i take back my previous 4-star review! i learned my lesson from last time and called to see if they had soft shell crab on the menu, and they did! my boyfriend and i made a last minute wednesday evening reservation and caught a chicken fried wednesday! we shared the caesar-like salad and had both of the specials -- the 5 piece buttermilk chicken and the soft shell crab. they were both fantastic, the soft shell crab was amazing, the ideal way to kick off softie season. for dessert, we had the frozen key lime tart which was much bigger than we expected and delicious. it was perfectly sweet and tangy, and i really liked the toasted meringue. definitely a heavy treat, but absolutely worth it. we left feeling stuffed and satisfied. little water is always a beautiful dining experience. the restaurant is stunning and modern, and the service is always top notch. our waitress was very sweet and attentive. i saw on their instagram that the chicken fried softshell sandwich is back on the menu, and i really want to try it! i'll definitely call ahead again to confirm availability because i can't bear the disappointment of my last visit again. read more

See all

Came for happy hour, or low tide as they call it. My friend and I sat outside and split the petit plateau that had so much food and then they were running a special of half off bottles of wine. They were also doing a half off chicken promotion but we didn't get that. The plateau had 3 crab claws, 3 jumbo shrimp cocktail, 3 oysters, scallop crudo, tuna pate, smoked white fish spread, cured fish pate, canned mussels, saltines, and sourdough bread. Definitely will be back! read more

Little Water - Low tide petit plateau with a sparking wine. Not shown: fries - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I typically research the areas I travel to in hopes of finding a gem. I stumbled upon this one and had a hunch, and was not let down one bit. Staff was incredibly friendly. I was a solo walk in and all I wanted to do was eat and read my book. I got more than that, there was a slip up with the tartare but it was hands down the best in the city. The turmeric ginger tea was sublime, the only way to start your rainy Sunday. Can't say enough good things about this place only because I only ate two things from the menu. Don't hesitate, just go to Little Water. read more

This restaurant is beautiful inside and out - well decorated and seems well organized and run. Our female server was okay but the male was much more informative. I'm not a huge seafood fan, so I just got the Caesar salad; honestly I did not like the flavors, but I ate it. My husband had the soft shell crab sandwich special. He said it was okay but lacked flavor and he has had better. The pricing is high b/c it is new and trendy, but I wouldn't choose it again. read more

See all

Great spot well worth all the attention it's been getting! I came here on a weeknight with a friend, and even then it was packed and quite lively. We did everything family style (as they suggested) and ordered bread, shrimp cocktail, two apps, and a main. We would've been fine with one less dish (or even without the main) but everything was so good that I have no regrets. The best things were the two toasts - scallop toast and a smoked fish tartine. They also do fried chicken and half priced bottled on Wednesday, but we opted for all seafood. read more

See all

Very busy on a Friday night but were able to snag a reservation earlier that day. We were seated immediately upon arriving and greeted by our server. Very friendly and attentive staff. I swear our waters never got below half full! The food came out in a timely manner and was paced perfectly. The restaurant was on the louder side but the bar would be great to catch happy hour at! read more

See all

Little Water's space has always been convenient and a lil'funky, with its set-back vestibule and narrow seating wings. Service was welcoming and the food was creative if not perfectly executed. Even with the roe, the Chicken Fried Chicken needed a bit more seasoning (or more pickles to bring extra zing) and the fries had a slightly odd texture, though some were well-seasoned. The dishes coming out to the tables around us looked pretty and the crab legs in ice intriguing. Overall good for a business lunch. read more

