Dynamo Donut & Coffee — Restaurant in San Francisco

Ok, I live in Portland, OR (arguably one of the best foodie cities in the country). I grew up in NYC; and lived in Chicago, Los Angeles and different parts of the Bay Area. First off, their donuts are small for a regular size donut (think Dunkin Donuts size). I had the popular 'Maple Glaze Bacon Apple'. It had a good flavor profile, with the maple and bacon being more prominent than the apple which was only slightly negligible. All in all it was a good donut that's on par with VooDoo or Blue Star in Portland. That said, they probably have good ingredients though I've yet to confirm that. I'm giving this place 2 stars, in large part, because for what I experienced in taste it is just not worth $3.50 per [small] donut. They even have a donut that's $4! 😬 You should know that I rate food based on quality, taste and quantity...in that order. I have happily spent insane amounts of money (relative to our economic climate and the increasing amount of poverty in the US) for what amounts to a few bites of food because of amazing flavor profiles and/or locally sourced-sustainable ingredients; so my rating is about the overall value. For a donut of this caliber and size, I'd pay around $1.50 - $1.75. IMHO, walk down the block to a local Mexican bakery and pick up some pastries that are just as tasty for a third of the costs. Maybe that will influence Dynamo enough to adjust their price point or move to a more touristy area where people blindly spend money and rate food based on trends...and the size the line you have to wait in. Yes, that's a stab at VooDoo donuts in PDX...that's more museum...

I tried several items recently. Here’s how they stacked up:

Caffeinated Crunch: More like a coffee cake and didn’t quite match the description on their online menu—decent, but not exactly what I expected.

Carrot Cake: Soft, fresh, and enjoyable.

Caramel de Sel: Tasted like regular caramel—nothing particularly special.

Chocolate Rose: The flavors were very mild and didn’t stand out.

Butter Pecan: My favorite! The filling was delicious and well-balanced.

Ginger Orange: A bit overpowering on the ginger for my taste.

I also had a vanilla bean latte with oat milk, which was good. The staff were friendly and welcoming, which added a nice touch to the experience. However, at 9:30 a.m. on a Sunday, the line was long—about 15 to 20 minutes—and only having one register made the wait feel even longer.

While the donuts had some highlights, the sizes felt small, and the prices seemed steep for what they offered. Additionally, they could have been fresher. Overall, while Dynamo Donut has a few good options, I wished for more value and a...

This is my favorite coffee shop in San Francisco! Without a doubt the most creative latte art I’ve received on the lavender latte (delish by the way! Easily my favorite coffee) and other drinks. Their vegan donuts and gluten free options are pretty darn tasty, if I might add. Service is usually friendly and quick to medium (I prefer they take their time with my bev), music is a variety, and the donuts… Killer! I love the passionfruit flavor they have here. I highly recommend the spot on 24th st. The one in the Marina is a bit complicated to get to, but worth it if you’re out on a bike ride, or planning an outing to the greens. I believe their latte art is unique and challenging to do so consistently! What I have found impressive is the baristas’ ability to avoid spills down the side of the cup while pouring these masterpieces. Check out the pictures for reference! Thanks for keeping your doors open , coffee flavorful, and your cups hot! ♥️☕️ $1-$10 if you go drink only $10-$20 if you do drink plus a donut/ bread (focaccia tasted...