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Little Water, Philadelphia, PA

Little Water

4.6
4.6
85 Reviews
$30 and under
Contemporary American

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2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 24 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Neighborhood gem
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 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • 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
  • Neighborhood
    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 85 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
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 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.

85 Reviews

  1. Chad

    Philadelphia

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Exceptional food, service and ambience. Was referred by a friend who is another local chef here in Philly that highly recommended this place. Did not disappoint!

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  2. Patricia

    Philadelphia

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Exquisite seafood, great service, perfect ambient music. A perfect dining experience.

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  3. Deanna

    VIP

    San Francisco

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Little Water is a refreshing dinner spot offering a nice variety of seafood dishes. The service and pacing of the meal make this place shine - it is so relaxing to dine here! The staff keep glasses full. The pacing of the meal is excellent - they leave plenty of time for each dish to shine. Tables are spaced out nicely as well, further contributing to a relaxed dining experience. We had a 5:45 res on a Saturday night and stayed for about 2 hours as a party of 2 ordering apps, drinks & entrees. For a ladies night out, we tried the bread, swordfish crudo, Caesar salad & swordfish Milanese. Each course surpassed our expectations. The caesar salad was HUGE and delicious - definitely something you could split as a large side for 2 or a small side for 4. Excellent wine and cocktail selection as well. They also had some mocktails on the menu that looked tasty. Absolutely thrilled! Would return for a celebration

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  4. Connie

    Philadelphia

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful space, exceptional service. Pricey but very good food.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Janae

    VIP

    New York City

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    This was our second time coming back. And this time we tried other things we had our eye on and it was so good! Worth every dollar and we can’t wait to go back!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Jason

    New York City

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 2
    Noise level was loud, had trouble hearing my party across the table. Ordered 5 dishes, three of them were very flavorful - Lobster, Caesar Salad, Key Lime Tart.

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  7. Sara

    Philadelphia

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Mostly good- chicken was really overcooked we were disappointed since we were really sold on it by the staff. Would try something else next time

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  8. Tim

    New Orleans

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was good, not great. Somewhat unbalanced dishes with a spice or two missing. Asked for salt on one dish. In an already exciting and growing food city like Philadelphia, this is unfortunately a spot that we will probably not return to.

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  9. Sherry

    VIP

    Philadelphia

    35 reviews

    3.0

    35 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Was very excited to try Little Water because I love River Twice. While there food was good, it does not compare to River Twice (which is ten times better). the crab toast was good but needed salt, the caesar salad was good, the crab claws were excellent but tiny and the lobster toast was very bland. Not running back

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  10. Cris

    VIP

    New York City

    13 reviews

    3.0

    13 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    It’s a lovely space. The food is just very mediocre. Nothing was seasoned. Very bland. And servers kept pushing the menu supplements. It’s tacky. You don’t need to put caviar on everything

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FAQs

Little Water is rated 4.6 stars by 85 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 24 times today
Google Map for Little Water

261 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Additional information

  • Cross street
    20th street and Manning street
  • Neighborhood
    Center City
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • 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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