John’s Water Ice
701 Christian St, Philadelphia, PA, 19147
John’s Water Ice Menu
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Flavors
Diabetics at Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets serves burgers which are generally high in sodium and fat. Ensure that you pick the burgers which are light and doesn't contain too much sodium. Try ordering salads if you're concerned about your sugar intake and looking for healthy choices.
Foods to Avoid at Johnny Rockets for Diabetics:
Johnny Rockets is a fine dining place for burgers, but you must be selective if you're a diabetic. Skip all kinds of dressing when you order a burger at Johnny Rockets as it will only spike the sodium content on your meal. Salads are often considered diabetic-friendly but not the ones at Johnny Rockets. Avoid Crispy Chicken Club Salad and Grilled Chicken Club Salad as they are too high in sodium and fat.
Make sure you opt for water instead of the drinks available on the Johnny Rockets menu. Besides Diet Coke and Coffee, most of the drinks served at Johnny Rockets are high in sugar. Skip the shakes at Johnny Rockets to avoid high sugar intake. Breakfast is always preferred heavy for diabetics but most of the breakfast items on the Johnny Rockets menu are high in sodium and must be avoided.
Food Suggestions for Diabetics at Johnny Rockets:
Rocket Single Burger (1 Serving)
Nutritional Facts: 240 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 350mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Bacon Cheddar Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 330 calories, 30g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 650mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Route 66 Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 330 calories, 30g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 280mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Route 66 Double Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 410 calories, 40g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 10g), 320mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
The Original Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 240 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat0g), 590mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Hot Tea (8 fluid ounces)
Nutritional Facts: 0 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat0g), 10mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Sweet Potato Fries, Side (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 220 calories, 10g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat0g), 370mg sodium, 30g carbs, 10g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Side of Fries (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 10g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 460mg sodium, 30g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Healthy Meal suggestions for John’s Water Ice
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Flavors
High Blood Pressure at Johnny Rockets
Fast-food restaurants are your last resort if you are suffering from high BP. Most fast food restaurants including Johnny Rockets offer foods rich in sodium. High sodium intake can be even lethal for people concerned with high blood pressure. However, you can always try the salads or choose food without any extra dressing or side dishes to limit your sodium intake.
Foods to Avoid at Johnny Rockets for High Blood Pressure
It is extremely important to avoid any kind of burgers with extra dressing at Johnny Rockets. You must also skip any kind of breakfast items except Pancakes at Johnny Rockets. Also, avoid Breakfast Belt Sandwich and Rocket Breakfast Burger at Johnny Rockets as both these items are too high in sodium. Also, avoid Crispy Chicken Salad and Grilled Chicken Club Salad as well as any kind of dressing on other low-sodium salads available at Johnny Rockets. Skip shakes containing Oreo on the Johnny Rockets menu as Oreo shakes served at Johnny Rockets are high in sodium.
Food Suggestions for High Blood Pressure at Johnny Rockets
Strawberry Chocolate Swirl Milkshake (1 shake)
Nutritional Facts: 810 calories, 40g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 30g), 300mg sodium, 90g carbs, 90g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Rocket Single Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 240 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 350mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Route 66 Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 240 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 350mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Garden Salad (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 150 calories, 10g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 260mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Side Salad (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 70 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat0g), 110mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Apple Juice (10 fluid ounces)
Nutritional Facts: 140 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat0g), 30mg sodium, 30g carbs, 30g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.
High Cholesterol at Johnny Rockets
Burgers fall into the fast-food category and most fast-food items are high in cholesterol. If you're suffering from high cholesterol, then it is advised that you skip any meal with excessive fat and sugar.
Foods to Avoid at Johnny Rockets for High Cholesterol
You must skip all types of dressing on your burger. Also, avoid burgers like Smoke House Burger at all costs from Johnny Rockets menu. Skip all the drinks except coffee, iced tea, and diet coke as they are completely unhealthy for people with high cholesterol. Breakfast items on Johnny Rockets are very high in cholesterol and it is strictly recommended to avoid all the breakfast items on their menu including the sandwiches.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at Johnny Rockets
Kids Cappuccino Crunch Milkshake (1 shake)
Nutritional Facts: 740 calories, 30g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 20g), 310mg sodium, 100g carbs, 80g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Garden Black Bean Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 330 calories, 30g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 650mg sodium, 10g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
The Spicy Houston Burger (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 700mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Kids Banana Shake (1 shake)
Nutritional Facts: 560 calories, 30g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat20g), 190mg sodium, 60g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Johnny's Breakfast Sandwich (1 serving)
Nutritional Facts: 180 calories, 20g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat10g), 230mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 10g Protein
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Q & A on Johnny Rockets
Who owns Johnny Rockets?
Johnny Rockets is founded by Ronn Teitelbaum. Today, the restaurant chain is owned by Sun Capital Partners.
Does Johnny Rockets serve breakfast?
Yes, Johnny Rockets has a separate breakfast section, especially for breakfast meal. Johnny Rockets serves breakfast all day and night.
Where is Johnny Rockets located near me?
There are over 320 Johnny Rockets outlets across the United States. You can find a Johnny Rockets restaurant nearby using our Restaurant Listings directory.
What time does Johnny Rockets open and close?
All Johnny Rockets restaurants in the United States opens at 8 AM and stays open till 9 PM. Some Johnny Rockets restaurants stay open till midnight at some locations.
Does Johnny Rockets have gluten-free?
Johnny Rockets offers a wide range of gluten-free items. You can opt for the gluten-free bun to turn your burger into a gluten-free burger. For assurance, you can check out Johnny Rockets gluten-free menu.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
About Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets is a restaurant franchise headquartered in the United States. The American restaurant chain features 1950s diner-style restaurant format with individual jukebox stations, red vinyl seats, chrome accents, etc. There are around 320 Johnny Rockets restaurants in the United States.
Ron Teitelbaum from Los Angeles, California founded Johnny Rockets as a recreation of the 1940s vintage themed malt shops of his childhood. The first Johnny Rockets began its operations on June 6, 1986. Johnny Rockets specializes in American burgers and sandwiches as well as offers salads, starters, and shakes to enrich your dining experience at Johnny Rockets.
Healthy Food Options at Johnny Rockets
Johnny Rockets is a fast-food restaurant and finding healthy food at Johnny Rockets can be a bit tricky. While you can always opt for the salads and healthy shakes at Johnny Rockets for healthy options, there are also some healthy burgers and sandwiches which you can bet on. Ensure that the sugar, sodium, and cholesterol is in check when you order food at Johnny Rockets.
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Address :
701 Christian St
Philadelphia, PA, 19147 - Phone (215) 925-6955
- Website https://www.johnswaterice.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 11
Specialities
- Accepts Credit Cards : No
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
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Lea S.
This place is dangerous. You can get a HUGE ice cream in a waffle cone for only $2.25. I've been known to skip dinner and head right to dessert that John's. In fact if you don't want to have water ice or ice cream as your meal replacement, I would suggest you go with the kiddie cone. No really, it is still a pretty big serving. Remember to look inside at their specials board before selecting your flavor. They usually have additonal flavors like peanut butter or birthday cake. Yes it is werid that these guys service my oil burner and sever me frozen dessert treats, but hey I've seen even more bizzare business models that that.
(5)Melmoth K.
I have nothing to compare it to because I'm from the Midwest and we don't have water ice, but I really enjoyed our cherry and chocolate ices a lot. I was skeptical that they would satisfy, but they did. I was also skeptical that chocolate ice would taste good, but it really did. Its also in a neat neighborhood. I recommend that visitors to Philadelphia from places that don't have water ice go to John's and check it out.
(4)renroy c.
So out of the way but when you Make it there its worth it. The Staff is professional and it's a great treat after Cheese steaks.
(5)Steph H.
Awesome neighborhood place for a cold treat on a hot day :) it's no Rita's but it's for sure an authentic south philly Italian place.
(3)Ian S.
Amazing chocolate ice, great price and quantity.
(5)Zoe P.
Wowza. This place is for real - REAL water ice, that is. Sure, you're not going to have a ton of different flavor choices, but the traditional water ice flavors persist here in their all natural glory, along with a handful of Daily Flavor selections. Their ice cream is also REAL ice cream - creamy and full of flavor. My friends and I wanted to take a New York friend to try water ice for the first time, and our waiter at Supper overheard us and recommended John's Water Ice. His directions were pretty vague, but we managed to locate it easily enough. I got their strawberry water ice, which was in-freaking-credible and made from real strawberries - I kept getting those little seeds stuck in my teeth. We convinced our New York friend to try a gelati, and for some reason she got their peanut butter ice cream (vanilla base with peanut butter swirled in it) with their cherry water ice. We warned her about the weird combo, but she still enjoyed herself thoroughly (probs by not mixing it together, which seems to go against the whole gelati concept to me). Another friend got a cherry water ice and vanilla ice cream and declared it the best gelati she'd ever had. We all gobbled up our various treats pretty quickly, which left the gelati girls with stomach aches (small my ass - those cups are BIG, and if I continue to go back so will my ass). But damn is this place good!
(5)Jennifer C.
On my first visit to the City of Brotherly Love, we happened to pass this corner shop. I'm from the west coast, and never heard of water ice, but I'm all for the motto "When in Rome..." Didn't matter that I was still full from the massive cheese steak I inhaled just a couple of hours before. The water ice was a perfect dessert - light, refreshing, and so simple, yet so satisfying. I tried the lemon and chocolate (ok, not the best combination). I would opt for the ice cream and lemon ice combination next time.
(5)Frank K.
Just fabulous, refreshing, natural not too sweet...sometimes too cold (for my brain) Try a half and half with lemon and pineapple....
(5)Taylor A.
John's is the best - period. Whether it's chocolate water ice and butter pecan ice cream or pineapple water ice and strawberry ice cream, you can't go wrong. Don't forget to get a pretzel with it!
(5)Jen H.
Pineapple water ice and strawberry ice cream. :)
(5)michelle p.
Sure I like Rita's, but John's is sooooooo much better. They have a small selection and their water ice is made on the premises (you can see the machines behind the people working the counter). It's delicious and refreshing! I've been known to eat it twice in one day!
(4)Alex C.
The real deal for philly water ice. Go for a chocolate water ice and peanut butter ice cream gelati.
(5)John L.
Thanks for the trash in my Gelato, 3 times now! John's Water Ice is just around the corner from me and I have had their water ices and gelatos about 6 times now. However, last night was the straw that broke my back and will drive me to Rita's from now on. I ordered a gelato (Vanilla B-Day cake and Cherry ice) after getting 3 spoonfuls into it I started hacking-up an unidentified gelato object. It turned out to be a soft contact lense. This would surprise me from any other business establishment, but 2 orders ago I pulled a plastic price tag out of my mouth after a spoonful of gelato from John's Water Ice. My first trash-in-mouth experience came in early June with a Cherry Water Ice, after I was about 1/3 of the way down I started finding a bunch of black specs in the water ice. I pulled a few out and set them aside, they did not melt and they were not food items. After attempting to crush them with my spoon and failing, I came to the non-scientific conclusion that it was some sort of crushed rock or plastic. Unless you like finding trash in your summer treats, I would avoid this place until they clean-up their act. For me, I will walk 2 extra blocks and have a Rita's that comes free of trash.
(1)Mindy Y.
Bf gets all the credit for introducing me to this place. He was kind enough to share his chocolate water ice with me (or wooder ice, in true philly fashion), and it is crazy delicious. Creamy, chocolaty, and served in massive paper cup - no spoon. At first I questioned it, but once you try it you'll never go back to anything else. The only thing I'd change is that I wish we would've gotten two instead of one to share.
