New Kahala: Chinese Cuisine

I grew up in Cdale. New Kahala has always been a staple of Carbondale since I lived here. This place is underrated. The food, the service and the atmosphere would all get 10 stars if I could. I no longer live in Carbondale, but find it a joy to comeback and support a local business. Also, Manny was my cashier and he was very knowledgeable and friendly. Great job, Lo family! Side note- food was sesame seed chicken, egg roll, white rice and pork belly sliders. Yum!!!

How much is sweet and sour sauce? And if I order extra and pay in good faith, shouldn't I get it? On a 16.00 and change order, even if your system didn't charge me, can't "you" eat the cost of that mistake? It's not that I couldn't have just said ok, just charge me now and give me my extra. It's the fact that something that cost so little, will in the long run cost them a lot more.

We love New Kahala, and it seems they have interest in fighting hunger in the Carbondale community, which is admirable. I really love how they cook their rice. They include bean sprouts in the rice, and it adds greatly to the texture. They also have vegetarian options! I usually get the Sesame Tofu, and it is always cooked perfectly for a food that is sometimes difficult for restaurants to get correct. Tje crab rangoon is also REALLY good, but perhaps slightly lacking in the cream cheese filling to wonton ratio. The serving sizes are decent and what i would describe as average for a Chinese Resturant.

I've been eating here for that past 30+ years & it's the first time I've been disappointed. The container is usually stuffed full, and for $15+ it's a value. Not this evening. Do better :(

There aren't a lot of Chinese food options in town, so I've given this place three tries. It is not good. The Crab Rangoons are chewy and thick and the tiny bit of cream cheese inside is greasy and curdled. I tried the black bean chicken with white rice, and it was so oily I couldn't eat it. It was so bland and just dripping with grease. The egg rolls are thick and chewy and greasy and so bland. I gave this place three chances with different meals every time, but I haven't had a single meal there that I can recommend.

Just went and spent $33 for myself. They forgot my sauce for my potstickers. Had to drive back to get a 2onc portion and I asked for a second one and was charged for it. I get the fact nothing is free but you forgot 2 ounces of sauce. Not my fault. You should eat it and give the other cup for free. Oh I tipped $8 on the pick up also.

Super friendly staff, clean restaurant. Lot of food for the price you pay! They were very knowledgeable about my food allergy and told me all items I could/could not eat. Will return.

We had the 3 meat (beef, chicken, and shrimp) combo with Chinese vegetables with garlic sauce and the crab rangoon side. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was DELICIOUS! Everything is made to order and super fresh. Excellent, well-rounded, and full flavor. We ordered some steamed dumplings that were also delicious.

Got some lunch at this Chinese restaurant in Carbondale. It has options for both Americanized and authentic styles. New Kahala is probably the best Chinese restaurant in town. Has a lack of competition around here. The menu has a pretty good variety for a small place. Came in and it wasn't busy. It's got a pretty okay amount of tables inside. This is located in a strip mall along with a few other local restaurants. Maybe this place gets overlooked. There were a few others inside, so they knew about it though. It's about $11 for an entree. The vegetarian ones include Tofu With Mushrooms. Crispy tofu without being burnt. Entrees also come with a soup. The fried onion was one of these. Has pretty good flavors for what it is, even for those not authentic. It's located on East Grand Avenue at Wall Street. There's plenty of options for both meat eaters and vegetarians.

I absolutely love New Kahala. I go every time I'm in Carbondale. The staff is wonderful. The food is beyond good, especially the fried rice. My latest favorite is the General Tso's Chicken. A little pricey but I pay the extra for the deliciousness and the service. The only downfall so far is the egg drop soup is more like egg drop jelly. Weird!

Foo was just fair . Not much meat in the Yo choy. Fried rice was good but you pay extra. Over rated and a bit pricey.

I love this place! My son always orders from Kahala when he is in town. It has been our favorite for years!

Very good. My favorite dishes are, pork with peanuts, twice cooked pork, bacon fried rice, and pork belly boa buns.

As a former employee and a loyal customer, I would rate NK 10/10. Many different dishes to choose from but can't go wrong with the fried rice and egg rolls! Miss the crew and Carbondale (but only for NK, and my bosses Jeff and will). :)

The food here is amazing! They have been amazing for many many years. My vegetarian family has been eating here since their previous location in the early 2000s. Try the szechuan green beans and crispy tofu (extra tofu). Get the onion broth soup and white rice on the side. Freaking amazing and you'll have enough food for a couple days.

