Consolidated Statement of Partners' Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Total	Officer	Accumulated other comprehensive loss	Retail Opportunity Investments Partnership L.P.	Retail Opportunity Investments Partnership L.P. Officer	Retail Opportunity Investments Partnership L.P. Limited Partner’s Capital		Retail Opportunity Investments Partnership L.P. ROIC Capital		Retail Opportunity Investments Partnership L.P. ROIC Capital Officer	[2]	Retail Opportunity Investments Partnership L.P. Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Total (in Shares)							3,132,042	[1]	72,445,767	[2]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013					$ 705,410		$ 29,287		$ 685,092	[2]			$ (8,969)
Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2013							3,132,042	[1]	72,445,767	[2]
OP Units issued under the 2009 Plan (in shares)	[2]								340,621
Repurchase of OP Units		$ (631)			(631)				$ (631)	[2]
Repurchase of OP Units (in shares)	[2]								(42,438)
Cancellation of OP Units (in shares)	[2]								(5,833)
Stock based compensation expense		3,662			3,662				$ 3,662	[2]
Issuance of OP Units upon exercise of warrants		70,539			70,539				$ 70,539	[2]
Issuance of OP Units upon exercise of warrants (in shares)	[2]								5,878,216
Issuance of OP Units in connection with acquisition					16,343		$ 16,343	[1]
Issuance of OP Units in connection with acquisition (in Shares)	[1]						989,272
Adjustment to non-controlling interests							$ (2,020)	[1]	$ 2,020	[2]
Issuance of OP Units in connection with common stock offering		214,906			214,906				214,906	[2]
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Stock Issued, Issuance Costs		(9,635)			(9,635)				$ 9,635	[2]
Issuance of OP Units in connection with common stock offering (in shares)	[2]								14,375,000
Equity redemption of OP Units		0			0
Cash redemption of OP Units					3,280		$ 3,280	[1]
Cash redemption of OP Units (in Shares)	[1]						(200,000)
Cash distributions					(55,531)		$ (2,009)	[1]	$ (53,522)	[2]
Dividends payable to officers		(55,531)	$ (138)			$ (138)					$ (138)
Net income		21,050			21,050		$ 749	[1]	$ 20,301	[2]
Other comprehensive income		87		$ 87	87								87
Total (in Shares)							3,132,042	[1]	72,445,767	[2]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014					962,782		$ 39,070	[1]	$ 932,594	[2]			(8,882)
Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2014							3,921,314	[1]	92,991,333	[2]
Total (in Shares)							3,921,314	[1]	92,991,333	[2]
OP Units issued under the 2009 Plan (in shares)	[2]								381,577
Repurchase of OP Units		(1,317)			(1,317)				$ (1,317)	[2]
Repurchase of OP Units (in shares)	[2]								(78,570)
Cancellation of OP Units (in shares)	[2]								(2,832)
Stock based compensation expense		4,684			4,684				$ 4,684	[2]
Issuance of OP Units in connection with acquisition					116,640		$ 116,640	[1]
Issuance of OP Units in connection with acquisition (in Shares)	[1]						8,449,248
Adjustment to non-controlling interests							$ (49,609)	[1]	49,609	[2]
Issuance of OP Units in connection with common stock offering		101,293			101,293				101,293	[2]
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Stock Issued, Issuance Costs		(4,618)			(4,618)				$ 4,618	[2]
Issuance of OP Units in connection with common stock offering (in shares)	[2]								6,064,567
Equity redemption of OP Units		3,184			3,184
Cash redemption of OP Units							$ (3,184)	[1]	$ 3,184	[2]
Cash redemption of OP Units (in Shares)							(174,959)	[1]	(174,959)	[2]
Cash distributions					(68,482)		$ (2,764)	[1]	$ (65,718)	[2]
Dividends payable to officers		(68,482)	(161)			(161)					(161)
Net income		25,092			25,092		1,228	[1]	23,864	[2]
Other comprehensive income		2,139		2,139	2,139								2,139
Total					1,138,052		$ 101,381	[1]	$ 1,043,414	[2]			(6,743)
Total (in Shares)							3,921,314	[1]	92,991,333	[2]
Less: Promissory note secured by capital		(6,710)			(6,710)		$ (6,710)	[1]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015					1,131,342		$ 94,671	[1]	$ 1,043,414	[2]			(6,743)
Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2015							12,195,603	[1]	99,531,034	[2]
Total (in Shares)							12,195,603	[1]	99,531,034	[2]
OP Units issued under the 2009 Plan (in shares)	[2]								341,306
Repurchase of OP Units		$ (1,368)			(1,368)				$ (1,368)	[2]
Repurchase of OP Units (in shares)		0							(76,262)	[2]
Cancellation of OP Units (in shares)	[2]								(7,332)
Stock based compensation expense		$ 4,916			4,916				$ 4,916	[2]
Issuance of OP Units in connection with acquisition					48,175		$ 48,175	[1]
Issuance of OP Units in connection with acquisition (in Shares)	[1]						2,434,833
Adjustment to non-controlling interests							$ 5,627	[1]	(5,627)	[2]
Issuance of OP Units in connection with common stock offering		184,881			184,881				184,881	[2]
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Stock Issued, Issuance Costs		$ (7,276)			(7,276)				$ (7,276)	[2]
Issuance of OP Units in connection with common stock offering (in shares)	[2]								8,757,254
Equity redemption of OP Units (in shares)		755,762					(755,762)	[1]	755,762	[2]
Equity redemption of OP Units		$ 15,990			15,990		$ (15,990)	[1]	$ 15,990	[2]
Cash redemption of OP Units		$ 7,182			7,182		$ 7,182	[1]
Cash redemption of OP Units (in Shares)		(1,133,550)					(2,206,613)	[1]
Cash distributions					(83,900)		$ (8,363)	[1]	(75,537)	[2]
Dividends payable to officers		$ (83,900)	$ (177)			$ (177)					$ (177)
Net income		36,430			36,430		3,676	[1]	32,754	[2]
Other comprehensive income		3,014		$ 3,014	3,014								3,014
Total					1,308,855		$ 120,614	[1]	$ 1,191,970	[2]			(3,729)
Total (in Shares)							12,195,603	[1]	99,531,034	[2]
Less: Promissory note secured by capital		$ (6,710)			6,710		$ 6,710	[1]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016					$ 1,315,565		$ 127,324	[1]	$ 1,191,970	[2]			$ (3,729)
Balance (in Shares) at Dec. 31, 2016							11,668,061	[1]	109,301,762	[2]
Total (in Shares)							11,668,061	[1]	109,301,762	[2]

[1] Consists of limited partnership interests held by third parties.

[2] Consists of general and limited partnership interests held by ROIC.