Donuts were really good. Or at least the ones we tried. Coffee was okay. Wouldn’t mind eating again but place is usually pretty packed. There’s both outdoor and indoor seating. A little pricey but still okay. Instagrammable facade. Vibes when in Daikanyama.

+3

As an American—and a New Yorker—I have to say these donuts aren’t anything special. Definitely not worth waiting in line for, so save yourself the time (I waited a total 15 minutes from line to receiving my take out order). I’d never heard of this place before, so I gave it a try with a small selection. The standout was the original glazed: fluffy, light, and easily the best of the bunch. The old-fashioned glazed came next—solid and satisfying. The chocolate cream–filled “John John” tasted like an American standard cream donut, nothing remarkable. The sprinkled cake donut, unfortunately, was dry and disappointing, though the sweet frosting and sprinkles helped a little. The atmosphere, however, is fun. It’s worth sitting down to enjoy the oversized donut photo-op, and the vibe makes it a playful stop. But let’s be honest: this place isn’t hypeworthy in the U.S., and it’s certainly not hypeworthy in Japan either. There are plenty of other donut shops with better flavor and no long wait. At the end of the day, they’re just donuts (definitely American because they are big and sweet compared to other pastries in Japan) —and in my opinion, regular bakeries do them better. That said, if you’re here for the atmosphere, you’ll enjoy it!

+3

Visited Randy's Donuts in Daikanyama on a Sunday evening; it wasn't crowded, with half the seats open. The donuts are large, fluffy, and pleasantly sweet. If you love big, classic donuts, highly recommended.

Donuts are great. They're pretty expensive, 400-550 yen, but generally quite big to very big or huge. I'm American so maybe they suit my taste but I love Mr Donut too. Staff are friendly and helpful. There can be long lines but it's also possible to walk right in as I did on a Friday lunchtime. Don't get me wrong. It's just a donut shop. But it is pretty cool and in a nice setting if slightly out of the way and it has a fun and easy going atmosphere.

+3

My husband and I had been to the original Randy's Donuts in Inglewood only a couple of years ago for the first time. We went mostly for the Instagram photo of the iconic rooftop donut, but we thought the donuts were pretty good, too. When we heard a brand new store was opening in Tokyo while we were on vacation there, we thought it might be fun to stop by. From Ebisu Station, we walked through a modern residential area and found it in a trendy commercial enclave called Log Road. The giant donut was in full view although much smaller than the original and positioned exclusively for photo posing. We simply walked in through the terrace door and looked at their mammoth display case. When we were ready, we walked to an empty screen and pressed in our order. Simple, right? Well, we had no idea there was a long line outside waiting in the opposite direction to place their orders. We felt bad, but it also struck us as odd how easy it was to bypass the line. To be truthful, we weren't belaboring any guilt over it because we were going to be one-and-done customers anyway. My husband went for the ¥480 Pink Raised with Sprinkles, while I had the ¥480 Coconut Raised, the same donut I ordered in Inglewood. Consistent with our "luck", we found a table for two available for our quick nosh since we bought a couple of middling ¥650 Ice Lattes to wash them down. However, our luck ran out when we ate the donuts...or was it fate? Unlike the fresh softness I remembered from Inglewood, the donuts were oddly chewy and somewhat oversweetened. We thought it a bit strange since we had the opposite experience at Higuma Doughnuts in Gakugei-Daigaku. Oh well. DONUTS - 3 stars...strangely chewy despite the heft and sweetness AMBIANCE - 4 stars...going for an "American" classic here SERVICE - 3.5 stars...unobtrusive TOTAL - 3 stars...the hype can't mask a middling donut

+3