Highest-rated restaurants in Carbondale by diners
Highest-rated restaurants in Carbondale by diners
Humans are creatures of habit. We tend to stick to our morning routines, rewatch movies we've seen time and time again, and hit up the same tried-and-true restaurants when going out for a meal. In fact, 35% of Americans say they rarely or never try a new restaurant they haven't been to before, according to a 2024 survey of more than 1,500 diners from TouchBistro.
But those numbers look quite different when you focus on younger generations—67% of Gen Zers and 40% of millennials in the U.S. say they visit new restaurants once a month or more. When it comes to deciding which new restaurant to try, younger generations are also more likely to rely on social media or online restaurant reviews, through sites like Yelp or Google. The TouchBistro survey found that 52% of Gen Zers have opted to try a new restaurant due to positive feedback on social media, and 67% of millennials have gone to a new dining spot solely because of favorable reviews online.
New restaurants in particular tend to garner a lot of online attention. About 50,000 new restaurants open each year in the U.S., and that number continues to rise. An analysis by Yelp published in June 2024 found that new restaurant openings were up 6% from May 2023 to April 2024. But some of the best restaurants in your neck of the woods might be those established eateries that customers have been visiting for decades.
To help you determine which spots—both new and long-standing—to try out, Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants in Carbondale, according to Yelp reviews from diners as of January 2025. Only restaurants with at least 20 reviews and a 3.0 rating were considered. Read on to find some inspiration for the next time you dine out.
#30. Don Taco
- Rating: 3.4/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 780 East Grand Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#29. China Wok
- Rating: 3.4/5 (49 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 883 East Grand Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#28. Sergios Cantina
- Rating: 3.5/5 (23 reviews)
- Address: 1160 East Main St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Global Gourmet
- Rating: 3.6/5 (78 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 102 East Jackson St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: New American
- Read more on Yelp
#26. New Kahala
- Rating: 3.6/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 600 East Grand Ave. Ste 3 Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Chinese, Taiwanese
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Pita Alley
- Rating: 3.7/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1711 West Main St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Mediterranean, Pizza, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Flame Grill & Bar
- Rating: 3.7/5 (125 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 501 East Walnut St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: New American, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Sam's Cafe
- Rating: 3.7/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 521 South Illinois Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Moe's Southwest Grill
- Rating: 3.8/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 715 North Giant City Road Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican, Tex-Mex
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Bombay Olive
- Rating: 3.8/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 518 South Illinois Ave. Ste B Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Indian, Desserts, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Dale's Burger Shack
- Rating: 3.8/5 (43 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1709 West Main St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Hot Dogs, Burgers
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Thai Taste
- Rating: 3.9/5 (185 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 100 South Illinois Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Thai, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Sunny Street Cafe
- Rating: 3.9/5 (73 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 900 East Walnut St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Common Grounds Coffeehouse
- Rating: 3.9/5 (44 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 600 East Grand Ave. Ste 6 Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Mary Lou's Grill
- Rating: 3.9/5 (83 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 118 South Illinois Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Diners, American, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Chango's Bar & Grill
- Rating: 3.9/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 519 South Illinois Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Bars, Mexican, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Qin Guan Buffet
- Rating: 4.0/5 (67 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1285 East Main St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Buffets, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Don Sol
- Rating: 4.0/5 (85 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 715 North Giant City Road Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#12. PK's
- Rating: 4.0/5 (37 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 308 South Illinois Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Dive Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Underground Public House
- Rating: 4.1/5 (134 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 717 South University Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: American, Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Hunan Restaurant
- Rating: 4.1/5 (111 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 710 East Main St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Neighborhood Co-op Grocery
- Rating: 4.2/5 (32 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1815 West Main St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Bakeries, Grocery, Delis
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Yamato Steak House of Japan
- Rating: 4.2/5 (61 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1013 East Main St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Steakhouses
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Quatro's Deep Pan Pizza
- Rating: 4.3/5 (341 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 218 West Freeman St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Tienda Mexicana El Paisano
- Rating: 4.3/5 (60 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 100 North Glenview Drive Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Blend Tea & Crepe Lounge
- Rating: 4.3/5 (66 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 719 South University Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Harbaugh's Cafe
- Rating: 4.3/5 (180 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 901 South Illinois Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Longbranch Cafe & Bakery
- Rating: 4.4/5 (186 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 100 East Jackson St. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Bakeries, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Cristaudo's Cafe & Bakery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (40 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 209 South Illinois Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Bakeries, Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Aban Kitchen
- Rating: 4.7/5 (92 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 114 South Illinois Ave. Carbondale, Illinois
- Categories: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Halal
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jaimie Etkin, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 318 metros.