See all

2nd time at little water, this time for brunch. Ordered the (1) Caesar-like salad, (2) Snow crab claws, (3) pencil cob grits with catfish, (4) gumbo and (5) sticky bun. Thoughts below: 1) solid salad, heavy dressing for my preference Rating 3.5/5 2) small claws and they tasted sort of fishy ( would not order again) Rating 2/5 3) the fish and grits were the best thing I tasted that day! The crust on the fish reminded me of my southern grandmas catfish. So yum Rating 5/5 4) the roux/gravy tasted a bit overcooked. A lot of rice and not enough meat Rating 3/5 5) the sticky bun wasn't sweet, which wasn't a big surprise because its a non-traditional version that features brown butter and miso. Besides the sticky topping, the bun lacked flavor. The service was fine, it was the first brunch service day so things were naturally chaotic. We were lead at the bar despite having a reservation and seated 10-15 mins later. All in all, solid experience but will probably just visit for lunch/dinner in the future as the menu is a tad better. read more

See all

Best meal of the year so far in Philly and beyond. Very crowded and rightfully so. We had a resy and only waited about 5 min for our table, but we could wait on the rail to order drinks while they set our table. It was definitely on the louder side, but not enough to have to ask your friend across the table to repeat themselves every time. For the food... we got their giant platter thing, which was completely worth it. We split everything three ways; if there was a fourth person, we would have just ordered more entrees. Our fav was the crab, but that was closely followed by everything else. A surprise hit was the Caesar salad, which was a huge portion and extremely fresh. If you eat on the lighter side, you could get that and a small seafood app and be good to go. The only small change we would welcome would be some more imaginative cocktails with some funky ingredients, even if it's just a special. We could have made all of them at home and prefer to get ones that are either extremely annoying to do so or have ingredients we don't have. read more

One of the top meals we've ever had in Philly. If you like fish and seafood, this place can't be missed. (There are a chicken and a duck entree, for those who don't.) Service from Malik was exemplary, who really partnered with us in choosing and assessing the wine and dishes. His knowledge and love of the food was apparent and inspiring. We started with the Grand Plateau, which is a selection of several seafoods, both raw and cooked, including mussels, clams, crab legs and lobster. (See photo) We shared the octopus and collards, which was surprisingly good. We both then had the swordfish Milanese with the peppercorn gribiche. We agreed it was superb, and the bitter greens salad was a wonderful alternative to cole slaw. As a lover of key lime pie, I had to try the tart, and we were pleasantly surprised. The meringue was delicious, and caramelized perfectly. The restaurant is small with a tin ceiling, so it can be a little noisy for pleasant conversation. The bar is adequate, and there is a raw bar. Service was perfect, hit all the right notes. We will be back with friends! read more

See all

Came for brunch on a Sunday. Very yummy. Ambiance is impeccable and servers were extremely helpful in dish selection. This is a wonderful culinary experience and would love to come back. read more

See all

Had a great happy hour here with some of my cousins! We sat at the bar and ordered an assortment of their happy hour offerings including some oysters which were fresh and juicy, taken up a a notch by their house made catsup which had a nicer deeper flavor than a typical ketchup with a nice kick of horseradish, accompanied by their also tasty house hot sauce. The fries with oyster mayo could've used a touch more salt and crisp but were uniform and fluffy inside with a creamy briny oyster mayo that tastes exactly what you'd expect to in a good way. The best bite, though, was the crawfish salad which was savory and creamy, served on perfectly fried and crisped brioche pieces. Overall happy hour was more than worth, and although we didn't get dinner service here, the menu and the food everyone else was ordering looked great. read more

See all

Fabulous spot with an incredible vibe and a team that truly elevates the experience. The food was outstanding- highlights for me were the crawfish salad, torched scallops, and the petite fried oyster sandwich, all packed with flavor and beautifully executed. While the Caesar salad is often recommended as a must-try, it didn't quite live up to the hype for me. I also wasn't a big fan of the oyster mayo, but the fries were absolutely perfect and made up for it. Overall, this is a must-try restaurant in Philly. I'd highly recommend checking it out! read more

See all

I have been wanting to try this for awhile, I popped in late night and just sat at the bar. I had oysters and a drink. I was very satisfied with both. I want to go back for a full dinner. It was late so there was a quiet late night energy. I am curious to see what it is like during dinner time. The bartender was attentive even though they were about to close. read more

