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Little Water, Philadelphia, PA

Little Water

4.7
4.7
185 Reviews
$30 and under
Contemporary American

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 48 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.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, American, Seafood
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Tue–Sun 11:00–14:00 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.
  • 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

Private dining

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 185 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Little Water in Philadelphia shines with "fantastic food and service." Known for its "incredible vibe," the seafood offerings like swordfish Milanese and lobster toast are "amazing." The restaurant's atmosphere is lively yet cozy, with attentive staff. While some find it pricey, the "unique and delicious" dishes make it a must-visit.

185 Reviews

  1. David

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Little Water is Largely Special! Great experience. Our server, Dan, is the ultimate professional. Cocktails were awesome. Wine list surprisingly moderately priced. Deserts are over the moon.

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  2. Devin VIP

    Philadelphia6 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Seafood platter a must! Milanese was good but a glorified fish stick. Salad and bread was good, tuna portion was large but somewhat bland.

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  3. Vincent VIP

    Philadelphia14 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was very good. Interesting preparations. Just way too loud.

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  4. Gerald VIP

    Philadelphia400 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A nice lunch at Little Water - the gumbo and the Maple Cremeux were amazing.

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  5. Frankie VIP

    Philadelphia16 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    From the moment we walked in the experience was sensational. Host was welcoming and lovely, the server (Rodney) was friendly, smart, knowledgeable about the menu and the cocktail list! The shrimp cocktail was a revelation!

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  6. George

    Philadelphia17 reviews

    3.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Little Water is a vibrant addition to Rittenhouse but was also somewhat disappointing. The small plates were all excellent. The larger plates really missed the mark. The dessert options were also very limited. Our server was excellent. We did not notice the time limits shown on our reservation. As a party of 3 we were there for roughly over 2 hours and in the end were rushed to finish our desert. We ordered everything upfront so it is somewhat also incumbent on the establishment to keep track and pace our dining experience accordingly. I would not rush back though I would try again but stick with the smaller plates.

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  7. Jocar VIP

    Philadelphia30 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Was excited to try this new restaurant - worth the hype. The food was amazing! We had appetizers, salad, entrees and dessert - all of it was incredibly tasty! Honestly, some of the best food I’ve had at a restaurant in a long time. Our server was excellent, attentive and super nice. Highly recommend Little Water!!!

    Is this helpful?

  8. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 5 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    With being in the industry prior, it was refreshing to come here and not time things on the service level. The team was so welcoming and the food alone was beyond my expectation. I don’t go out because it’s a waste of money when the food doesn’t taste better than what I can cook, but what I can say is never will I ever be able to cook what was presented today, this is the restaurant I would take clients to. The flavors of dishes and how it perfectly paired from drink and dessert is astonishing.

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  9. Manish

    Philadelphia3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 5 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was tremendous. Very fresh, excellent quality, perfectly seasoned.

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  10. Linda VIP

    Philadelphia233 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 4 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We stopped in for an early lunch and were pleasantly surprised. There was a large selection of appetizers and entrees. We settled on the Swordfish Milanese which was delicious and the Oyster BLT was outstanding. Service and ambiance perfect and we plan to return for both lunch and dinner.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Little Water is rated 4.7 stars by 185 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 48 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
    Lunch Tue–Sun 11:00–14:00 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.
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