Best chocolate donut I’ve had in a long time! Highly recommend the Triple Chocolate! $ 3.00 a donut is pretty high! Donuts were delicious, but it’s hard to justify spending $ 12 on only four. Don’t plan on parking anywhere near the shop, it’s Boston.
Lindsay O.
Place rating: 4 Salem, MA
Yum!!! Pricey, but sooo good. Such a nice treat to surprise tour office mates! They have the most creative flavors. :)
Swasti K.
Place rating: 4 Toms River, NJ
We passed this donut shop on our way to brunch. Seeing the line out the door my friend and I decided that we definitely had to stop by on the way back. The line had died down on the way back so even on a full stomach we decided we needed to get us some donuts. My friend and I got the strawberry honey donut and the pride rainbow donut(it was the day of the Boston Pride Parade). The donuts are on the pricier side($ 3) each but are bigger than most donuts. They felt a little dense but was very soft on the inside. The flavors are unique and definitely a must try. The strawberry honey was better than the rainbow donut which was just glazed donut with the colors of the rainbow. Definitely a must try if in the area.
Anna Kim R.
Place rating: 3 Weymouth, MA
I tried blackbird a couple weeks ago for the first time. We ordered the strawberry honey, chocolate sprinkle & vanilla glazed. Although the glazes were great,(vanilla being the best), the main problem we found was with the dough. These donuts are much like fried dough dipped in sugar and personally, I think a yeast donut should be light and melt in your mouth. Would not come back because the dough formula was just not to our liking, but if you like dough-heavy donuts with really interesting and well done glazes, give them a try.
Rena Y.
Place rating: 2 Oakland, CA
I’ve been to Blackbird once before because of awesome reviews from my fellow Unilocalers. The donut was good and the service was really nice. So when I saw that Gilt City had an offer for 24 mini donuts for $ 29, I thought that was probably going to be well worth it for Blackbird donuts! Of course, we ran the risk of not knowing how big«mini» donuts were, but since their normal donuts were soooo big, mini couldn’t be that small. Boy was I wrong. The mini donuts were only slightly bigger, if not the same size, as donut holes. We also got very traditional flavors – chocolate, cinnamon, salted caramel, powdered, etc., which I wouldn’t describe as «Blackbird’s most festive mini cake doughnuts.» All in all, very disappointed. Don’t get the Gilt City voucher. You’re better off spending on their full size in their specialty flavors.
Hana C.
Place rating: 3 Boston, MA
I’m a huge donut fan and I had heard about this place from a friend so I decided to visit. I got there a little late(around 4pm?) and they had run out of most of the donuts I wanted to try, like the lemon poppy seed flavor. I asked the employee what she recommended from what they had leftover, and she said the peanut butter one was good but it could be a bit too much peanut butter at once, so I settled for the cookies and cream donut. It wasn’t bad, but I would say it looked better than it actually tasted. The Oreo crumbs were all on one side, so the other side was basically like any other glazed donut. Maybe it was because I came late and the other flavors ran out, but it seemed a little hyped. May come back to see if the other flavors are any better…
Vivian C.
Place rating: 3 Boston, MA
Blackbird Doughnuts is a little take-out shop in the South End a short walk from Masa that offers donuts baked on site, soft serve ice cream, and a few drink options(coffee, tea, milk, lemonade). As a wise combo of two of their offerings, donut ice cream sandwiches $ 6 are also available with ice cream patties that are shaped inside silicon disk molds before being tucked inside a donut. I love how they display their day’s donut flavors safely protected by glass covers and each neatly labeled. They are so close you can see just how big and puffy the yeast raised specimens are. I picked up a salted toffee for breakfast the next day. Unfortunately it did not handle the passage of time all that well, and was a bit dry when I finally bit in, though I did find the glaze and salt crystals tasty and not overly sweet. Donuts here are $ 3 each, with the exception of their mini’s which come as 3 for $ 3. As a comparison, Union Square Donuts’s Original Flavors are $ 3, and go up to $ 3.50/$ 3.75/$ 4.00 for their premium flavors, while Kane’s downtown location is priced at $ 3.25.
John F.
Place rating: 5 Charlestown, MA
These doughnuts are amazing! Forget those terrible frozen monstrosities called«Dunkin Donuts.» In addition to the doughnuts being amazing, the staff was absolutely wonderful! I wish I could give them 6 our of 5 stars.
Lilee N.
Place rating: 4 Boston, MA
If you like doughy and very chewy donuts, this is for you. I prefer light and fluffy(melt in your mouth types) but had an appreciation for Blackbirds unique yeast donuts. We had salted toffee, strawberry honey, everything bagel(savory donut), pbj Bismarck, chocolate sprinkle, cookies and cream, and vanilla glazed. The flavors are on point, just be prepared for some jaw action with all the chewing.
Synie W.
