This place is fantastic. It has super friendly staff, solid food, and really affordable prices. If youre a fan of old school, no-fuss diners, this is a great spot. Its housed in an old jolly pirate location, and has a nice nostalgic feel to it. I highly recommend stopping by if youre looking for a breakfast spot.

Great first experience! Very friendly owner/manager and delicious donuts at an amazing price. Looking forward to going back for a fullbreakfast.

This place rules. Solid donuts and diner fare, sure, but the vibe is awesome in a no-frills kind of way. The cook in the back clearly knows hes running a greasy spoon in the best possible way and makes the best version of super basic stuff. Food is good, cheap, and fast.

This review would have had 19 donuts for me to show off, but because they are so delicious they sold out of most of their inventory before I was able to get there. 😭 Honestly, it’s probably good that I was only able to score one apple fritter because it would have been a pretty overwhelming temptation to justify practicing for my next eating competition.All I can comment on is the donuts because I’ve never had any other menu item, but I’m sure everything is delicious...As for the donuts, they are some of THE best I’ve ever had. They still make them old school, fried in oil, out of what seems like a batter made on site, like formerly good companies like Dunkin Donuts and Der Dutchman used to do. The fritter was crispy and sweet on the outside and soft and sticky and flavorful all the way through. THIS is what a fritter should be. And the fact that I recently had such a disappointing realization of Der Dutchman’s downfall (reference my review) makes this all the sweeter.Shop local and support this small business for serving us amazing food during the governor’s COVID restrictions!

Biscuits & gravy are exceptional. Old school diners are harder and harder to find.

Omelets are very good. The donuts are a added plus to any meal you get here.The service from the lady working has always been good. Prices are fair an quality of food is very good.

Excellent services!

Ive been going here several years its clean the food is delicious and Im there at least two to three times a week

The people are nice and the food is decent dinner fare. Its not First Watch, but breakfast is also half the price. Lots of doughnuts to choose from though.

I had a great breakfast and finished with two wonderful donuts

Everything was amazing.The coffee was great. The food was amazing. The tunes were out of this world.The Golden Buster, consisting of potatoes, cheese, ham, gravy and eggs was to die for.The donuts are made in the back and are awesome too.I cant wait to come back.

I love this place I literally come almost every morning for a breakfast sandwich,everybodys do nice the place is clean and its a peaceful atmosphere.5 stars in my book👏🏾👌🏾👍

Records on the wall, smiles on faces, apple fritter in belly: this is a pleasant place.The music is funky and fun and sets an atmosphere that makes one feel groovy. The food all looks simple and well prepared. The prices are right too.This is the epitome of an old time diner and I would recommend it for anyone looking for one. My only complaint is that for travelers it is out of the way and the neighborhood is not the best, though it doesnt feel unsafe.

My husband and I moved to the area a couple of months ago and we try to go here at least once a week. Love the staff and food. We’ve been here for breakfast and lunch and haven’t ordered anything bad and the doughnuts are great too! Also very affordable!

My wings were overcooked and my Philly cheese steak was not a Philly cheese steak. It was a hamburger patty (dry) with Swiss cheese and peppers and onion. The owner would not have been happy with the presentation of food from this establishment. I know I wouldnt.

Delicious as usual. Great service, good atmosphere. Its like Cheers...neighborhood place where everyone knows your name, even when they dont, it feels like they do. Nice place for a quick brunch/lunch meeting with my daughter and business partner.

They have the best of everything. Donuts, breakfast and lunch. Excellent service.

Great food, friendly place, great atmosphere.

Authentic and delicious donuts! Delicious flavors, fillings, and icings. If you like a lot of filling or icing this is the place for you, they dont hold back! I loved it and cant wait to go back and try their breakfast too.

This place is awesome! Solid diner breakfast and the donuts are great. Owner was super friendly and helpful.Also a fantastic 70s atmosphere in the best way possible. Loved the vinyl and authentic decor. Took me back to places I grew up going to. Not many places like this are still around.

Hometown atmosphere..the regulars are fun to listen to banter with the staff

Peter the owner will make sure your order is taking care of

Phoned in order. Stated 15 minute pick up time. Turned out to be 1/2 hour pick up time. The staff was courteous. The atmosphere was great. The food was generous and outstanding. First visit here, wont be my last.

Very good breakfast at an amazing price. The bacon is good and crispy and the donuts very tasty. The folks running the place are nice and the atmosphere is hard to beat!

Dont feel like cooking and want to get your day started with something tasty this is your place

Its okay for the price. The donuts are ok.

Good food. Large portions.

