Ferrell's Donut House

This is honestly the Greatest donuts in the entire universe! I never get tired of eating their donuts and drinking their coffee! My favorite donut is the Apple Fritter which is my "go-to" every time I go which is almost daily!

This is one of my favorite nostalgic spots to stop in Santa Cruz. Back in college I lived on this road, and was frequently drawn in by the smell of freshly baked donuts on my walk home from work at 5:00AM. Nowadays, I always stop off for a blueberry donut or a chocolate maple bar to enjoy on my drive out of town - the shop is conveniently located right across from the entrance to the 1 freeway.

Best doughnuts in Santa Cruz for sure, family and I always stop there when we go fishing at the wharf sometimes till the a.m times. Always fresh doughnuts there, prices are best and quality is beyond standard. Hopefully next time.ill post pics of this place, small yet large selections also fresh coffee can be found here,.

The best & only 24 hr spot left in the Cruz. Tan is the greatest and deserves an award for dealing with all the riff raff of Ocean St. Tan also makes excellent earl gray tea (he puts loving care into it). Also, I thoroughly enjoy playing keno late night (until 2a.m. daily). P.S. The doughnuts are great too however, I really go here to experience Tan’s fabulous customer service.

Look, I don't like the health of donuts. And this is not a really impressive store. *BUT* I give it 5-stars because first of all, the donuts are truly extremely good tasting -- like really surprisingly so. Second, look at this business from a financial perspective. This poor guy clearly is not making much profit and I think he literally works and sleeps there 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (even Christmas day). But he's nice and honestly this shop provides so much value to the Santa Cruz community, especially the homeless community that can come in and for a dollar, warm their hands, go to the bathroom and warm up. I would hate to think of the impact if this place didn't exist. So support him if you want to be surprised by what a quality donut can actually taste like, or if you want to support him and the $1-2 contribution in keeping Santa Cruz sane. Please 👍, if like review! 😁

I love their old fashioned donuts and cinnamon twists. Clean environment just not aesthetically pleasing being on Ocean Street. I prefer take out.

I've literally been grabbing doughnuts from this spot for like 40 years or so. Always awesome doughnuts and always honest prices. There are a lot of heathens and riff raff that hang around the whole shop but thats usually way late when there's plenty of them. Overall a for sure stop as often as possible. No one can ever have way too many doughnuts right?!!??! See you guys soon. And thanks to you being open 24hrs . It makes it even more mandatory to stop by whenever in town.

Imagine being so arrogant that you admit you liked the donuts, but rate it low because of a homeless problem this business has zero control over. This place is great. The workers are extremely nice, and the donuts are fantastic. Have some decency.

Ferrell’s Donut House is a true local treasure. With its nostalgic, no-frills ambiance, it captures the essence of a classic donut shop. The donuts here are consistently fresh and delicious, with a delightful range of flavors from traditional glazed to unique specialties. The coffee is solid and pairs perfectly with any donut choice. The staff at Ferrell’s are friendly and efficient, adding to the overall welcoming experience. For anyone seeking a taste of genuine, old-school donuts, Ferrell’s Donut House is the place to be.

Exceptionally fresh and delicious donuts, super kind and hardworking staff, houselessness abound.

This tiny little doughnut has a huge selection, so much to choose from, and the smell in there is heavenly. I selected the chocolate doughnut filled with custard, and the vanilla cream cheese muffin. So decadent and creamy.

Best doughnuts in town. A Santa Cruz staple I normally go to the other location but this one is good as well. Doughnut holes are a good price.

Donuts are amazing!! Fresh and fluffy. Tables were kind of dirty but the donuts are worth the stop!!

The donuts here are SOOOO GOOD. Some real quality stuff, and their donuts are pretty big. Sometimes I crave donuts any time of the day so I’m glad it’s 24 hours 😄 The blueberry donuts are my favorite!!

Open 24 hours! Cash only atm inside. The doughnuts are sooooo good. Highly recommend the cronut amazing!