Place rating: 3 Great Neck, NY
was driving in the neighborhood(chinatown) and decided to give this place a try based on the Unilocal reviews. I was not blown away. The donuts were SUPER doughy and did not have a unique flavor for each. It was like the doughnuts were made with the same exact recipe and just glazed differently on top… not unique enough for me.
Kevin J.
Place rating: 2 Berkeley, CA
Coming across the sign outside Blackbird was enough to have me check them out. A little pocket making a pretty decent variety of different flavored donuts. It was post-brunch, so we decided to get some donut holes. Needless to say, it was a bad choice. They were pretty dense and dry, probably because no one was purchasing them. I’d probably have to try out their other donuts, but it wasn’t a good first experience.
Anna X.
Place rating: 4 Boston, MA
Blackbird Doughnuts is a really neat place! They make really great doughnuts with an ever-changing menu full of different flavors. My all-time favorite is probably their blueberry coconut. I tried it last year but it hasn’t been back on the menu since(to my knowledge). Their doughnuts are pretty large in size and are so soft and airy!(The lemon poppy seed one I ordered today was a ‘cake doughnut,’ so it was the smallest one compared to the ‘raised’ doughnuts) So delicious. I prefer the raised ones. Cake-like texture just isn’t as appealing or satisfying to me. The doughnuts I’ve had so far are on the sweeter side, but I have a sweet tooth so I don’t really mind it! Some doughnut flavors run out pretty quickly, so today I went around 9:30AM to make sure I had a variety to choose from. It’s a super small store with no indoor seating, but there are some benches outside for you to sit and enjoy your treat. I think these doughnuts are a bit pricey, but they’re nice to snack on every now and then. :)
Ali P.
Place rating: 5 Milton, MA
My favorite doughnut place ever! I’ve been 3 times and I am always dying to return again right away. The first time I went I was surprised at how small the shop is — there’s really only enough room for 6 people to stand in line and then you can sit on benches outside. So I would recommend not going when it’s freezing if you aren’t taking them to-go. As for the flavors, I have had pumpkin, cranberry cobbler, the Blackbird, chocolate old fashioned, and the black and white Bismarck. ALL of them have been amazing but I honestly think the blackbird donut and the old fashioned chocolate will never disappoint! A must for anyone who loves donuts.
Farooq K.
Place rating: 3 Denver, CO
Good donuts. Unique flavor attempts, not all hit the mark. I got 6 and bit into each(cuz that’s what I do the day before a marathon, don’t judge!). First impression is that the donuts are big. Really big. Most seem to be the raised type. They are pretty pillowy and soft, not super chewy(lots of air). Honestly prefer a different donut texture(chewy is good in my eyes). I think these donuts would be better if done cake-style. The cookies and cream(which I think is a menu stalwart) is just vanilla with some Oreo crumbled on top. The strawberry was my fav — incredible frosting! The salted toffee was a bit too salty for my taste. Also got the black and white Bismarck(seemed like a fancy name for a Boston cream). Solid. The last 2 was the old fashioned(cake donut — solid) and a bagel-like almond donut. It was super dense and tasted like a bear claw. Just ok. At the end of the day, seems like this is a donut spot with more style over substance. They are donuts, and they are tasty. But you can do better. Especially at $ 24 for a half dozen.
Joanne H.
Place rating: 4 Boston, MA
Was my fav donut place in Boston until Kane’s opened. Sorry! Can’t go wrong with a classic vanilla glaze. It’s my go to when I can’t decide on anything and just want them all. Not the biggest on cake but their chocolate old fashion is good. Apple pie Bismarck is probably my fav here. I don’t get their pizza boxing but it works. Took a star off because every time I’ve been I’ve felt rushed(even when there was no line) and I just didn’t get a friendly vibe.
Brian M.
Place rating: 3 Boston, MA
Nothing wrong with them, but my donut/doughnut preferences lie elsewhere. These are more nicer versions of the chewy, large versions served at Dunkin than anything else. I can see why they are popular in Boston. I did however find the flavors to be overly sweet for my liking. Had a salted toffee hoping for a bit of bitterness to balance the sugar but just got a gloopy layer of sweet with some salt. Not a ton of balance. Yeah I realize this is a donut here but still. I’ve had better. Way better. Again, not to say there’s anything wrong with these if this is a style you enjoy. I like a more dense guy. Some warmth. Some cinnamon and sugar. Some crisp. Federal Donuts. Philly. I miss you, baby.
Chris L.
