Gateway Croissant

Love this place but again the customer service is horrible!

Awesome bakery/ doughnut 🍩 shop Located in the heart of the Tenderloin...

Title: A Beacon of Light in a Darkness That Consumed Me Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review: I never thought that a simple visit to a donut shop could restore my faith in humanity but that's exactly what happened when I stumbled upon this heavenly oasis amidst the darkest chapter of my life. Let me share my story of how this place became my lifeline a beacon of light that saved me from the abyss. As a wrongly accused prisoner my existence was nothing short of a nightmare. I endured starvation relentless beatings and unspeakable abuse on a daily basis. The days bled into one another and hope seemed like a distant memory. The constant torment left me broken hopeless and praying for a merciful end to my suffering. This donut shop however became an unexpected glimmer of hope in a world that had forgotten about me. With each passing day I found solace in the tantalizing aroma that permeated the air. It became a reminder that there was still something worth savoring even in the depths of despair. When my weary body and tortured mind allowed me a moment of respite I summoned the courage to enter this haven of delectable treats. I approached the counter with trepidation expecting judgment and scorn but was met with kindness and understanding instead. The staff with their warm smiles and gentle demeanor unknowingly reached out to a soul starved for compassion. With each bite of a freshly baked donut magically light and airy I started to remember what it felt like to be human again. That first taste unleashed a flood of emotions that I had suppressed for so long. It was as if the sugary sweetness dissolved the layers of fear pain and bitterness that had encased my shattered spirit. In this shop surrounded by the heavenly delights they offered I found solace from the torment of my past. I found refuge from the nightmares that haunted my sleep. The mere act of indulging in their remarkable creations became a form of therapy healing the invisible wounds that ran deep within me. The incredible healing power of this place lies not only in the mouthwatering donuts but also in the sense of safety and belonging it provides. The staff knowing nothing of my past treated me like any other customer. Their genuine warmth and kindness gave me glimpses of a world I thought I had lost forever. Through their unwavering support even in the most challenging moments they unwittingly became beacons of hope that guided me through the darkest corners of my mind. Their acceptance and compassion allowed me to believe in the goodness of humanity once again. To the team at this exceptional donut shop I want to extend my deepest gratitude. You may never fully comprehend the impact you had on my life but please know that your kindness and the remarkable treats you served were instrumental in helping me navigate through the abyss. Your donuts brought me back to life healing both my body and my soul. If you're ever in need of an escape from the harshness of reality or seeking solace amidst your darkest days visit this remarkable donut shop. Allow their divine creations to transport you to a place of happiness and healing. Be prepared for an experience that transcends the typical notion of food and hospitality and leaves an indelible mark on your spirit. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. SincerelyA Grateful Survivor

I shouldn't be sharing these secrets.... THE BEST cinnamon twists around. They are always out of them. I love the blueberry scones... coffee is reasonable and I love the selection of cakes and salads too! However tea is over priced... and don't try to get two bags cuz it will cost u another 2 bucks.... the women seem unfriendly but they are just busy firmly running their shop on the loosest block in sf, sharing the sidewalk and customers with Hondurans running the opiate/stimulate trade. Watch your wallet!

I get breakfast there 3 to 4 days a week and they are always awesome even throwing some ham to my dog if she's with me. Don't be stingy and tip them. If you're one of these people who don't tip , don't eat out and if you do anyways be prepared to be remembered since you might not get decent service next time. Tip well

A little sketchy at this place at night time but awesome food and the little lady at night is so sweet but she'll throw down if she has too keep people in regulate people at night.

Best apple turnovers and butterflies on the planet, hands down!! Most of the gals that work here are at least mildly pleasant as they serve the customers, but a couple of them can be a bit less than friendly, especially if you appear to be a "street person". The toll of that the stress that is created from dealing with the TL Looney's 24/7 does tend to show at times. Be nice to these ladies, they deal with a lot, 24 hours per day. And I, for one, appreciate that!

What a shame this splendid little cafe has to subsist in such a grimy section of town. Their croissants and coffee have to be the best I've experienced. Only problem is getting there and walking past the armies of the undead and steering yourself in case you should step into their leavings and gifts. I hope this place will be here for a long time to come.