A dear friend treated me to the most delicious meal here. (And shoutout to her for snagging a reservation right before they got recognized by Michelin!) Caviar, hash brown with uni, octopus (my fave--even though I didn't get a pic), a cosmo, key lime tart... truly a delightful splurge. Little Water really knows how to make you feel special. The service was friendly. The restaurant was really cute. Thank you for a great meal! read more

See all

I really liked little water! Super cute ambiance, felt like I was transported out of philly and into sf for some reason? Regarding the things we tried: the oysters were fresh and big, the scallops were amazing, and the mussels were my favorite thing in the menu. I would skip the fish pate toast, it wasn't anything special, and I really wish the garleek butter had another dash of salt. We did happy hour and the price was incredibly reasonable for the quality of food Service was great, and food came out super quick! read more

See all

Caesar salad and The seafood tower were great! Bright, complex flavors* *everything was delicious and surprisingly fresh, not heavy. read more

Wow, the food was incredible here. We had the snow crab claws, bread with garleek butter, and the hiramasa appetizers. We also had the fried chicken sandwich, gumbo, and the tartine for our mains, and the pumpkin financier for dessert. Everything was delicious, and the service was amazing. It got a little bit loud after noon, but manageable. There's plenty of space, but would still recommend a reservation. read more

See all

Chose to come for lunch as I wanted to try the fried squid sandwich which is only available for lunch and not dinner. We were kindly welcomed in. The space is beautiful and will remind you of New England. The white furniture, wooden floors and random notes of the ocean make it a whimsical spot. The portions are pretty small...and the service is slow despite not many patrons. We received the fried squid sandwich really late and received no update on it. We saw others order sandwiches after us but served before us. We also had to follow up on the sourdough; we were told its on its way and then appeared right away. We felt like the server could have just been honest that it was forgotten. Oysters (5/5) - served with Alabama white sauce on and a housemate hot sauce Snow crab claws (3/5) - topped black walnut bay mustard which has a kick to it...kind of like horseradish; left me craving more Raw tuna (5/5) - the dehydrated black olives on top added texture and smokiness Sourdough with tarragon butter and henlopen sea salt (5/5) - we added the marinated white anchovies for sixteen dollars. The bread was from Mighty Bread - so good. The butter was amazing, tasted like autumn. Fried squid sandwich (3/5) - served on a soft sesame seeded crusted ciabatta. Squid ink oozes out with each bite. Although very tasty, I loved the concept and flavors but the sandwich was excessively salty. read more

See all

This is a complicated review that pains me a little. Found Little Water on a list of the 50 best restaurants in Philadelphia right now. The space is absolutely gorgeous and comfortable. The staff at the bar (I didn't have a reservation) were professional, attentive and kind. I started with the ceasar-like salad. Not sure what they did there, but it was savory and amazing, and huge! Then I had the trout with a hearty melange on top. Green beans, celery hearts, olives, lemon juice. The fish was cooked to perfection. Where I'm going to dock them on is with the overly busy topping. It really detracted from and overwhelmed the fish. Now, I ate every bite, but I was a little disappointed. That and a few fish bones. Also, if I could single handedly end the serving of fish heads I would be doing a service to mankind. Never have I heard someone say, thank God they served the fish with the head, otherwise, it would be so gauche. Now, I personally don't mind it's presence, but I'd probably be a little happier without it. read more

See all

There are no photos of the bread or the salad because we devoured them too quickly. But they were standouts. The compound butter with warm Mighty Bread was delicious. The salad of gem lettuce and romaine with seaweed and creamy dressing was crisp and refreshing. I ordered swordfish milanese, not thinking about what that meant. When I saw the fried swordfish served at another table, I was worried that I ordered a dish that wouldn't highlight the great taste of swordfish. But it was so good and not greasy or overwhelming. The gribiche was a tasty tartar-like sauce. My husband, who doesn't care for fish, liked it better than his pork, which was also delicious. I had a terrific meal here. The only way it could be better is if there were more vegetable options to order. I had excellent wine with my meal. We visited the bar for drinks before, and we know that the make great cocktails as well. Will certainly be back. read more

