Duck Donuts

A trip to the OBX isn’t complete without a trip to Duck Donuts. They are all consistently delicious, so any location works. We’ve even been to the one in Northern Virginia. We usually get it on our last morning there, as a nice sweet farewell to the amazing Outer Banks.

Woke up early went and got donuts for the whole family. Glad I took everyone’s order the night before.
Got their just a few minutes after opening and they were already busy.
Great service, GREAT PRODUCT which is all that really matter.
Trying not to go back everyday !!!

This is a must for breakfast at least 1 day. I have never had a donut I didn’t like. My favorite is the maple bacon.

Warm cakey melt in your mouth perfection. These donuts are so exquisite that they have ruined all other donuts for me. Duck Donuts are created right before your eyes and then topped individually per your request. My husband and I have considered opening a franchise so that we don’t have to wait 12 months to indulge. Love them!

You can’t go wrong with Duck Donuts! The perfect birthday breakfast if I do say so myself. :)

Hands down the best doughnuts I’ve ever had. Got there at opening time and got to enjoy them still warm and gooey, with the glazing still melted. Delicious.

It used to be a great family place to get a donunt. Pajama club very family oriented. We waited 45 minutes for a dozen donuts. While the donuts are good, the wait and customer service is teriible.

It’s good, just like the shore style donuts what’s a little more flair. Lemon-​coconut, bacon, cinnamon sugar, all good!

This is not your typical donut shop! I’m all for the Boston Dunkin, but this place is in a league of its own. Donuts made to order, still hot when served and enjoying them! :) OBX is home to the best donuts in the U.S. End of story.

Donuts were pretty delicious here and reasonable priced at $ 1.20 per donut and $ 13 for a dozen. They are all just cake donuts served with your choice of glaze and topping. Maple and bacon was good and the lemon glaze made me a believer in lemon.
I wouldn’t say it was the most amazing donut I’ve ever had but it’s great because they come hot and ready from the oven so they are fresh.

My only regret is Unilocal stars don’t go high enough to give duck donuts the praise it deserves. We tried the chocolate icing and the donut of the day, which happened to be cinnamon bun. The cinnamon bun was the best donut I’ve ever had. It wasn’t too heavy and literally melts in your mouth.
There is a reason this place is always packed. It was great and if I could eat only these the rest of my life, I would never complain.

Duck Donuts hit the spot after an early morning horse-​seeing adventure. The line was out the door at 9:30am, but it moved quickly. The concept, as others note, is a regular vanilla cake donut (being made fresh right behind the counter) that customers can customize with different frostings and toppings. We ordered a half dozen, different flavors. To start, I opted for lemon with coconut flakes. Delicious! The hubs had cinnamon sugar and enjoyed his as well. I then promptly devoured my second lemon donut. We will definitely be back during the rest of the week!
Why not 5 stars? I wish they had chocolate donuts!

Oh my goodness!!! DONUT HEAVEN! If you like fried dough, this place is a must-​stop in the AM and after dinner treat! Kids loved making their own concoctions of donuts with chocolate sauce, coconut, etc! Money well spent and a special memory of OBX!

So so so good!!! During our one week stay in Corolla, we got these twice! They are fantastic! Served warm, any of the chocolate ones were my fave but they were all mouth wateringly delicious.

There are a few things that seem to be a rite of passage when visiting the OBX. Duck Donuts is on the list of MUST DO Things while you’re here just below swimming in the ocean. It’s pretty straight forward, Donuts made while you wait. Unlike Krispy Kreme where you’ll have to await the red light, these donuts are always coming out hot, fresh and made to order.
As you might have guessed, there are a few short months out of the year when this place is jammed with donut fiends awaiting their number to be called. Unfortunately, there are only 2 machines making donuts at the Corolla location and they have no chance of keeping up with the donut horde. We waited about 30 minutes for a dozen donuts inside a hot venue while 10 employees hustled around churning out «made to order» donuts while we waited. You know as well as I do, good things come to those who are patient and holy donut center was it worth the wait!
There aren’t a huge variety of flavors to choose from, as a matter of fact there’s only one cake donut base. However, they offer a decent number of toppings and that’s where the fun begins. Chocolate with chocolate sprinkles? Cinnamon sugar? Vanilla frosting with nuts? Maple frosting with bacon? So good!
The long wait was the only negative. For that reason, I really don’t think this concept can work great in an urban environment. With too many people in suits looking at their watches impatiently while a machine spits out fried circles of dough and teenagers rush to box them, Duck in the City probably wouldn’t work. Krispy Kreme works because you might get lucky with hot donuts, but there are plenty of donuts ready to go when you are. But on vacation with nowhere special to be and in no rush, you can’t beat it.
Duck donuts, you are heaven at the beach and just what a beer belly needs the morning after. FIVE stars simply because there’s no doubt, Duck Donuts are the tastiest donuts I’ve ever eaten.

