Zeke’s DC Donutz

I’m glad we got to try Zeke’s before it closed.
I liked the interior design of this place. Really laid back. Very cool for a doughnut shop. Seating was available. Restrooms were in the back. They offered Glazed, Filled, and Savory Doughnuts. Beverages included, Milk, Soy Milk, and Momofuku inspired drinks. I thought that was pretty cool. They also offered yogurt.
I loved the design of each doughnut. They were lovely to look at. They had a great concept of flavor combinations, but after taking a bite, the ingredients didn’t hit me. I wanted to love this place, but the taste was forgettable. I appreciate the size of the doughnuts, these puppies were big. They were also on the heavier side. After eating a bite or two, we all felt very weighed down. Employees were quick and friendly.
The whole concept of Zeke’s was awesome. Sad to see it go.

I’m not surprised Zeke’s ended up closing. I went there on a Saturday afternoon during the Embassy Open House weekend when a ton of people were in the Dupont Circle area and yet no one else was in there. I walked in expecting to find a lot of different donuts displayed, but there was just a small little plastic rectangular box that contained two, maybe 3 flavors.
I took my donut to go and instead of a box, they just gave me a bag to put it in. This resulted in it being a little messy by the time I got home. I got a blueberry graham donut. It was ok, but I wouldn’t have gone back there again for another one. The donut was very heavy/​greasy tasting and the blueberry filling tasted very artificial and kind of like canned blueberry filling. I’d stick with going to Krispy Kreme over Zeke’s!

Let me start by doing a public service and putting this up front: ZEKE’S IS MOTHERFUCKING CLOSED, probably for good.
Today I was determined to try Zeke’s. I braved the 99 degree heat index. I rode my motorcycle, which is another way of saying I sat on a 200+ degree heater for 15 minutes on my way to Zeke’s. It was SO FUCKING HOT. But alas, this was a small price to pay for a big, doughy treat, am I right? Wrong. Zeke’s is closed, with a «coming soon!» sign for whatever other stupid shop with an inconsiderate owner is going to be there next.
The shitty website did not mention that it was closed. It didn’t mention anything, actually, except «Zeke’s Donuts», and an address. Thanks for getting my hopes up and wasting my time.

Finally, a place to get good donuts in the city. After Washingtonian mag rated Krispy Kreme as the best in the city, I almost gave up. But after trying Zeke’s, I can say that we are right back on track as a city. Much better than GBD, these are creative and delicious.
My only complaint is sometimes they are a little doughy, but for the most part, 5 out of 5.

Not spectacular but the doughnuts were very good. I guess I have a preference for the doughy doughnuts, having grown up in the land of Krispy Kreme down in Georgia and SC, and I thought these were pretty good. I had maple something or other — good flavor, and (as another reviewer noted) just the right ratio of sticky sugar flavor stuff to doughnut. The number of choices was good, too — enough for some choice without being overwhelming (for the customer or the kitchen — hard to imagine that a small doughnut place can do 20 flavors and do all of them well). I liked my chocolate cereal milk, too.
Service was very friendly and helpful — always a big plus.
My gf wasn’t as big a fan, but I’ll be back when I want to pry myself away from KK (which is a tough addiction to break).

These were very good. Big and creatively done classics.
Salted caramel and maple were the choice of the day. I appreciated the icing to donut ratio — it may even have gone a bit farther than I was comfortable with, but I appreciated it. Unlike a lot of places, the frosting/​glaze doesn’t overwhelm the donut here. It’s very well done, and flavorful, but a bit subtle.
The donut itself was different. Almost breadier than I like. Lighter, fluffier, with a bit more chew than most. I kind of liked it. I did. But maybe I like heavier, meltier donuts just as much? It was a very cool experience — and I liked them a lot. Very good donuts.

Zeke’s, one of DC’s new purveyors of artisanal donuts, earns my only 5-​star rating yet and deftly illustrates why the word «artisanal» means so much more than just «f*king expensive».
Yes, their donuts are expensive. But they’re handmade, in delicious flavors you won’t find at KK or DD: lemon curd, mango, Ferrero Rocher, Mexican chocolate. I hear they also have savory flavors, although there wasn’t one on offer when I stopped in. They’re also super-fresh…I popped in for a midafternoon sweet treat and the donuts were as fresh as if it were 5:30 am (remember the DD «Time to Make the Donuts» guy?).
I chose a peanut butter and bacon donut — in order to make it a complete meal, of course! Savory-​sweet-​crunchy-​salty awesomeness! These donuts are heavy — I honestly needed two hands to eat it. — and they were quite dense (no airy, fluffy KK going on here), which means you won’t need 4 of them to feel sated. Trust me when I say I was full after 1… perhaps on a good day I could pack in 2, but if you venture beyond 2, consider yourself warned!
I’d been trying to find an excuse to visit Zeke’s since their debut, and am glad I stopped in today. Too bad donuts aren’t one of the USDA recommended food groups (any more… historically, they were! See
).