If you ask Nicely they will put whipped cream on there chocolate bars. SO GOOD

Dean

Ferrell’s Donut House is a true local treasure. With its nostalgic, no-frills ambiance, it captures the essence of a classic donut shop. The donuts here are consistently fresh and delicious, with a delightful range of flavors from traditional glazed to unique specialties. The coffee is solid and pairs perfectly with any donut choice. The staff at Ferrell’s are friendly and efficient, adding to the overall welcoming experience. For anyone seeking a taste of genuine, old-school donuts, Ferrell’s Donut House is the place to be.

Chris So

Exceptionally fresh and delicious donuts, super kind and hardworking staff, houselessness abound.

Stephanie Wing

This tiny little doughnut has a huge selection, so much to choose from, and the smell in there is heavenly. I selected the chocolate doughnut filled with custard, and the vanilla cream cheese muffin. So decadent and creamy.

Wil Michael

Best doughnuts in town. A Santa Cruz staple I normally go to the other location but this one is good as well. Doughnut holes are a good price.

Tabitha Addy

Donuts are amazing!! Fresh and fluffy. Tables were kind of dirty but the donuts are worth the stop!!

Mayumi Deguzman

The donuts here are SOOOO GOOD. Some real quality stuff, and their donuts are pretty big. Sometimes I crave donuts any time of the day so I’m glad it’s 24 hours 😄 The blueberry donuts are my favorite!!

Damaria Green

Open 24 hours! Cash only atm inside. The doughnuts are sooooo good. Highly recommend the cronut amazing!

Orien keefe Boy'er

If you ask Nicely they will put whipped cream on there chocolate bars. SO GOOD

They are like a traditional donut shop everything is good there all the donuts are really nice and it's usually clean their coffee could be a little bit stronger but I'm Puerto Rican so I like it like that

This is a legit donut shop with the old school vibe. Something about the way the donuts are made pleases the palate. No frills, solid product, lots of selection. I came in for the coffee because another review said it was solid. The shoppe was a step back in time (which is something I love), the sales counter was worn down from years of happy customers and sales- a classic with weathering like Willie Nelson's favorite guitar. $2.75 for a huge cup of coffee. My kid got a sweet standard donut with chocolate icing and super sprinkles. I was out of there for under 5 bucks. What a deal.

Tasty Treats – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ferrell’s Donuts on Scotts Valley Drive is donut heaven. The variety was unreal — I walked out with five because I couldn’t decide which would deliver the sweetest “heart attack.” The croissant-style donut was the star: flaky like a pastry, yet still every bit the donut — the best of both worlds without the snooty vibe. They even had both baked and fried versions, plus classics like jelly-filled and Boston cream. Everything was fresh, beautifully displayed, and served fast. The staff was friendly, the vibe was warm, and people were outside happily enjoying their treats. These weren’t just donuts — they were tasty treats worth the trip.

Just a plain old donut shop but they have excellent.Donuts. my favorite is the glazed cronut

Went midday and got an assortment of donuts all which were delicious, worker was friendly and patient as we decided. Only note was that the surrounding area was unfriendly. But not the store’s fault.

Oliver Findley

Went midday and got an assortment of donuts all which were delicious, worker was friendly and patient as we decided. Only note was that the surrounding area was unfriendly. But not the store’s fault.

Paul Vidrio

Tasty Treats – ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Ferrell’s Donuts on Scotts Valley Drive is donut heaven. The variety was unreal — I walked out with five because I couldn’t decide which would deliver the sweetest “heart attack.” The croissant-style donut was the star: flaky like a pastry, yet still every bit the donut — the best of both worlds without the snooty vibe. They even had both baked and fried versions, plus classics like jelly-filled and Boston cream. Everything was fresh, beautifully displayed, and served fast. The staff was friendly, the vibe was warm, and people were outside happily enjoying their treats. These weren’t just donuts — they were tasty treats worth the trip.

Siri Goberdhan Jr

They are like a traditional donut shop everything is good there all the donuts are really nice and it's usually clean their coffee could be a little bit stronger but I'm Puerto Rican so I like it like that

Sherri Mackinga

I love their old fashioned donuts and cinnamon twists. Clean environment just not aesthetically pleasing being on Ocean Street. I prefer take out.

