Jolly Good Donut

Jolly Donut

2815 Milan Road
Sandusky, OH
(419) 626-6071

(no website)

the donuts went quick

As some may know, Sandusky, OH is my home away from home. I have been lucky enough to get to go to Sandusky multiple times per year for the past decade. So, for the past decade, I have driven by Jolly Donut time and time again, and probably at least 100 times. I have never given Jolly Donut a second thought. It is an old building set back from the road a little bit, and it is attached to a budget motel, and across the side street is another budget motel. The Jolly Donut building is this retro 1970s brick and glass building that has absolutely no charm from the outside. I suspect the way it looks wards off some of the tourists (and me until now) because it looks a little dumpy. But what a surprise walking into Jolly Donut, it is a fantastic diner. Inside there is chrome metal and red leather seats. There is a dinner bar with attached red and chrome bar stools. There are booths with red leather benches and formica table tops. The floor is black and white tile. The walls have accents of shiny chrome tile. The customers are all retired locals meeting up for breakfast and a cup of coffee, and probably talking about the latest local politics.

Now, having visited Jolly Donut, I now know that Jolly Donut is a certifiable DINER with the bonus of excellent house made donuts! I hit the bonanza!

Jolly Donut Front
(photo from Funcoast.com)

So, I get to Jolly Donut after doing a little research from some locals. I was pleasantly surprised at the diner inside. I noticed that there were full breakfast and lunch specials for less than $4. Donuts are only $0.59 and they are all made fresh daily. I think a dozen is about $5. I think there were day old donuts in the case, a dozen for $2. What a deal. I got a bunch of donuts to share with the others because these donuts are outrageously delicious! I ate a ganular sugar covered yeast donut, and it is the best sugar covered donut I have had in my adult life. The donut was the right texture, light, with slight toothiness at the end of the bite. The sugar granuals gave just the right crunchiness to the donut. The donut was just the right sweetness. It was the perfect donut. I am so sorry that I have not gone to Jolly Donut before now because I have been missing out on all this diner and donut goodness.

So the story continues, and it could not have been more cliche. As I got to one of my stops around Sandusky, I ran into a pal of mine, a cop, and he saw me with big boxes of donuts. Well, he look at me and said, "I recognize those boxes, they are Jolly Donut boxes, and what are you going to do with all those donuts?" I said to my pal, well, I just discovered Jolly Donut, and I bought a ton to share!" He said, "Great, give me one of those. Jolly Donut is really good!" So, my pal the cop got the first of many donuts I gave away that day. It is a bit cliche, cops and donuts, but on this day, it was a cliche come true. So, along my path for the day, I offered donuts, and everyone was so happy to see Jolly Donuts, were happy to help themselves to a really great donut.