Zeke’s has a pretty cool graffiti theme inside, and they have a display case showing whatever flavors they have available at the time. When I visited they had cherry, mexican chocolate and lemon, among others. I guess they bake throughout the day, so going early will not necessarily give you the widest selection of flavors.
I got a Peanut Butter and Bacon doughnut. The doughnut had a good texture — soft and chewy, and flavor-​wise the peanut butter balanced well with the bacon. The doughnut was just a plain doughnut though, and I was hoping for a little bit of crunch in the bacon.
Above-​average doughnuts at above-​average prices. The novelty of the toppings makes Zeke’s worth a try if you’re passing by.

Ever since I first saw Wayne and Garth goofing around at Stan Mikita’s back in the early 90’s, I’ve been hooked on donuts ever since (and this is why I will never ever let my future children watch television!).
There is nothing like biting into a soft, pillowy cloud of dough and have it melt away with only a light glaze to remember it by. Zeke’s doughnuts are not like this at all: they are doughy and chewy. You gotta work those jaw muscles to finish that bite!
Although the doughnuts were not my cup of tea (although still pretty awesome), I stiil would like to give them mad props for their creativity. Donuts are packaged in pizza boxes, the décor is reminiscent of the opening scene of the «Fresh Prince from Bel-​Air», guests are encouraged to tag themselves on the wall (look for my Unilocal burst on the left wall), and the flavors range from plain-​jane vanilla to mango curry, cherry blossom and pork! Yes, they have savory doughnuts on the menu. I didn’t get it this time but you can bet your sweet mama that this will be making a home in my belly soon.
Follow their FB/​Twitter page for their wacky daily deals. Por ejemplo: bust a move or wear a vintage track suit and BOGO!

This is a 5-​star place by any standards, and especially in DC. When I arrived, there was no line and the donuts were available in every flavor. I was able to down 2 or 3 of them, although I wouldn’t recommend this, lol. I got three sweet flavors and enjoyed them all. The highlight for me was their lemon custard, as this is my favorite flavor of donut.
The donuts at Zekes are the quality that I grew up learning to love, and it’s lost at horrible places like Dunkin Donuts. The big, yeasty and flavorful donuts at Zekes taste like someone actually cared about their preparation, carefully crafting delicate flavors that will strike you. It’s like eating a cupcake, or a slice of pie, or a piece of cake with delicious icing – all in one. The puffiness of the dough – I’m talking myself into wanting to return.
I’m not a fan of the hipster decorations. But I figure donuts are a low margin business and the location (a former Hello Cupcakes location) is served by the decorations and funny bleachers outside.
There are about 4 – 5 tables inside and for some reason they offer free wifi. I actually sat and worked while downing my donuts, though the area is so cramped I don’t know that I’d recommend this. I’d also suggest attacking the donuts with a fork and knife rather than just shoving them in your face. You have to savor the delightful flavors and you really don’t want to miss out on every bite.
I’m not surprised that people complain about the prices at Zeke’s. But if you do, it’s because you are cheap and don’t care about low quality. If you feel like this, you might as well visit a grocery store and eat their donuts. Shoppers is pretty solid and better than crappy Dunkin Donuts any day. And yes, the donuts at Zekes are big and fluffy and not overly sweet like Krispy Kreme donuts, located right around the corner.
I also like that Zekes uses locally sourced coffee from my favorite DC roasters, ME Swing.
All around, it’s a great place and I cannot recommend it highly enough. Check out my photos to see what the donuts look like. I can’t wait to return to try some of the savory ones.

I don’t get the 5 $ cupcakes or 3 $ doughnuts, sorry.
Zeke’s donuts come in some interesting flavors: savory, red velvet, etc, but in the end it’s just a fried dough, really.
These are huge, so come on an empty stomach, wait patiently until you can get the attention of any of the staff behind the counter or until the people in front of you finally make up their minds, don’t mind the teenage couple grinding on the seat next to you, and enjoy.

Man, this place hit the spot. I had their savory special the day I went — chicken, broccoli, and cheese inside a wonderful donut — and it did not disappoint. Took a dozen sweet donuts home to a family party. They were a HUGE hit. Biggest surprise? The vanilla donut! Really intense vanilla flavor, with a glaze that tastes like my ideal cake frosting. Also popular were the passion fruit, the lemon filled, and the «drunken leprechaun» — a St. Patrick’s Day special with a Guiness glaze and Jameson’s caramel drizzle.
The funky décor, great music, and genuinely friendly service will keep me coming back. Buy a dozen and they’ll throw in an extra one. This is such a great addition to the neighborhood, and I hope they do well!

