Cheap, satisfyingly refreshing treat! Highly recommend you try it. Flavors are delicious - we had the strawberry, mango and cherry. All were very good. Service was prompt - don't worry about the long line, it goes really quick. This is a walk up and order spot, no frills. If you want something richer, get the gelati (water ice and ice cream) and if you want something ultra refreshing, go with just the water ice. Water ice - thicker slushy or soft snow! read more

Can't get enough of John's. Even with a 30 minute wait last evening, it was well worth the time spent. Coming to this long time South Philly establishment feels like entering the heart of South Philly. Folks in Phillies jerseys and out-of-season Eagles jerseys waiting in line with 3-4 high school kids. Folks waiting but chatting it up cheerfully. Staff here are to the point, and are quick to serve once you hit the counter. Cash and Venmo are both accepted here. Texture-wise, I think John's is honestly the best. Hits super hard when the temperature is 80+. They have a limited set of flavors, and some rotating specials for both water ice and ice creams, including some fruit flavors that really add a nice variety and keep me coming back. There are many excellent water ice places in this city. John's is definitely near the top of that list! read more

Honestly so good and super refreshing! Tried the lime, strawberry, and mango and all three were incredible. You can ask for a scoop of each flavor and they'll give you a little mix, which is perfect if you can't decide. The small size is actually a great portion and the prices are super affordable too. Just make sure to bring cash -- but they also take Venmo and there's an ATM right in front. read more

John's Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Love this neighborhood water ice spot- definitely a Philly staple- been coming here for like ever, since HS. Always busy but the line moves quick & the staff is very friendly, prices are cheap too. You order to eat it on the streets or take it to go. My favorite flavors are their cherry, lemon, mango & pineapple- refreshing, not overly sweet, fruity with a fine, spoonable texture. I especially like their coffee chocolate chip ice cream. They also have gelati (water ice with ice cream layered), which I have yet to try. Highly recommend John's. read more

John's Water Ice - Vanilla Peanut Butter Ice Cream - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Came here for a sweet treat. My mother said she saw it on Somebody Feed Phil and she wanted to check it out. I ordered a mango and vanilla water ice. It was delicious! Would recommend! read more

John's Water Ice - Mango & Vanilla Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

While waiting for our order at Angelo's, we stumbled upon John's Water Ice. It's essentially an Italian ice where you combine a slushy/sorbet with custard ice cream. We got the Gelati Ice (water ice and ice cream combo) with lemon and vanilla flavors. A cup is $4.50, which is more than enough to share. This combo of flavors was amazing! The lemon is on the sweeter side and paired so perfectly with the creamy vanilla custard. The two flavors are also layered for a nice bite everytime --so delicious! Note: Cash or venmo payment accepted only. read more

John's Water Ice - July 2025 Menu. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The water ice was very tasty. All the different flavors taste exactly the way it's supposed to taste. I had an Gelati with Pineapple and cherry water ice, but I thought the Ice cream was soft , but it was the hard. My husband had just a water ice mango and Strawberry. The price was good and I asked the young lady, did they have pretzel And she said yes stick ones. And again , i'm thinking it was soft stick pretzels , but it was the hard stick pretzels. Not too good with water ice. She didn't even offer if I wanted any muster. The vanilla ice cream is very good. But next time , i'm just getting the water ice. We sing the episode on fox, 29 news. This morning, about the different flavors on the truck. We came all the way down here , thinking that the new different flavors was at the store and it wasn't. It was the flyers and the 76ers and they also had a Flyer shape pretzel. Not much parking around there, so we parked down the street around the corner.A nice little walk just to get a water ice. The line was not that long This time, usually the line is way down to the next corner.We haven't been here in year. But when we see the news report this morning, I was ready to go down and try it so we did. But we had to get other flavors. They even had seats for you to enjoy your water ice. The staff was nice and their was only two young ladies working tonight. People had their children's their pets, spouses and friends. It was a nice night and everyone was happy in line and talking about what kind of water ice that they was getting. Thank Gid it wasn't raining. I forgot to ask if they have sugar free water ice. Because I didn't see it on the list. If they didn't they really should make suger free water ice for people that can't have sugar. And do they sale dog treats for the pets just asking???? read more