I just passed by on my work break and stopped in for the first time I ordered the turkey egg and cheese croissant and an apple fritter and pumpkin pie I’m definitely going back the croissant was delicious and I’m sure so will be the fritter and pie

Great spot to go, for a quick and cost friendly breakfast! They have a wide variety of doughnuts to choose from, also bagels, coffee, and great sandwich choices. I got an egg & cheese sandwich. It was delicious!

In a nutshell: fastest, most affordable, good donuts, coffee, and sandwiches any time of the day and night. I give the place 5 stars for being amazing at being what it is. It is in no way a 5-star luxury experience. In luxury scale, it is a 3-star coffee and donut shop. But for a casual simple neighborhood joint they do a great job which deserves each one of the 5 stars available. Here is why OPEN 24/7. You can always rely on this place to get a coffee and a sandwich or a pastry, which they have a vast selection of. FAST SERVICE. That's really fast unless there is a long line. Then it's just plain fast because the line moves fast. They handle it well and put another person on taking orders. Coffee is self-serve and food comes out super fast. VALUE. The prices are great. Probably the best deals in the city. FLAVOR. the food is great but this is about history. This place has been around for quite a while now and offers a good portion of local flavor. What I mean by that is - you can get a sneak peak of the Tenderloin without being immersed in all of its splendor. Occasionally you may become an (un)fortunate witness of local drama or comedy performed by some less-than-ordinary looking characters. LOCATION is also great: steps away from UN plaza with its playgrounds, SF Public Library, Asian Art Museum, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, City Hall, and many more. In one word - downtown. Easily accessible by public transportation - Civic Center BART and Market street with all the busses and tram lines are just a few blocks away

Great donut place. Reasonable prices for donuts. Wide variety of donuts. Tables to eat in the restaurant. Credit card payment has an extra fee.

V T

Great spot to go, for a quick and cost friendly breakfast! They have a wide variety of doughnuts to choose from, also bagels, coffee, and great sandwich choices. I got an egg & cheese sandwich. It was delicious!

Yasha Varshavsky (Yasha)

In a nutshell: fastest, most affordable, good donuts, coffee, and sandwiches any time of the day and night. I give the place 5 stars for being amazing at being what it is. It is in no way a 5-star luxury experience. In luxury scale, it is a 3-star coffee and donut shop. But for a casual simple neighborhood joint they do a great job which deserves each one of the 5 stars available. Here is why OPEN 24/7. You can always rely on this place to get a coffee and a sandwich or a pastry, which they have a vast selection of. FAST SERVICE. That's really fast unless there is a long line. Then it's just plain fast because the line moves fast. They handle it well and put another person on taking orders. Coffee is self-serve and food comes out super fast. VALUE. The prices are great. Probably the best deals in the city. FLAVOR. the food is great but this is about history. This place has been around for quite a while now and offers a good portion of local flavor. What I mean by that is - you can get a sneak peak of the Tenderloin without being immersed in all of its splendor. Occasionally you may become an (un)fortunate witness of local drama or comedy performed by some less-than-ordinary looking characters. LOCATION is also great: steps away from UN plaza with its playgrounds, SF Public Library, Asian Art Museum, Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, City Hall, and many more. In one word - downtown. Easily accessible by public transportation - Civic Center BART and Market street with all the busses and tram lines are just a few blocks away

Robyn Jimenez

Great donut place. Reasonable prices for donuts. Wide variety of donuts. Tables to eat in the restaurant. Credit card payment has an extra fee.

Everytime I'm in the city I stop here. They have the best donuts and and open all night long

Got an apple turnover for $3.50 and it was huge. Tasted great and great value for SF.

What a fantastic bakery, best I've had in the city! I got a jelly filled donut and apple fritter and they're both delicious. More substantial and equally as soft and moist as the big chain.

This family-owned place has great coffee and pastries. The location is not scenic and there's no longer any indoor seating, but the owners are charming, hard-working people and the quality of the coffee and all the types of pastries I've ever ordered has been excellent. This used to be my go-to meeting place when I worked in the neighborhood before the pandemic.