Came here on a recommendation. I ordered the chili chicken with chicken fried rice and had the two crab ragoons as a side. I liked that I could determine the spiciness of the food, and got a level 1. Overall the food was ok. The chili chicken came with a huge heaping of onions, and very little chicken. I did get a very sizable portion of fried rice. The chicken had a tiny bit of a kick to it, so I would recommend getting maybe a 2 or 3 if you like spicy food. The ragoon did not have a lot of filling in it, and was quite hard to chew into. Food was not terrible, but decent. This was my first time ordering from here, and will come back to try other entrees.

I have eaten at New Kahala twice. The first time I got delivery and I thought it was pretty average. My family wanted to try it so we gave it a try. Again, food was average, not great. This time, my spouse and adult child went there and ordered takeout. It took a ridiculous amount of time to put in our order because no one seemed to know how to work anything in the restaurant. I can not eat rice so they ordered my entree without the side of rice plus add broccoli. They were told that at NK they can NOT omit the SIDE of rice and they have no button on their system for extra broccoli. I don't believe that is true because it's listed as an option when you order online. Then they were told that it would be ready in 20 minutes. They came back in 25 minutes and still had to wait 15 minutes more,which as a former chef myself, seems like a ridiculous amount of time. To add insult.....they put the rice directly on top of my entree, which was supposed to be chicken but they gave me beef. It was really a horrible and completely ridiculous experience,

A true Carbondale gem. Always prepared fresh and delicious, with lots of love, this is a restaurant you want in your hometown. Love their commitment to fresh ingredients and local sourcing for a restaurant serving primary take out Chinese/Taiwanese-American food. House Special Chicken is sublime, their fried rice even more so, and many more great selections all around.

Pretty good food. But you decide if it's worth the price. I usually get the chicken fried rice. I remember when it used to cost around $10.

Great take-out food! Love that things can be ordered extra spicy. The house sweet and sour sauce was so delicious. This will be a regular place for us!

Some of the best Asian fare in Carbondale. Never disappointed, always delicious. Highly recommend.

The food is delicious and you'll receive a decent amount. The place could be nicer and have a better design. Polite staff.

New Kahala is the best Chinese in Southern Illinois! I moved from a bigger city, and theirs is the closest you would get to city style. Quality is always consistent, and plate sizes are huge. You will almost certainly have leftovers. Employees are wonderful, and always ready to help. They also accommodate change requests to plates with those with various food issues, and there is a ton to choose from! Give them a shot, I promise they are worth it!

When I'm craving Asian food New Kahala is the place I go. The prices are very reasonable and each dish comes with your choice of egg roll or crab Rangoon with a side of white rice (brown rice is an upcharge). The portion sizes are great. They do have tofu option for vegetarians/vegans. I do like the tofu but I wish they would cut the tofu into smaller pieces. Food is always fresh and hot. They do have seating but it's very limited. The place has always been super clean every time I've been in. My main complaint is the wait time. Sometimes they will quote you 20 minutes and it will take 45 minutes. If you're willing and have the time to wait...it's worth it. But if you're on a time crunch I do not recommend this place.

FAVORITE PLACE TO GO! You get a lot for your money & cannot beat the flavor. Would recommend 100%. Always Call ahead even if dining in

Good food and huge portions. Good amount of vegetarian options. My only complaint is that their stir-fry dishes are mostly protien and not a lot of veggies. I also wish they would get vegetarian eggrolls! They have a good selection and prices are decent for the amount of food you get. Staff is always friendly.

Many options. Great ingredients. Prices are appropriate since proton sizes are good too. Will be back

Good not great. Cheap and got me through college! Worth a try. I mostly stuck to the fried rice.

This place is by far my new favorite spot. The staff is great the portions are large plan on taking some home. The flavor is by far the best in the area. If you have not been I would say you are missing out. It's a small quiet place. I feel like family when I go. Give it a try my favorite is the beef egg foo young.

Huge portions and friendly staff! Super quick too. I love coming here on my lunch break.

Dude New Kahala never disappoints. It's been a Local business since I was a kid. And take it from me if you don't get the sliders you're not getting the best thing on the menu!

