Helen's Donuts & Ice Cream

This was my first time visiting this shop. It is located in a quaint plaza on the corner of the plaza. Inside, you will be surprised with donuts, ice cream, and chips, and I believe I read smoothies! I was greeted upon entry by what was a shy gentleman. Upon looking over their selection of various donuts, a female employee came in and was very pleasant during my visit. I ordered half a dozen mixed variety. To include original glaze, twister, raspberry filled, and chocolate glaze. I would say that the origi

I tried Helen?s for the first time today and their donuts are incredible!! They are light and fluffy and melt in your mouth. They aren?t overly sweet. They have fun flavors like a banana fritter that was so delicious!! This place is AMAZING!!!

I am a donut enthusiast and man these are great donuts. I always judge a donut shop on how good their maple bars and twist donuts are. Their Donuts are top tier!

Helen's is one of the best neighborhood donut places I've ever been to. They certainly have the best (and most addictive). Good prices and very tasty food. The front store area is small, but the food doesn't suffer for it.

Honesty where to begin I had admired Helen donut shop But today I was really disappointed. I love supporting small businesses ! From time to time I most definitely stop by to get donuts love the wife?s energy but the husbands not so much ever but today made me really Not wanna ever step foot in there! I travel far across town so I figured pop in grab a donut And use the restroom but the man was so rude about it mind I add I always talk with the wife & clearly today get a donut and get out ! I said I travel

Helens has the best maple bars and donut holes in Tacoma. Definitely worth a stop by when your in the area, or even if your not its worth the trip. Staff is always friendly and fast, prices are great and donuts are superb.

Was craving something sweet and fried and found this gem! They seem to sell almost everything from ice cream, shakes, donuts and coffee, chips and fruit drinks!! Donuts were good, the jelly filled were disappointing (Bavarian Creme filling) but the apple fritters and maple donut were on point! The owners are so sweet and helpful i would come back just for the service alone!!!

Fast service, the most tasty, freshest donuts around. Decent enough ice cream selection and big servings sizes. Coffee, hot, cold or blended. Blended ice cream drinks are amazing and comparably priced. The owners are always super friendly with an amazing doughnut recipe and they get customers in and out. Please try the banana fritters! They throw in some doughnut holes with every purchase and have day old doughnut holes for half price. I am always recommending this place to people. They seriously always hav

I came about 4pm on a weekend and donut case was still really full meaning they don?t run out when you have a donut craving mid day. Selection was great! Donuts are airy and nice just like you?d expect from a donut. I really only came for The ice Cream but ended up walking out with 4 bags of donut holes. Now on to the ice cream. Prices are so much better than some of these chain brands and tastes the exact same. Not cheap tasting but quality was spot on to the chain brands. My favorite thing was that she di

First time coming to this location. Went to get some donuts for a work event and the staff were amazing. Chatted with me while also being focus on their tasked. Donuts are AMAZING! Will definitely be back again.

The donuts here are amazing! If you?re a donut lover, you know that not all places get them right. We recently moved to the area, and from the very first time we tried them, they?ve been consistently fresh and absolutely delicious.

This is my daughter and I favorite spot in the morning after dropping kids off to school coffee in a donut we love Helen and her family they know exactly what we want when we get there reasonable prices fantastic Donuts and delicious coffee

Stopped in to curve a sweet craving and ended up walking out with a half dozen and a ton of free donut holes. Super kind staff, affordable eats, and they really hit that sweet tooth hard. Great find. 10/10 would recommend.

The owners are very welcoming and genuinely care about each and every customer. Their milkshakes are a great value and taste, and absolutely love their donuts. The selection, taste, price, and atmosphere are why I return. Can't recommend more.

Bacon, egg, cheese sandwich, donuts, donut holes. ice cream, apple cider, and mocha's all amazing. It's my little sweet paradise when I can have a treat. Never can snap pictures because have the food be gone before I can. 100% RECOMMEND.

Always fully stocked and unbelievably delicious, for a super reasonable price too. Favorite donut shop outside of LA for sure. She sometimes throws in some complimentary donut holes too

This is my third time going to this location My first time going to this location was back in February there was a guy there that was assisting me he was very pushy and didn't really allow me to look at their menu I wanted more than just donuts but I walked out of there with just donuts so that was a loss of his store The second time I went in there they didn't have a large selection and they were closing That's my fault for going so late today is the third time I went in there today there was a lady workin

Tried the Bacon Maple Bar and Mango Smoothie, they were all good ???? the guy hooked it up with some donut holes too.

What an amazing donut shop! Excellent selection and the donuts seemed very fresh. I had a maple bar and a plain donut, and both were absolutely delicious with a really nice flavor and subtly crispy-fried texture. Absolutely the best donuts I've had around here, far better than Top Pot, Safeway, QFC, etc.