Patrick Jensen

This is a legit donut shop with the old school vibe. Something about the way the donuts are made pleases the palate. No frills, solid product, lots of selection. I came in for the coffee because another review said it was solid. The shoppe was a step back in time (which is something I love), the sales counter was worn down from years of happy customers and sales- a classic with weathering like Willie Nelson's favorite guitar. $2.75 for a huge cup of coffee. My kid got a sweet standard donut with chocolate icing and super sprinkles. I was out of there for under 5 bucks. What a deal.

All I can say is CRONUT! Google it if you have to. Go get yourself 1 or 2 lol they have a glazed one and a sugar & cinnamon one. They have other good donuts 🍩 too but I have driven from Milpitas to Santa Cruz on a whim to get a Cronut. The downside is the parking lot is sketch.. if you're a scaredy-cat go during the day. Lol

I wanted to stop in here on my way out of your to get a doughnut. The building is old and could use some renovation but omg the doughnuts are so delicious! I'm a fan of trying places that look older and don't appeal to some. The only thing is there was a lot of homeless around. I feel for the business because it will detour ppl from wanting to stop in. The only employee working was so nice and friendly. The place seemed to have a nice steady flow of customers which made me happy to see. If your in town definitely stop by you won't be disappointed

Mostly friendly, at the least the owners are patient on a bad night. There are active outlets under the tables in the back two corners of the dining area. Just buy something, don't be a nuisance and you can charge you're phone. If you ask they will say no. There custard muffins are amazing

Great place and good donuts. One of the few places in the bay that sell a cream filled donut even though they cut it in half. They're a bit pricey as I paid over $6 for just 3 donuts, however that seems to be all donut shops these days. The staff were friendly and fast!

Donuts were good but very pricey. I don't like that they only take cash, if you don't have cash on-hand you can use an ATM on-site for a $2 charge. I did try the croissant donut and was very happy, loved the texture of the donut with the light glaze.

Angela L

Donuts were good but very pricey. I don't like that they only take cash, if you don't have cash on-hand you can use an ATM on-site for a $2 charge. I did try the croissant donut and was very happy, loved the texture of the donut with the light glaze.

Keith Gregory

Great place and good donuts. One of the few places in the bay that sell a cream filled donut even though they cut it in half. They're a bit pricey as I paid over $6 for just 3 donuts, however that seems to be all donut shops these days. The staff were friendly and fast!

Donuts never seem fresh. The area is sketchy too with lots of transients hangout outside. Definitely not my top 3 favorite donuts spots in Santa Cruz. I wouldn't recommend

Donuts are great, late hour donuts… every time I go for late hour donuts there are always homeless that are off their rocker. I feel so bad for the guy working there. Seems like a challenging issue. Definitely try and address the issue of people loitering, and that might crests a reduction in problems and restore the feeling of safety for people trying to get their donuts.

Food was good , Coffee ☕️ too. Tables were a bit crumb filled, One worker was sweeping while I was eating close by and just brushed crumbs with his hand off the table to the floor...I'd go back but would not dine in again. 2 glazed, 1 jalapeño cheese croissant. Large coffee.

Young man at the counter was pretty rude and didn't seem like he wanted us to buy anything. The donuts were very good. Nothing unique, but good quality.

James Ball

Young man at the counter was pretty rude and didn't seem like he wanted us to buy anything. The donuts were very good. Nothing unique, but good quality.

Ron Burgandy

Food was good , Coffee ☕️ too. Tables were a bit crumb filled, One worker was sweeping while I was eating close by and just brushed crumbs with his hand off the table to the floor...I'd go back but would not dine in again. 2 glazed, 1 jalapeño cheese croissant. Large coffee.

Sketchy! This place attracts the homeless by the dozens! I ended parking on the street cause this place had a line going outside! Don't get me wrong the line speaks for itself cause the donuts are really delicious! 👌As I was about to leave my truck to go inside I noticed a man taking a shower outside the shop so I had to roll my windows up and double lock my doors! I heard a couple on the corner arguing and cursing 🤬at each other, one was drinking and another was screaming at himself! Other than these distractions the place has a great selection of pastries! I had to get the chocolate long jon with the whipped cream in the middle with a nice hot coffee cause santa cruz is chilly as ice in the early morning!

