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Little Water, Philadelphia, PA

Little Water

4.7
4.7
180 Reviews
$30 and under
Contemporary American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 47 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood 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

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, American, Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sun 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Chef Randy Rucker

What 180 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
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

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.

180 Reviews
  1. Frankie VIP

    Philadelphia16 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 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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  2. Jocar VIP

    Philadelphia30 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 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!!!

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    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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  4. Manish

    Philadelphia3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    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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  5. Linda VIP

    Philadelphia233 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    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.

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  6. David VIP

    Philadelphia25 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great night! Enjoyed everything - food, vibe, service. Thank you.

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  7. Tim

    Atlantic City2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic experience all around. Some of the best food in Philly. Wonderful atmosphere and great service!

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  8. della VIP

    Philadelphia16 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on March 1, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    We had the sea bass and preferred served in a warm dish because it turned cold quick. We like the restaurant.

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  9. david

    Atlantic City209 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 1, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Second time there and it was phenomenal! We shared the shrimp, which lived up to the hype, the raw tuna, which was “dream about” and the fried clam, bacon, green tomato sandwich which may have been the best sandwich I’ve ever had! The flavor was off the charts! Great work!

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  10. Caitlyn

    New York City2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 27, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    incredible vibe, food better than you can even imagine

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Little Water is rated 4.7 stars by 180 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 47 times today
Google Map for Little Water

261 S 20th St, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Contemporary American, American, Seafood
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Tue–Sun 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner Tue–Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    None
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Chef Randy Rucker
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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