Doughnut Vault



Menu listed on their wall outside

Tiny interior space

We made it to the Doughnut Vault after finally finding a place in our schedule that would work.  We had seen this featured on the Layover with Anthony Bourdain and had heard about it from some other sources, so on a rare weekday off together we ventured to get doughnuts.

The Doughnut Vault has been open 2 years and has a different business model - they only make a certain amount of doughnuts everyday and then close when they have sold out for day.  It is a cash only establishment and there is often a line out and around the corner. Every day they make vanilla, chocolate and chestnut glazed, buttermilk old fashioned, and gingerbread doughnuts.  There is a a different jelly filled everyday and a different special every day.  On the day we went the specials were grape jelly filled and pistachio.

Vanilla & Chocolate Glazed, Buttermilk Old Fashioned

Because we heard that the lines get long and sometimes they sell out of everything within about 1 1/2 hours, we wanted to get there super early.  To be safe we were there 1 hour early because this was pretty much our only day to do this together. We probably only needed to have been there 1/2 hour early.  We ended up sitting in our car for the time before that and watched until others arrived. Then finally people started getting out of their cars and standing up outside at 20 minutes to opening.  We were the third party in line and when we left there was truly a line out and around the corner.



Grape Jelly Filled, Pistachio and Chestnut Glazed

They have a twitter feed that they update every 1/2 hour or so saying how many doughnuts they have left and how many people are in line.  The day we went they sold out in 2 hours and 20 minutes. 

These doughnuts are not cheap either - they are $3 each, except for the buttermilk old fashioned which is $2 each.  So for the 1 dozen doughnuts we bought it was $34.  We ordered 2 of each of the vanilla, chocolate, chesnut, jelly filled, pistachio and buttermilk old fashioned.  We were a bit upset that they didn't have gingerbread for us - it wasn't going to be ready for another 20 minutes (i know what is the point of getting there when it opens up). We were a bit concerned about what the grape filled would taste like, but it was awesome.

Line out the door as we were leaving

Honestly all of the doughnuts were great and it is going to spoil eating doughnuts anywhere else. They are large in size, but quite light tasting.  Natalie's favorites were the buttermilk old fashioned and the jelly filled.

 

We later saw online that they may cap people at 1/2 dozen per person (which we were correct in getting 1 dozen then).

This is definitely an experience.  Sadly, we won't really be able to do this with any sort of regularity.  We were afraid it wouldn't live up to all the hype (and the waiting) but it really did.

Final thoughts on Doughnut Vault:

Food - the doughnuts were amazing; it is worth waiting for

Service - The service is pretty quick (but we were the third party in line).  But it really can't take too long when there are only 7 different options, plus coffee and they are cash only.

Atmosphere - It really is a super small interior space.  There is only enough room for a few people so everyone else is going to be waiting outside. The had a cold weather vestibule right outside their door but only a few other people can wait there.  We're glad we weren't there on the coldest day of the year - that would have been unpleasant. The doughnuts are worth the wait but we were super happy we didn't have to wait forever in line having arrived really early. You really have to plan a visit to make it work. 



Interior - yes as small as a vault

Jim's Original

Well after eating at a lot of great places over the last month, we weren't really planning on going anywhere big for Valentine's Day.  In fact we had planned on spending the evening at home with a nice homemade meal. We have only ever been out to dinner once for Valentine's Day.  It's just not worth it - all the fuss to get a reservation, then you are crammed in tightly and you just don't get the benefit of the nicest meal possible at that restaurant (same holds for New Years Eve).  Last year we went to MK on February 13 and had a great time.

Double hot dog

We got tickets to the Chicago Auto Show and discovered that the only evening that was going to work for us for Valentine's Day.  We didn't eat anything ahead of time so that we could see everything we wanted before it closed and we brought a granola bar to tide us over. Afterwards we stopped for food at Jim's Original - a hotdog stand located right next to UIC. This place had been mentioned a couple of months ago on the Layover show with Anthony Bourdain. 

It is quite an adventure going there because it is just a walk up place - you order your food outside and they have it out to you instantaneously.  Jim's Original is located on the street that parallels the Dan Ryan Expressway so we have seen it while driving past many times. The show said you had to try the pork chop sandwich so we ordered that and the double hot dog. The pork chop is tender but what is a little strange is that it is a bone-in pork chop in a sandwich.  So you have to eat around the bone - kind of weird in a sandwich. We thought we were ordering 2 hot dogs but it was 2 hot dogs within one bun. Each item comes with fries.  None of this food was super extraordinary but it was quick and cheap. This is another cash only establishment, but luckily nothing is over $5 on its own.

Pork Chop Sandwich (bone in)

Since there is no inside and no specific parking we pulled over to the side of the road to eat our food before driving away.  All in all it was an interesting experience - especially for Valentine's Day.  If you feel bad, this was actually Natalie's suggestion based on location alone.  Nick did not even remember this place - so he wasn't trying to weasel out of a more expensive meal.

Final thoughts on Jim's Original:
Food - nothing to write home about, but convenient for those who are nearby
Service - very quick, remember cash only
Atmosphere - despite the walkup nature of the place, it is suprsingly open all year round 24/7.  It is in an evolving neighborhood but while we were there we didn't see anyone walking around alone so be careful .