(5)Jennie H.
I've tried all their usual flavors (Cherry, Chocolate, and Lemon) except Pineapple which, by the way, I will definitely be back because it's a nice and refreshing inexpensive treat to cool me off on a hot summer day. :) By far, I think Cherry is my favorite (as it's always been my favorite flavor) even though it does stain my lips after the first bite.
(4)Cherryl L.
we love this joint!!! I hope they can make peach praline ice cream!!!!
(5)w k.
You know you're near Johns by the trail of plastic spoons on the sidewalk. As we live 1 block away and summer is officially here we have had to limit ourselves to 3x week. There nothing better than sitting on the stoop at 10pm with a cup of Johns on a warm summer night. In fact that pretty much sums up my summers in Philly. Gelati is amazing and comes in 3 layers: wate ice, ice cream, water ice. Best after a few minutes once melted slightly together. I recommend the following flavor combos: Butter pecan/pineapple Strawberry/lemon Cookies n cream/chocolate Vanilla/cantalope (seasonal flavor) See you on the corner!
(5)Jerrica J.
John's Water Ice is similar to Italian Ice. Although I think the shaved Italian ice a little smoother? My tour guide, Sean F. recommended John's Water Ice which was near his old neighborhood where he grew up. We both had the lemon water ice. It tasted similar to frozen lemonade! During a hot summer day, it was exactly what I needed and totally inexpensive.
(5)Bridget N.
I finally got my water ice fix this weekend. Well actually, I kind of went twice, ssshh. The chocolate-cherry gelati was seriously orgasmic. Why did it take me until August to finally make it down there??! I will definitely be back a few more times while they are still open for the season. And if you haven't been, GO! I corrupted not one, but two Rita's fans this weekend.
(5)Gabrielle B.
Awesome awesome awesome. Cheap, delicious & simple. I got a strawberry waffle cone for $2.50 and it was such a large amount of ice cream that I couldn't even finish it. They only offer the standard 3 flavors of ice cream: strawberry, chocolate, & vanilla. I've heard great things about the water ice but have yet to venture towards it.
(5)Laur T.
I'm not sure what the hype over water ice is... to me it seems like something you get out of your blender with ice and a fruit/ flavored liquid.... AND for something whose ingredients are so basic, John's sure knows how to charge its customers for his ice! I wanted to sample the product so opted for the smallest size, that was $1.50 for an espresso sized cup. Wow. a little suprised indeed. Anyway I had the pineapple (awesome) and banana (hmmmm) flavored water ice. At least they allowed you to mix flavors at no additional charge~
(3)Kristin M.
I love Rita's but choosing from a Baskin Robbins-sized menu of water ice flavors--not to mention gelati, Blendinis and other concoctions that you could probably make yourself if you did some aggressive stirring--is just damn confusing. John's offers four flavors that never change and has the most ridiculously good cookies-and-cream ice cream that I've ever tasted. Not the powdered-down kind like you know who (ahem, Rita's) but chunks of Oreo-like cookie goodness. Stop by on a hot summer night, when people are balancing on sidewalks and fences to eat, and it reminds you of what's good about living in this 'hood.
(4)Won S.
This is Italian Ice like I remember it growing up. Why it's still called "water ice" I am not sure. That is definitely a mid to southern Jersey and Philly thing. Everywhere else I have been it's Italian ice. But whatever you want to call it, this is it. Rita's doesn't hold anything against this stuff with it's mass produced (Quaker oats owns them now, right?) artificially colored schlock. In Staten Island, there is Ralph's Italian Ice and people from the boroughs used to love the stuff and used to drive an hour sometimes to get it. This stuff reminds me of Ralphs. This is the real deal. Texture could be a little smoother, but that is just subjective and everyone has a different liking of various mouth feels. But the flavor, you can't knock it. worth the trip.
(5)Kimberly P.
I was referred to John's by a friend who said the Rita's wasn't a true representation of good water ice and that I should go to John's. Yes, John's is a lot simpler with only 5 flavors (cherry, chocolate, peach, pineapple and one other). It DOES taste a lot healthier and like it has less sugar. But the peach ice that i had was nothing out of the ordinary. Not much flavor at all. I'll stick with Rita's.
(3)Sara C.
I'm not sure I understand the love affair with this place. When I ordered a cup of the lemon water ice, I felt like my teeth were going to fall out upon eating it. It tasted more of sugar than lemon. In that regard, it didn't taste any better than Rita's to me. Give me Philly Flavors, Italiano's, or Sundae's over in Jersey anyday.
(2)Caitlin C.
If you are from South Philly or respect real Italian water ice, you are not suppose to eat at Rita's. Because of this I gave John's a chance one lovely summer evening. I was disappointed because there were only three flavors. I guess when you are suppose to be classic you can't get too crazy, but maybe it's just me - when I want water ice and have a choice between lemon or chocolate chip, I'll pick the later. But then again I am Generation Next and I've never walked 5 miles in the snow to get to a black and white TV. I think John's is classic water ice Coney Island style. For modern day ice, I like Rita's (please don't hurt me).
(3)Rob B.
I may be from Philly, but I'm not sure I can discern between good and bad water ice. Is there even really a difference? Regardless, Johns is tasty, its close to where I live, and its a cool scene (really seems like the whole neighborhood is there some nights). They don't have many flavors, but the no-frill atmosphere is part of the appeal. If you're in the hood on a hot day, worth a stop fo sho.
(4)Steph M.
The grammarian in me hates the somewhat redundant term "water ice," but that doesn't stop me from gulping down buckets of the stuff when the mercury starts to rise. As the purveyor of this icy treat closest to my home, John's is a regular stop for me during the summer months. I love their pineapple water ice like a fat kid loves... well, you know. Sure, Rita's has more flavors and I do go there when I'm in the mood for passionfruit or mango water ice. But John's is still my nearest and dearest.
(4)gary v.
After reading all the hype I wanted to check this place out. I was pretty disappointed. The lemon was bitter, not tangy or sour, and the cherry had a medicinal flavor that I wasn't digging. Service was less than friendly, but this was less important to me. Gets 2 stars because the prices were reasonable. I'll keep searching for the proper South Philly ice, because I didn't find it here...
(2)Vivian T.
Ive been to all the water ices in the city. Hands down BEST WATER ICE IN PHILADELPHIA. Lemon is always my favorite. Pineapple is good too.
(5)David G.
The best water ice. Thank you for making the best tasting water ice. Anyone that says different is a lost cause. For those complaining about the lack of number of flavors, go find Rita's and leave the purist to enjoy the real thing. Keep up the great work and please start franchising.
(5)rosie l.
i dont know what they do it it. i dont know why it's so delicious. i dont know why it's named water ice. i only know i was told to have it here, and that john's water ice is the best in south philly. and since it was the ONLY water ice i had in south philly, well.. it easily fell into the "best" place. so there it is, told to you by the chick from california. John's Water Ice is the best water ice i've ever had.
(5)James D.
Figures I only retapped into this neighborhood gem over a weekend that heralded the first blast of fall. For the most part, water ice is water ice, but John's has two things going for it - the homegrown, South Philly attitude (epitomized by the new Godfatheresque t-shirts worn by their nubile crew demanding you "Get Iced") and the Hershey's ice cream, scooped - make that heaped - into a waffle cone for an unheard of $2. Suck it, Dairy Queen.
(3)Marian R.
i am so glad that john's is reveiwed already! this was one of the first places that i was allowed to walk to as a kid (with mom-mom and her best friend following behind, ostensibly staring up at the sky and looking at....???? mmm-hmmm....). john's lemon is the best ever, and whomever said that it was too sweet must have caught it on an off day, it is not too sweet and has lemon bits in it. their cherry stains, but it is delicious, as is the chocolate and the pineapple. they had an awful foray into the flavor wars over ten years ago, i can't remember what they added but it was the pits! and they had 'gelato' for a while (that bizarre mix of vanilla soft serve and water ice that some people actually thought was gelato, BOO!), but they are back to doing what they always did. and how could they stay open all year round? they have the best gig ever, water ice in the summer, heating oil in the winter. perfect merging of two necessary resources into one organization. :) and you should try a pretzel rod with yours.....i don't see many people doing this anymore, but you should try it!
(5)John P.
Whenever I visit my friend is S. Phila I go here. I always go for the Lemon. Then I leave my friends house and go back for seconds.
(4)K S.
I wish this place was open all year long! The water ice is very flavorful - i've had cherry, lemon, and once, cantelope(sp) which was delicious. I haven't had the ice cream, but based on the reviews here, I want to try it. I think John's beats Rita's any day - in taste and price.
(5)Arthur Y.
Will go there every time I visit Philly. I like how you can taste the pineapple in the water ice. (even though it taste like the can pineapple) It's also really cheap so you can get one for yourself and not have to share.
(5)Brandon K.
Great water ice that's clean and delicious. The lemon is great and not too sweet. Texture is a little more icy than George's but definitely refreshing on a summer day. They also have weekend special flavors so be sure to check it out!
(4)Le Raccoon X.
Cherry FTW - if you're a classic cherry fan like me, you won't be able to finish a chocolate. Just go with the cherry.
(5)Michael M.
I regard myself an amateur Water Ice connoisseur so when I visited a friend of mine who lives across the street from Johns Water Ice, I just had to treat myself with a taste. A pal and myself walked over on a sunny June afternoon and were pleasantly greeted by two college age young women who may have been related since they shared similar features IMO. The place is super casual as you walk thru opened doors and arrive immediately at the coolers. I got a cherry and lemon mix ( lemon is my all time fave) cause I wanted to give both flaves a whirl. I enjoyed the technique the girl used while scooping my ice, I had never seen it performed like that before. The ice had great texture and was t too sweet which I loved! It was refreshing and didn't leave me with a sugary hangover. I was grateful for that. I got a small which was the perfect size for what I needed. I went back the next day and can't wait to visit again!
(5)Laurie W.
hidden in the surburbs....kinda middle of nowhere..a little sketch if youre heading here for hte first time and late in the night...from the bus this was listed on one of the food/travel channel...so figured..why not? i got the cherry ice and it was good...simple and reminisce of my childhood days going to the carnival. I got a decent amount for the price i paid its cherry syrup and ice..im not sure what else to say about it lol
(4)Chris C.
Multiple attempts to figure out when this place was open and the stellar reviews led me to over-anticipate just how good it would be. Would this be the greatest water ice or the greatest dessert in general of all time? One taste quickly settled the debate. The cherry water ice combined the metallic, artificial flavor of a years-old decarbonated diet cherry cola with the consistency of cough medicine and chalk. It was just shockingly bad from the very first bite. I threw it out after forcing my way through a third of it (it had to get better...but didn't) and went to Rita's, whose wild cherry was a million times better. Not sure what happened here.
(1)Ellen T.
Ive always drove by this place and have never gotten the chance to stop by until the other day. I stopped by with my friends and ordered chocolate water ice and a pretzel rod which were 5 for 50 cents. My friends ordered the same thing. The water ice was good but lacked some flavored when compared to the other homemade water ice places around south Philly. The pretzel rods completed the chocolate water ice adding some salty to the sweetness. They were a bit stale but still did their job. I would deff come back and recommend.
(4)Chelsea A.
The taste hasn't changed a bit. Seriously, maybe it got better? Or maybe it's just been too long.. I need to load up on pineapple quarts before they close.
(5)Marc P.
