Glee Donuts and Burgers

Glee Donuts and Burgers is a yummy happy place

Indochinese donut shops are a perk for early risers in Southern California. Best of all are sinker-slingers offering strong Vietnamese coffee — a major improvement over standard donut shop java. Right down the road from the Magic Kingdom is the best place to experience the joys of Vietnamese jolty joe and clever donuts. If they were all Glee Donuts and Burgers offered, it would still be worth recommending, but they’re only the tip of the cream puff. Speaking of which, get some cream puffs. They might be the best thing going at the pastry counter. They softly melt in your mouth and meld harmoniously with a syrupy cup of coffee. 

The yeast donuts have a rich flavor and airy webbing. The cake donuts have a nice crumb and aren’t too oily. Red velvet cake donuts are a high note. The signature blueberry raised donut has an eye-catching purple glaze and barely walks on the right side of candy-like artificiality in the fruit flavor, featuring tasty, visible bits of blueberries.

Glee Donuts and Burgers is most famous for burgers. The patties are somewhere between the griddled pucks of In-N-Out and thicker diner versions. Instead of “animal-style,” Glee offers Stinkin’ Style, which means cooked in garlic oil similar to California favorite garlic fries (which also are on the menu).

We love the Cajun fries. These are coated with crab boil seasoning and sharp with black pepper. They’re a logical match for Glee’s most famous burger: the soft shell crab burger. Here, the beef is topped with a fried soft shell crab, bacon and avocado. Wisely, the crab isn’t breaded. It has a natural saline sweetness and its blistered immature shell resembles roasted tomatoes. If ground beef and soft shell crabs aren’t an obvious match, the bacon effectively builds a crispy bridge between them. The shellfish burger and spiced fries make for a cleverly Cajun take on America’s favorite combo meal. The “secret sauce” served with the fries is a pretty Cajun tasting mayo as well. “V-Drip” iced coffee with condensed milk makes a fitting Viet-Cajun milkshake replacement. 

Glee is popular with neighborhood locals for breakfast burritos and sandwiches. “The works” breakfast burrito includes crisp bacon, soft ham, and bouncy Polish sausage, which makes for a collage of textures. The accompanying salsa is fresh, peppery and mild, just right for eggs.  

Some people blend the donut and burger streams to order burgers with donuts for buns. If you want to revel in excess, go for it! We wouldn’t want to discourage anyone from playing. Glee is, above all else, a fun and friendly place.