Omaha Donut Shootout 2017

This year's Donut Shootout was a total let down. :-( I did like the donuts and we go to try some new bakeries, but they changed some policies this year and we left very disappointed.

The official time on the tickets was 10-2pm on a Sunday and we got to the area around 11. This year you could only start at a certain bar so we got turned away from the first bar we stopped at. Waited in line at the main bar to get our wrist bands and then went to the third bar. Had some donuts and then moved on to the first bar. They just got a second delivery of LaMar's that were nice and fresh. Onto the 3rd bar. It was approximately 12 at this point and the third bar had already run out of donuts and put cleaned up the area where they were giving out donuts. Two hours before the event was supposed to end! I was not pleased and I don't think I was the only one from the response I got at the main bar when I went to complain and was immediately told who to email for a refund.

Then we went to walk around the area because it is such a cute area. But since it was a Sunday this year, none of the stores were open! So they couldn't share in the increased business with the increase in foot traffic! Next year we'll just use your $17 to buy a dozen fancy donuts somewhere else!

Harold's-Omaha Donut Shootout

Harold's may have been the one donut place at the Omaha Donut Shootout that I hadn't even heard of, let alone tried. They were very unique compared to the other donuts at the shootout, smaller in size and more of a spice flavor than a generic donut flavor.

Although the blue icing made me think that they made have had a blueberry flavor, it was not apparent when we tried them. Checking out Harold's in person is definitely on my summer to do list!

LaMars - Omaha Donut Shootout

I forgot to ask which Lamar's the Donut Shootout donuts were from, because I don't think I've seen one in Omaha. But there is one near where my dentist just moved to. Because that's convenient. Or a bad idea...
My husband and I have decided that LaMar's is very hit or miss, dependent on what time of day you get there or what day you go in general. At our first Donut Shootout stop, they had some Lamar's that weren't memorable, but at the second location I got this beauty. Yeah, I just called a donut a beauty. I've been doing this for too long.

Anyways, red velvet! It was delicious! Very moist and great frosting. It was my overall favorite for the shootout and I can't wait to see if I can find it in store. 5/5

Dunkin Donuts - Omaha Donut Shootout

What: Valentine's Day heart donut (chocolate frosted raised filled donut)
Where: Omaha Donut Shootout
When: Saturday, February 13th 2016


I've had Dunkin's plenty of times, and sometimes they're good and sometimes they're bad. I was excited to try the heart shaped one at the shootout because, obviously, it isn't available all the time. Also, it looked to be filled with a fudgier filling than most filled donuts. Or really just a chocolate filling when most filled donuts stick to vanilla or fruit flavors.

I definitely enjoyed it because I like Dunkin's chocolate frosting. I don't care too much for sprinkles, but they added to the look of the donut enough that I just dealt with them. I wish chocolate filled donuts were more popular, but it's always nice to get something different. I'd give it a 3.5/5.

Donut Shootout!

Omaha Food & Spirits Magazine put on their first Donut Shootout in Benson on February 13th. They modeled it after their Pizza Shootout, which I have sadly never been to. Better add that to my list. 

Tickets cost $5.50 and had to be bought in advance, so I sent my aunt to make sure they didn't sell out before I had a chance to get to Omaha. She and my other aunt decided they'd try some donuts with me so I didn't have to go it alone.

We went to the Waiting Room first and exchanged our tickets for wristbands. First time I got a wristband for donuts! There was quite the table set up at the back of more donuts than you can probably imagine all cut in half. I was thinking they would be quartered which would have encouraged more sampling and less waste. At the Waiting Room we had donuts from Petit's Pastries, Sunrise Donuts, Winchell's, Donut Stop, and Dunkin Donuts.

The crowds at The Waiting Room and Reverb Lounge weren't bad, but Krug Park was packed. The people manning the donut table said they got slammed at the beginning of the event because a lot of people thought they were the only location (the event was listed as being at Krug Park Bar but if you read the event page the other bars were mentioned). I was sad that we missed some yummy looking cherry donuts at Krug Park, but we had plenty of others to sample so I can't be too disappointed. At Krug Park, they had more donuts from Winchell's and Petits, and some from Harold's. The crowd at Reverb Lounge was more calm and they had donuts from Krispy Kreme and Sunrise Donuts.

I probably ate about 2 full donuts with all the samples I was trying, so look for reviews to come in the next couple of weeks of all the awesome donuts I tried!