As a non sweets person, I can say that I did enjoy Zeke’s quite a bit and so did Carly C. Right down P street in Dupont near Urbana, it doesn’t really stick out. Just look out for a sign and a room with a lot of graffiti.
I really liked the graffiti art inside Zekes. Add some hip hop playing from the boom box (Grammatik and the like) and the nice staff, Zeke’s reminds me of the small eateries in NYC, like Bao Haus. However, it would be a nice touch if they played the music a bit louder to give the place more character.
The first time I came here with the girlfriend, we missed the last crème brûlée doughnut and the choices were down to maybe 3 different ones. However, a couple in front of us split the last passion fruit! Whoever you two are, we owe you a drink or a doughnut!
We also tried the vanilla ice and the raspberry doughnuts on our first trip. The glazes here are much more intense than say at Dunkin or Krispy Kreme. I’d much rather take these cold than a freshly made doughnut from Krispy Kreme. Krispy Kreme is much more softer and airier than the doughnuts here, which are heavier and denser. I personally like Zeke’s more than Krispy Kreme and Dunkin. Again, I am not a doughnut connoisseur. Also, we paid less than the advertised prices. I’m guessing because they were closing up for the day and trying to sell the last batches.
Second trip, we tried the bacon and peanut butter, red velvet, and the corn flake cereal milk, which is «inspired by Momofuku.» I liked the bacon and peanut butter much more than the red velvet. Again, this is personal taste. The saltiness of the bacon and the sweetness of the peanut butter just go hand in hand. The red velvet was also good, but not my first choice. The corn flake cereal milk was a surprise though. Intensely flavored from the cornflakes, which cut the sweetness from both the doughnuts. Perfect accompaniment to the doughnuts.
Although more expensive than your two major corporate chains, one of these doughnuts will easily satisfy you. I’m not really sure how one person can eat more than two at a time honestly. A great low cost addition to Dupont for sure, NW DC needs it!

Yesterday marked my first foray into the artisan doughnut world at Zeke’s. I have to say that it was a different experience than you would get at a mom and pop donut shop. Its located in the basement of a Victorian rowhome just west of Dupont Circle. Its location is quintessential DC. This makes it pedestrian friendly, but not so for people driving by due to the extremely limited street parking. I recommend taking the metro bus as there is a bus stop right next to their location.
Inside of the store is a throwback to the 1980’s with the boombox and the 80’s tunes playing. The graffiti is funky in a good way and did not detract from the inside at all, at least for me. There is some limited seating for those so inclined to want to dine-​in. As for the donuts, there are some nice flavors on display and I was able to try several including the chocolate frosted with a sprinkling of chocolate pearls, crème brûlée, vanilla ice, and the salted caramel. Each was very good from a flavor profile but overwhelmed any flavor that the doughnut might impart, which admittedly seemed kind of bland. The flavor combinations are the stars at this show rather than the doughnut itself. Would I go back, maybe if I am in the area and if they continue to rotate in new flavors to keep the menu refreshing, otherwise, probably not.

I’m glad Eric N. was on point enough to remember Zeke’s is right off Dupont Circle while we were wandering around that area the other day. It was high on my «To Munch List», so I was very excited to finally be able to give it a try.
As we searched down P Street, we both for a moment started questioning if indeed we were in the right area. It could just of been us, but Zeke’s doesn’t really stick out. We were standing right in front of it for a second or two before we both realized at once that we had arrived.
Inside Zeke’s seems confused, but the best kind of confused, in that it is kind of like a bakery mixed with a hip hop club. Old school beats are playing on an even older school beatbox, and the walls are covered in colorful graffiti. The bakery case is small to say the least, and the choices of doughnuts is just the same; small, especially at the end of the day. The couple in front of us was almost brought to tears when the gentleman in front of them purchased the last crème brûlée doughnut. Perhaps because of this disappointment, they showed Eric N. and I the greatest kindness of splitting the last passion fruit. Thanks friendly and generous couple, where ever you are!
We tried on that trip the passion fruit, raspberry, and vanilla. Each one tasted undeniably just as named. Intense is the best way to describe the flavors of Zeke’s donutz. They each pack a punch, and are so yummy for it. All the flavoring is in the glaze and filling too. The bases of all the doughnuts appear to be only chocolate or plain. From what I’ve experienced with the plain, it has a great consistency. It isn’t as heavy as a churro, but doesn’t exactly melt in your mouth like a Krispy Kreme.
When I go back I’ll be sure to try the Momofuku inspired cereal milk. The three flavors of corn flakes, chocolate, and fruit will probably all have to be tried in one trip. Otherwise, I won’t know how to choose which one to start with. I also hope to get one of the crème brûlée doughnuts. If they can cause the kind of reaction that the couple in front of us had when they couldn’t have one, they have to be pretty amazing.
Can’t wait!

