and closes before noon. A few times I drop by before work, Jonathan closed the shop early from selling out all his donuts! Jonathan has this affable and welcoming personality, and happily shares his story of love with his customers. Talk about your mutual respect and genuine appreciation for all the moms of the world, you will be greeted with well deserved sweetness (and if you're lucky, maybe two delicious donut holes). There's parking in the back, but if you're in a hurried, don't hesitate to call the shop ahead to put your fritter on hold! Cash only! Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 3.5/5 Atmosphere: 3.5/5 read more

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This is by far the best donuts around the sgv area. I've been going here on a weekly basis. The owner is also the best guy in town, a very very very nice and loyal guy. The donut itself is fluffy and no flour taste. Overall, I highly recommend read more

I've driven by this place so many times on my way home from work in the wee hours of the morning wondering what is the donut shop doing open? I finally got the courage to stop. I was greeted by Jonathan who has the most positive outlook on life and was a pleasure to talk to. I was there mainly for the apple fritters but unfortunately none were ready so I decided on some of the other donuts available. Jonathan threw in some donut holes as well. The donut holes are absolutely the best I have ever tasted. They are very light and airy and have just the right amount of sweetness. I cannot wait to try the donuts and will definitely be coming back to try the apple fritters. *Update- My boyfriends birthday was just a few days ago and I couldn't decide on what cake to get him so I decided to have Jonathan make birthday donuts for him. They came out so good and my boyfriend was really happy. Thank you Jonathan!!! read more

Monarch Donuts - Donuts Near Me - Arcadia, California

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