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Some friends and I visited John's Water Ice today after a walk around South Philadelphia. On a hot day, is there anything better than a water ice? So what's a water ice? It's an Italian ice made from blending fresh fruit juices with water and sugar and then churning and freezing it. It's smooth, cold, refreshing, and dairy-free. So what's so great about John's Water Ice? Founded by John Cardullo in 1945, John's has been a Philly thing for decades, and it's still family-owned today (by John's grandson Anthony). When we arrived, they had several water ice flavors, ice cream, and combos (made with water ices and ice cream). I got their mango water ice, which was super smooth, fresh (I got a little chunk of mango - which was a reminder that water ice is made from fresh fruit!), and very refreshing. My friend got half strawberry, half piña colada; her husband also got mango; and my husband got the cherry water ice. They were all great. John's is to go only (it's just a counter where you order and pay) and cash only. So stop by with some cash on a hot day and enjoy a water ice from John's! read more

John's Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Perfect on a warm day! I recommend getting the combo of lemon ice with vanilla ice cream. Pro tip: Cash only or venmo read more

John's Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Affordable and tasty! I think I prefer water ice to Italian ice and slushies now. It was the perfect consistency. The mango and strawberry were both really good, and you can tell they make it from real fruit! Service was fast and the ambiance was casual. Did have to wait in line though! read more

John's Water Ice - Mango Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

What can I say, John's is so good and their rotating flavors of the week are amazing. I also love their pretzels that they offer, and the deal towards the end of the day you can get (just recently 3 for $1!). P.s. they also take Venmo now All the employees are nice, and very generous with the amounts of water ice they give. The flavors are good, they don't melt fast, and the gelati's are incredible. The line might be long, but I enjoy talking about the fun flavor combinations and the area this place is located makes for great conversation. Obviously will be back, and can't wait to get another cup of water ice read more

Great water ice! I'm so glad I stopped here while I was in town. I'd def come again! Great flavors :)

excellent quality for cheap prices -- follow on instagram for weekly specials. They also accept venmo, which is great. Medium size water ice (mango) for 3.50 read more

John's is my favorite place for water ice! Usually a long line forms because everyone wants water ice but every once in a while I'll get lucky and the line would be really short and there will only be less than 5 people in line. Their prices are very affordable. I usually get a medium water ice for $3.50. My favorite flavors do get are mango and strawberry and you can also see and taste the pieces of real fruit in the water ice. I highly recommend going here for the best prices and the most delicious water ice in the city! read more

John's Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Gelati! Mango water ice, vanilla ice cream, and pineapple water ice layered. I'd get it with just mango and vanilla, so good. The water ice cuts the ice cream's sweetness. Just the water ice by itself is too bland. read more

John's Water Ice - Mango water - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I don't understand the hype over John's water ice. I find the few flavors they have to taste extremely artificial. That being said, when I came here recently they had a raspberry chocolate chip hard ice cream, which I ordered, and was DELIGHTED to find was packed with raspberry-filed chocolate chunks. It was... so good. SO. GOOD. I've never had anything like it since, and I think about the tasty treat at least weekly now. read more

John's Water Ice is a Philly staple that should be on everyone's must try list. You can't go wrong with any of their flavors. They use real fruit in their water ice - you can definitely tell because you can find real fruit pieces in their water ice. They don't use syrups or super bright colored dyes in their water ice. Their water ice is super refreshing on a hot day and I love that it's not super sweet. Unlike a traditional snow cone, their ice is super fine and smooth and each bite of water ice has that delightful fruit flavor blended evenly without any ice chunks at all. I've also tried their ice cream and their ice creams are not ice-y at all. Their ice cream flavors are super unique and they change up their menu quite often. Just like their water ice, their ice cream isn't too sweet to the point where it's sickening, it has just the right amount of sweetness. It's a bummer that they don't open during the colder months because I think about their water ice from time to time. My all time favorite flavor has got to be their blueberry water ice! There's oftentimes a long line but don't let time deter you from trying it out because the line goes down super fast as their service is top notch! They always scoop a heaping scoop of water ice. They don't have seating anywhere though, so you would probably have to stand around to eat your water ice or if the weather isn't too hot, take a stroll to the parks nearby to enjoy your delicious water ice. TIP: they're cash only but also accept Venmo. Be sure to take a peek inside as they have a whiteboard that lists out their special flavors (weekends only). read more