Meh. Mediocre all around, to be honest. The service is super slow. I can't speak for takeout/pickup, but I get delivery. I live only a few blocks from the restaurant- I have no idea why it takes an hour to get there. The egg drop soup is flavorless. It just tastes like hot liquid. The chicken has been overcooked the last few times I ordered, making it stringy in dry. They told me that this is because I asked for the sauce on the side.. Maybe say that BEFORE I order and not after I complain, or adjust your cooking time for the lack of sauce (honestly, it's not a rare request, especially for take out orders). It's not bad, but it ain't great either. Ultimately, I switched to other restaurants in the area.

Food was bland and flavorless. The crew was friendly and they were fast. I just wish there was more of a flavor profile to their food. I don't think I will be returning.

Went today 11-20. Food had no flavor at all. I ordered the chicken in tea sauce girlfriend ordered beef chop suey. I think It was made with tea sauce also. The quality was not there from my last visit. I wouldn't recommend

This is hands down my favorite Chinese place. While I no longer live in Carbondale it is always a stop when I am back whether for work or visiting friends and family. I bring everyone I can to New Kahalas as it is one of those hidden gems that Carbondale has to offer. Their fried rice is fantastic! The food is always hot and fresh. The kitchen staff knows what they are doing, the dining room staff is always helpful. They will offer suggestions and recommendations to ensure a meal you will absolutely love. Give it a try! You can thank me later.

Best Chinese Food in town, hands down. Anyone posting otherwise is either crazy or has no reference. The food here is made to order. It's not sitting around waiting for your order. They make it fresh and you get it hot. Because of that, delivery takes a long time usually so go and get it if you're hungry. Been eating here occasionally for the past 20 years and I order one of three things, Broccoli and Garlic Sauce, string beans and garlic sauce, or General Tsos. It's consistent and delicious every time. Thanks guys/gals, keep up the great food!

During our stay in Carbondale we had a taste for Chinese, the top reviews for the #1 spot weren't that convincing. Pictures and menu weren't either. Thank god we kept scrolling. The portions are very generous. Food was delicious. A few mishaps but that didn't take away from the experience. We were soooo full we had left overs for the next day. The donuts were amazing. Chicken fried rice was on point, orange chicken "yummmm", general Tso's was so flavorful, empress chicken was amazing. Pot belly sliders are the best I've ever had, again too stuffed to eat them all. The beef eggs were a bit of a disappointment, they had no beef or barely any BUT we were so stuffed that it didn't even matter, they still tasted good just missing the beef. Customer service was great. Due to COVID-19 things are a bit tricky but they have made it work and are very fast and efficient. Thank you for a great experience.

Best Chinese food I've ever had. Try the sesame beef. I haven't had a bad meal from new kahala, and the employees have always been super helpful.

It may take 45 minutes to get your food, but they cook it fresh every single time. And oh you can tell, it is amazing!! Also great prices don't hurt at all! Probably in the top 5 Chinese restaurants I've had.

This chinese restaurant is great, I never had it while I attended SIU. The food is great, the staff is very accommodating and beer was only $1

I placed an order at 4:25 for and they told me it would be an hour for delivery . I called back at 5:25 for anETA and my order was not ready and also not correct. I order from New Kahala onthe regular and this is the first time I have to give them a negative review!!!!!!!! They evenhad the nerve to tell me I would havetopay for their mistake ....... being that the order was almost ready ,what a joke . I will not be recommending them anymore so disappointing !!!!!

Oh, Gawd! Do yourself and your guts a favor and just say no! I hadn't eaten here since college and instantly remembered why I haven't been back. Bland, yet over salted and loaded up with garlic. I had the Moo Goo Gai Pan and Crab Rangoon. Ick! I only ate a few bites... The staff was really nice, and that's all I can say positive about this place.

As others have indicated, it takes forever to get your food regardless of dine-in, take-out or delivery. Having said that though, the food is always fresh and hot so I guess there's a trade off. The prices are relatively the same as other similar Chinese restaurants however I feel like the portions sizes are larger so that's plus. One of my biggest gripes however have to be the crab rangoon. While they're crispy and fresh, they skimp on the filling so you feel like your eating a deep fried wonton that's extremely dry. For the price and freshness you can't go wrong although if you looking for higher quality Chinese food, Hunan is the spot.