Great philly water ice, reminds me of the hot summer days growing up in Philly many years ago, delicious and refreshing
(5)Ashley K.
Great prices, yummy water ice. I had the chocolate - so delicious! The staff wasn't the friendliest but it was a busy Friday night. The medium looked small but it was actually more than enough.
(4)Kevin P.
This is hands down the best place in Philly for water ice. It's a family owned, no frills walk up with a few flavors and ice cream. I only ever get lemon, but I'm sure the other flavors are great as well. You have to stop here on a hot day in South Philly.
(5)Tess G.
Definitely the best water ice I've ever had! Way better than Rita's! The lemon and the cherry were both out of this world good, flavorful, refreshing, perfect just slushy enough consistency, and not too sweet. Just what I needed on a 100 degree Philly day. So glad I discovered this place!
(5)Joanne T.
Gelati craving satisfied! Cherry/Vanilla cup of gelati for $3.50 beats any pricey restaurant dessert on a warm day. The cherry water ice was better than Rita's. The vanilla ice cream had a perfect consistency. I had a taste of the mango water ice and tastes just as good. Definitely the water ice spot to come to when in the city.
(5)Andrew L.
Best water ice ever. I ordered the cherry gelato and it came pretty fast though the menu is small it still is a wonderful treat on a hot summer day
(5)Charles S.
i live in the burbs now and these folks think water ice is Rita's lord I fell so sorry for these folks but they don't know any better. When I lived in south philly John!s water ice was the one and only, lemon is my thing and their lemon is the best. I still make my pilgrimage to south philly to get my fix.
(5)Tom M.
You hear about something for so long and wonder if it really measures up to the hype. John's Water Ice lived up to its reputation. I base this only on the chocolate ice I enjoyed. Others in my party seemed less than impressed with their fruit-based flavors which they deemed too artificial. The chocolate water ice had a perfect, delicate, mild chocolate favor. It did not taste artificial and it was not cloying. The perfect treat on a hot July night. I would be so happy to indulge in that chocolate again sometime very soon.
(5)Kenny C.
We ordered cherry and mango flavor water ice. The cherry flavor tasted like medicine and it tasted very blend. Mango flavor on the other hand was a lot better. Definitely tasted some real mango inside. I wouldn't say it's better than Ritas but it tasted more natural.
(3)Kendrah R.
Had lemon and pineapple water ice. Great texture but the flavor was very chemical tasting. Bitter and overly sweet at the same time. I'll stick with Pop's.
(3)Andrew U.
Love John's. I used to walk for over a mile to get there with my grandfather 50 years ago. It still remains one of the best.
(5)Chester C.
Best water ice in the center
(5)John D.
I tried all of the flavors, and found them to be too sweet. The exception was lemon, which was perfect for a hot summer day.
(4)Andy C.
I've been patronizing this place since I was a kid in the 70's,My father Knew Anthony the dad,When we were kids, he showed us how he made the water ice.Now Using the same machines,His son Anthony is the owner,I still will only get my water ice here and at the location in Pennsauken new jersey on park ave owned by his 2 cousins. It's by far the best water ice I have ever had! it has always been made with real fruit and always fresh,and not excessively sweet like Rita's and other brands. The best flavor is lemon,but chocolate and cherry mixed is awesome too,I refer to it as a Dr.Pepper. and pineapple is good too. I guess I love them all!! One the weekend Anthony does 2 extra flavors. The Pennsauken location has mango and pina colada most of the time .I give the a 5/5 because they are the best and always keep the line down too!!!
(5)Brittany M.
In searching around for things to do and eat in Philly, I'd bookmarked John's but it didn't look like it'd fit in to our itinerary. But, as we were driving out of town back to where we came from, I saw a store on the corner that said water ice, so I hopped out to give it a try. The only place I've had italian/water ice from is Rita's, so I was looking forward to a non-chain, original type deal. The texture at John's was almost like a snow cone, and their preparation seemed to be similar, so watching it, I was sure it'd be great. However, despite the staff being nice (1 star and letting me sample literally all of their 4 or so daily flavors and the 1 special flavor of water ice for the day, I was not impressed but ordered a small because it's cheap (1 star) and I felt bad. The flavors felt bland and artificial, and instead of sample spoons I ended up with five full size spoons full of ice and had to awkwardly juggle them until I could make my way to the crowd to find a trash can. I had no idea President Obama had ever been here until I saw the Yelp pictures. Guess this is one of the few things I'll have to disagree with him on.
(2)Steven J.
Obama was here? Enough said. The water ice is not overly sweet like some franchises. Just enough sweet and just enough water. The balance is key. I lived in philly for 5 years and never understood the craze natives had for water ice. That is until now...
(4)Andrew B.
Great water ice.
(5)Suzie L.
Can't beat the price for the dixie cup filled with happiness. The classics: Cherry, Chocolate and Pineapple flavors (all winners) If I'm in the mood for their gelati; I get the Chocolate water ice with Rasberry ice cream. They have off menu items such as rasberry choco chip ice cream; vanilla birthday cake; and vanilla peanut butter. All winners. Summer is right around the corner and I'll be sitting on my stoop enjoying one of these bad boys.
(4)Richie H.
I've lived in Philly for a long time and finally go to try John's. Ordered the lemon water ice and wasn't disappointed. It was a tad too sweet for me, but overall it hit the spot. I'm not sure if I would come out of my way to get it, but I'll need to try the ice cream!
(4)Rebecca M.
Yum, the lemon is tangy and good. Always refreshing. My only complaint is the ice cream can taste freezer burnt sometimes and parking sucks. But the water ice is always good and service is fast and friendly.
(4)Helen Z.
Sadly, John's is only open for a few short months -- April through September. This is THE place to get water ice in Philly. They have four flavors-- cherry, chocolate, pineapples, & lemon and make special flavors for the weekends using locally sourced fruit. Their water ice is worth going out of your way for, as I have done so many times. Don't ever settle for Rita's. Get in your car or walk twenty blocks if you have to...if you want water ice, get it at John's! Their ice cream is also unbelievably good. My favorite is the Vanilla Peanut Butter --Vanilla swirled with slightly salted roasted peanut butter. It's SOOO good. And at $2.50 a cone, it's an incredible deal!
(5)Sara S.
Local business- check Quality product- check Little to no artificial colors-check Perfect refreshing treat for a woman who has spent the entire summer pregnant- check. I stopped on a whim at Johns Water IceA and I wish that I had done so earlier in the summer. You see, I had never been there before util today. Rita's is ok- just a little too heavy on the sugar and food coloring. Lemon was perfect. Like a frozen homemade lemonade!! Loved it! I will be back to try the other flavors before the season is over.
(5)Laura L.
When there is a water ice craving, go to Johns. The flavored are delish, the employees are nice, and it's inexpensive.
(5)Racquel P.
This review is based on the location in Atlantic city. Got the strawberry flavor and O.M.G!!! I was not expecting it to be that good. It is not as sweet as others but it's perfect. It had little bits of strawberry in it. The price is really good also $2 for a small I believe. My only regret is not trying all the other flavors. Next time I'm in Philly/AC I will def be getting this!
(5)Loan T.
Anywhere I go, I always get a coffee/mocha ice cream. But at John's Water Ice, my favorite ice cream is the Raspberry Chocolate Chip!! I never would have thought I'd like raspberry ice cream - it just sounds super sweet, right? But between the raspberry ice cream with the dark chocolate chips, it's a beautiful balance. I don't often crave sweets - my tastebuds crave savory foods! But my god, I could have that Raspberry Chocolate Chip ice cream every other day if my waistline could afford it! My bf is a fan of the Vanilla Peanut Butter ice cream. However, John's should really consider a Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream on their standard menu. Just saying... =o) The ice cream lives up to the hype, but I have to deduct a star because the service is mediocre. But what can you expect when it's a seasonal ice cream spot?...
(4)Todd F.
A Philly classic. A smooth, delicious, refreshing taste of South Philly. Dheys got lemon, cherry, chocolate and otha classics too. If Rocky ate wooder ice, it would have been John's. Great place to bring your side jawn.
(5)Alex X.
South Philly water ice is pretty good. Try the rainbow or pineapple if you haven't and want something new to try. Cherry and lemon flavors are usually are the way to go if you aren't sure.
(4)Dara M.
A buck fifty for a Dixie cup full of frozen goodness--how can you go wrong? For my very first water ice experience, I went for the chocolate. It was tasty in the same way a Tootsie Roll is. Chocolate-y, not in a chocolate sort of way, but in a chocolate-themed-food-item sort of way. If you're into that sort of thing, which I happen to be.
(4)Angie K.
The water ice here is legit. No, this isn't your Sno-cone, Rosati water ice, Rita's joint- but a tradition in the South Philly neighborhood. Very few flavors which is a bit of a downer, but whatever you choose will be delicious. The gelati comes with a heaping portion of ice cream, for those who are on the ice cream vs. water ice fence.
(4)June B.
The water ice here is excellent-- the best I've ever had. It's sweet (of course it's going to be sweet!! I don't quite understand reviewers who complain it's too sweet), but not artificially sweet and I think that makes a big difference. It actually tastes like fruit and real sugar. I like cherry the least, that flavor has the most artificial taste in my opinion. On weekends, they have good specialty flavors like strawberry, banana or cantaloupe. And you can't beat the price. $1.50 for a small? Sold. I've had the ice cream here only a few times, but the quality of the ice cream is very good as well. You get a ton of ice cream in a waffle cone for $2.50. I'm from Boston, and the ice cream quality is not like a farm quality ice cream you can get up there, but it's still pretty darn good.
(5)April L.
This place is awesome, I won't be returning to Rita's anytime soon because I've found my new favorite place... John's water ice! My boyfriend got the large water ice mixed with pineapple and cherry and I got the medium butter pecan ice cream, both were delicious. The price was pretty good too, less than $6 for that much water ice and ice cream! The employees here are also very friendly!
(5)Pam S.
It took me a couple hot months, but I finally made it to John's, a Philly institution. It was a hot summer's day. I had enough cash (simple considering you could find enough cash in your couch (note to self: get couch) to buy a water ice) for our water ice/ice cream outing. We stood in a short line, gave our order to surly teenagers who served us simply and promptly, and then we were easily on our way for our evening walk around the neighborhood. My husband liked the ice cream as a simple, chocolate deliciousness, and I enjoyed the randomness that is Pineapple as a regular flavor on the menu. I haven't yet tried their daily flavors, and I have heard that it's better to pass on the lemon water ice. All in all, I think this place will remind me of summer and a refuge from hot days.
(4)Michael M.
I regard myself an amateur Water Ice connoisseur so when I visited a friend of mine who lives across the street from Johns Water Ice, I just had to treat myself with a taste. A pal and myself walked over on a sunny June afternoon and were pleasantly greeted by two college age young women who may have been related since they shared similar features IMO. The place is super casual as you walk thru opened doors and arrive immediately at the coolers. I got a cherry and lemon mix ( lemon is my all time fave) cause I wanted to give both flaves a whirl. I enjoyed the technique the girl used while scooping my ice, I had never seen it performed like that before. The ice had great texture and was t too sweet which I loved! It was refreshing and didn't leave me with a sugary hangover. I was grateful for that. I got a small which was the perfect size for what I needed. I went back the next day and can't wait to visit again!
(5)Laurie W.
hidden in the surburbs....kinda middle of nowhere..a little sketch if youre heading here for hte first time and late in the night...from the bus this was listed on one of the food/travel channel...so figured..why not? i got the cherry ice and it was good...simple and reminisce of my childhood days going to the carnival. I got a decent amount for the price i paid its cherry syrup and ice..im not sure what else to say about it lol
(4)Chris C.