Parking lot is filled with homeless. Then to top it off, this place ONLY ACCEPTS CASH! What is this?? The year #1? But for your convenience, there's an ATM inside the donut shop next to the front door. This way all of the transients standing outside can watch you pull out cash, as if you didn't feel unsafe enough. To top it off, Ferrell's nickle & dimes you for everything. Donuts that are included in a dozen everywhere else are an additional charge here; including jelly & cream filled donuts, along with chocolate/maple bars. Also, you are not allowed to control the cream & sugar in your coffee. They do it for you. The little old man made my coffee way too sweet and it had way too much milk.

This place has never had a great atmosphere, but the amazing donuts used to make up for it. I returned here to get my favorite cinnamon twist (flaky stacks of phyllo dough layered with sugar and cinnamon) and was disappointed to find it not only soggy and uncrisp, but also tasted bitter.

The donuts get four stars because they have cronuts, cronut holes, and great French crullers. The atmosphere is the problem. The staff aren’t particularly friendly, just kind of functional. I sometimes just drive by and don’t get out because of the zombie apocalypse is lurking around the door. It’s best to go in the day. I wish they had a better location that was opened late.

M. BB

The donuts get four stars because they have cronuts, cronut holes, and great French crullers. The atmosphere is the problem. The staff aren’t particularly friendly, just kind of functional. I sometimes just drive by and don’t get out because of the zombie apocalypse is lurking around the door. It’s best to go in the day. I wish they had a better location that was opened late.

Avoid this place like the plague. As we walked up two homeless dudes had their pants about to start peeing onto the side of the building. No idea why we went in anyways. Decided to buy a 1/2 dozen but could only pick from the bottom 2 shelves which held the most basic donuts and even that was limited to certain ones. Wouldn't let us pay with a card but no sign saying "cash only" anywhere on site. Shouldn't force people to use cash during a damn pandemic. Dude was rude as hell to me but very polite to my bf. So misogynistic employees to top everything off. There's another location in Santa Cruz so again avoid this one. Probably lucky we didn't food poisoning or something.

My review isn't for the donuts or coffee. The parking lot was the issue. Lots of homeless people loitering, did not feel safe being there. I didn't even make it into the place. Definitely not going back until they do something about it.

Refused to sell me a fresh donut. I saw some donuts come out of the oven, but the worker would only sell me the stale donuts which have been sitting around. The stale donuts he was willing to sell me were horrible. Even worse quality than Safeway/Dunkin’.

1st time here and it will be the last time. Donut was dry and stale at 9 am. Prices are on the high side and quality low. Hate to give a poor review but I will drive to capitola before going here again.

Walked in and waited to be helped. The guy cleaning tables ended up being the one to take my order — no problem, except he never washed his hands before touching my drink items. I ordered a medium coffee, said yes to cream and sugar, and then realized he was going to handle the sugar and cream himself. I politely told him I’d prefer to pour it myself, and he gave me an attitude about it. Seriously? After wiping down tables and not washing his hands? Completely unprofessional and unsanitary.

The man dropped a donut on the floor, picked it up and put it back in with the other donuts. Thank god we saw that before eating any of the ones we bought what a waste of money.

Jon Jones

1st time here and it will be the last time. Donut was dry and stale at 9 am. Prices are on the high side and quality low. Hate to give a poor review but I will drive to capitola before going here again.

Martin Flores Jr

Walked in and waited to be helped. The guy cleaning tables ended up being the one to take my order — no problem, except he never washed his hands before touching my drink items. I ordered a medium coffee, said yes to cream and sugar, and then realized he was going to handle the sugar and cream himself. I politely told him I’d prefer to pour it myself, and he gave me an attitude about it. Seriously? After wiping down tables and not washing his hands? Completely unprofessional and unsanitary.