Stan’s Donuts is a Westwood institution, open for over 50 years. Stan’s was there when I went to UCLA and way back when I was in high school. It was even there when my parents were dating in college. Does going to Stan’s qualify as dining? Maybe not, but it sure is kid-friendly!

If you watched Huell Howser’s show “Visiting with Huell Howser,” you may have caught the episode where ol’ Huell visits Stan’s.

Situated on the corner of Weyburn Avenue and Broxton Avenue, Stan’s shares a very tiny space with a Flame Broiler. Walk in, and you’ll first see the Flame Broiler (and possibly people sitting at the tables eating chicken bowls). Look to the right, and you will be greeted by the sight of donuts.

Stan’s doesn’t offer cronuts or donuts that look like works of arts. The donuts here are traditional (with a few exceptions) and have a handmade rustic charm to them. What they lack in appearance, they more than make up for in taste. Recently we’ve had gift deliveries of Donut Snob at work. The Donut Snob donuts were beautiful, but they tasted of stale oil. I thought the first time was a fluke, but upon tasting them for a second time, I realized they just weren’t worth eating. Not like the donuts at Stan’s…

My favorite is the chocolate chip cinnamon roll, which is blanketed in chocolate and then draped with chocolate chips. It’s a thing of beauty and something I indulge in once a year.

My daughter loves the Simpsons donuts (named after the TV show) which has pink frosting and sprinkles.

I bought a box of donuts for a coworker and finally got to try a couple other donuts that I’ve never tried…

…like the peanut butter stuffed donuts. There are a few different versions (one with peanut butter frosting,one with chocolate frosting and chocolate chips, and one with bananas as well). All are super delicious (and super sinful). I’ve seen Yelp reviews complaining about the peanut butter getting hard, but if you eat these fresh in the morning, the peanut butter just melts in your mouth. There’s even a donut name after Huell (the previously mentioned chocolate-covered peanut butter).

Another highlight was the blueberry buttermilk donut (see pic in the donut box). It came with a donut hole on top of it (BONUS). It tasted just like a blueberry muffin.

The service here isn’t as friendly as you might expect. However, I was impressed that the woman helping me was able to accurately calculate the cost of my donuts (with different price points) in her head.

Go early to Stan’s when the donuts are fresh and at their finest and totally worth the indulgence. As an added treat, you may even get to see Stan working in the very tiny kitchen. Stan’s donuts are a labor of love, and with 50 years in the business, Stan’s definitely doing something right.

Location 10948 Weyburn Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Website – http://www.stansdoughnuts.com/index.html
Kid-Friendly – Yes
Kid’s Menu – No
Pesco-Vegetarian Friendly – Yes
Vegan/Vegetarian Friendly – Yes
Gluten-Free Options – No