See all

Absolutely delicious!!! Run don't walk to experience a reality quaint and flavorful meal. Such good food and vibes to match! read more

See all

I went only for Brunch on a Sunday, not sure how lunch or dinner is, but Brunch was not very good. Food lacked flavor and size, the menu was not very clear. I highlight the good service and ambiance of the restaurant, it is very nice. I don't think I'll come back to try Lunch or Dinner but for new guests I'd say don't go on a Brunch day. read more

Came for Valentine's Day and had a lovely meal. We got the seafood plateau, the crab uni potato, the Caesar, the swordfish and the halibut The halibut and Caesar are must have period. The halibut was in a creamy clean sauce which I could eat everyday. The Caesar with the seaweed was such an incredible bite. I want no other Caesar again! The plateau was yummy but I think the clams and the crab were the star so feel free to order those one off. As for the crab uni potato bite, it was just okay. All in all, this was a cute spot and I'd def recommend for seafood lovers read more

See all

Hits: the tartare of beef rockefeller style with crispy oysters was the best dish of the night - loved all the different textures. Also up there was the bluefin tuna and the peekytoe crab (though i wish the corn pizzelle it came with wasn't as sweet). Would pass on next time: the broth for the seared scallops was great but the dish as a whole didn't get me too excited. The sourdough is a waste of $7, lol - i thought it would come with a fun butter but it's like getting bread at the cheesecake factory tbh. Bit pricey for the portions but hey, its fresh seafood!! read more

I get my nails done across the street at central (van is 7 out of 5 stars) and always wanted to try this place being a gulf coast girlie. Food was excellent. I cleaned my small plate BUT I never do that so ! Two reasons I didn't give 5 stars 1. It feels a little NY and not Philly 2. It took 12 mins for my waiter to come speak to me at the raw bar where I was seated alone. Granted I walked in no resy but still. read more

Little Water - Raw NJ scallops - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Our Thursday night dinner started off on a super high note with our cocktails. I went with a spirit free option that knocked my socks off (carnation). From there my favorite dishes were the raw bluefin tuna and the peekytoe crab hash brown--both great starters. The hash brown is perfectly crispy but it is certainly a very pricey dish for what it is. If I had gone with a larger group I would also have liked to try the giant sea bass, which I saw at a few other tables. Other things to note are that I'd absolutely recommend a reservation, there's coat check available, the staff are super friendly, and the tables are in close ish quarters where you can hear other tables' conversations. read more

Little Water - Hash brown with peekytoe crab and uni - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Came here for a date night this week. Sat at the raw bar and had it all to ourselves which was nice. Heres a breakdown of what we got and my review for each item: crab claws: great app, the horseradish was powerful, but not overwhelming. 5 stars beef tartare: delicious bite. the fried oysters on top were salty and delicious. 5 stars peekytoe crab: weird. this one was a stretch. the corn pizzelle was soft instead of the expected crispy and honestly just didn't make a lot of sense, it hid the flavor of the crab entirely. 1 star swordfish: very thin and crispy, the batter was flavorful and yummy, but the swordfish inside was hidden. when i think of swordfish, i think of a FAT hunk of fish, and that's fine that that's not how they wanted to present it, but if someone told me it was chicken inside, i think i would've believed it 2.5 stars dessert: dough balls with a blueberry compote. My only critique here is i wish the dough was warm. 4.5 stars read more

See all

Little Water is a small seafood focused restaurant in the heart of center city just off Rittenhouse Square. Reservations are recommended but they do take walk-in's for the bar & raw bar counter (full menu offerings available at both). The atmosphere is bight with natural lighting throughout thanks to lots of windows & color tones are soft. The service is both friendly & fairly polished with knowledge of the menu & beverage offerings. The food is full of bright, clean, fresh flavors & all seasoned well. The chef also introduces some inventive flavors paired with standard seafood fare like for example shrimp cocktail with a smoky catchup & raw scallop with yuzo kosho sauce. Only recommendation to the restaurant would be menu could benefit from some vegetable sides or small plates & only warning to diners would be that the restaurant can get load at times. The experience is well worth it however & recommend for a lovely evening out. read more