Best little donut place in Tacoma! This is a family business and the owners are wonderful! They also serve espresso drinks and hand dipped ice cream! Their donuts are to die for - sooooo yummy! And they always give you free donut holes with your order (the kids love them!)!Check them out at 56th & Portland Ave!

Donuts are pretty tasty??... Seemed like some good deals too? But when I asked a question in regards to them, she cut me off & said, "Just choose donut" not very welcoming to say the least., only reason I came here, was b/c my usual gal, Closed up shop for a few days off! 'I thought perfect time to give anoth shop a go? Honestly, prob won't go back here anytime soon unfortunately, even with such good donuts.

Every time I come here the man at the counter is always nice and friendly. Donuts are delicious and fresher than the chain place(Krispie Kreme) if you?re in the area please stop. Support small businesses!!!

Good looking/tasty donuts for a fair price - they have a separate section for donuts that weren't sold the day before so I believe everything in the front is made fresh.

This small donut shop has a very nice selection of large Donuts and ice cream. The prices are reasonable and the donuts really taste good. For example, they have multiple flavored big fritters, Apple, Banana, and a couple of others (see photos). You can even buy a nice bag of donut holes for $1.50, which I do on a regular basis when I'm in the area. The Donut Shop is small and almost hidden in plain sight with a very friendly staff/owners. I'm surprised it's not more popular than it is, it's just that m

my favorite place for donuts, always so fresh even later in the day

Delicious hand crafted donuts. The bacon maple is a favorite along with glazed buttermilk. The cake donuts are surprisingly moist instead of dry and my choices are sprinkles and coconut. The owners are very friendly and give complimentary donut holes in your bag/box.

I really like this family owned and ran shop. The Donuts, coffee,pastries, and breakfast sandwiches,ice cream and shakes are delish. They can get really busy they get customers in and out. UPDATE..Everything still top notch.Donuts always fresh.Prices have increases but the cost to make the donuts have as well.so I'm okay with it.i just don't go as often as I use to.Icecream good as well.

Hands down the BEST donuts I've ever had! Light and fluffy with a great taste. Not a bad donut in this shop and as a family we've tried them all. Their donuts style light and fluffy for a couple days after purchase. No other donut shop stands a chance against this place. Highly recommend going out of your way to get their excellent donuts. I would personally travel over an hour or more to get them.

They don't have kolaches but the guy suggested the best breakfast sandwich in Tacoma. That sausage croissant is certified. YES in all caps. I planned on taking pics but ate it too fast. Add a Italian steamer and a blueberry donut and it's still just $8. Yum!

The Raspberry jelly filled donut was DELICIOUS and the 3 extra donut holes were such a nice touch. Will be back for sure.

Helen's is a tacoma gem! The donuts are outstanding always fresh just amazing. The maple bacon one of my favorites but the strawberry fritter and coconut cake are so amazing and try the buttermilk bars another favorite. Today I tried their mango/peach smoothie yum so good. The owners are such great people always so polite and helpful and you got to love the added donut holes the best Thank you guys

Great service, very fast and efficient. And best of all, great donuts! They even threw in donut holes. This place is an awesome local staple.

Great Donuts ! the apple fritters are huge and super tasty. I live like 5 minutes down the road and one donut couldn't make it home.

This hole-in-the-wall donut shop is fantastic. Baller little bodega-lookin? donut shop. The donuts are fresh, lovingly made and eye-catching; soft, but with a slight chewy crisp. Dude at the counter was a boss. This is the one. Try this one.

Some of the best donuts my mouth has ever had the pleasure of tasting. I'm looking forward to trying the ice cream!

My dad was a baker, I have been eating freshly made donuts my entire life. This place is hands down the best fresh donut in town. No contest. Even his day Olds are amazing. He always throws in some free donut holes in your bag and he's got old fashioned ice cream in a variety of flavors and coffee and other beverages too. Prices are average compared to most places. It's way cheaper than Legendary, but a few cents more than Safeway. The same guy has been running the place for as long as I can remember, hopef

They have a great selection of donuts and many other yummy menu items like coffee, breakfast sandwiches, and tons of ice cream and smoothies. Not the best donuts I've had but they are good and served all day.

Excellent variety of donuts to choose from..additionally they also serve ice cream, frappes, and milk shakes. Very good deal for the drinks and they are delicious as well. The service was friendly and accommodating as well. Overall I would definitely recommend!

I never thought I would find something that topped my old craving for Winchell's, but this amazing donut shop, run by a sweet lady, has excellent pricing and quite possibly the best donuts I've ever had. Their chocolate has the best flavor! I'm glad I live in the neighborhood now. This will be my go-to. **Please bring your patienceas sometimes there's only one person working and they can get pretty busy. Especially if they're making a coffee for a guest.

