Bob’s Donuts
The Verdict
"A 24-hour counter on Polk Street. Go late for fresh apple fritters and old-fashioneds"
What you need to know
The Food
Everything is made from scratch daily. The apple fritters are the signature: dense, crispy, packed with fruit. Specialty options rotate, including Fruit Loops cereal donuts, matcha, and cronuts. Nothing sits more than eight hours.
The giant donut challenge is a Bob’s tradition. Finish a donut roughly equivalent to twelve regular ones in under three minutes for a t-shirt. Few people finish.
The Story
Elinor Ahn and her husband Ronald bought the shop in 1977. After Elinor died in 2001, her daughter-in-law Aya and son Donald took over. Aya and her daughter Rebekah run the business today. Bob’s is a San Francisco Legacy Business. Prince and Nicolas Cage have both stopped in.
The shop moved in 2025. The original storefront closed that November, and a larger shop a few doors up the street took over.
Practical Info
Price: Donuts $1 to $3
Hours: Polk Street is open 24 hours. Baker Street has shorter hours.
Reservations: None. Walk in.
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