Doughnut Vault

The Doughnut Vault is a hidden gem that blends nostalgia with quality in the best way possible. From the moment you walk up to the vintage storefront, you feel like you?re stepping into a simpler time. The classic buttermilk old-fashioned is everything you hope for in a donut: crisp edges, dense but tender inside, and that rich, buttery flavor that makes it hard to stop at just one. Their signature glazed is another standout ? light, fluffy, and perfectly coated without being overly sweet. Whether you?re

We?re on a quest to find the best donuts in Chicago, and The Doughnut Vault was next on our list. It?s a small hole-in-the-wall spot with limited space inside, so you might have to wait outside if there are other donut enthusiasts ahead of you. We showed up around 11:30 on a Saturday and didn?t experience a wait. We were cheerfully greeted as we walked in, and the cashier quickly gave us a rundown of what was still available. The whole process was quick and easy. There were some tables outside where we co

The Best Old Fashioned Doughnuts are from the Doughnut Vault! I planned an early morning walk to the Doughnut Vault and picked up every Old Fashioned flavor they had that morning and brought it back to our apartment. My friends who were visiting with me helped me sample each one and voted which was their favorite. It was a great sugary start to our morning and we all agreed these were the best old fashioned doughnuts we?ve had. My personal favorite was the Classic Buttermilk but the Pistachio was a very clo

so delicious and the friendliest service! Loved the lemon poppyseed old fashioned and the almond old fashioned (super almond-extracty, if that?s your vibe) While cake donuts seem to be their specialty, I was pleasantly surprised by their yeasted glazed donut- it was SO light and airy?????? just a bit more glaze please!

Cute little place tucked away on a side street. Overall nice folks working there and direct about the lack of options. We got there at 10:30am and there were only 3 options left. All cake donuts. I got the pistachio cake donut and it had what tasted like coconut on top, it was almost creamy and good overall. I am more of a yeast donut fan so I wasn?t that in love. We also got the old fashioned and the gingerbread stack (3). It was good but not great. Updated review: Came back here for the St. Patrick?s Day

Donut Series, Part 16 I typically don?t need much motivation to explore a new doughnut destination, so when you place one within a former bank vault you definitely have my attention! We sampled everything on the Doughnut Vault menu and the ?Classic Old Fashioned Almond? emerged as our favorite. However, we?d also recommend the ?Glazed Strawberry? which was pillowy soft and tasted like a jelly donut (without the jelly). Although I was disappointed in the taste of their Apple Fritter, it does deserve comme

Small but cute doughnut shop. Service is amazing and coffee is good and cheap (difficult to find $3 coffee in the city). Doughnuts were very good! Only thing was the Boston cr?me, it was huge, but the cream was only in the middle and I would love for it to have been spread a little more! I?ll be back, just make sure you?re patient if you go on the weekend, always 5-10 min line!

Best old fashion donut that I've had, and that's my favorite donut. It was a cool experience, the way you're right at the counter when you walk in. I highly recommend you go out of your way to get some donuts here if you are in Chicago.

Buttermilk Old Fashioned and Triple Chocolate Old Fashioned doughnuts were Amazing!!! Go, wait in line and enjoy the deliciousness!!!

Perfect old fashioned donuts. Ran out of normal glazed by 10am on Sunday but the old fashioneds were more than enough! My favorite was the pistachio dipped old fashioned.

The buttermilk old fashioned was the best doughnut I have ever eaten in my life! I didn?t even bother trying the other styles because I loveeeee an old fashioned doughnut. I also tried lemon poppyseed, almond, and chocolate. Almond was probably my next favorite! Sosossososo delicious and fresh!

Hole in the wall popular spot! Great selection of doughnuts! Super delicious! You do have to wake up early to get the good stuff! We got there at 8am and they luckily still had a bunch that hadn?t sold out yet! Only one of the flavors did! Everything was very filling! Would definitely come back again to try more doughnuts!