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Always been the best and the first for so many years.You can't go wrong here so refreshing and flavorful

Today, there was clear blue skies and the Sun was shining warmly so I wanted a sweet treat and we went to John's. The prices here are amazing. It was the classic water ice , perfect temperature and creaminess. My lady got a chocolate ice cream and hers was super creamy. I love this place and hadn't been here in many years. It exactly how I remember it. read more

John's Water Ice - Johns water ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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The line is half way down the block on a weekend summer evening! Thats how you know it's going to be good, right? This is a unique concoction that you must experience for yourself when you're in the Italian Market area of Philly! We tried the Gelati which is a combination that starts off on the bottom with water ice then ice cream and topped off with water ice. The water ice is unique in and of itself but then combined with ice cream it's just amazing! There is no seating so not going to get much ambiance here but it's still a must try as the experience is just what you need! read more

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My go to spot for water ice has always been John's! No matter how long the line is I will always wait. The water ice always hit the spot. read more

John's Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I didn't realize that this was going to be a pop-up and not their main location (I think a lot of the other reviews may not be commenting on the right location?). It's a super super pop-up with just a picnic table collecting money and someone scooping pretty limited flavors from behind the counter. It's water ice-nothing unexpected or terribly special. The main location is probably more interesting. read more

Fabulous!! My previous experiences with water ice are artificial flavors and colors that stain your mouth. This water ice is refreshing as it is naturally tasty. Loved the real chunks of fruit that were oh so yummy. Definitely long lines during the summer, but it makes the first bite all the more worth! read more

The most famous water ice in Philly, and I get the hype!! But honestly medium was too much for me, get small next time! I got half and half, chocolate and mango water ice, and it was so good! Mango was so creamy and not too sweet, while chocolate was a bit too sweet and watery. Would stick to mango and piña colada next time!! The line was long, but moves fast! No seating inside, and pay in cash/venmo only. read more

John's Water Ice - Top: mango, bottom: chocolate (medium) - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I went to another water ice establishment prior to this being from out of town and loving all things shaved ice related! I ordered the pineapple and strawberry, flavor was light. I don't really remember the service, tbh. I feel like this location doesn't have much to offer honestly. Not many flavors and I sort of wanted it better presented. Also, they don't swirl it so you can't eat both flavors together. read more

Great place to come for the summer to beat the heat. There usually is a long line but it moves fairly quickly. Prices are very fair. For the water ice, I really like how smooth it is (and not icy). I also appreciate that there are real chunks of fruit in it. I've also tried the ice cream and was very impressed. The ice cream is smooth and creamy, with flecks of delicious dark chocolate (can tell it's good quality). read more

John's Water Ice - Menu - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ahhh the famous water ice! I can't believe I've never had water ice before!! Have I been living under a rock?? I've definitely been missing out. It is so good!! Light and fluffy, absolutely perfect on a brutal hot day. We got lemon and pineapple with vanilla ice cream. I preferred pineapple, but I am more of a purist and rather have the water ice by itself rather than with ice cream. Service is pretty fast, so don't get discouraged if you see a long line. It will move fast!! read more

John's Water Ice - Lemon - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I didn't know that there could really be a different in water ice but yes, there definitely is. We walked a good distance to get there and it was well worth it. It was warm out and there was a healthy line but it is so refreshing and worth both the walk and the wait. It's cash only and I seem to remember that there was an ATM either right there or really close by. I live for lemon so I got that and was really happy about it. My kids got other fruit varieties (pineapple and cherry) and one of my sons got a strange combination of chocolate water ice and chocolate ice cream. I wouldn't recommend the latter when the others are so good. Service is fine - once you order, they are fast to serve. The prices are very reasonable and this is a Philadelphia institution. Go try it! read more

John's Water Ice - All smiles at John's Water Ice. - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

love the good service and the place! good price for a simple water ice. i loved it and i wanna try the others read more

John's Water Ice - Mango Water Ice Pint 16oz - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Absolutely love this place. Water ice was cheap and so refreshing! I got the cherry ice and it's so addicting on a hot weather. read more