Multiple attempts to figure out when this place was open and the stellar reviews led me to over-anticipate just how good it would be. Would this be the greatest water ice or the greatest dessert in general of all time? One taste quickly settled the debate. The cherry water ice combined the metallic, artificial flavor of a years-old decarbonated diet cherry cola with the consistency of cough medicine and chalk. It was just shockingly bad from the very first bite. I threw it out after forcing my way through a third of it (it had to get better...but didn't) and went to Rita's, whose wild cherry was a million times better. Not sure what happened here.
(1)Ellen T.
Ive always drove by this place and have never gotten the chance to stop by until the other day. I stopped by with my friends and ordered chocolate water ice and a pretzel rod which were 5 for 50 cents. My friends ordered the same thing. The water ice was good but lacked some flavored when compared to the other homemade water ice places around south Philly. The pretzel rods completed the chocolate water ice adding some salty to the sweetness. They were a bit stale but still did their job. I would deff come back and recommend.
(4)Chelsea A.
The taste hasn't changed a bit. Seriously, maybe it got better? Or maybe it's just been too long.. I need to load up on pineapple quarts before they close.
(5)Carly A.
One of my favorite things about summer in South Philly! Everything is great, but I especially love their homemade special flavors like banana and cantaloupe - they actually taste like the real fruits, not syrupy!
(5)Marc P.
Great philly water ice, reminds me of the hot summer days growing up in Philly many years ago, delicious and refreshing
(5)Ashley K.
Great prices, yummy water ice. I had the chocolate - so delicious! The staff wasn't the friendliest but it was a busy Friday night. The medium looked small but it was actually more than enough.
(4)Arthur Y.
Will go there every time I visit Philly. I like how you can taste the pineapple in the water ice. (even though it taste like the can pineapple) It's also really cheap so you can get one for yourself and not have to share.
(5)Brandon K.
Great water ice that's clean and delicious. The lemon is great and not too sweet. Texture is a little more icy than George's but definitely refreshing on a summer day. They also have weekend special flavors so be sure to check it out!
(4)Kevin P.
This is hands down the best place in Philly for water ice. It's a family owned, no frills walk up with a few flavors and ice cream. I only ever get lemon, but I'm sure the other flavors are great as well. You have to stop here on a hot day in South Philly.
(5)Le Raccoon X.
Cherry FTW - if you're a classic cherry fan like me, you won't be able to finish a chocolate. Just go with the cherry.
(5)Joanne T.
Gelati craving satisfied! Cherry/Vanilla cup of gelati for $3.50 beats any pricey restaurant dessert on a warm day. The cherry water ice was better than Rita's. The vanilla ice cream had a perfect consistency. I had a taste of the mango water ice and tastes just as good. Definitely the water ice spot to come to when in the city.
(5)Tess G.
Definitely the best water ice I've ever had! Way better than Rita's! The lemon and the cherry were both out of this world good, flavorful, refreshing, perfect just slushy enough consistency, and not too sweet. Just what I needed on a 100 degree Philly day. So glad I discovered this place!
(5)Andrew L.
Best water ice ever. I ordered the cherry gelato and it came pretty fast though the menu is small it still is a wonderful treat on a hot summer day
(5)Charles S.
i live in the burbs now and these folks think water ice is Rita's lord I fell so sorry for these folks but they don't know any better. When I lived in south philly John!s water ice was the one and only, lemon is my thing and their lemon is the best. I still make my pilgrimage to south philly to get my fix.
(5)Tom M.
You hear about something for so long and wonder if it really measures up to the hype. John's Water Ice lived up to its reputation. I base this only on the chocolate ice I enjoyed. Others in my party seemed less than impressed with their fruit-based flavors which they deemed too artificial. The chocolate water ice had a perfect, delicate, mild chocolate favor. It did not taste artificial and it was not cloying. The perfect treat on a hot July night. I would be so happy to indulge in that chocolate again sometime very soon.
(5)Kendrah R.
Had lemon and pineapple water ice. Great texture but the flavor was very chemical tasting. Bitter and overly sweet at the same time. I'll stick with Pop's.
(3)Kenny C.
We ordered cherry and mango flavor water ice. The cherry flavor tasted like medicine and it tasted very blend. Mango flavor on the other hand was a lot better. Definitely tasted some real mango inside. I wouldn't say it's better than Ritas but it tasted more natural.
(3)John D.
I tried all of the flavors, and found them to be too sweet. The exception was lemon, which was perfect for a hot summer day.
(4)Andrew U.
Love John's. I used to walk for over a mile to get there with my grandfather 50 years ago. It still remains one of the best.
(5)Chester C.
Best water ice in the center
(5)Brittany M.
In searching around for things to do and eat in Philly, I'd bookmarked John's but it didn't look like it'd fit in to our itinerary. But, as we were driving out of town back to where we came from, I saw a store on the corner that said water ice, so I hopped out to give it a try. The only place I've had italian/water ice from is Rita's, so I was looking forward to a non-chain, original type deal. The texture at John's was almost like a snow cone, and their preparation seemed to be similar, so watching it, I was sure it'd be great. However, despite the staff being nice (1 star and letting me sample literally all of their 4 or so daily flavors and the 1 special flavor of water ice for the day, I was not impressed but ordered a small because it's cheap (1 star) and I felt bad. The flavors felt bland and artificial, and instead of sample spoons I ended up with five full size spoons full of ice and had to awkwardly juggle them until I could make my way to the crowd to find a trash can. I had no idea President Obama had ever been here until I saw the Yelp pictures. Guess this is one of the few things I'll have to disagree with him on.
(2)Andy C.
I've been patronizing this place since I was a kid in the 70's,My father Knew Anthony the dad,When we were kids, he showed us how he made the water ice.Now Using the same machines,His son Anthony is the owner,I still will only get my water ice here and at the location in Pennsauken new jersey on park ave owned by his 2 cousins. It's by far the best water ice I have ever had! it has always been made with real fruit and always fresh,and not excessively sweet like Rita's and other brands. The best flavor is lemon,but chocolate and cherry mixed is awesome too,I refer to it as a Dr.Pepper. and pineapple is good too. I guess I love them all!! One the weekend Anthony does 2 extra flavors. The Pennsauken location has mango and pina colada most of the time .I give the a 5/5 because they are the best and always keep the line down too!!!
(5)Steven J.
Obama was here? Enough said. The water ice is not overly sweet like some franchises. Just enough sweet and just enough water. The balance is key. I lived in philly for 5 years and never understood the craze natives had for water ice. That is until now...
(4)Andrew B.
Great water ice.
(5)Suzie L.
Can't beat the price for the dixie cup filled with happiness. The classics: Cherry, Chocolate and Pineapple flavors (all winners) If I'm in the mood for their gelati; I get the Chocolate water ice with Rasberry ice cream. They have off menu items such as rasberry choco chip ice cream; vanilla birthday cake; and vanilla peanut butter. All winners. Summer is right around the corner and I'll be sitting on my stoop enjoying one of these bad boys.
(4)Richie H.
I've lived in Philly for a long time and finally go to try John's. Ordered the lemon water ice and wasn't disappointed. It was a tad too sweet for me, but overall it hit the spot. I'm not sure if I would come out of my way to get it, but I'll need to try the ice cream!
(4)Rebecca M.
Yum, the lemon is tangy and good. Always refreshing. My only complaint is the ice cream can taste freezer burnt sometimes and parking sucks. But the water ice is always good and service is fast and friendly.
(4)Helen Z.
Sadly, John's is only open for a few short months -- April through September. This is THE place to get water ice in Philly. They have four flavors-- cherry, chocolate, pineapples, & lemon and make special flavors for the weekends using locally sourced fruit. Their water ice is worth going out of your way for, as I have done so many times. Don't ever settle for Rita's. Get in your car or walk twenty blocks if you have to...if you want water ice, get it at John's! Their ice cream is also unbelievably good. My favorite is the Vanilla Peanut Butter --Vanilla swirled with slightly salted roasted peanut butter. It's SOOO good. And at $2.50 a cone, it's an incredible deal!
(5)Sara S.
Local business- check Quality product- check Little to no artificial colors-check Perfect refreshing treat for a woman who has spent the entire summer pregnant- check. I stopped on a whim at Johns Water IceA and I wish that I had done so earlier in the summer. You see, I had never been there before util today. Rita's is ok- just a little too heavy on the sugar and food coloring. Lemon was perfect. Like a frozen homemade lemonade!! Loved it! I will be back to try the other flavors before the season is over.
(5)Racquel P.
This review is based on the location in Atlantic city. Got the strawberry flavor and O.M.G!!! I was not expecting it to be that good. It is not as sweet as others but it's perfect. It had little bits of strawberry in it. The price is really good also $2 for a small I believe. My only regret is not trying all the other flavors. Next time I'm in Philly/AC I will def be getting this!
(5)Laura L.
When there is a water ice craving, go to Johns. The flavored are delish, the employees are nice, and it's inexpensive.
(5)Loan T.
Anywhere I go, I always get a coffee/mocha ice cream. But at John's Water Ice, my favorite ice cream is the Raspberry Chocolate Chip!! I never would have thought I'd like raspberry ice cream - it just sounds super sweet, right? But between the raspberry ice cream with the dark chocolate chips, it's a beautiful balance. I don't often crave sweets - my tastebuds crave savory foods! But my god, I could have that Raspberry Chocolate Chip ice cream every other day if my waistline could afford it! My bf is a fan of the Vanilla Peanut Butter ice cream. However, John's should really consider a Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream on their standard menu. Just saying... =o) The ice cream lives up to the hype, but I have to deduct a star because the service is mediocre. But what can you expect when it's a seasonal ice cream spot?...
(4)Todd F.
A Philly classic. A smooth, delicious, refreshing taste of South Philly. Dheys got lemon, cherry, chocolate and otha classics too. If Rocky ate wooder ice, it would have been John's. Great place to bring your side jawn.
(5)Alex X.
South Philly water ice is pretty good. Try the rainbow or pineapple if you haven't and want something new to try. Cherry and lemon flavors are usually are the way to go if you aren't sure.
(4)Dara M.
A buck fifty for a Dixie cup full of frozen goodness--how can you go wrong? For my very first water ice experience, I went for the chocolate. It was tasty in the same way a Tootsie Roll is. Chocolate-y, not in a chocolate sort of way, but in a chocolate-themed-food-item sort of way. If you're into that sort of thing, which I happen to be.
(4)Angie K.
The water ice here is legit. No, this isn't your Sno-cone, Rosati water ice, Rita's joint- but a tradition in the South Philly neighborhood. Very few flavors which is a bit of a downer, but whatever you choose will be delicious. The gelati comes with a heaping portion of ice cream, for those who are on the ice cream vs. water ice fence.
(4)June B.
The water ice here is excellent-- the best I've ever had. It's sweet (of course it's going to be sweet!! I don't quite understand reviewers who complain it's too sweet), but not artificially sweet and I think that makes a big difference. It actually tastes like fruit and real sugar. I like cherry the least, that flavor has the most artificial taste in my opinion. On weekends, they have good specialty flavors like strawberry, banana or cantaloupe. And you can't beat the price. $1.50 for a small? Sold. I've had the ice cream here only a few times, but the quality of the ice cream is very good as well. You get a ton of ice cream in a waffle cone for $2.50. I'm from Boston, and the ice cream quality is not like a farm quality ice cream you can get up there, but it's still pretty darn good.