It was the day we were heading home from our vacation and we needed some sugar. Walking distance from our hotel was this little shop filled with doughnuts! Such a pleasant surprise with flavor that took me back to my childhood! My favorite was the apple fritter! Make sure and try as many as you can. Enjoy!

Delicious and huge donuts. The mini gingerbread donuts were the size of normal donuts and they were pretty delicious. The buttermilk old fashioned was and the vanilla glazed were tied for my favorite. I would have liked to try one of the filled donuts but I can't eat strawberry jam... oh well. The place is tiny and there's nowhere to sit so plan to take your donuts to go.

Don?t sleep on these. Run, don?t walk. They walk you through their daily offerings and the yeast doughnuts (vanilla glazed) just slaps. Apple fritter was gigantic. Chocolate old fashioned was cakey. I appreciated the guy behind the counter didn?t rush me at all while contemplating my life decisions on which doughnuts to go with, gently validating the struggle of having to decide. Haha. This is a take out place, tiny tiny.

Shocking. In the best way. This place is a closet. So small. They do old fashioned and they do it well. We tried pistachio regular and chocolate. The chocolate was the favorite. We also tried their Boston cream, and it was one of the best Boston creams I?ve ever had. And I don?t really even like Boston creams The only miss was their gingerbread stack. You get three cake donuts in their stack, but the donuts were a little bit dry and not super gingerbready. Would recommend for anyone and we?ll go again

Most fun experience I've had going for doughnuts! Only have small seating area outside, but was raining so we went across to the Mart. Went on a weekday, late morning and still had a few items sold out. So go early as possible. Coffee was great and all doughnuts were fantastic. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Fair priced and will definitely go back next time in Chicago.

In town for spring break so had to check it out, wasn?t disappointed in the least. Great donuts and fantastic customer service! 10/10 recommend

Adorable doughnut shop. Prompt and friendly service. Arrive early to ensure all variety of doughnuts are available! Order the old fashioned doughnuts if you prefer a slight crunch to your pastry. Coffee available for purchase as well and pairs nicely with doughnuts. Personally recommend ommitting sugar from your coffee, the doughnut will compliment it a lot better!

Wow? classic donuts all the way. Just melts in your mouth! Great quick breakfast or treat especially for visitors.

Doughnut Vault is a cool little experience in downtown Chicago. As the name implies, the shop is fairly small and built into the side of a brick building so when it gets busy it can be a tight squeeze inside. When I went in the morning there was no line so I quickly placed my order. Normally I prefer a regular raised glazed donut but this spot is famous for their buttermilk old fashioned so I gave that a try. It did taste delicious. There was enough cake but not too much oil and the glaze was good. Coffee

Oh these were soo good!! Each one we tried was de-licious. And there were so many other flavors that looked amazing. Also get this! After we paid we noticed some of the other donuts looked so yummy and we were having remorse for not choosing a different one lol. The sweet gal gave us an extra to try!! Customers for life now. It?s the little things yall.

Donuts and coffee were so good! The wedding cake donut was especially amazing!

I went to this place on a Saturday Morning around 10 AM and by that time it was mostly sold out. Got 2 doughnuts( one was vanilla birthday cake and other one was almond) and sat out side. Doughnuts were amazing, I felt they were too sweet but still they were good. The vibe of the place is amazing.

The early bird gets the doughnuts. We arrived at 11:30am. We were lucky enough to get a couple doughnuts of the only kind that was available. I believe it was a strawberry lemonade doughnut. Not many doughnuts were left. Small location inside, some tables outside. Service was friendly.

Been coming here for the past few years, and still one of my absolute favorite donut spots. Their old fashioned is to die for, along with their apple fritters, if you care to live dangerously. Shoutout to Julio for a fantastic personality. Definitely a must-visit.

Some of the best donuts in Chicago with a solid rotation of superb treats! The daily donuts are always top notch, but don't shy away from the daily specials. It's worth signing up for their mailing list so you can know what is coming for the week and plan ahead!

Perfection! The chocolate glazed yeast doughnut was SUPER SOFT and pillowy and the glaze was delicious. The vanilla birthday cake was also delicious. The old fashioned?s are a little more cakey than the do-rite equivalent. Service was awesome. It was a freezing cold December day and they let me bring my dog in and gave her a cookie. Will definitely be back!