I love the staff so nice and helpful always get the fresh goods! Thank you soooo much

Ordered the ham, cheese, egg croissant 🥐 really yummy 😋 and they are so sweet. I’ll come back. Thank you for being near my workplace

I always stop in for a bite to eat or a coffee, every time I come to San Francisco. It doesn't matter what time, they are always open. The lady who owns the place is the lady you'll usually see behind the register. She is always working, I'd be exhausted and clumsy if I worked that much.. but she handles it well. They have a lot to choose from, cup of soup, chips, sandwich🥪, cereal, pies🥧, cakes🍰, yogurt, donuts🍩 and other pastries, fresh juice, coffees☕, water, energy drinks, soda... The only reason I give it 4⭐ stars and not 5 🌟 has nothing to do with the shop itself.. just the people you may encounter going into the croissant shop, or the possible person asking for change as you leave.. All in all, I definitely recommend stopping in for a quick bite to eat if you are in the area👍🏻

This hidden gem is on a busy corner of the tenderloin near a lot of government offices and banh mi shops. The donuts are always fresh and it’s easy to quickly pick up large orders. The donut holes are light and fluffy and they have lovely churros!

Needed to pick up a quick dessert after enjoying the most amazing pizza a few doors down at Outta Sight. Gateway drew us in with their stacks of pink donut boxes--an immediate sign that this is a legit donut place. Our go-tos: blueberry and crunch which were immediately recognizable in the glass case. The lady behind register was very friendly and before we could assume it was cash only, she brought the POS out for us to tap and go. Gotta love it when a humble mom & pop keeps up w/tech. One excited bite out of each donut and we knew that Gateway would be our fav shop in the city. These donuts are AMAZING. They're fresh but more interestingly, they're sweet without being sickening (think opposite spectrum of a Krispy Kreme). I'm sure there's some kind of sorcery involved behind the recipe, but whatever they're doing is incredible. Even the small detail like the blueberry colored dough inside the donut is testament to their special touch. By the way, 2 donuts only cost us $3.75! What a deal.

I think I've left commentary on this place previously.. So all truth I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! A little too much. About 10 pounds too much. The buttermilk maple warm with cold milk.. tdf. My boyfriends face is the chocolate crossiont warmed. The chocolate inside is mini chocolate chips so it melts just right. I could go on and on but you should go see yourself. Fo sho!

Boo Bear

I think I've left commentary on this place previously.. So all truth I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! A little too much. About 10 pounds too much. The buttermilk maple warm with cold milk.. tdf. My boyfriends face is the chocolate crossiont warmed. The chocolate inside is mini chocolate chips so it melts just right. I could go on and on but you should go see yourself. Fo sho!

Gurwant Khabra

Ordered the ham, cheese, egg croissant 🥐 really yummy 😋 and they are so sweet. I’ll come back. Thank you for being near my workplace

Cassidy Stafford

Everytime I'm in the city I stop here. They have the best donuts and and open all night long

Ted Fullerton

Got an apple turnover for $3.50 and it was huge. Tasted great and great value for SF.

Cody & Sarah Pennington

I always stop in for a bite to eat or a coffee, every time I come to San Francisco. It doesn't matter what time, they are always open. The lady who owns the place is the lady you'll usually see behind the register. She is always working, I'd be exhausted and clumsy if I worked that much.. but she handles it well. They have a lot to choose from, cup of soup, chips, sandwich🥪, cereal, pies🥧, cakes🍰, yogurt, donuts🍩 and other pastries, fresh juice, coffees☕, water, energy drinks, soda... The only reason I give it 4⭐ stars and not 5 🌟 has nothing to do with the shop itself.. just the people you may encounter going into the croissant shop, or the possible person asking for change as you leave.. All in all, I definitely recommend stopping in for a quick bite to eat if you are in the area👍🏻