John's Water Ice - Menu - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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My brother has been raving about John's Water Ice, so naturally it was our first dessert choice when I visited him. He says that they use real fruit, and that you can tell by not only the flavor but when there's actual seeds in them - for example, his favorite is the strawberry and you can see the strawberry seeds in the cup! I got mango. It was super refreshing and didn't taste too sweet or heavy. I didn't feel like I had pounds of sugar afterwards either, and it was only $2.50! They're only open during the warmer months, so I heard people often take quarts to go. They have staple flavors and a rotating daily special. read more

John's Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

*Cash or Venmo only* John's water ice is not only delicious and refreshing but an amazing price! We tried two flavors within each of our small cups. I got lemon and banana, and my companion got strawberry and chocolate. All of the flavors we tried were amazing. They are so fresh and feel like they are from the fruit itself, not a syrup. The banana was most surprisingly like an actual banana vs the typical fake banana flavor. The chocolate is creamy despite not being an ice cream - most akin to a fudgsicle. The small sizes were also plenty despite seeming like tiny cups. The smooth icy texture is most akin to Italian ice. Keep in mind that the shop is only open certain months of the year (I believe they are closing or have closed for the season by early September). read more

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Yum! It was 80 degrees and the line for John's was down the block. Knowing at the end of the line we would be rewarded with cool fresh ices was good enough for us. These ices weren't just refreshing they were delicious. Softer and juicer compared to the NY style Italian ice. I also think they were a little less sweet. We got a variety of flavors: Lemon - My favorite Chocolate - Almost identical to your standard NY Pineapple - 2nd best Cherry - Delish Strawberry - Fresh strawberry taste read more

I've heard great things about John's Water Ice. We came pretty late at night, and there was a decently long line. It went by fast though. The menu outside only shows a handful of flavors, but they have a different whiteboard on the inside that lists more seasonal or rotating flavors. The prices were pretty fair considering the portion size. We got a gelati with a strawberry italian ice and vanilla ice cream. The strawberry water ice was good and had a very authentic strawberry flavor. At a certain point I felt like the flavor got a bit repetitive. Overall, it's worth checking out this water ice spot! read more

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I knew this place was a Philly staple and always wanted to try it ! On a very hot Sunday we stood in line to get our ices. I got the special which was mango and my husband got the standard chocolate. My mango was very light in flavor. I wish there was more mango flavor but it was still really good! My husband chocolate is divine. Very rich and chocolately. We both enjoyed our ice and for $2.50! Can't beat that. Can't wait to come back and try more flavors:) read more

John's Water Ice - Mango and chocolate - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My second time here today. My husband and son's first time. I liked the Paloma flavor- you can see grapefruit bits and lime zest. The pineapple and lemon flavors were really refreshing. My guys LOVED it here as they really love water ice and claimed it's the best yet. The texture makes the water ice much enjoyable. Hope to be back again soon! read more

John's Water Ice - Paloma flavor - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I took my kids here for water ice. The line went halfway down the block. I was hoping that I could have some but unfortunately they didn't have any diabetic friendly options. I will stick with Rita's, they always have a sugar-free option. My kids said their water ice was good but prefer the shorter lines at Rita's or Uncle Luigi. No ambiance to talk about. read more

John's Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Typical no nonsense south Philly establishment that is all business. Quality over quantity. I'd rate this water ice 8/10 only bc there are limited flavors per day. The syrup is surprisingly strong if you prefer that. I believe they are cash only too. read more

John's Water Ice - Cherry Water Ice Pint 16oz - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

$ CASH or VENMO only $ Mango water ice was good. Had little chunks in it. Smooth texture Strawberry was good too Line can get long but moves quick read more

We came on a hot Saturday afternoon, and there was a decent line. Took about 15 minutes for us to get our ice. Cash only of course! We got one medium sized, half mango and half cherry. It was our first time having water ice, and the texture was really unique. It was a creamier slushy, not too brain-freezingly cold, and overall was really refreshing on a hot day. The flavors themselves were very potent, but also very artificial. I would honestly have liked it more if they had just toned down the flavoring by 25%. Overall, will definitely be back! read more

John's Water Ice - Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania