In desalinization devices and some heat exchangers making use of low-quality heat energy, both the wall temperature and the heat flux of the heated tubes are generally quite low, hence cannot cause boiling in flooded-type tube bundle evaporators with a large tube spacing. But when the tube spacing is quite small, incipient boiling can occur in the restricted space and results in higher heat transfer than that in a falling-film evaporator or during pool boiling at the same heat flux. This study experimentally investigates the effects of the tube spacing, the positions of tubes, and the salt-water concentration on bundle boiling heat transfer of salt water in the restricted space of the compact tube bundle evaporator under atmospheric pressure. The experimental results provide a restricted space boiling database for salt water in the compact tube bundle. Of particular importance is information concerning the influences of the tube spacing of the tube bundle and the concentration of salt water in desalination evaporators.