When I crave donuts it is usually for the light and airy yeast variety. I love the little pillows of fried dough covered in a sugary sweet sheet of glaze. Imagine my surprise when searching for donuts in OBX that it wasn’t Duncan, but DUCK donuts, that was capturing the hearts and tastebuds of visitors and locals alike and that instead of yeast these donuts are cake.
First, just to reiterate, this place does cake donuts, but unlike most places, they make there’s fresh. This makes for a softer, more tender donut. They also live by the adage of do one thing and do it well.
When ordering you choose how many donuts you want, then the fun begins! First you choose your adhesive (cinnamon/​sugar, vanilla, lemon, orange, chocolate, maple, strawberry or peanut butter). Then they take your fresh baked donut, dip it in icing and then hit it with sprinkles (bacon, chocolate, peanuts, coconut or sprinkles).
The prices are comparable to other chain places, but the end product exceeds expectations!
PROS
— warm fresh donuts, no frozen or prebaked website items here.
— maple glazed with bacon
— you get to choose the flavor combinations
CONS
— gets busy quickly. Mid afternoon is a good time to go.
–there is a process to follow and it is not explained. I took my lead from the gentleman in front of me.

Orange glaze and coconut, peanut butter sprinkles w chocolate glaze, get a dozen and let your fam and friends share. We cut them up so everyone gets a chance at the different flavors. Go here. Get donuts. Enjoy!
Dozen was about 12 $

3.5 stars. You have to try Duck Donuts at least once if you are visiting OBX. I’ll admit, I generally prefer bagels over doughnuts, but I’m glad I tried Duck Donuts during a recent visit.
Slightly smaller than a Dunkin Donut, Duck Donuts’ cake doughnuts are lighter in texture than the usual cake doughnuts, and are served warm. But they have few topping options and NO filled doughnuts. I am partial to their cinnamon sugar doughnut, and I agree with another reviewer that they taste just like a churro. The chocolate covered doughnuts are very sweet, and honestly, I didn’t think the chocolate frosting was of the highest quality. (Think Hershey’s.)
I hear they are opening a location in Charlotte next to my favorite Italian restaurant, Dolce. I’ll probably return, if only for another «churro» doughnut.

Duck Donuts is the unicorn of donuts. Don’t listen to anyone who says otherwise.
I’ll just start off by saying I typically hate donuts. The only donut I’ve ever previously thoroughly enjoyed is a freshly glazed Krispy Crème donut, until I visited Duck Donut.
When I visited Duck Donuts, the line was out the door at 7:20am. The beauty of waiting in line is having time to look at and fill out an order form. They offer an array of toppings and you can mix it up anyway you want.
At first glance, the donuts look like they’re going to be hard and gross, but looks can be incredibly deceiving. It’s not light and fluffy like Krispy Crème but equally delicious. Have a seat before taking a bite. You won’t be disappointed.

Not all it’s quacked up to be.
If you compare Duck Donuts to Dunkin Donuts I would give them 5 Stars easily. But, I have tried these gourmet donut shops in other cities across the country such as Jupiter Donut Company in Jupiter, FL, and The Little Donut Shop in Columbus, OH. Although Duck makes VERY good donuts, they fall short compared to other places that are similar to them.
All of their donuts are the same, but with different glazes and toppings. The prices are very reasonable for what you are getting.
I recommend this place, but keep your expectations tempered, and you will absolutely love it!