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Little Water, Philadelphia, PA

Little Water

4.6
4.6
71 Reviews
$30 and under
Contemporary American

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2 people
19:00
Booked 117 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Great for creative cocktails
Located in the historic neighborhood of Rittenhouse Square, Little Water is the latest restaurant from husband-and-wife team, Chef Randy Rucker and Amanda Rucker. Inspired by the Ruckers' experiences living along the Gulf Coast, New England, and Mid-Atlantic regions, Little Water is a contemporary coastal restaurant that celebrates the ecological diversity of life by the sea.

The sister restaurant to the acclaimed East Passyunk Avenue gem, River Twice—which has been recognized by The Philadelphia Inquirer and The New York Times, and has earned Chef Randy’s Philadelphia Magazine’s “Best Chef” and, most recently, a James Beard Award nomination in 2024 for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic—Little Water continues the Ruckers' dedication to sustainability and local sourcing. With an a la carte menu inspired by the dynamic ecosystem of tranquil marshes, expansive bays, and secluded coves, Little Water captures the coastal spirit in a warm and lively atmosphere.
Private dining

Private dining

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, American, Seafood
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Tue–Sat 17:00–22:00
  • Phone number
    (215) 337-3343
  • Website
    https://www.littlewaterphl.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Chef Randy Rucker
  • Private party facilities
    Located in the historic Rittenhouse neighborhood of Center City Philadelphia just steps off of the infamous 'square', our window lined corner restaurant is the perfect match for your private event. From family-style dinners to cocktail parties, our team will curate an experience to remember.
  • Private party contact
    Maggie Cook: (215) 337-3343
  • Location
    261 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
  • Area
    Center City
  • Cross Street
    20th street and Manning street
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wine

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 71 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Philadelphia

    Contemporary American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Little Water, nestled in Rittenhouse Square, offers a chic and charming dining experience with an inventive seafood-forward menu. Patrons rave about the "absolutely excellent" swordfish Milanese and "delicious and inventive food." The service is consistently "attentive," creating a warm ambiance. However, be prepared for a lively and bustling atmosphere.

71 Reviews

  1. Corey

    Philadelphia

    3 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined today

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 2
    Great food and service but the space is super packed and was actually the loudest uncomfortable dining experience I've had in a while. The ceiling, floor, and walls are all hard surfaces so it's basically an echo chamber in there. Bring earplugs if you go.

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  2. Sarah

    Philadelphia

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Incredible food served by incredible people. Great place to celebrate anything and everything

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  3. Alice

    Philadelphia

    46 reviews

    5.0

    46 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Little Water was fabulous! Our group of 6 enjoyed everything we had, from the deconstructed salad to the scallops, tuna and my husband’s favorite-the swordfish. Desserts were great too, big enough to share…we’ll be back!

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  4. Rachael

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was perfect and the service was amazing. Everyone who works there is great

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  5. Virginia

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent menu! Will definitely be going back. I will be dreaming of the swordfish belly tartare.

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  6. Winnie

    Pittsburgh

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Phenomenal food! Seafood tower was amazing and everything was so fresh

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  7. Maree

    Philadelphia

    21 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Little Water is my new favorite restaurant—the ambiance is modern and lovely…food was excellent, tasty and the service was personable and professional. This will be on my list of dining must shares with my friends!

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  8. Mark

    Philadelphia

    47 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    47 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Apart from the noise, everything about this new place is exceptional. Food is imaginatively prepared and served; service is exceptional--attentive but not intrusive, new silverware with each course, good advice; and the menu selections are novel, delicious (we had crab legs, baked oysters, and fried black sea bass), with portions appropriate for each size dish. Overall, a real addition to Rittenhouse dining. Highly recommended. We can't wait to return.

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  9. marita

    Atlantic City

    37 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    37 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    saw the feature on Fox29 morning show showcasing this fabulous restaurant. I immediately made a reservation and was not disappointed the experience from hostess to our bartender/server and other employees in your fine establishment was spectacular! The food was excellent, Michelin Star worthy (if in Europe). Petra walked us through the menu and offered suggestions that were impeccable. Will definitely be dining at Little Water often. 10 out of 10 for me 👍🏼🎉😋

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  10. Greer

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 4 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Came here on a week night just to try out a new restaurant. Overall great experience. Cool space, good drinks. Just a heads up that the swordfish milanese is not as pictured on the website or in other reviews online. The sauce is poured on top of the fish instead of on the side. Some diners might not mind this but I thought it took away from the dish as there was entirely too much sauce. Everything else was great though! We also got the sour dough, bay scallops, caeser-like salad, big eye tuna.

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FAQs

Little Water is rated 4.6 stars by 71 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 117 times today
Google Map for Little Water

261 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    20th street and Manning street
  • Area
    Center City
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Tue–Sat 17:00–22:00
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, American, Seafood
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Chef Randy Rucker
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wine
  • Website
    https://www.littlewaterphl.com/
  • Phone number
    (215) 337-3343
  • Private party facilities
    Located in the historic Rittenhouse neighborhood of Center City Philadelphia just steps off of the infamous 'square', our window lined corner restaurant is the perfect match for your private event. From family-style dinners to cocktail parties, our team will curate an experience to remember.
  • Private party contact
    Maggie Cook: (215) 337-3343
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