(5)April L.
This place is awesome, I won't be returning to Rita's anytime soon because I've found my new favorite place... John's water ice! My boyfriend got the large water ice mixed with pineapple and cherry and I got the medium butter pecan ice cream, both were delicious. The price was pretty good too, less than $6 for that much water ice and ice cream! The employees here are also very friendly!
(5)Pam S.
It took me a couple hot months, but I finally made it to John's, a Philly institution. It was a hot summer's day. I had enough cash (simple considering you could find enough cash in your couch (note to self: get couch) to buy a water ice) for our water ice/ice cream outing. We stood in a short line, gave our order to surly teenagers who served us simply and promptly, and then we were easily on our way for our evening walk around the neighborhood. My husband liked the ice cream as a simple, chocolate deliciousness, and I enjoyed the randomness that is Pineapple as a regular flavor on the menu. I haven't yet tried their daily flavors, and I have heard that it's better to pass on the lemon water ice. All in all, I think this place will remind me of summer and a refuge from hot days.
(4)Shereen C.
Crisp and refreshing, John's has good tasty flavours. Plus, you can mix them!
(3)Matt A.
I still have not found ice that is as silky smooth as John's....the lemon and pineapple are fantastic and balance perfectly with the chocolate...the cherry just turns my whole mouth red. I wish you guys had more flavors like real peach, real NJ blueberry and strawberry, and maybe a cantaloupe or melon all just local summer flavors. Nevertheless...I love the girls who serve me with their nails all long and perfectly painted and detailed....never stop...you guys are a real icon in Philly...just like Pat's Steaks. You are simply the best !!!!!
(5)Michael U.
After Paesano's Ray wanted to show me another Philly institution and so we hiked it down the street to John's Water Ice - a space apparently established in 1945 and a favorite of many who grew up in the Italian (and surrounding) neighborhoods of Philadelphia. Featuring a limited menu of four flavors of water ice, four ice creams, and mixes referred to as gelati at bargain basement prices compared to your typical ice cream scoop-shops (and more so compared to the stellar Capogiro) we decided to sample the gamut - four small water ices for $1.50 each - and with no seating we took our Dixie cups a few steps away to enjoy. Having never experienced water-ice before (aside from those things sold as 'frozen lemonade' at the zoo or Cedar Point) but watching it scooped up and smashed into the cups by a young man at the counter I rather assumed it would be icy and artificial flavored, but with our flavor selections included Chocolate, Cherry, Lemon, and Pineapple I was surprised to find each flavor well-suited to its namesake and despite being non-dairy, non-fat and cholesterol free the textures were creamy and rich, much like a sherbet. Certainly not as refined or interesting as gelato or designer ice cream, but the chocolate and cherry particularly tasty I definitely understand how these treats are emblematic of a hot summer's day for folks in the area, particularly at the price, and although I can't say I'd personally crave a water-ice or seek it out like a good scoop of gelato it is hard to argue with the price/quality ratio, particularly for food with nostalgic meaning to so many.
(4)Madison P.
The birthday cake ice cream was the best I've ever had. Not artificially too sweet but the perfect vanilla-cake balance.
(5)Sam Z.
As a new Philadelphian, this was my very first "woder-ice" experience. With its already stellar reputation on Yelp, John's was my choice to take my water ice virginity. As a newbie, my only basis of comparison is the snow cones you get at half-rate tourist attractions and the 7-11 Slurpee. So I thought, what better way to describe my John's Water Ice (JWI) experience, than to directly compare it to these two well known icy drink counterparts. 1. JOHN'S WATER ICE VS. THE SNOW CONE In contrast to the Snow Cone, which simply takes bottles of colored syrup and dumps them over unflavored ice, JWI blends its ice and flavoring together in a giant Slurpee like mixing machine. The result is a much smoother and much creamier consistency, with the flavoring evenly distributed throughout. Unlike a snow cone where you simply suck the flavoring out of the ice, and then that's it, here you get even flavored icy taste from the top to bottom. __ 2. JOHN'S WATER ICE VS. THE SLURPEE Having grown up on the Slurpee, I am used to its more intense, more sugary flavor. JWI by contrast is much more subtle and subdued. Despite my generation's (Y) sweet upbringing and increasing desire for more and more sugar, John's has chosen to stay true to its long standing original recipe (so I think), when a little less was a little more. I respect this 100%; only my brain is trained expect something just a little sweeter. Compared to a Slurpee (and the snow cone too) JWI boasts much smaller ice crystals, giving it a smooth, almost sorbet like consistency; best eaten with a spoon instead of a straw. __ While overall the flavor could have been slightly more sugar spiked for my liking, overall I found JWI to be a perfectly refreshing, cool summer snack. JWI is a South Philadelphia institution through and through, and for just $1.50 for a small serve, I look forward to sampling more from their wide variety of icy flavors. -SZ
(4)Aruna A.
I haven't been to John's enough in my lifetime - as I've only ever gone once. BUT I intend to change this asap. One a particularly steamy day, I decided to swing by John's after the gym, because, why not? Also it looks so delicious! So it was really not a decision I could over think (most importantly - it's on the way home from the gym, so really I'm doing NOTHING wrong here). I tried the vanilla with peanut butter swirls (which is really the best ice cream I've ever had in my life hands down), and the chocolate ice cream scoops. One scoop of each = the low low low low price of $2.50. I full intended to pay more - but I did get the small, and it seemed MORE than fair. Honestly, this ice cream is totally worth it, delicious, and I recommend you go here asap. You'll not regret this!
(5)Stephen T.
I love this place. It's so sad when I drive by and it's closed. But soon enough spring will be here and I'll be ordering giant ice cream cones again. We come whenever we're remotely close to it. Water ice is good too but the ice cream is where the money is.
(5)R G.
The real deal. Philadelphia water ice just like when I was a kid. Don't even think about going to Rita's. John's is how water ice is supposed to be. A little corner joint - unpretentious cheap and perfect.
(5)Dung N.
Dont tell me i never gave you anything!! Cherry Waterice and Birthday cake icecream gelato. You will be dancing in your shorts and high fiving random strangers.
(5)Brian S.
This is the real deal. What water ice should be. Just a few good regular flavors (cherry, lemon, chocolate, pineapple), some special ones (like mango...and no crappy flavors like Swedish Fish that they have at Rita's) and real ice cream for the ultimate gelati (basic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, butter pecan and specials like peanut butter swirl). I enjoyed a gelati with chocolate water ice and vanilla peanut butter swirl ice cream. It was very, very good. It was so good that I swore I heard the mummers strutting in the background until Rocky punched me in the gut (or was it the gelati?) and socked me back to reality. The reality of which is I will probably never eat a Rita's again.
(4)Brian M.
Choosing Rita's over this place would be like choosing a burger from McDonald's over Village Whiskey. Except this place is cheaper than that corporate conglomerate with the red and white awning. Be cooler eat a John's.
(5)Leonard T.
Best water ice I have ever had without a doubt. Have heard about it for a long time but never had a chance when in south philly to stop by until today . Highly recommend
(5)Rose S.
I don't like Italian ice and I would never go out of my way to order Italian ice unless it's John's. They also have some of the best homemade ice cream I've ever had. There are probably 6 flavors on the menu and that's fine because everything is perfect. The staff is really fast/efficient. There is a sense of urgency when ordering at John's, but that's how I know I'm in south philly.
(5)Steve S.
It's definitely high quality water ice. The lemon was as good as any I've had in the area. But it gets less stars from me due to lack of flavors. I know there's tradition involved and I respect that. But really, 6 flavors of water ice isn't going to cut it for me. It isn't going to make me go out of my way to the heart of South Philly and search for parking just to have some. I can do that at Pop's, or I can get better variety at Rita's, though I do agree that John's is more authentic water ice. I suppose the best way to get parking around here is if you are Barack Obama, and you have secret service to block the street.
(3)Angela E.
The hubby craves this place and I kinda do, too. I get the cherry ice and vanilla ice cream gelati and it's always refreshing and deliciously sweet. The hubs like lemon ice and vanilla ice cream gelati. They have other ice cream flavors and ice flavors, but be sure to go "in" the building so you can see the sign to your left that lists all of the flavors of the day. The location is great and lots of people illegally park to get their John's fix. I don't see any tickets on their windows, so the cops must be cool with it, so long as you get moving when you're done. ] CASH ONLY and cheap.
(5)Al D.
Best water ice place I've tried in NJ and Philly. The pineapple flavor was delicious and so was the birthday cake ice cream. I could probably go here everyday.
(5)Aaron F.
Best. Water ice. Ever.
(5)Peter D.
Slightly overrated but not bad. I respect that it's been open for so long and continues to operate at relatively low prices. That being said, I would have preferred more variety. My cherry and pineapple ice was quite good but I've had better in Philly. I would come back here but I wouldn't seek it. There must be better places to get italian ice around these parts!
(3)Cynthia Y.
OMG OMG I wish we had a John's Water Ice here in California!!! :( I love this place! So let me explain to my fellow Californians what water ice is. I guess it's sort of like Italian ice & icee? Not too icey, very smooth texture & flavorful. It's not like shaved ice with syrup on top, nope. It's water ice! And at John's Water Ice, it's all HOMEMADE! Water ice & ice cream is ALL HOMEMADE...droooooooooooool It seemed a little pricey but it's worth $3 for the gelati! Gelati is water ice with ice cream! I got chocolate water ice, vanilla ice cream, and pineapple water ice= orgasmic treat! It's not too sweet at all, simply thebomb.com I loved it! So if you're visiting, do pay a visit or stop by often to John's Water Ice :) it's truly a gem...like I said, I realllllly wish we had one back at home!
(5)Sarah S.
If it's good enough for the President it's good enough for me... DELICIOUS Vanilla Peanut butter ice cream and Lemon Water Ice... Under $5.00 for both. Awesome!
(5)Jen K.
John's Freakin' Water Ice! Today you had the most delicious canteloupe water ice, in addition to your usual 4 flavors in rotation. You only cost me $1.50 for a small, except your close proximity to my house means I'll probably give you around $50 this summer. Sometimes you elude me with your hours. They're not posted on your website or anywhere at your storefront. I think I've caught on a bit: you don't open on Sundays, holidays, or in inclement weather of any form. You open in the late morning and close whenever the f' you feel like it. Very South Philly of you. Anyway, thanks for helping me up my daily fruit portion. It counts, right?
(5)Parker S.
I think most people will agree that Rita's sets the standard for water ice. Most places you go are poor imitations with an odd consistency and a limited flavor selection which normally taste like cheap popsicle syrup. John's however stands out from the rest. Is it better than Rita's? I don't really know, it's close. They don't have as many unique flavors but I normally go the simple route with Water Ice anyway. Overall Joh's is a good place for water ice. it has the charm of a local establishment and backs it up with quality ice at good prices.
(5)Brad P.
John's Water Ice is good and cheap and has that simple charm that I like and that your date will probably like too. It won't seal the deal as well as Capogiro but then again, few things will. I'm not sure if it is the way they shave the ice or the high quality syrups that they use, but there's something here that puts them a step above Rita's.
(4)Yousef K.
I went here for the second time yesterday and I have to say it was great. I got a lemon and cherry water ice. I liked the lemon more so I went back to get another. When I went to pay the ladies told me not to worry about it. At Johns they take into account customer satisfication which is new for me in Philadelphia. So thanks John and keep up the good work.
(5)Erin D.