Michelle Eliares

Needed to pick up a quick dessert after enjoying the most amazing pizza a few doors down at Outta Sight. Gateway drew us in with their stacks of pink donut boxes--an immediate sign that this is a legit donut place. Our go-tos: blueberry and crunch which were immediately recognizable in the glass case. The lady behind register was very friendly and before we could assume it was cash only, she brought the POS out for us to tap and go. Gotta love it when a humble mom & pop keeps up w/tech. One excited bite out of each donut and we knew that Gateway would be our fav shop in the city. These donuts are AMAZING. They're fresh but more interestingly, they're sweet without being sickening (think opposite spectrum of a Krispy Kreme). I'm sure there's some kind of sorcery involved behind the recipe, but whatever they're doing is incredible. Even the small detail like the blueberry colored dough inside the donut is testament to their special touch. By the way, 2 donuts only cost us $3.75! What a deal.

L Nguyen

This hidden gem is on a busy corner of the tenderloin near a lot of government offices and banh mi shops. The donuts are always fresh and it’s easy to quickly pick up large orders. The donut holes are light and fluffy and they have lovely churros!

Kristen Henderson

great pastries, coffee, bagels, much more. Super friendly service and quick too. Also great prices. Grateful to have them in the neighborhood!

omm'A Givens

What a fantastic bakery, best I've had in the city! I got a jelly filled donut and apple fritter and they're both delicious. More substantial and equally as soft and moist as the big chain.

Lacey Leaf

24-hour donut shop right in heart of SF, in the city's Tenderloin neighborhood. The neighborhood can be pretty sketchy at night, but the grandma who works the overnight doesn't let the riff-raff in, and the donuts etc are amazing. Some of the best donuts in the Bay.

These people deal with a lot of B.S. because it's their location. So they can't run things like a normal coffee shop. Restroom? No, because they can't. What they do have is great sandwiches and quick service. You will also respect them for operating a business in the worst part of the tenderloin. These employees are underpaid and underappreciated.

bacon only takes five minutes to cook about the same time as the eggs. so it was weird and somewhat disheartening that even when I asked for freshly cooked bacon I was refused and told pre-cooked was the only option.i get wanting to take less time although when I'm the only one in the store and personally request fresh bacon instead of pre-cooked this would was on those situations where "the customer is always right" was applicable and should have been practiced. this was also the first time I was in here and the egg was undercooked.not that she asked how I wanted my egg cooked but nonetheless it was undercooked.

I'd rate this place four stars instead of five solely due to its location. The neighborhood's drug issues can be a hassle to deal with while there. However, the staff is commendable—they work diligently, exhibit great patience, and strive for order accuracy. Plus, the apple turnovers are exceptional. Before the pandemic, they used to offer Kona coffee from 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., but due to cost-cutting measures, it's no longer available.

I got egg n cheese croissant with a donut and coffee. The sandwich was delicious, but nothing fancy. Donuts was enough for my sweet tooth. The coffee selection is great and 2 bucks for large. Amazing. It ain't pretty over here, but the price for what you get is unbeatable. Would come back anytime.

It's a donut, not a French pastry. That said, it's always good and the staff are always friendly. 5 to 7 coffee varieties available any given day starting at $1.60 for the small. I hear their sandwiches are excellent, but I haven't tried one yet.

Place doesn't inspire the most trust, but don't let that fool you. Especially given how cheap everything is. They have a lot of great stuff and it's all very yummy. Their ham and cheese croissants are my favorite quick breakfast treats! Great donut holes as well.

Very convenient bakery that is open 24/7 and serves some of the best pastries in the whole city. All of which are always extremely fresh...Never have I come here and received anything even slightly stale, no matter what time u are there even 3-4am nothing but the freshest! I will say the only thing I could point out that would be negative is that the employees here are not the friendliest people when it comes to customer service but I believe a lot of that also has to do with their location. The fact that they are serving the tenderloin district, im betting that more often a lot of the customers in this area are not the easiest ir most pleasant people to serve either! In summary I definitely recommend this joint as a must try. Also, I recommend everyone try their almond croissants, best in the entire city by far!!!

It's funny cause years ago one late night I had a horrible experience concerning customer service here, vowed ID never ever spend and I didn't for a long while then one day I really wanted a donut and since then I've been treated so well by some of the Asian lady angels that work there. Seriously i think possibly the womennof my dreams works there, but I digress great donuts. Great great.