I was on the fence about going but was so glad we did! The place was so clean and the family that runs the business takes great pride in their business and food. Food is fresh and hot made to order - best I've had! I had the combination brocoli and it was a huge serving of meat for the money - very impressed! Boyfriend had sesame beef-excellent! Very impressed with great quality of food here!

I wish I could give it no stars. That's how terrible this place was. Paid 15 dollars for food I could have made better and faster. Also they brought out the wrong wontons and refused to get the right ones without me paying for them. TERRIBLE COSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!!

Great food for a great price! Comparable well above local fare and beyond. It will be a first go-to choice, especially for delivery. The food was fresh and tasty, option for without MSG - cool. I loved it all! It didn't have that generic, pre-packaged, "Chinese takeout" taste at all. Not mushy or salty either. Flavorful with good sauces. Nice sized portions.

Came here on a Saturday afternoon. Not busy and ordered orange chicken. They told me it would take 15-20 which was an okay waiting time but I had to catch a train so I was being a little impatient. Egg roll was okay. Kinda tasted funny. The orange chicken was hot and tasted good. The food overall was okay/good

Personally my favorite Chinese food in the area, very surprised to see such low reviews. I regularly order delivery and although it may take awhile, my food is always still hot when I get it and vegetables taste fresh and crisp. I also find it very convenient that delivery drivers let you pay at the door with square. Seems a lot easier and more secure than reading numbers over the phone.

Service Fee $1.29 Tip None Delivery $2.00 Tax $1.99 Ordering online is a ripoff. You're paying more than $6 (with tip included). And then you have to wait 1 hour to get the food delivered.

The best thing they offer is fried rice. The food takes a hour to make but it seems like fast food......I tried this place 3 different times over a span of 3 years, it's been mediocre and not worth basically 14 bucks per order softer tax. Chinese donuts are good, egg rolls aren't traditional egg rolls they are sweet kind of, and have.......ground beef in them. People over hype this place ALOT I wouldn't believe the hype. China Wok and China Express is way better.

Best Chinese food I've probably ever had! Never disappoints. Everything I've tried is fabulous.

For takeout, it took 59 minutes of sitting there. Other people were waiting there too. While waiting, I observed mistaken orders which were addressed immediately so I think service was probably very good. I wish they had at least acknowledged that it was such a long wait. For food, the crab rangoon wrap was very hard and thick. I ordered tofu with mushroom. Flavor was good but a bit heavy on soy sauce. Probably won't be coming here again.

The food was ok. However, it took quite awhile, and when a mix up was made with the orders, the manager came out and rudely addressed me, claiming it was my fault. After that, he proceded to get angry at his workers. The management was very rude! Student workers shouldn't be treated so harshly.

Fast fresh chinese food. It was 8pm and I needed fast light dinner. A friend recommended this place in a dumpy small strip of shops within walking distance of SIU'S dorms. She said the owners worked at the oriental grocery store at the other end of town in the early 90s, she's followed them thru three locations. Dad is chef, son also cooks. For us (summer session, late random Monday night) food was on the table right after we got our sodas. The walnut dish was as good as P F Chang (different dish from walnut melon shrimp, but as yummy) but half the price and three times the portion size. The egg roll was not greasy and fresh veg fillings. The menu has a large traditional variety, but sauces were fresh and not loaded with corn starch, the straw mushrooms I think were fresh and not reconstituted! I didn't try the hot and sour soup, yet (that's my Chinese restaurant litmus test); but I have a new favorite Chinese place in Carbondale!

New Kahala is awesome! I've been a patron for years, and their food is always made fresh, hot and delicious, and their service is amazing! I'm a vegetarian, and they have many delicious options for me, as well as the non-vegetarian members of my family. One of my favorite restaurants in Carbondale!

I ordered fried rice, eggroll, and crab rangoon. The fried rice was good, but the eggroll had a strange flavor. I recommend getting Crab Rangoon from China Star or somewhere else, since New Kahala doesn't "fill" their wonton shells with crab. It has like eating crackers with no crab - tasteless. Delivery takes FOREVER, so if you're in a hurry, don't order from here.

New Kahala is one of the best Chinese restaurants anywhere. The food is awesome, especially the mooshu pork. The one thing they need to improve is their plates and cutlery. No one wants to eat off of styrofoam plates with little flimsy forks.