If you are new to Philly and you're wondering what this "water ice" is that you keep hearing about, go to John's and get some. John's is the best water ice out there, by far. It is delicious and cheap and located in an awesome neighborhood.
(5)Josephine L.
Oh my God, why did I think doing a food crawl of Philly over 4th of July weekend was a good idea? Because it is--I just can't control the weather (....yet) and couldn't escape the 98-degree heat! Luckily, Johns Water Ice appeared like a hazy oasis in the concrete desert heat. The boyfriend and I stepped up (i.e. collapsed) at the counter, caught our breaths, and ordered some good ol' Philly water ice. I got chocolate. It was good. Cool and refreshing and not overwhelmingly sweet for my poor, dry, parched mouth. I liked the wateriness. The boy got banana. It was made with honest-to-goodness real bananas! You could taste the realness! You could even see the little black dots that are in the center of bananas. Plus, it wasn't fake shiny yellow! He got half a cup of bananas, half a cup of chocolate and swirled them together to make some good banana chocolate. It was very delish. Yes, I said "delish".
(5)Oski B.
Calories and diabetes be damned - fewer things could be better than gelati on days as brutally hot as the ones we've had this week. Thanks for helping to cool us all down w your frozen treats. Five stars for you. PS - visit the website for a little Vanilla Ice.
(5)Donna A.
A south Philly tradition,
(5)Alli C.
This is my new favorite. I came here on my cousin's school trip and the staff was so nice. They put up with 22 loud and crazy 8 year olds really sweetly, and gave them free cups of water. Their chocolate water ice was delicious, and the perfect thing for a hot day. I love that they didn't have too many options, as I'm terrible with decisions. They keep it simple.
(5)Elizabeth B.
When I'm desperate for water ice close to home, I have two choices: Rita's or John's. Unless I have a particularly intense need for mango, I'm heading to John's. You get more for your money and the ice is less sugary, more refreshing, and doesn't taste remotely artificial ('cause it's not). Really, it's a no brainer. Added bonus? No cheesy, in your face branding, and the people serving your water ice seem genuinely happy to be doing just that. The only draw back, as I mentioned, is the limited range of flavors. But John's owes no one any apologies, I love the lemon!
(4)Herbet P.
Apparently another Philly staple that I never knew about the 7 years that i lived here. Some history - I spoke with the owner and it turns out this is a third generation Italian-American family run shop that started next door as a restaurant years ago and with the demand of its water ice moved to focus soley on just that. They have about 4 options and a special which changes - all made from fresh fruit. My friend who brought me here told me i should try the chocolate - i was reluctant.. Chocolate water ice? Really? It was good!
(4)erin o.
Giving John's 2 stars is generous because my gut tells me to go with one star. Basically, the hard ice cream did not agree with my or my friend's stomach. It gave us both explosive (albeit brief) diarrhea. There, I said it. I also didn't understand the lack of soft serve ice cream option...how do you make a decent gelati without soft serve ice cream? That digustingness being shared, the portion of ice cream we got was HUGE! It was also relatively inexpensive. We were there at the end of the season so my friend wanted to give them the benefit of assuming that they were practicing inventory control rather than blame for the lack of extensive flavor options and sugar cones. I will not be a repeat customer at John's.
(2)Bill M.
In order to prepare myself for the upcoming heat wave I concluded that I was going to need some water ice post haste (A margarita too but I doing the teetotal today so opted for a smoothie at Cafe Grindstone instead). I went to South Philly to give the real deal a try and it was definitely worth it. It didn't have all the flavors of Rita's but it doesn't matter since the flavors are au natural. and even if there was just 5 water ice choices to go through choosing what one was still pretty tricky. But I needed to finally try a Gelati and I was on a chocolate crave. So I doubled up and went with chocolate water ice on chocolate ice cream. It's as decadent as it sounds, and it gave me killer brain freeze, but damn was it worth it. Bring on the heat wave cause I'm ready.
(4)Kay W.
Worth $1.50 for the stop. Glad I stumbled upon this when I was in Philly. It's a refreshing smooth texture of flavored ice that will satisfy your quench in the Philly heat
(5)Chris M.
John's makes Rita seem like McDonalds. Philadelphia gem! Cheap prices for delicious water ice. Gelati combos are tasty treats as well.
(4)Pat T.
Lemon ice and strawberry ice cream combo is the best on a hot summer evening.
(5)Paul S.
This is top of the line water ice. They have 4 flavors every day and then they'll have one or two other flavors of the day. It's the same deal with the ice cream. Rita's is local and like them too but John's is cheaper, and it's the best water ice in town. If you're by the market walk a couple blocks east and stop by.
(5)Miz V.
John's has been around since God was a boy. . It is fresh and inviting in this humid weather.When I lived in Center City I would walk over at least once a week. It is still a planned summer stop when we are in town.My favorite: lemon. It's flavor and freshness reminds me of the shop right across from St Peter's Square in Rome. All these new places don't hold a candle to John's You can't beat timeless great water ice quality
(5)Lisa R.
Simply classic! The place has no frills just affordable frozen treats. We tried the cherry flavored Italian ice. It was okay and the service was friendly. I'm glad I went here and I hope places like this continue to be part of this great Philly neighborhood.
(3)David A.
Expected better in South Philly...I set the bar higher. Good flavor and a bit too icy. Much better to be had.
(2)Lea S.
This place is dangerous. You can get a HUGE ice cream in a waffle cone for only $2.25. I've been known to skip dinner and head right to dessert that John's. In fact if you don't want to have water ice or ice cream as your meal replacement, I would suggest you go with the kiddie cone. No really, it is still a pretty big serving. Remember to look inside at their specials board before selecting your flavor. They usually have additonal flavors like peanut butter or birthday cake. Yes it is werid that these guys service my oil burner and sever me frozen dessert treats, but hey I've seen even more bizzare business models that that.
(5)Zoe P.
Wowza. This place is for real - REAL water ice, that is. Sure, you're not going to have a ton of different flavor choices, but the traditional water ice flavors persist here in their all natural glory, along with a handful of Daily Flavor selections. Their ice cream is also REAL ice cream - creamy and full of flavor. My friends and I wanted to take a New York friend to try water ice for the first time, and our waiter at Supper overheard us and recommended John's Water Ice. His directions were pretty vague, but we managed to locate it easily enough. I got their strawberry water ice, which was in-freaking-credible and made from real strawberries - I kept getting those little seeds stuck in my teeth. We convinced our New York friend to try a gelati, and for some reason she got their peanut butter ice cream (vanilla base with peanut butter swirled in it) with their cherry water ice. We warned her about the weird combo, but she still enjoyed herself thoroughly (probs by not mixing it together, which seems to go against the whole gelati concept to me). Another friend got a cherry water ice and vanilla ice cream and declared it the best gelati she'd ever had. We all gobbled up our various treats pretty quickly, which left the gelati girls with stomach aches (small my ass - those cups are BIG, and if I continue to go back so will my ass). But damn is this place good!
(5)Jennifer C.
On my first visit to the City of Brotherly Love, we happened to pass this corner shop. I'm from the west coast, and never heard of water ice, but I'm all for the motto "When in Rome..." Didn't matter that I was still full from the massive cheese steak I inhaled just a couple of hours before. The water ice was a perfect dessert - light, refreshing, and so simple, yet so satisfying. I tried the lemon and chocolate (ok, not the best combination). I would opt for the ice cream and lemon ice combination next time.
(5)Frank K.
Just fabulous, refreshing, natural not too sweet...sometimes too cold (for my brain) Try a half and half with lemon and pineapple....
(5)Taylor A.
John's is the best - period. Whether it's chocolate water ice and butter pecan ice cream or pineapple water ice and strawberry ice cream, you can't go wrong. Don't forget to get a pretzel with it!
(5)Jen H.
Pineapple water ice and strawberry ice cream. :)
(5)John L.
Thanks for the trash in my Gelato, 3 times now! John's Water Ice is just around the corner from me and I have had their water ices and gelatos about 6 times now. However, last night was the straw that broke my back and will drive me to Rita's from now on. I ordered a gelato (Vanilla B-Day cake and Cherry ice) after getting 3 spoonfuls into it I started hacking-up an unidentified gelato object. It turned out to be a soft contact lense. This would surprise me from any other business establishment, but 2 orders ago I pulled a plastic price tag out of my mouth after a spoonful of gelato from John's Water Ice. My first trash-in-mouth experience came in early June with a Cherry Water Ice, after I was about 1/3 of the way down I started finding a bunch of black specs in the water ice. I pulled a few out and set them aside, they did not melt and they were not food items. After attempting to crush them with my spoon and failing, I came to the non-scientific conclusion that it was some sort of crushed rock or plastic. Unless you like finding trash in your summer treats, I would avoid this place until they clean-up their act. For me, I will walk 2 extra blocks and have a Rita's that comes free of trash.
(1)Mindy Y.
Bf gets all the credit for introducing me to this place. He was kind enough to share his chocolate water ice with me (or wooder ice, in true philly fashion), and it is crazy delicious. Creamy, chocolaty, and served in massive paper cup - no spoon. At first I questioned it, but once you try it you'll never go back to anything else. The only thing I'd change is that I wish we would've gotten two instead of one to share.
(5)Jennie H.
I've tried all their usual flavors (Cherry, Chocolate, and Lemon) except Pineapple which, by the way, I will definitely be back because it's a nice and refreshing inexpensive treat to cool me off on a hot summer day. :) By far, I think Cherry is my favorite (as it's always been my favorite flavor) even though it does stain my lips after the first bite.
(4)Cherryl L.
we love this joint!!! I hope they can make peach praline ice cream!!!!
(5)w k.
You know you're near Johns by the trail of plastic spoons on the sidewalk. As we live 1 block away and summer is officially here we have had to limit ourselves to 3x week. There nothing better than sitting on the stoop at 10pm with a cup of Johns on a warm summer night. In fact that pretty much sums up my summers in Philly. Gelati is amazing and comes in 3 layers: wate ice, ice cream, water ice. Best after a few minutes once melted slightly together. I recommend the following flavor combos: Butter pecan/pineapple Strawberry/lemon Cookies n cream/chocolate Vanilla/cantalope (seasonal flavor) See you on the corner!
(5)Jerrica J.
John's Water Ice is similar to Italian Ice. Although I think the shaved Italian ice a little smoother? My tour guide, Sean F. recommended John's Water Ice which was near his old neighborhood where he grew up. We both had the lemon water ice. It tasted similar to frozen lemonade! During a hot summer day, it was exactly what I needed and totally inexpensive.
(5)Melmoth K.
I have nothing to compare it to because I'm from the Midwest and we don't have water ice, but I really enjoyed our cherry and chocolate ices a lot. I was skeptical that they would satisfy, but they did. I was also skeptical that chocolate ice would taste good, but it really did. Its also in a neat neighborhood. I recommend that visitors to Philadelphia from places that don't have water ice go to John's and check it out.
(4)renroy c.
So out of the way but when you Make it there its worth it. The Staff is professional and it's a great treat after Cheese steaks.
(5)Steph H.
Awesome neighborhood place for a cold treat on a hot day :) it's no Rita's but it's for sure an authentic south philly Italian place.
(3)Ian S.
Amazing chocolate ice, great price and quantity.
(5)michelle p.
Sure I like Rita's, but John's is sooooooo much better. They have a small selection and their water ice is made on the premises (you can see the machines behind the people working the counter). It's delicious and refreshing! I've been known to eat it twice in one day!
(4)Alex C.