I love Helen's. They have 2 buck ice cream cones and she blobs that ice cream on there, nothing like the Baskin Robbins down the street. This is a tiny little spot with only a two person capacity but what she has packed in there is incredible. Definitely come to the Eastside and check it out

So many different kinds of donuts and soooo much better than any chain donut spot I could have gone. These delicious treats tasted fresh for the next couple days. Ugh yum. Love hole in the wall family owned donut spots and this will be a return to spot! Since we went at the end of the day they gave us free donut holes too ????

Friendly staff, great service and tasty donuts. The extra donut holes with our order was a nice touch. Will definitely be back

i love this place, which is low key famous and included on the Tacoma themed Monopoly game board, (pictured.)

Amazingly, I avoided ever having a bacon maple bar. I don't like the fad donuts. But...oh man. I'm going to get fat as hell.

I have been coming 2 Helen's for about 5+ yrs. I have NEVER been disappointed. Not only are her donuts beyond fabulous & fresh, but she makes gr8 coffee. And don't get me started on the ice cream & other drinks. Thank u Helen 4 always supplying amazing treats.

I ordered 4 dozen and it was the regular type. The price supposed to be $18. When she give me the invoice, she gave me another price. She set other prices !!! , I asked her why she started stuttering , I don?t like fraud. Be careful when dealing with this place

Husband is a very rude man do not recommend made me and my family feel unsafe

Super tiny shop, blink and you might miss it. Don't miss it because they have the best donuts!! When I show up for work with that pink box it makes everybody's day. The donut holes are such a great bonus!!

Love Helen donuts.. they are always fresh and the selection is good. The owners are so nice every time we go in. Parking can be troublesome sometime as they are always crowded..

Extremely nice owners !! I loved the donuts they were awesome. Tasty, soft and fresh donut holes and an array of other offers.

Came here with my girlfriend we ordered coffee and a smoothie & 2 donuts, they were so fresh tasting and delicious. The owners here are very nice the husband gave us free donut holes with our order. The smoothies and shakes here will be a weekly thing for me this summer

Warning if you?re black, please do not go to this location Our business is not wanted according to the owners

The best donuts! The kindest owners. I recommend them to everyone who likes/ loves donuts. Their dough is so tasty you can eat out without glaze but their glaze is great too. Not over done because they have nothing to cover up.

This family owned business is a local favorite, the donuts are always hot and fresh and always served with a smile and free donut holes with your order they at amazing for the community..

I always stop when I'm in the area in the morning. The donuts are good but if you can catch them when they open, they're still warm and are heavenly! My favorite are the bear claws! Apple is the best! Good coffee. Always friendly. Never a bad experience. I am a regular there. And free donut holes with purchase.

I go here just for the Donut holes .100 don't holes for 13.00 or 200 for 24.99 they are always warm and fresh

Menu mentions banana fritters, however, my two experiences with this place have led to disappointment in the fritter department, as banana is seemingly never an available option. The woman working behind the counter on my last visit was pushing milkshake/ice cream even after I had (I thought) made it clear that I only wanted just the one donut. Overall, the selection is a bit more varied than your typical donut shop, but the lack of availability and up-to-date inventory information on the online menu leaves

Absolutely delicious donuts, and fair pricing. Will be back for Maui waui sherbert and huckleberry icecream and more ??. Peach apple fritters, blueberry cake donut were so yummy

i love this place. me and my moms have this thing where we try donuts together whenever we go somewhere new or sometimes wanna try a different place, and this donut stop happens to be my favorite now. customer service is great, and the donuts are very soft, and they always throw a little bit of donut holes in with it, which is a bonus!

Hubby was craving donuts, so while I was out and about I though I'd grab some. We did a quick Google search and this place was open on a Sunday so we decided to go! Beautiful small place I love hole in the wall places they have the best of everything! Walking in it's cute and welcoming they have much more than just donuts! The kids choose delicious ice cream while I got a mixed dozen box with a cappuccino frap! Yummy and the service was excellent friendly and made me feel very welcome!!! I will definitely b

We were passing through Tacoma one night, looking for donuts, and our regular place had a huge line, but turned out that was a good thing because we found Helen?s Donuts! They?re THE BEST! Friendly service and great selection, even though it was just minutes from closing time. The European varieties were delicious and you can?t go wrong with the glazed donut holes. GPS took us for a loop with directions getting there from I-5, but it was worth it. Will be back!

Hands down the best donuts in the area. And those strawberry fritters ???? donuts are always fresh and soft, and they'll throw in free donuts holes which are also amazing. The frozen mochas are delicious! And the owners are always super friendly! Definitely my favorite place for breakfast!

Great little neighborhood shop. Really friendly service. Great place to satisfy your sweet tooth. :)

Very delicious donuts, good price.

It's a great homely shop for sweet treats and smoothies. She was really polite and made a great mango smoothie.