Great donuts! Surprised everyone that the birthday cake one was a fan favorite. Definitely warm up the yeast donut, takes it next level. Wish the pistachio had more pistachio oomph to it. Thanks for the treats!

I genuinely love this place so much. When I was living in Chicago I was here frequently. After moving away it was one of the things I missed the most and on a recent visit to the city it was my first stop after dropping off my bags. The doughnuts are always delicious and the service is great. Make sure to get there early because they do run out of popular flavors.

I don?t know what is the deal about this shop in comments but those were definitely not the best even below subpar doughnuts ?? I had. Lack of flavor but full sugary pastries. The shop is so tiny, nobody mentioned about it, you cannot eat there. Only to go option. The filter coffee is being served from thermos and not hot. ??

This is a very unique and characteristic place. The outside is fun to look and very authentic. It brings you back in the past and it makes you feel like you are getting Donuts & Coffee in the way your grandparents used to do. Quality is very good and all the 4 donuts I had were excellent. Even the simple drip coffee was marrying perfectly with the sweetness of the donuts. The inside is for sure authentic because the space is very limited (few square feet) and it allows you only to order what you want and qu

Phenomenal donuts worth the indulgence. From the moment my friend in Chicago recommended this place, my expectations were high. I'd heard legends of their donuts selling out faster than you can say "glaze," so I was mentally prepared for potential disappointment when we decided to visit on a rainy Sunday morning. To our delight, not only were all their flavors available, but we were also warmly welcomed by the owner who insisted we sample their local cold brew coffee?on the house. The interior of the caf?

Amazing donuts. Really fresh tasting. Tastes like quality ingredients. Don't taste artificial. During my four-day trip to Chicago went three days. There were new Donuts each day. Highly recommend this place. Friendly people behind the counter as well. The jelly donuts are stuffed. They don't skimp on the filling.

Get yourself a ginger stack!! Three delicious donuts. I also got the Chai donut (Thursdays) and it was AMAZING! Great texture. Great flavor. Friendly staff at the register. Check their website for their daily specials. The inside is quite small so you might have to wait outside. I'm told they have 1/2 priced on any donuts left from 12-1PM.

Cake heaven! Doughnut vault was everything I wanted it to be and more. People keep saying it's a hole in the wall but it's really more like a blue door to Narnia - a world of delight for your palate. Luckily, I got there before the line started, it got super busy really quick. Ordered a bit of everything and ate it all. The cake doughnuts are hands down the best in Chicago. Service was great; the woman who took my order was nice and patient. I love their coffee blend, too. A select blend from Metropolis, ju

Such a cute, beautiful shop, that you can totally miss if you don't know its there. Tucked away by the river, just a tiny window in a wall, they offer a small menu of delicious donuts. Traditional cake donuts with a glaze, and seasonal jelly filled donuts that rotate out. Pick up a donut with a coffee and be sure to peek inside to see the tiny hallway that is the entire shop.

Very tasty with sweet service. The cold brew was good. Will definitely come back. ?? WARNING: I highly recommend ordering one doughnut per person to start. You're going to want 2+. Don't try it! The doughnuts are too big and delicious. It will hurt.

Very delicious and cute shop. Very good service!

Just take a look at those huge donuts! The jelly donut is delicious, not those kinds of donuts you took three bites still nothing. The jelly?s sour flavor mixed with the icing? sweet, perfect balance! All those old fashion donuts are good but nothing special. They also gave me two little ones for free, what a sweet morning!

Got to keep it real here. I have fond memories of getting donuts at the food truck years ago thinking it was amazing. Nephew was in town and thought we'd pull out the big guns for some vault donuts. Using my apple fritter as the baseline have to say it's a little average. Not a ton of apple flavor or crispness. The yeast donuts were surprisingly large and light and airy. Maybe I should have kept it simple with the old fashioned. Hate to three star a local legend but I have a donut oath to uphold.