The real deal for philly water ice. Go for a chocolate water ice and peanut butter ice cream gelati.
(5)Bridget N.
I finally got my water ice fix this weekend. Well actually, I kind of went twice, ssshh. The chocolate-cherry gelati was seriously orgasmic. Why did it take me until August to finally make it down there??! I will definitely be back a few more times while they are still open for the season. And if you haven't been, GO! I corrupted not one, but two Rita's fans this weekend.
(5)Gabrielle B.
Awesome awesome awesome. Cheap, delicious & simple. I got a strawberry waffle cone for $2.50 and it was such a large amount of ice cream that I couldn't even finish it. They only offer the standard 3 flavors of ice cream: strawberry, chocolate, & vanilla. I've heard great things about the water ice but have yet to venture towards it.
(5)Laur T.
I'm not sure what the hype over water ice is... to me it seems like something you get out of your blender with ice and a fruit/ flavored liquid.... AND for something whose ingredients are so basic, John's sure knows how to charge its customers for his ice! I wanted to sample the product so opted for the smallest size, that was $1.50 for an espresso sized cup. Wow. a little suprised indeed. Anyway I had the pineapple (awesome) and banana (hmmmm) flavored water ice. At least they allowed you to mix flavors at no additional charge~
(3)Kristin M.
I love Rita's but choosing from a Baskin Robbins-sized menu of water ice flavors--not to mention gelati, Blendinis and other concoctions that you could probably make yourself if you did some aggressive stirring--is just damn confusing. John's offers four flavors that never change and has the most ridiculously good cookies-and-cream ice cream that I've ever tasted. Not the powdered-down kind like you know who (ahem, Rita's) but chunks of Oreo-like cookie goodness. Stop by on a hot summer night, when people are balancing on sidewalks and fences to eat, and it reminds you of what's good about living in this 'hood.
(4)Won S.
This is Italian Ice like I remember it growing up. Why it's still called "water ice" I am not sure. That is definitely a mid to southern Jersey and Philly thing. Everywhere else I have been it's Italian ice. But whatever you want to call it, this is it. Rita's doesn't hold anything against this stuff with it's mass produced (Quaker oats owns them now, right?) artificially colored schlock. In Staten Island, there is Ralph's Italian Ice and people from the boroughs used to love the stuff and used to drive an hour sometimes to get it. This stuff reminds me of Ralphs. This is the real deal. Texture could be a little smoother, but that is just subjective and everyone has a different liking of various mouth feels. But the flavor, you can't knock it. worth the trip.
(5)Kimberly P.
I was referred to John's by a friend who said the Rita's wasn't a true representation of good water ice and that I should go to John's. Yes, John's is a lot simpler with only 5 flavors (cherry, chocolate, peach, pineapple and one other). It DOES taste a lot healthier and like it has less sugar. But the peach ice that i had was nothing out of the ordinary. Not much flavor at all. I'll stick with Rita's.
(3)Sara C.
I'm not sure I understand the love affair with this place. When I ordered a cup of the lemon water ice, I felt like my teeth were going to fall out upon eating it. It tasted more of sugar than lemon. In that regard, it didn't taste any better than Rita's to me. Give me Philly Flavors, Italiano's, or Sundae's over in Jersey anyday.
(2)Caitlin C.
If you are from South Philly or respect real Italian water ice, you are not suppose to eat at Rita's. Because of this I gave John's a chance one lovely summer evening. I was disappointed because there were only three flavors. I guess when you are suppose to be classic you can't get too crazy, but maybe it's just me - when I want water ice and have a choice between lemon or chocolate chip, I'll pick the later. But then again I am Generation Next and I've never walked 5 miles in the snow to get to a black and white TV. I think John's is classic water ice Coney Island style. For modern day ice, I like Rita's (please don't hurt me).
(3)Rob B.
I may be from Philly, but I'm not sure I can discern between good and bad water ice. Is there even really a difference? Regardless, Johns is tasty, its close to where I live, and its a cool scene (really seems like the whole neighborhood is there some nights). They don't have many flavors, but the no-frill atmosphere is part of the appeal. If you're in the hood on a hot day, worth a stop fo sho.
(4)Steph M.
The grammarian in me hates the somewhat redundant term "water ice," but that doesn't stop me from gulping down buckets of the stuff when the mercury starts to rise. As the purveyor of this icy treat closest to my home, John's is a regular stop for me during the summer months. I love their pineapple water ice like a fat kid loves... well, you know. Sure, Rita's has more flavors and I do go there when I'm in the mood for passionfruit or mango water ice. But John's is still my nearest and dearest.
(4)gary v.
After reading all the hype I wanted to check this place out. I was pretty disappointed. The lemon was bitter, not tangy or sour, and the cherry had a medicinal flavor that I wasn't digging. Service was less than friendly, but this was less important to me. Gets 2 stars because the prices were reasonable. I'll keep searching for the proper South Philly ice, because I didn't find it here...
(2)Vivian T.
Ive been to all the water ices in the city. Hands down BEST WATER ICE IN PHILADELPHIA. Lemon is always my favorite. Pineapple is good too.
(5)David G.
The best water ice. Thank you for making the best tasting water ice. Anyone that says different is a lost cause. For those complaining about the lack of number of flavors, go find Rita's and leave the purist to enjoy the real thing. Keep up the great work and please start franchising.
(5)rosie l.
i dont know what they do it it. i dont know why it's so delicious. i dont know why it's named water ice. i only know i was told to have it here, and that john's water ice is the best in south philly. and since it was the ONLY water ice i had in south philly, well.. it easily fell into the "best" place. so there it is, told to you by the chick from california. John's Water Ice is the best water ice i've ever had.
(5)James D.
Figures I only retapped into this neighborhood gem over a weekend that heralded the first blast of fall. For the most part, water ice is water ice, but John's has two things going for it - the homegrown, South Philly attitude (epitomized by the new Godfatheresque t-shirts worn by their nubile crew demanding you "Get Iced") and the Hershey's ice cream, scooped - make that heaped - into a waffle cone for an unheard of $2. Suck it, Dairy Queen.
(3)Marian R.
i am so glad that john's is reveiwed already! this was one of the first places that i was allowed to walk to as a kid (with mom-mom and her best friend following behind, ostensibly staring up at the sky and looking at....???? mmm-hmmm....). john's lemon is the best ever, and whomever said that it was too sweet must have caught it on an off day, it is not too sweet and has lemon bits in it. their cherry stains, but it is delicious, as is the chocolate and the pineapple. they had an awful foray into the flavor wars over ten years ago, i can't remember what they added but it was the pits! and they had 'gelato' for a while (that bizarre mix of vanilla soft serve and water ice that some people actually thought was gelato, BOO!), but they are back to doing what they always did. and how could they stay open all year round? they have the best gig ever, water ice in the summer, heating oil in the winter. perfect merging of two necessary resources into one organization. :) and you should try a pretzel rod with yours.....i don't see many people doing this anymore, but you should try it!
(5)John P.
Whenever I visit my friend is S. Phila I go here. I always go for the Lemon. Then I leave my friends house and go back for seconds.
(4)K S.
I wish this place was open all year long! The water ice is very flavorful - i've had cherry, lemon, and once, cantelope(sp) which was delicious. I haven't had the ice cream, but based on the reviews here, I want to try it. I think John's beats Rita's any day - in taste and price.
(5)Michael U.
After Paesano's Ray wanted to show me another Philly institution and so we hiked it down the street to John's Water Ice - a space apparently established in 1945 and a favorite of many who grew up in the Italian (and surrounding) neighborhoods of Philadelphia. Featuring a limited menu of four flavors of water ice, four ice creams, and mixes referred to as gelati at bargain basement prices compared to your typical ice cream scoop-shops (and more so compared to the stellar Capogiro) we decided to sample the gamut - four small water ices for $1.50 each - and with no seating we took our Dixie cups a few steps away to enjoy. Having never experienced water-ice before (aside from those things sold as 'frozen lemonade' at the zoo or Cedar Point) but watching it scooped up and smashed into the cups by a young man at the counter I rather assumed it would be icy and artificial flavored, but with our flavor selections included Chocolate, Cherry, Lemon, and Pineapple I was surprised to find each flavor well-suited to its namesake and despite being non-dairy, non-fat and cholesterol free the textures were creamy and rich, much like a sherbet. Certainly not as refined or interesting as gelato or designer ice cream, but the chocolate and cherry particularly tasty I definitely understand how these treats are emblematic of a hot summer's day for folks in the area, particularly at the price, and although I can't say I'd personally crave a water-ice or seek it out like a good scoop of gelato it is hard to argue with the price/quality ratio, particularly for food with nostalgic meaning to so many.
(4)Madison P.
The birthday cake ice cream was the best I've ever had. Not artificially too sweet but the perfect vanilla-cake balance.
(5)Sam Z.
As a new Philadelphian, this was my very first "woder-ice" experience. With its already stellar reputation on Yelp, John's was my choice to take my water ice virginity. As a newbie, my only basis of comparison is the snow cones you get at half-rate tourist attractions and the 7-11 Slurpee. So I thought, what better way to describe my John's Water Ice (JWI) experience, than to directly compare it to these two well known icy drink counterparts. 1. JOHN'S WATER ICE VS. THE SNOW CONE In contrast to the Snow Cone, which simply takes bottles of colored syrup and dumps them over unflavored ice, JWI blends its ice and flavoring together in a giant Slurpee like mixing machine. The result is a much smoother and much creamier consistency, with the flavoring evenly distributed throughout. Unlike a snow cone where you simply suck the flavoring out of the ice, and then that's it, here you get even flavored icy taste from the top to bottom. __ 2. JOHN'S WATER ICE VS. THE SLURPEE Having grown up on the Slurpee, I am used to its more intense, more sugary flavor. JWI by contrast is much more subtle and subdued. Despite my generation's (Y) sweet upbringing and increasing desire for more and more sugar, John's has chosen to stay true to its long standing original recipe (so I think), when a little less was a little more. I respect this 100%; only my brain is trained expect something just a little sweeter. Compared to a Slurpee (and the snow cone too) JWI boasts much smaller ice crystals, giving it a smooth, almost sorbet like consistency; best eaten with a spoon instead of a straw. __ While overall the flavor could have been slightly more sugar spiked for my liking, overall I found JWI to be a perfectly refreshing, cool summer snack. JWI is a South Philadelphia institution through and through, and for just $1.50 for a small serve, I look forward to sampling more from their wide variety of icy flavors. -SZ
(4)Shereen C.
Crisp and refreshing, John's has good tasty flavours. Plus, you can mix them!
(3)Matt A.
I still have not found ice that is as silky smooth as John's....the lemon and pineapple are fantastic and balance perfectly with the chocolate...the cherry just turns my whole mouth red. I wish you guys had more flavors like real peach, real NJ blueberry and strawberry, and maybe a cantaloupe or melon all just local summer flavors. Nevertheless...I love the girls who serve me with their nails all long and perfectly painted and detailed....never stop...you guys are a real icon in Philly...just like Pat's Steaks. You are simply the best !!!!!
(5)Aruna A.
I haven't been to John's enough in my lifetime - as I've only ever gone once. BUT I intend to change this asap. One a particularly steamy day, I decided to swing by John's after the gym, because, why not? Also it looks so delicious! So it was really not a decision I could over think (most importantly - it's on the way home from the gym, so really I'm doing NOTHING wrong here). I tried the vanilla with peanut butter swirls (which is really the best ice cream I've ever had in my life hands down), and the chocolate ice cream scoops. One scoop of each = the low low low low price of $2.50. I full intended to pay more - but I did get the small, and it seemed MORE than fair. Honestly, this ice cream is totally worth it, delicious, and I recommend you go here asap. You'll not regret this!
