Le Cheval Restaurant is a long-standing restaurant in Old Oakland that first opened in 1985. It was originally located at the ground floor of the Sutter Hotel on Jefferson Street, but relocated a few months after the building was damaged in the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. For a short period after the quake and before the relocation, the restaurant sported a hand-painted sign on the interior that said (something like) "Loma Prieta was here" (maybe it was "6.9 was here" instead?) next to a large crack in the wall of the building. One family, frequent diners at this iteration of Le Cheval, called it "The restaurant with the crack in the wall." The restaurant sported scaffolding outside for a long time- due to the earthquake or something else?
Location
1007 Clay Street, Oakland, California 94607
Telephone
510.763.8495
Additional Links
Le Cheval Restaurant official website
Inside Scoop story on reopening, with some of the history
This restaurant has a serious history, especially with landlord/tenant issues on its current block. It was established way before this block, though, probably early 80s. Also, clientele is interesting: OPD/owners seem to have a tight relationship.