See all

Vibes: minimalistic but classy; bring a friend or date Tasting notes: - Scarlet crab claws: easy to eat; excellent pairing with the mustard coating over the exposed meat - Vineyard bay scallops: sweet and silky in texture; loved the fragrance of yuzu and olive oil; a clean, refreshing appetizer - Duxbury oysters: delightfully slurpable with a surprise ginger-forward "broth" from each oyster; greens added to roastiness - Lobster toast: bread is thick, buttery, sweet; generous avalanche of tender lobster and escargot; very indulgent and rich - Swordfish milanese: uniformly and addictingly crispy with a healthy dose of tartar sauce with dill; the largest dish of the night - Maple cremeaux: delightful spoonfuls of mousse, cream, and pumpkin seed granola to finish the night! Other thoughts: - fairly bustling and loud on a weekday night - service was friendly and attentive; plates and silverware were switched for each course - above dishes were satisfying for two moderately hungry adults Impression: lobster toast was the highlight for this first dinner, can't wait to come back for more outstanding meals! read more

See all

Came here for lunch and found this Cutest little spot! Food quality was spectacular and portions are good size for me personally, but might not be enough for some. Ordered 4/5 Sea scallops (appetizer): very fresh with a heavy flavor of citrus from the yuzu, I thought it was refreshing but may be too citrus for others 4/5 butter and bread: butter was super delicious and creamy 4/4: pan fried or oven baked(?) fish, very light and portion was good 5/5 spirit free Carnation: delicious cocktail with tea and sweet cream (?) as topping, super good! Service: friendly and accommodating. I asked to be moved to a different table as the floor beneath me was vibrating and they were very open to it! read more

See all

Friends and family night at @littlewaterphl was a complete success! Shout out to @chefxjeff for the invite because everything was so amazing. From the ambiance, to the amazing food, attention to detail and fantastic service; you truly cannot go wrong dining at Little Water! The intricate detail in every dish was truly remarkable! This contemporary costal resturant has an extensive menu. We decided to indulge in their shrimp cocktail, sour dough bread w/ house made butter, crab hash browns and swordfish milanese. For dessert we had the s'mores fudge pops which were decadent, chocolatey and delicious! Everything was incredible and packed with flavor! Cannot wait to come back to Little Water with friends to try more of their outstanding menu items! read more

Seafood Plateau, Uni Latkes, Swordfish Milanese I loved this meal! This restaurant recently opened up, and we were lucky enough to snag seats at the bar. The restaurant interior is beautiful and quite large; the bar is lovely and the staff super kind and attentive. The food was exceptional!! The seafood plateau is a must--so fun and fresh and delicious. We had the best time munching through everything. The uni latkes were so fun and the uni was delicious. Great drinks and milanese too! read more

See all

Came to Little Water for my birthday dinner, and was impressed with this cute comfy sea food restaurant! Drinks were decent-I got a simple martini which hit the spot. My friend got the Sauvignon blanc which was exceptionally good! For appetizers we got the Caesar salad, oysters and the hash browns with crab meat & uni. We were not impressed with the oysters as they had an Alabama White sauce on it, and we usually like our oysters served with just lemon juice and hot sauce. For main course I got the sea scallops which were really delicious. My friends got the Swordfish Milanese and the chicken which were amazing! Only thing about the chicken is that it is served with the claw attached to the meat. Overall I loved the delicious food, cute cozy ambiance and attentive service at Little water and will definitely be back! read more