I?ve heard great things and I was definitely not disappointed. The cake doughnuts were pillow soft and delicious. I love a good cake donut and the lemon cake was soo good. Great crispy texture. It looks like this place is a closet behind Gilt bar. Go early, because they do sell out!

Pretty good spot. We got here at 7:45am and they had everything in stock. Just wish the inside was open. The Apple fritter isn?t the best and neither are the yeasted donuts but the old fashioned ones are the best ones. Solid spot for donuts!

Delicious, fresh donuts! Glazed was HUGE. Love that they have daily specials (I tried the Chai Hazelnut Old Fashioned). The worker was also incredibly nice, and the shop itself is very cute and quaint. Would recommend

Need to come back here to get the full experience! Not a lot of donuts available by the time I came in at 12 but doable. The staff were more than helpful and delighted that I came in though. The donuts are big here as in one donut is bigger than the size of my palm. Paid over $16 for the box of donuts that I had. Really likened their donuts. Lots of glazing. Best tip from the staff member is to order online in order to ensure you get what you wanted. EDIT: Revisited back here September 11 on a Sunday morni

I was visiting chicago. Walked 20 mins the other day to grab something for breakfast here and they were closed at around 11 am instead of 1pm. So I needed to walk another 20 mins elsewhere which ultimately led to an area where I ended up not being able to catch a bus for about an hour as the timer just kept resetting and i had to then find other means of transport which ended up cost more time and money. Long story short choosing a place that doesn't honor their listed business hours seems like a small inco

I got the glazed apricot filled donut. This was one of the greatest things I?ve ever eaten. I?m not a donut person. It was soft, pillowy, the filling had hints of ginger and some acid so it wasn?t overly sweet. The glaze had vanilla bean in it. I wanted to hug the baker with every bite. We will most definitely be back. Thoroughly enjoyed with my espresso this am. Thank you. ??

One of the best (in terms of price/performance/location) donut shop in Chicago. They have Various types of donuts; yeast, old fashioned, cake. Before heading there, you could order online and directly pick up from the small window.

One of the best donut spot in the city. I ordered a vanilla glazed, sprinkled birthday cake, and another one with walnuts. All of them were amazing. I got there early in the morning so everything was fresh and available. I would suggest getting there early because they run out way before closing time. Good service.

Made a point of going twice while I was in Chicago and the donuts were top notch. Go early to ensure they are open and have a good selection of donuts.

One of the best jelly donuts I?ve ever had! The seating is outdoor only and the donut selection is limited, but oh so good! We got there when they opened and people were waiting outside in just a regular weekday. That?s always a good sign!

Absolutely hands down my favorite doughnuts ever. I don?t even live in Chicago anymore but got my entire family up early over the holidays so we could get these before an event downtown. Gingerbread stack is the best.

Really cute hole in the wall location located right by the merchandise mart. Employees were super welcoming and friendly and the Doughnuts were super delicious and affordable! Would definitely recommend.

great doughnuts and cute concept. pay at the counter tiny shop. really friendly staff and good doughnuts. pistachio lemon is great. not too busy during the day time on a weekday but i can see how this place would get packed on the weekend.

I stumbled upon a hidden gem called The Doughnut Vault and it's the perfect spot to satisfy your donut craving on National Donut Day or any day of the year. I indulged in their delicious old fashioned donuts?my favorites were the buttermilk, chocolate, almond glazed. The donuts were expertly made and an excellent pairing with the cold brew coffee. It was a match made in heaven, especially on a beautiful spring day in Chicago. The charming ambiance and friendly staff added to the wonderful experience.

A tiny literal hole-in-the-wall with very tasty donuts! The options were limited but they were very fresh. The employee was very friendly and helpful in explaining the options. They also had coffee (cold and hot). Plenty of outdoor seating.

Tiny little spot and we waited in line to get us some yummy pastries. Some big donuts here. Tasty stuff and the service was super friendly. He threw in some donut holes since we drove so far to visit them.

