Sidecar Doughnuts & Coffee — Restaurant in Pasadena

Was surprised to find that Sidecar opened a location in Pasadena, much closer than having to go to Santa Monica or Costa Mesa where I have tried their donuts many times. I have also been to their Manhattan Beach and Torrance locations. Since there are so few locations far and between outside of the LA area, it is definitely a treat when I have a chance to eat them (coming from east SGV). In my opinion, Sidecar makes the best cake donuts, but it is location specific (continue reading below). Went on a Friday afternoon after lunch at Guisados up the street, which never disappoints. They are located right next to Howlin Rays, which was packed with a line out the door. The building inside space is fairly small like the Santa Monica location, so a short line will result in having to wait outside to order. Luckily, the line was short enough where we could wait inside before we ordered. Ordered a half dozen, that included go tos like huckleberry, Saigon cinnamon crumb, and celebration. Also ordered their seasonal which was a cookies and cream and chocolate cookie dough. Having tried their donuts before I knew what to expect in terms of quality, taste, and texture. I was surprised to find that none of the donuts were sweet, there was just a hint of sweetness. Not how I remember they tasted. Also, the texture of their cake donuts being crispy on the outside and soft (almost undercooked like texture) on the inside was not there. The inside was bit more cooked and almost spongy and the outside wasn't as crispy. Was a bit underwhelmed by the donuts and not the Sidecar quality I'm used to. Perhaps they're still working on quality control being a newer location, but what a bit of a let down. I'll definitely give them another chance, but probably not anytime soon. Maybe it was an off day and someone forgot to an ingredient in the batch? For those that are Sidecar fans, I would suggest not buying a bunch at this location and try to get a sample first before ordering. They were offered and I tried it but just thought I got a piece that was left out for a while. Suprise, surprise, the sample was actually how the rest of the donut tasted. I can't believe I just left this long review of their donuts. Hope this helps for those who bothered to read all the way to the end on what to expect. For now, I'll stick to their original SoCal location in Costa Mesa which has always been...

As far as the quality of the donuts that Sidecar provides, they were just as good as their other locations. HOWEVER, my negative experience came through their mobile ordering service rather than the quality of their food.

I had placed my mobile order and it provided me an estimated order ready time of 30 minutes. Just to be safe, I arrived at the location 45 minutes later to give them sufficient time to prepare my order. Once I arrived at the location to pick up my order, they stated to me that my order would NOT be ready for "another 30 minutes" as they had been backed up all morning. I was pretty shocked at the delay considering I showed up well past the original 30 minute window and all I ordered was 2 donuts and a coffee, but I understood that they had been busy and I am sure it was to no fault of the staff.

They did offer me an alternative to switch the donuts in my order, but I had orginally ordered speciality donuts that were more expensive, so I declined. They also offered to refund my order, but that would've required me to speak with the manager and go through the motions processing a refund, so I opted to wait and return to the shop when my order was ready especially since I was already nearby.

I returned 40 minutes later and they kept their word as my order was ready and the donuts were solid, but I did not think the excessive wait was worth it. Yes they provided some alternatives, but I sort of felt like I was being treated like just another customer who had a delayed order and really all they could offer to me was an apology.

By no means was I looking for a freebie, but I do feel as if they could've provided a better customer service/experience considering the status of the situation. With that being said, I'm not quite sure if I would return here or recommend this location.

Were the donuts good? Yes, BUT for any future customers, I would probably recommend to AVOID MOBILE ORDERING and rather order in-shop so you would not be potentially stuck waiting...

Ended up at Sidecar Donuts & Coffee in Pasadena kind of by accident. I was over at Howlin’ Ray’s just picking up some coffee, and this spot was right nearby. Figured I’d check it out since I’d seen people rave about it before, and I’m glad I did. First thing, the place itself is really nice. Clean, bright, friendly staff, and that whole “fresh designer donut” vibe without being too over the top. Prices are about what you’d expect for fancy donuts these days. Between $4.75 and $6 apiece. Yeah, that’s not cheap for a donut, but honestly, once you taste them, you understand what you’re paying for. We got lucky because they were handing out samples, so we got to try a few different ones. The pumpkin cheesecake was good , strong seasonal flavor, not too sweet, but it really shines when you pair it with coffee. Then there was the white chocolate banana bread donut, and that one was the star of the show. Seriously amazing, rich, moist, perfect texture, and just the right mix of banana and sweetness. Easily my favorite. We also tried their classic old-fashioned, and it was exactly what you want it to be, crisp edges, soft center, great glaze. Simple but done right. Between those three samples, I was already full (probably didn’t help that we had just eaten at Howlin’ Ray’s), but I could’ve easily gone for a full one of the banana bread donut and a cup of their coffee. Speaking of coffee, my friend grabbed one and said it was great , smooth, good roast, not burnt or bitter like some donut shop coffee can be. Everything here feels like it’s made with care, and the staff really adds to the experience. Overall, Sidecar Pasadena is a great little spot if you’re looking to treat yourself. The donuts are pricier, sure, but they taste like they were actually baked by people who know what they’re doing, not just pulled from a case. Easy parking, friendly crew, and some seriously good flavors. That banana bread donut alone is...