(5)Stephen T.
I love this place. It's so sad when I drive by and it's closed. But soon enough spring will be here and I'll be ordering giant ice cream cones again. We come whenever we're remotely close to it. Water ice is good too but the ice cream is where the money is.
(5)R G.
The real deal. Philadelphia water ice just like when I was a kid. Don't even think about going to Rita's. John's is how water ice is supposed to be. A little corner joint - unpretentious cheap and perfect.
(5)Dung N.
Dont tell me i never gave you anything!! Cherry Waterice and Birthday cake icecream gelato. You will be dancing in your shorts and high fiving random strangers.
(5)Brian S.
This is the real deal. What water ice should be. Just a few good regular flavors (cherry, lemon, chocolate, pineapple), some special ones (like mango...and no crappy flavors like Swedish Fish that they have at Rita's) and real ice cream for the ultimate gelati (basic flavors like vanilla, chocolate, butter pecan and specials like peanut butter swirl). I enjoyed a gelati with chocolate water ice and vanilla peanut butter swirl ice cream. It was very, very good. It was so good that I swore I heard the mummers strutting in the background until Rocky punched me in the gut (or was it the gelati?) and socked me back to reality. The reality of which is I will probably never eat a Rita's again.
(4)Brian M.
Choosing Rita's over this place would be like choosing a burger from McDonald's over Village Whiskey. Except this place is cheaper than that corporate conglomerate with the red and white awning. Be cooler eat a John's.
(5)Leonard T.
Best water ice I have ever had without a doubt. Have heard about it for a long time but never had a chance when in south philly to stop by until today . Highly recommend
(5)Rose S.
I don't like Italian ice and I would never go out of my way to order Italian ice unless it's John's. They also have some of the best homemade ice cream I've ever had. There are probably 6 flavors on the menu and that's fine because everything is perfect. The staff is really fast/efficient. There is a sense of urgency when ordering at John's, but that's how I know I'm in south philly.
(5)Steve S.
It's definitely high quality water ice. The lemon was as good as any I've had in the area. But it gets less stars from me due to lack of flavors. I know there's tradition involved and I respect that. But really, 6 flavors of water ice isn't going to cut it for me. It isn't going to make me go out of my way to the heart of South Philly and search for parking just to have some. I can do that at Pop's, or I can get better variety at Rita's, though I do agree that John's is more authentic water ice. I suppose the best way to get parking around here is if you are Barack Obama, and you have secret service to block the street.
(3)Angela E.
The hubby craves this place and I kinda do, too. I get the cherry ice and vanilla ice cream gelati and it's always refreshing and deliciously sweet. The hubs like lemon ice and vanilla ice cream gelati. They have other ice cream flavors and ice flavors, but be sure to go "in" the building so you can see the sign to your left that lists all of the flavors of the day. The location is great and lots of people illegally park to get their John's fix. I don't see any tickets on their windows, so the cops must be cool with it, so long as you get moving when you're done. ] CASH ONLY and cheap.
(5)Al D.
Best water ice place I've tried in NJ and Philly. The pineapple flavor was delicious and so was the birthday cake ice cream. I could probably go here everyday.
(5)Aaron F.
Best. Water ice. Ever.
(5)Peter D.
Slightly overrated but not bad. I respect that it's been open for so long and continues to operate at relatively low prices. That being said, I would have preferred more variety. My cherry and pineapple ice was quite good but I've had better in Philly. I would come back here but I wouldn't seek it. There must be better places to get italian ice around these parts!
(3)David A.
Expected better in South Philly...I set the bar higher. Good flavor and a bit too icy. Much better to be had.
(2)Cynthia Y.
OMG OMG I wish we had a John's Water Ice here in California!!! :( I love this place! So let me explain to my fellow Californians what water ice is. I guess it's sort of like Italian ice & icee? Not too icey, very smooth texture & flavorful. It's not like shaved ice with syrup on top, nope. It's water ice! And at John's Water Ice, it's all HOMEMADE! Water ice & ice cream is ALL HOMEMADE...droooooooooooool It seemed a little pricey but it's worth $3 for the gelati! Gelati is water ice with ice cream! I got chocolate water ice, vanilla ice cream, and pineapple water ice= orgasmic treat! It's not too sweet at all, simply thebomb.com I loved it! So if you're visiting, do pay a visit or stop by often to John's Water Ice :) it's truly a gem...like I said, I realllllly wish we had one back at home!
(5)Sarah S.
If it's good enough for the President it's good enough for me... DELICIOUS Vanilla Peanut butter ice cream and Lemon Water Ice... Under $5.00 for both. Awesome!
(5)Jen K.
John's Freakin' Water Ice! Today you had the most delicious canteloupe water ice, in addition to your usual 4 flavors in rotation. You only cost me $1.50 for a small, except your close proximity to my house means I'll probably give you around $50 this summer. Sometimes you elude me with your hours. They're not posted on your website or anywhere at your storefront. I think I've caught on a bit: you don't open on Sundays, holidays, or in inclement weather of any form. You open in the late morning and close whenever the f' you feel like it. Very South Philly of you. Anyway, thanks for helping me up my daily fruit portion. It counts, right?
(5)Parker S.
I think most people will agree that Rita's sets the standard for water ice. Most places you go are poor imitations with an odd consistency and a limited flavor selection which normally taste like cheap popsicle syrup. John's however stands out from the rest. Is it better than Rita's? I don't really know, it's close. They don't have as many unique flavors but I normally go the simple route with Water Ice anyway. Overall Joh's is a good place for water ice. it has the charm of a local establishment and backs it up with quality ice at good prices.
(5)Brad P.
John's Water Ice is good and cheap and has that simple charm that I like and that your date will probably like too. It won't seal the deal as well as Capogiro but then again, few things will. I'm not sure if it is the way they shave the ice or the high quality syrups that they use, but there's something here that puts them a step above Rita's.
(4)Yousef K.
I went here for the second time yesterday and I have to say it was great. I got a lemon and cherry water ice. I liked the lemon more so I went back to get another. When I went to pay the ladies told me not to worry about it. At Johns they take into account customer satisfication which is new for me in Philadelphia. So thanks John and keep up the good work.
(5)Erin D.
If you are new to Philly and you're wondering what this "water ice" is that you keep hearing about, go to John's and get some. John's is the best water ice out there, by far. It is delicious and cheap and located in an awesome neighborhood.
(5)Josephine L.
Oh my God, why did I think doing a food crawl of Philly over 4th of July weekend was a good idea? Because it is--I just can't control the weather (....yet) and couldn't escape the 98-degree heat! Luckily, Johns Water Ice appeared like a hazy oasis in the concrete desert heat. The boyfriend and I stepped up (i.e. collapsed) at the counter, caught our breaths, and ordered some good ol' Philly water ice. I got chocolate. It was good. Cool and refreshing and not overwhelmingly sweet for my poor, dry, parched mouth. I liked the wateriness. The boy got banana. It was made with honest-to-goodness real bananas! You could taste the realness! You could even see the little black dots that are in the center of bananas. Plus, it wasn't fake shiny yellow! He got half a cup of bananas, half a cup of chocolate and swirled them together to make some good banana chocolate. It was very delish. Yes, I said "delish".
(5)Oski B.
Calories and diabetes be damned - fewer things could be better than gelati on days as brutally hot as the ones we've had this week. Thanks for helping to cool us all down w your frozen treats. Five stars for you. PS - visit the website for a little Vanilla Ice.
(5)Donna A.
A south Philly tradition,
(5)Alli C.
This is my new favorite. I came here on my cousin's school trip and the staff was so nice. They put up with 22 loud and crazy 8 year olds really sweetly, and gave them free cups of water. Their chocolate water ice was delicious, and the perfect thing for a hot day. I love that they didn't have too many options, as I'm terrible with decisions. They keep it simple.
(5)Elizabeth B.
When I'm desperate for water ice close to home, I have two choices: Rita's or John's. Unless I have a particularly intense need for mango, I'm heading to John's. You get more for your money and the ice is less sugary, more refreshing, and doesn't taste remotely artificial ('cause it's not). Really, it's a no brainer. Added bonus? No cheesy, in your face branding, and the people serving your water ice seem genuinely happy to be doing just that. The only draw back, as I mentioned, is the limited range of flavors. But John's owes no one any apologies, I love the lemon!
(4)Herbet P.
Apparently another Philly staple that I never knew about the 7 years that i lived here. Some history - I spoke with the owner and it turns out this is a third generation Italian-American family run shop that started next door as a restaurant years ago and with the demand of its water ice moved to focus soley on just that. They have about 4 options and a special which changes - all made from fresh fruit. My friend who brought me here told me i should try the chocolate - i was reluctant.. Chocolate water ice? Really? It was good!
(4)erin o.
Giving John's 2 stars is generous because my gut tells me to go with one star. Basically, the hard ice cream did not agree with my or my friend's stomach. It gave us both explosive (albeit brief) diarrhea. There, I said it. I also didn't understand the lack of soft serve ice cream option...how do you make a decent gelati without soft serve ice cream? That digustingness being shared, the portion of ice cream we got was HUGE! It was also relatively inexpensive. We were there at the end of the season so my friend wanted to give them the benefit of assuming that they were practicing inventory control rather than blame for the lack of extensive flavor options and sugar cones. I will not be a repeat customer at John's.
(2)Bill M.
In order to prepare myself for the upcoming heat wave I concluded that I was going to need some water ice post haste (A margarita too but I doing the teetotal today so opted for a smoothie at Cafe Grindstone instead). I went to South Philly to give the real deal a try and it was definitely worth it. It didn't have all the flavors of Rita's but it doesn't matter since the flavors are au natural. and even if there was just 5 water ice choices to go through choosing what one was still pretty tricky. But I needed to finally try a Gelati and I was on a chocolate crave. So I doubled up and went with chocolate water ice on chocolate ice cream. It's as decadent as it sounds, and it gave me killer brain freeze, but damn was it worth it. Bring on the heat wave cause I'm ready.
(4)Kay W.
Worth $1.50 for the stop. Glad I stumbled upon this when I was in Philly. It's a refreshing smooth texture of flavored ice that will satisfy your quench in the Philly heat
(5)Chris M.
John's makes Rita seem like McDonalds. Philadelphia gem! Cheap prices for delicious water ice. Gelati combos are tasty treats as well.
(4)Pat T.
Lemon ice and strawberry ice cream combo is the best on a hot summer evening.
(5)Paul S.
This is top of the line water ice. They have 4 flavors every day and then they'll have one or two other flavors of the day. It's the same deal with the ice cream. Rita's is local and like them too but John's is cheaper, and it's the best water ice in town. If you're by the market walk a couple blocks east and stop by.
(5)Miz V.
John's has been around since God was a boy. . It is fresh and inviting in this humid weather.When I lived in Center City I would walk over at least once a week. It is still a planned summer stop when we are in town.My favorite: lemon. It's flavor and freshness reminds me of the shop right across from St Peter's Square in Rome. All these new places don't hold a candle to John's You can't beat timeless great water ice quality
(5)Lisa R.
Simply classic! The place has no frills just affordable frozen treats. We tried the cherry flavored Italian ice. It was okay and the service was friendly. I'm glad I went here and I hope places like this continue to be part of this great Philly neighborhood.
(3)