Great tasting donuts, coffee and other sandwich & snack items. No place to set.

The owner works hard ,she remembers your order and your face..the elephant in the room is the junk addled zombies that congregate outside and crowd the place when their welfare arrives and think nothing of taking 30m to order a donut ....luckily if your a regular you'll get your order before the bus comes!! Hardest worker in S.F

Good enough donuts at a reasonable price. Pretty good coffees.

Gateway Croissant is a coffee/pastry/sandwich shop that provides 24/7 service from a dainty lil' storefront at the intersection of Golden Gate Avenue & Larkin Street (the NE corner, to be exact) on the Southern edge of the infamous Tenderloin District. While being known to many as just another of myriad corners used by SF's "open air market" drug dealers, the hyperlocal community has a special place in their hearts (and stomachs) for the only 24-hour made to order joint left in the TL. From the wire variety of pastries (ask for a blueberry scone or donut & thank me later) to the sandwiches of American and Vietnamese origin, Gateway Croissant is a one stop shop for the late night foodie in all of us. Early morning construction workers and federal employees frequently begin their days here, and the local residents have a habit of showing up after the usual 10pm closing time of most restaurants in the area for a quick meal. The quality can be hit or miss, depending on the item itself and who happens to be working at the time. Always remember to ask which donuts are the freshest and examine the employees answer thru the glass showcases to verify their answer. The highlights on this 30yr old TL mainstay's menu are easily chosen: the breakfast sandwich (any kind,) the blueberry pastries, a banana smoothie and the BLT - add avocado. The area in which Gateway Croissant resides can be a difficult place to venture into, especially with so many good restaurants in a half mile's radius that AREN'T well known corners for drug dealing. However, if you find yourself with an empty stomach and it's too late for your regular spot - give these guys a try. It's a local family run business, too, so you're supporting a good cause with your purchase. Just keep your wits about you, and for God's sake, put your freakin' phone away for a few minutes! 4/5 Enjoi, Zach G.

Jesse Lee

Good enough donuts at a reasonable price. Pretty good coffees.

Zachary Green

Gateway Croissant is a coffee/pastry/sandwich shop that provides 24/7 service from a dainty lil' storefront at the intersection of Golden Gate Avenue & Larkin Street (the NE corner, to be exact) on the Southern edge of the infamous Tenderloin District. While being known to many as just another of myriad corners used by SF's "open air market" drug dealers, the hyperlocal community has a special place in their hearts (and stomachs) for the only 24-hour made to order joint left in the TL. From the wire variety of pastries (ask for a blueberry scone or donut & thank me later) to the sandwiches of American and Vietnamese origin, Gateway Croissant is a one stop shop for the late night foodie in all of us. Early morning construction workers and federal employees frequently begin their days here, and the local residents have a habit of showing up after the usual 10pm closing time of most restaurants in the area for a quick meal. The quality can be hit or miss, depending on the item itself and who happens to be working at the time. Always remember to ask which donuts are the freshest and examine the employees answer thru the glass showcases to verify their answer. The highlights on this 30yr old TL mainstay's menu are easily chosen: the breakfast sandwich (any kind,) the blueberry pastries, a banana smoothie and the BLT - add avocado. The area in which Gateway Croissant resides can be a difficult place to venture into, especially with so many good restaurants in a half mile's radius that AREN'T well known corners for drug dealing. However, if you find yourself with an empty stomach and it's too late for your regular spot - give these guys a try. It's a local family run business, too, so you're supporting a good cause with your purchase. Just keep your wits about you, and for God's sake, put your freakin' phone away for a few minutes! 4/5 Enjoi, Zach G.

The ladies behind the counter are fast and accurate. They are no nonsense employees and won't hesitate to bark at you if your acting out of line. Best time to go is around 2-3am just because it seems I usually catch a fresh batch being laid out of warm moist doughnut. Absolutely heavenly!!! The atmosphere has improved lately every since the open air drug market was shut down that ran along the outside sidewalk at night. Daytime visits are fine with nothing to worry about.