A newly-opened Rittenhouse spot with a great ambiance and delicious water-inspired menu. Our bay scallops were delicious, and the fried fish-based "hash brown" was my favorite of the dishes we ordered. The crab and uni complemented the flavors well, and it was a great balance in each bite. However, my one wish was if we had three per order instead of two! I think it's just a *bit* pricier for its portion size. The swordfish was flavorful and well-seasoned, but we felt the salad was a bit underwhelming for the garnish. I felt it was a bit surprising that both main fish entrees were fried and there wasn't a pan-seared option on the menu, but it was still delicious with each bite. Service was great the entire evening. Coat check was offered, and our waitress gave great recommendations on preferred wines and tasting. Overall, the atmosphere and price matched well with our expectations. It's on the pricier end of your tab, but I'd certainly come back again! read more

See all

Ugh I am so happy I got to try this place! It's perfect if you're a seafood lover. The raw bar has so many delicious options. We went for the shrimp and the crab claws and I think the shrimp was my fav from here. As far as entrees go, the swordfish Milanese stole the show. So so so delicious. Not pictured, but if you get the sourdough toast make sure to add the anchovy. Service was good especially given they just opened! The place has a really nice vibe overall, too. Can't wait to come back. read more

food: AWESOME service: wonderful Wednesday half price wine bottles - yay! ** warning - grumpy old man opinion ** menu: difficult to read ambiance: TOO LOUD read more

Cute place with descent space, not many tables but not given an over crowded feel. Have to make a reservation a few weeks ahead for weekend prime time. Service was very friendly but kinda slow. The portions are definitely small. Overall flavors are nice and clean, but nothing super wow to be worth the price. All "apps" are raw fish/seafood crudo, fresh and clean with nice citrus flavor pairing. The small dishes are truly SMALL, only 2 inch-thick stick of hash browns topped with crab meat and uni, the seafood was fresh, but really no other flavor, the hash browns were crispy but a bit too salty. Swordfish was crusted with ruffle potato chips, fried very crispy on the outside and meaty/tender inside, the homemade tartare sauce is creamy but not heavy. However the fish itself isn't seasoned, so the inside is quite bland. The aged duck was cooked to a nice temperature, but the skin was too fatty and not crispy at all, also lacked flavor/not enough sauce. With only 3 pieces and a large pile of greens (which were quite bitter), I hardly see that feeds two... read more

See all

Can't recommend Little Water enough!! My husband and I went for our anniversary and the service was impeccable. They left us a card signed by the staff at our table with the menus which was such a sweet touch! Our waitress was very helpful when it came to selecting how many plates to order. The hushpuppies are pricy at first glance but with how much caviar you get I think it's totally worth it! We really wanted the grand plateau but ended up picking just a few raw plates so we could try the swordfish Milanese. We were so full by the time the swordfish came out that we only had a few bites but we took the rest home and we were excited to snack on it the next day. I would love to come for lunch sometime to try some of their lunch only options. read more

See all

I'd eagerly looked forward to today's lunch at Little Water because I'd heard good things, but I was left a bit underwhelmed. The menu was limited, which is fine, and the food was... decent. The Hiramasa (amberjack) wasn't great, but the crawfish salad and snow crab claw small plates were solid. I had the tartina sandwich, my daughters both had the catfish sandwiches, and my wife the gumbo. All sandwiches were served with fries, which were lukewarm to cool. We all felt the entrees were a 6.5/10-- good enough, but not great. Our server was genuinely unfriendly. Barely spoke to us, avoided eye contact, and seemed honestly disinterested. At close to $300 for lunch for 4 people, I kind of assumed maybe they'd behave like they cared. That wasn't the case. I probably won't go back for this reason. She was abrupt, indifferent, and seemingly bothered. Still, I left 20%, which I regretted after leaving. The interior space was casually elevated. Clean design with a partly open kitchen. We were there between 12:50 and 2:15 pm and the midday light from the west was blinding, and because there were no shades or blinds on the windows, one side of the table was squinting for half the meal. The Michelin guide recommendation is honestly curious. Philly's food scene is so vibrant. I can think of a dozen other places more deserving of this honor. I wish this could be more positive on this one, but unfortunately it didn't achieve our expectations. And, yes, I get that it's popular. I'm just not entirely sure why. read more

See all