Place rating: 5 Boston, MA
These doughnuts, though. I have the biggest sweet tooth of anyone you’ll ever meet, and Blackbird Doughnuts has been the first dessert place to defeat the aforementioned tooth. How? Well, quite literally, these treats are the size of my face. You don’t realize how large the doughnuts are until you put them on a small IKEA plate and need to upgrade to a dinner-sized plate because the prior dish was too small. Let that be known when you look at the $ 3 pricetag because it’s $ 3 very well spent for the size and quality of the doughnut to which you’re treating yourself. Now, the doughnuts. Their flavors are constantly changing, but what I’ve had thus far: Cookies and Cream, Cold Brew Coconut, and White Chocolate Berry. All of the doughnuts have a soft, chewy, and flavorful consistency. They are perfect bases for the intense, unique flavors of the doughnuts. The White Chocolate Berry had a subtle, fresh berry frosting on top and was filled with white chocolate mousse. Yes — it was as heavenly as it sounds. The flavors were overwhelming in the best way. Every bite had this crash of flavors which made my taste buds insanely happy. The Cookies and Cream doughnut was a classic ring with vanilla frosting and Oreo cookies(many of them) crumbled on top. It sounds plain Jane, right? Wrong. The vanilla frosting was(again) subtle and fresh and not terribly sweet. It’s as if they grew their frostings on trees. No joke. That’s how insanely fresh they are. Last up was the Cold Brew Coconut doughnut. I love coffee and I love coconut, so I had incredibly high expectations for this one. It exceeded any standard I had set for it. The frosting tasted of coffee with a hint of cinnamon, and the coconut on top added the perfect amount of sweetness. My suggestion? Go buy yourself some doughnuts and don’t be ashamed if you eat three in one day like I did. #champ
Michelle B.
Place rating: 4 Brooklyn, NY
Pretty darn good! This is the kind of place that you’re in and out of. Service was fine, nothing amazing — not like we were in there for that long anyway. The space is small, so there’s only room inside to wait in line and get your doughnut. They do have a couple benches outside, so that makes up for it. Kinda. Salted Toffee — there’s definitely salt on it! So much so that it reminded me more of a pretzel than toffee. If you’re into that and into paying $ 3 for a huge doughnut, then this is for you. Blackbird — it’s their name sake, so we had to try it. I normally don’t like cake doughnuts too much, but this was actually moist and flavorful! Coffee Coconut — the flavors were more subtle with this one, but not a bad doughnut.
Tiffany O.
Place rating: 4 Newark, NJ
Ugh, I thought I wouldn’t be about any other doughnuts than the ones from Dough or Doughnut Plant. Now Boston has got me all sprung on Blackbird Doughnuts. Came in on a Monday around 1pm. No one was there, naturally. Got an array of six — blackberry lavender, apple pie bismark, coffee bacon, salted toffee, sriracha sesame, and lemon coconut. Each $ 3. Then we got an ice cream sandwich with a triple chocolate doughnut and vanilla/chocolate swirl. Let me break it down for you: Salted Toffee: Bless. Best doughnut right up there with hibiscus from Dough. Perfect yeast texture, delicious amount of toffee, just all around heavenly and delicious. The best one in the batch. Blackberry Lavender: I am a sucker for floral flavors and this one delivers. It’s a perfect blend of floral and tart, and there is enough lavender in there for it to be noticeable. Lemon Coconut: Yum! Very light flavors and you get a good mix of both coconut and lemon. Also, LOVE them coconut shavings. Yay! Apple Pie bismark: Had this one maybe two days after I bought it, so I popped that sucker in the microwave and the filling was delicious and warm and very rich with apple pie flavoring. I imagine the actual doughnut tasting really good on the day it was bought, but it was a little hardened by this time :( Coffee bacon: Meh, maybe I just don’t like bacon-sweet desserts. It didn’t rub me the right way. Sriracha sesame: This is weird, I can’t dig it. I’m sorry. I like both things, but not on a doughnut. Also, the sriracha was sweet. Weird. Okay, now for the heaven that was the triple chocolate doughnut ice cream with vanilla/chocolate swirl. the ice cream is formed to fit the doughnut perfectly, and the mix between the Cakey doughnut and the ice cream was texture perfection. Surprisingly it didn’t taste as sweet as I expected. Quite filling for $ 5. Service is quick and friendly.
Grace O.
Place rating: 5 Jamaica Plain, MA
I’d recommend this place, but with the caveat that you don’t make the same mistakes that we made. First, donuts do not count as a brunch, we tried to go here as an alternative to expensive brunch places in South End. We realized that they didn’t have quite as many savory donuts as we had hoped. Second, do not assume that eating two donuts per person as a meal is a good idea. They were huge and filling! Regardless, this place is everything it has been hyped up to be. The crazy unique donut selections and delicious donuts. Between two of us, we got Coffee bacon, white cheese, pumpkin pie, and honey chai. All of them were good, but coffee bacon was my favorite(but it could have used a little bit more coffee flavor). The pumpkin pie was really good, it tasted like real pumpkin pie with a lot of good spices. I must admit though, the white cheese donut was underwhelming, but I didn’t expect it to be the best anyway. Overall it was a good experience and I will go back to try new donuts. Just remember that this shop is small and does not have seating area, so you’re going to have to find somewhere else to sit down and eat the delicious donuts that you’ve just bought.