Their donuts and sandwiches are underrated they are magnificent. The staff is friendly and the food is great

Food is delicious and so are the Doughnuts and thats hard to find. Bathroom is dirty though. I love there Doughnuts!

Perfect greasy spoon and great donuts

Great donuts good people but selection is small by 10am and some what uncomfortable. Not sure why but I keep going back

Great staff, donuts and prices!

Best old school donut shop around.

The plan was to sit and eat but the girl never sent out ticket back we ended up getting the food to go but when I got to work I only had half my order so from what I had 3 chesses omelette was good.

Very pleasant service. Good coffee and fresh donuts.

Great service, great food!

Great food good old-fashioned American service

Good was reasonably priced and FANTASTIC!

One of The Best donut spots in town

I waited 30 plus minutes at 9:15a m for a Philly steak breakfast meal, cost 6.99 only to have to rush to my job cause they took so long. It wasn’t busy either, these days you get what you get what you pay for, also Waffle House is better. The chopped beef patty was thickly dry, cmon now. The quality of the food should be high/better.....considering the fact that you really dont have to ever redecorate this vintage place.

Live one door down. If you like your donuts w extra protein this is your place!

Service is prompt even when they are busy. The service was friendly and sociable. Prices were good for how much you get. Similar to a place in Denver I loved.

Old time Dinning experience. Nice atmosphere for good food eating. Donuts are a dessert addition to the already good breakfast 🍳. Just delicious. Really happy with our first time experience with them. Friendly staff 👍

Everybody is nice and fun to talk to and the food great.

We love eating here, great everything sandwhiches too

The staff was very welcoming and observant. The place has a great atmosphere.

This place has so much meaning to me. I grew up coming with my dad and he brought my kids. Wonderful diner family owned.

Service was quick. Prices are great n donuts are fresh daily n amazing prices too!!! Our little neighborhood secret!!!

Pete is awsome! Always ready with a smile and a good joke. Great food too!

Nice little restaurant. Food was great and the service was just as good.

Love my patty melt

The BEST Apple Fritters and donuts! Friendly owner and staff. Great food and deals!!

This was our first time eating here, but certainly wont be our last. Golden Donuts & Diner is a gem and one of the few old time diners left. The food was outstanding and very reasonably priced, and the service was top-notch. Be sure to ask Peter for the Golden Diner joke of the day. His family opened this place in the early 1970s and has handed it down for generations. Great place, great food, and great people...you wont be disappointed!

Old school donuts made from scratch very very good got two dozen

This little donut shop is mine and my daughters secret little duck off when we want the best chicken club and homefries you have ever tasted oh yeah they sell donuts there delicious to.

This place is like family they greet ppl wit happiness an fantastic food I love this place wish they was open longer or had night shifts cause this place is a must... If u havent tried u better...

Decent food for a great price. Friendly staff.

So good! The apple fritter french toast was dope and the prices are very affordable.

If I could give it a zero I would! No one needs attitude when being served, nor do I need the off colored so called jokes and commentary! And if you enjoy good health! Stop eating there, grease served with cockroaches on the side! Please!

Lovely Diner/Donut shop!!!Chocolate glazed buttermilk give me a break-theyre amazing 🤤 I nuke em for 12 seconds cause I cant wake up early

Very nice staff donuts tasty and freshly made.

I sat to write a review on the best donut shop in all of Columbus only to discover there are already nearly 200 reviews written! So, yes, I concur. Golden Donut is everything good. Delicious food, warm & comfortable environment, friendly & helpful staff, familiar 70s & 80s music, and the list goes on and on. Pete, the owner, is a local superstar (even celebrities that visit Columbus come here) but somehow, whenever youre in Petes company he makes YOU feel like youre the superstar! Pete and his crew are simply the best. If your timing is right you can even watch the donuts being hand made! Ive taken my little ones in just to see this. The bakers always put on a great show and even come out to greet the kids and answer their questions. Visiting here is always the highlight of my day!

Very comfortable and safe family friendly.

The Best Home Cooked on South Side....

This place use to be a nice spot! Now its so bad that the cook said they stopped making pancakes cause customers said they didnt like the way they taste! Well your fried potatoes are nasty too but you continue to make that trash! Smh and then they finally got new menus that offer pancakes but the cook said they dont have the ingredients for pancakes huh how is that possible this is a donut shop wow!

The greatest freshest coffee Im the city... Very down to earth atmosphere one of the last great mom and pop restaurants left! And the food is great! Great employees and the owner loves his customers! Eat here!

