Le Cheval

Pros: You always get your food quickly.
Cons: They need to do something about their desserts.

As soon as the sun sets in downtown Oakland, it seems like everyone is in a rush to get home; there aren’t any people strolling about by the art galleries on 9th, the Chinatown shops are closed by 8, even eateries like the attractive Oaktown Café or the...

Pros: Good Food
Cons: Long wait usually

Whenever we have visitors from out of town, we take them to Le Cheval.

We usually need to wait, but it's always worth it.

I'm a picky eater, and do not care for the sea-food items on their menu, however I always find something else...

Pros: Good food. Lively joint
Cons: Reservations recommended, or be prepared to wait.

I agree with Tuyenvo's review of Le Cheval. and I'd like to add to it.
The good: food, and lively atmosphere.
The bad: usually hard to get a table unless you reserve in advance. May be too noisy for some.

I like the variety in the...

Pros: Great service. Nice atmosphere. Hip and happening feel.
Cons: Crowded at times. Food is not truly authentic Vietnamese.

Le Cheval is a trendy bar and restaurant set in an up and coming area of downtown Oakland near Chinatown. Upon entering the restaurant, you'll be greeted by a boisterous atmosphere that is similar to many new California cuisine restaurants. The bar...

Pros: excellent, inexpensive French/Vietnamese food
Cons: iffy neighborhood

I have a friend who had heard of Le Cheval before he even knew where Oakland was. To say this place's reputation precedes it is an understatement.

First of all, this Vietnamese restaurant's neighborhood is nowhere near as seedy as you might...

Pros: Good if not great food. Large dining area.
Cons: Bad service.

My friend and I thought we'd stop by Le Cheval for dinner Tuesday night, we were running late... did not know when they closed but thought we'd give it a try. We showed up at 9:35 to find that they had just closed. Slightly disappointed, we left. We were...

Pros: Great food, fast service, great selection of dishes
Cons: Not a great neighborhood late at night

Le Cheval has great Vietnamese food. If you are unfamiliar with Vietnamese, think of non-spicy Chinese food, with very fresh ingredients, and a slightly different spicing palette, for a quick comparison. This is not really accurate, but will give you...

Pros: nothing, I will never eat here again
Cons: overcooked noodles, rude service, no distinctive character to dishes, not even authentic Vietnamese food

service is horrible, dishes lack distinctive Vietnamese character and flavor, too many dishes have similar taste with same soupy sauce. Not even authentic, traditional Vietnamese cuisine, you will never see Vietnamese families eating here. For the real deal, head over to the neighborhood pho shops around San Antonio Park, where the chicken pho has bones and the coffee is strong. For a step up in atmosphere, head Downtown and check out Pho 84 on 17th, Binh Minh Quan on 12th, or Rang Dong on Webster around 7th. And Vi's on Grand is slated to reopen soon, yay! Leave Le Cheval to the clueless herds...

Pros: Good, standard Vietnamese fare.
Cons: Nothing spectacular. On the pricey side.

I have eaten here for lunch a few times. While the food is good, it is nothing spectacular. In fact, I find Hyuhn on 15th to be better. Am I ordering the wrong dishes? The service also doesn't stand up to their reputation of being out-of-sight.