The donuts are delicious ! Grabbed some for my team on my first day and so happy I did ! The owner was awesome , making my selections and adding extra donut holes that were fabulous !! Nothing starts the day off right like a box of delicious donuts ! Will definitely be back for more ! Might have just started a tradition at my new store ! Thank you so much !!!

This place had great looking donuts, awesome smoothies and a great selection of ice cream. The only reason I gave 4 stars is because it was a smaller shop then I thought and no place to sit and eat. I would definitely go here again but not with my elderly in-laws who would have preferred a place to sit and enjoy the delicious treats we got.

The staff is great. Very friendly. Place was literally a line out the door and they moved pretty quickly. The doughnuts were fresh and fluffy. Could use a little more frosting on the cinnamon rolls. Coffee I ordered was good but could have been a little sweeter with the vanilla mocha I ordered. Will definitely be back. Thanks for a great experience.

Excellent donuts made fresh daily. They even make different fruit fritters like blueberry or banana which are fabulous. The family who owns Helen's is so nice and friendly. Can't recommend enough. Just visited again today. Now they even have Tacoma-opoly the board game which features them as a space on the board. We got our copy today

Thank you for having the chocolate and bacon bar! You rock! Next time I'd like to try the cherry doughnut!

Donuts and ice cream that will make your heart sing. Very kind and helpful service. The jelly filled donuts are literally the best I've had - no skimpy filling here. Just gorgeous.

We love coming to this donut shop. The prices are very fair for the amount and quality of the food you are getting .The owners are so nice and courteous every single time we come. We never feel rushed when we are picking 24 individual donuts, haha! The donuts are great, the ice cream is great, coffee and hot drinks also great. We only come here :) Thank you, guys!

I've been here a handful of times now for donuts and ice cream and they're always so nice! The huckleberry cheesecake ice cream is especially good. The donuts are great and they always throw in a handful of donut holes just because. I hope you guys stay in business for many years to come, because I'll be a faithful customer!

My go to for snacks for group gatherings and my sweet tooth cravings. The case is nearly fully stocked when I get off work; I?m amazed they cook another round at dinner time. The owners are kind and friendly and I love that they are in my neighborhood. Great coffee selection and breakfast sandwich options (haven?t tried those yet).

The donuts are dense but not in a way that I liked. And the dough itself was too sweet so the other flavors were overshadowed. The berry fillings are alright but nothing special. The prices are good though.

Amazing service, donuts, and ice cream! We have been searching for a good local ice cream shop (versus cold stone or the like) for 9 months and have finally found the one. We went in at 8pm and donuts were still tasty and fresh! Owner also gave us a few extra donut holes even though we only bought one donut with two cones. Great service can?t wait to go back.

The doughnuts and the coffee are always superb. My kids love going here and the workers are simply the best. Super friendly, great pricing. I will always go here no matter where I live. There's no one better in pierce County, I've tried all of em.

First time trying this place today with my daughter. Very friendly. Fast. And great prices. Well worth it. Got some yesterdays donut holes in a big plastic container for the ride home. Only 2 bucks can't go wrong. Then we found in the box with the 6 donuts we got was fresh donut holes. Yes they put donut holes in with the donuts as a bonus. You don't find places doing things like that anymore. Excellent service and products. We will be back. ALOT.....

The donuts are nice and fresh and very delicious the owner is very polite and knows how to put a smile on her customers faces if you love donuts this is the place to go to you will not be disappointed

Besides having the best donuts, Helen's customer service is awesome. I order 500 donuts, regularly from them and they always are accommodating. I call a week in advance and tell them what time I would like to pick them up and they have them ready for me. They always add a few extra to each dozen and throw in some yummy Donut holes, too! Every time I bring Helen's donuts in, everyone says they're the best they've ever had!

Amazing donuts!!! Crazy good maple bacon bar

Donuts are bomb homemade delicious and very good coffee

Prices are out of control a chocolate bar or maple bar are considered ?specialty doughnuts? and are priced higher smh they used to be very affordable now the people that are from the east side can?t even afford to eat here even though we have been the ones supporting them all these years

Always GREAT friendly SERVICE every time. We've been coming here for years and the DONUTS are always FRESH! They serve breakfast sandwiches in the morning, coffee, tea smoothies, bottled beverages and Icecream. Perfect place to stop in during family time or a nice date, just cruising the town. ?????????????

The donuts/pastries and breakfast croissants are delicious!!! Best ever!! The drinks/espresso is maybe not as great as other places where they have a larger variety of options but it'll work if you're just looking for a coffee to take with your donuts. Service depends on how busy they are, I guess. I don't think the girl there always understands what I ask for ?????

Small donut shop with a pretty good selection. The donuts were tasty and the guy working the counter was nice.

Thr Best Doughnuts ?? in the 253 Area! Come see for yourself!

Always friendly owners.. always perfect donuts