Absolutely amazing!!! Great food, great music, great feel! I love intimate small places where everybody knows your name this is it. It is so welcoming and warm, theres a nostalgic feel, a feeling of belonging and home. I recommend trying it out you will not be disappointed!!

Nice people good food

Went there to try because I love a good donut diner and loved it. Staff was extremely friendly and welcoming. Food is priced very well and you will walk out stuffed. Donuts are light and fluffy and I will definitely be making the trip out again. This place is a true diner and I will recommend to my friends.

Got the assorted donut holes and pumpkin donut. Chocolate donut holes were ok. Not too sweet. Buttermilk donut holes were pretty good. That pumpkin donut tasted very much like pumpkin pie but in a donut. Extremely good

Great food. Great service. Pete is not only a good cook, but funny and very hospitable.

Great service, great food, wonderful atmosphere.

Out of the way unless you know where youre going. Use your GPS if necessary but just try it....youll agree its a terrific hidden jewel.No advertising. PETE DOESNT NEED TO ADVERTISE!! One visit and youll be convinced that the drive to the South End, Lockbourne Road, is very much worth the effort.I have no clue about the preparation of Petes biscuits and gravy; I just attest to the fact that it is more than likely the absolute best biscuits and gravy in town.CASH ONLY! Thats my biggest concern. I never carry green paper money so thats a difficult thing for met to remember about Petes Golden Donuts Diner.Portions are county sized, priced like a southern diner.DONUTS! Made fresh daily.Daily specials!Service is attentive, professional, welcoming amd most of all personal.Grab some green and head down....No disappointing aspect at all!

Great breakfast 😋

Fantastic donuts. I love the cinnamon rolls.The hidden gem to third place is the breakfast. Ive ordered a few different things and always left wondering why I didnt find this place sooner.

The food is great, staff are polite and the compliments to the chef... highly recommended

Best restaurant Ive been to in a while. Tasty, delicious, all for a great price. Cant beat the donuts. I absolutely love the Cajun Grill. Will be back for sure. :-)

Friendly and attentive staff, great food at very affordable prices in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, and the music is great too! If this place has one drawback, its that it isnt open 24/7. The owner/chef is very good humored and will probably personally check to see if your food is satisfactory, which it will be.

Donut shops like this are the reason that I live. They dont try to get too fancy or crazy but know how to make an old-school donut so tasty. Have a golden donut, in fact get some to go, then go home and watch all of Golden Girls on Netflix. I love it! FIVE STARS!!!!!

The best sausage ever . And nice price on the food

The Golden Donut is my favorite diner. I love the atmosphere, food and customer service is amazing!

Good people and owner working there

Never thought about apple fritter french toast, but it was amazing. Met the owner and her son and they were more than pleasant. Great dining experience.

Good food....have to season things yourself but thats kind of expected. Chicken, French toast and sausage is good. Service was a little on the downside but still a good place to come for a quick stop.

Great local support with made too order good food

I found my new doughnut shop I love there doughnuts

Sometimes there slow but still goi3d service

I LOVE IT. 1980s Feel 2019 Service. The food will make you feel like your grandmother cooked it on a Sunday morning.

Great place to sit and have lunch and coffee. Donuts are made fresh daily and are delicious (: And the owner Pete is a great guy! Places like this are one of a kind. Old school.

Truely diappointed. My family and several friends get donuts at this location. Came in just for a few donuts then leave. Had two people look at us once finally being acknowledged the person was told to go to some one else and no help came from the other. Atmosphere decent not as clean anymore like shown.

This is as good as it gets for old school donuts and a delicious value breakfast. Friendly staff and original decor will make you feel like you walked back into the 80’s.

Cool little spot. Typical diner fare, plus donuts!

Breakfast is very good with generous portions. Coffee is not bitter or too strong. Donuts are made fresh daily on-site. Glazed bowties are to die for!

The atmosphere is welcoming, and the owner came out and introduced himself. The food was very reasonably priced, and my ruben sandwich was very YUMMY! The donuts were fresh and soft! I will be back!

Peter, the owner was so nice. He greeted us and shook our hands with such kindness. You wont get better service anywhere else. NOT TO MENTION THE DONUTS WERE AMAZING. Ask for the grilled blueberry cake!

Pete the owner is a super talkative guy who works hard to actively engage with all his patrons, I always enjoy talking to him and even the regulars that are great people, food is decent at a great price

Very comfy, friendly service, great retro music/atmosphere, good food, donuts n coffee... Love stopping by for breakfast.

Great place for breakfast or lunch. Dont forget the donuts!

Bad service, food wasnt seasoned at all, the donuts did not taste fresh.

The food is good. Dine in or carryout.