Stopped at this doughnut shop for my first time on Saturday morning of Pride weekend. The line wasn?t very long and there were plenty of tables and chairs outside, but it was so hot this morning I had no intention of sitting in the heat to eat a doughnut. The cashier was full of positive energy and polite to everyone that came in. I ordered the classic old-fashioned and two specials of the day: a Pride rainbow cake doughnut and a chocolate-covered strawberry-filled yeast doughnut. The old-fashioned was good

One of the best doughnuts in Chicago. This place is open from 7 am till 1 pm. They have daily specials and everyday it?s something new. Always check their website and place and order online 5 mins before reaching there so you can have it fresh. Known for their old fashioned and yeast and cream filled doughnuts. Must try if you?re Visiting Chicago and love doughnuts ??.

Went here on a Sunday morning shortly after opening and got lucky with a very short line (probably due to the freezing weather). It's the size of a vault so just look for a line to find it. The donuts are huge and delicious and the coffee is cheap. Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area & want to splurge a little on some great donuts!

Very small shop! We were lucky to avoid lines during our visit on a Saturday morning. If you see a line outside, just know that there is basically nowhere for people to stand inside, so they can really only serve one guest at a time (i.e., the line might not be as bad as you think). They have a core set of flavors as well as rotating daily flavors. During our visit, we opted for one of each of the daily flavors - one was a yeast-based Boston cream, the other was a cake-based chai. Both were good in their ow

Favorite donuts in the city ?? and tasty coffee ???????????????????? I never asked the gentleman who work there for his name but he is always professional and very welcoming - cheers to you :)

Apple fritter $3 coffee $3. No lines at 8am. Reminds me of a European walk up. Seating outside. Donut very good. Not greasy. Special little place in Chi. ??????

Definitely one of the better doughnut spots I've tried in the city. Located in a tiny front behind Merchandise Mart on Franklin, it is an easy spot to overlook. I went shortly after opening time on a Saturday and there were already several people in line. I personally really liked the Vanilla Glazed but all of the doughnuts are worth trying. They close as soon as they sell out so be sure to go early.

Stop by in the morning for some amazing fresh donuts. Be warned that they are huge! The old fashioned is my favorite but you really can?t go wrong.

Best donuts in town. The old fashioned are the best donuts I?ve ever had. Worker is nice and friendly.

Best Donuts in the city!! I?ve been here a few times now and every time I get amazing service, the workers are always super friendly! I prefer to order online so I can make sure i get my favorite flavors since they do tend to sell out since everything is so good! Online system is very easy to navigate. The almond donut is the best thing I?ve ever tried and I love their specialty donuts they offer every day, makes me want to go everyday just to try each flavor. Location is perfect especially for tourist stay

I purchased the specialty doughnut a cookies and cream glazed doughnut. It was an excellent doughnut that had great taste. However, I don't know if this was an error, or this is just how much the specialty doughnuts cost because this doughnut cost me $9.54 total. This is an absolutely insane price for this doughnut and really soured my experience overall.

A hole in the wall place with some of the best yeast doughnuts in Chicago. They sell until they sell out, with a few special donuts everyday. While everyone raves at the buttermilk old-fashioned, it's the chestnut glaze yeast donut that really stands out. Pillowy soft with a nice firm aromatic exterior. Plus it's gigantic! They do seem to make all their donuts at once however, so you pretty much have to get there early if you want it fresh. Opens later than a usual donut place though. While it may not the b

Finally got a chance to make it 'in' after years of thinking about braving it. Went during the holidays when there was no lime, got inside the door at first try. just awesome donuts!! super A+. true to the spirit, this place is truly a 'hole in the wall' spot....buddies always brave the lines and bring the donuts for the office. ++they serve metropolitan coffee just for a $1, can't beat that for an awesome cup of joe. guy behind the counter super friendly. R would've loved!

Probably my favorite donut shop in the city. Quality ingredients, strong coffee, and great service. Avoid the lines and order ahead!

Good donuts but do-rite is better. Also something about these donuts kept giving us a stomach ache.