i’m pretty awesome, but my younger sister is more awesome. so awesome that i tend to say, «thank goodness i came first!» i did three sports in high school and got Bs, she did three sports, played the cello, and got straight As. i went to the top public university, she went ivy league. i’m a gainfully employed fundraiser, she went to a top 14 law school, graduated cum laude, passed the bar on the first try, and now has a job at a great firm. as you can, that would be a tough act to follow.
and for a foodie, san francisco is a tough act to follow. poor washington DC has seen me rake its restaurants over the coals, claiming that they’re not adequately innovative, locally-​sourced, or cutting-​edge. DC got a cupcake food truck? well, san francisco has four. DC finally embraced ramen noodles, but has only two ramen restaurants, compared to the 344 SF places you can find on Unilocal.SF has had an artisan pie shop — mission pie — since 2007. dangerously delicious pies on H street didn’t open until 2010.
hard as it may be, i won’t be uttering a word about how zeke’s measures up against dynamo donuts, my favorite SF donut spot. what i will say is that the flavors are exciting; the BFF and i tried the salted caramel, passionfruit with cocoa nibs, peanut butter-​bacon, and the specialty flavor, pineapple-​habanero. the salted caramel was my favorite, with the passion fruit as a close second. we liked the creativity of the pineapple-​habanero, but the much-​acclaimed peanut butter-​bacon donut was a big letdown. to be honest, i just think a maple and bacon combo makes more sense; the peanut butter just didn’t pair as well with the bacon as one would have thought. in fact, i took the bacon pieces off my half and ate them separately from the peanut butter-​frosted donut. and as other Unilocalers noted, the donuts themselves are a bit heavy, on the «cake-​ier» side of the donut spectrum.
these are solidly good donuts, and i expect zeke’s to get pretty popular. would they be able to take on a san fran spot? luckily, i won’t have to compare.

Doughnuts are my thing. I have eaten at every gourmet doughnut shop in NYC (doughnut plant, dough, peter pan, etc), and I am really excited about the coming DC donut scene. Zeke’s was amazing. Probably some of my favorite donuts I have ever had. Not to mention friendly workers and a cool environment. I would highly recommend Zeke’s to anyone. Really unique, and rich flavors.
I reccomend:
1: the savory donut. Feta in a donut? Need I say more? It’s so yummy.
2: ferrero rocher, probably the best donut I have ever had. AMAZING.

The donuts are an experience – affordable ($ 2 for laarge donuts) and unique (Passion Fruit Coconut Nibs? Ferrero Rocher? Freshly Crushed Vanilla Bean?). For dipping or washing down, they offer an array of «Cereal Milks» (choose from fruity, chocolate, corn flakes), which I gather are similar to the leftover cereal flavored milk that one slurps up after eating a bowl of cereal. I was skeptical about trying it but it continues to allure me this night as I write this. Definitely come and check it out for yourself (at least before Astro Donuts open!), and when you do, forget to count your calories.
4 stars for Awesome Service!

I agree with Sam L. The staff is very friendly, and the flavor combinations and toppings are great, but the donut itself is just meh. I’ve also been to the Astro Doughnuts pop-​up at Chinatown Coffee, and in a simplified comparison, I would equate Astro Doughnuts to Krispy Kreme, and Zeke’s Donuts to Dunkin Donuts.
I tried the Mexican chocolate with ancho chili-​glaze, and I loved the kick from the chili glaze. I was still feeling it on my metro ride home. I didn’t care too much for the actual donut, or the chocolate filling however. The chocolate filling was like frosting from a can, and I let it ooze from my donut on to my plate, and then I threw it away. I’m not usually one to waste anything with sugar, as when I make my own frosting at home, I put the tiniest bit of leftover frosting in to a tupperware container and buy cookies and graham crackers to eat it with. Unfortunately I didn’t really see a reason not to let the chocolate filling in the donut go to waste.
I also tried the spinach and feta stuffed donut, and I loved it. I think the meh donut works better with savory fillings.
With that being said, I probably will stop in again if I happen to be passing by, but I won’t make any extra effort to come here.
Lastly, I purchased a box of Horizon Milk, and for sake of the 80’s theme, I think they should just drop this from the menu. Horizon Milk didn’t exist in the 80’s!

I am not a donut connoisseur, by any means, but I thought that these were good. A bit denser than I expected, but both donuts (the salted caramel and raspberry chocolate) had strong flavors and were quite delicious.
Staff was friendly and I love the graffiti wall and 80’s hip-​hop.
Though it’s only their soft opening, I’ll be back to try more flavors.