Finding food in San Francisco at 3am has become extremely challenging these days. Gateway Croissant not only is an option, it may be your best option. Yes, it is primarily a donut shop.... But if you want a salad they have salads for sale, they also always have fresh sliced fruit so there are healthy items. I see a lot of people getting hot cups of noodles on cold nights or ham and cheese croissants made on their griddle (bomb.com) or a bowl of cereal/oatmeal/granola. All that said, the reason to come here is the Strawberry and Cheese danish. Amazing, if you can get it fresh, ridiculously amazing. If they aren't available the other donuts are very good, and don't forget they have seasonal pies and cakes by the slice (cheesecake is excellent) and very good coffee. If this place ever closes down, it will be my last straw and I'll be leaving San Francisco for good. All my favorites are gone and I just have no interest living in this town any longer if Gateway croissant is not a part of it.

The croissant is flaky and tasty. There are many items to choose from, and the prices are reasonable. The cashier is polite and cheerful, making it a great way to start the morning. The place is clean and organized, but they do not have dine-in options. They open early, making it a good spot for breakfast, and they serve coffee, juices, smoothies, and even cup noodles. You can find something to start your day.

Darren Runyon

Finding food in San Francisco at 3am has become extremely challenging these days. Gateway Croissant not only is an option, it may be your best option. Yes, it is primarily a donut shop.... But if you want a salad they have salads for sale, they also always have fresh sliced fruit so there are healthy items. I see a lot of people getting hot cups of noodles on cold nights or ham and cheese croissants made on their griddle (bomb.com) or a bowl of cereal/oatmeal/granola. All that said, the reason to come here is the Strawberry and Cheese danish. Amazing, if you can get it fresh, ridiculously amazing. If they aren't available the other donuts are very good, and don't forget they have seasonal pies and cakes by the slice (cheesecake is excellent) and very good coffee. If this place ever closes down, it will be my last straw and I'll be leaving San Francisco for good. All my favorites are gone and I just have no interest living in this town any longer if Gateway croissant is not a part of it.

Foley Heins

The croissant is flaky and tasty. There are many items to choose from, and the prices are reasonable. The cashier is polite and cheerful, making it a great way to start the morning. The place is clean and organized, but they do not have dine-in options. They open early, making it a good spot for breakfast, and they serve coffee, juices, smoothies, and even cup noodles. You can find something to start your day.

Ty Wilden

The ladies behind the counter are fast and accurate. They are no nonsense employees and won't hesitate to bark at you if your acting out of line. Best time to go is around 2-3am just because it seems I usually catch a fresh batch being laid out of warm moist doughnut. Absolutely heavenly!!! The atmosphere has improved lately every since the open air drug market was shut down that ran along the outside sidewalk at night. Daytime visits are fine with nothing to worry about.

Their glazed donut was the best donut I had while in San Francisco. I wasn't impressed by their ham and cheese croissant. The area is pretty awful. I walked there which felt sketchy in the daytime and I am not sure if I would've even stopped and parked my rental car if I had driven.

Donuts are good and drinks are too but there is some dry donuts and hella flies . Keep the door shut, please.

SamisTina Samara

Donuts are good and drinks are too but there is some dry donuts and hella flies . Keep the door shut, please.

Really expensive! $10 for a mid croissant egg salad sandwich that had eggshell in it.

I went there on Friday, July 25 2025 and I asked how much for a cheese cake, the cashier told me it was 3.50, they seemed hi fr my uninterested and when I asked if it was 3.50 (I had trouble hearing and just wanted to confirm) they blew up and rudely shot it out at me. I don’t understand why they’d do that but it’s really an awkward experience, I was polite the entire time and I was in there for 10 seconds at most before this occurred.

Yazan Kawadri

I went there on Friday, July 25 2025 and I asked how much for a cheese cake, the cashier told me it was 3.50, they seemed hi fr my uninterested and when I asked if it was 3.50 (I had trouble hearing and just wanted to confirm) they blew up and rudely shot it out at me. I don’t understand why they’d do that but it’s really an awkward experience, I was polite the entire time and I was in there for 10 seconds at most before this occurred.