First of all, people are not lying when they say to get here early and be prepared to wait in line. I'm not a fan of having to do that, but the incredibly energetic lady working the window and the amazing donuts make it well worth it! Their selection is small but very unique, changing every day. You can expect some of the best textured old fashioned donuts and largest raised donuts you've ever had. It's a must-try for all of you donut lovers when visiting Chicago!

Took a long bike route just to reach the store on time. Here's a tip: if the store is open between 12-1 and has doughnuts remaining, you'll get 50% discount on them. That made my day. Recommended flavors: buttermilk, chocolate. Not so recommended: pistachio (has aftertaste). Not my taste: Lemon poppy seed- If you're into a strong lemony taste go for it .. I like the old fashioned ones most. I like how the place is small inside- has a homey vibe but also would like it if it were a bit bigger too haha.

When some places seem to draw long lines of people who somehow don't mind waiting for long times to get a bite of staple food items, you always wonder is the long wait really worth it? Will this place live up to all that hype? Pros: Friendly service, gingerbread stack donuts Cons: Donuts that taste more like the ones you get in a free breakfast at a 2/3 star hotel by the airport; super long wait times; pricey for what you get and spend. Sorry Chicago! This one just isn't worth it.

One of my favorite place. Always so nice to visit and try different flavors of doughnuts. Plus coffee is simply the best. ??????

If you are looking for special doughnuts, the Doughnut Vault is your place to pick them up!

This place is overhyped, just because of the limited availability. I tried the glazed donut and the chocolate. There was nothing special about them. Very similar to a donut you can get at any gas station. Because the donut?s were more dense than what I prefer, and I just did not enjoy them that much.

This quick stop donut shop had the most amazing donuts! My favorites were the lemon poppyseed and pistachio. Their donut holes are HUGE!

Really tasty cake donuts but they sell out FAST! Got there Saturday at 11 am and they only had 2 flavors left! Both were good, very moist with strong flavor.

Some of the best doughnuts I've had anywhere. The classic buttermilk is perfect. The apple fritter is light and airy, a refreshing change from often dense and stodgy. I look forward to returning and trying more of the varieties.

Ordered these on doordash and these are the best donuts I?ve ever had. So fresh soft and the flavors are amazing. We had the specialty Mexican hot chocolate cake doughnut and it tasted exactly like an abuelita hot chocolate with a tiny spice to it. The original vanilla donut is so fluffy and soft and huge!!! I can?t wait to try the rest of them! I usually never write reviews and I had to because the ones I tried were just too good. Def will order again.

Literally a hole in the wall, but in the best way possible! Donuts are delicious and the experience is really fun! They do sell out quickly, so it?s best to go as early as you can.

Due to the space and location, get prepped for Doughnuts to go.The old fashioned are most cake-like and our favorite. Fans of the puffy and airy variety will enjoy either choice of chestnut/vanilla/chocolate. Didn't care for the Gingerbread stack, a bit too sugary and bland. Order a half dozen or more and get a few Doughnut holes thrown in... the chocolate sprinkled made this a 4th star. When they're gone, they're gone.

Edit: Theses donuts are HUGE. We got six expecting that to be a nice large-ish breakfast for two. But it was way more food than we thought we were getting. That said, I'm glad we got so many so we could try a lot of flavors and share. The jelly donut was a special Friday treat, so of course we had to get that in our order. Very yummy donuts. My favorite is the apple fritter. It's light and airy inside with moist pieces of apple baked in. And the icing is just sweet enough but not too much. This place sells

I dream of donuts, nightly. We found this place via Google while visiting Chicago on vacation. The line wasn't long at all and I maybe waited 10 minutes. I got several blueberry old fashioned, buttermilk old fashioned, and a chestnut doughnut. They were all great!

Amazingly delicious donuts in a unique setting. What a delightful little shop with great old fashioned donuts and affordable coffee! Wonderful!

Had Doughnut Vault for my doughnut wall at my wedding. Tried a few places before the wedding and these were by far the best!! Ordering and pick up was seamless and the doughnuts tasted great the day of!