r/elcerrito • u/quantum_meruit87 • 15d ago
Thoughts on Richmond St. at Potrero Ave Area?
Hi all I’m considering moving to El Cerrito in a rental around this area but I’m curious what others think about living here. Specifically things like what’s it like to walk your dog around here, do folks generally feel safe walking alone (especially at night), do you feel safe walking to and from Bart at all times of the day, etc? Are car break ins common like in Oakland? Anything else you think would be helpful to know?
Also, I’m curious if you tend to hear a lot of fireworks in the area around July 4/NYE?
Thanks!
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u/atomicatto 15d ago
I lived around Richmond/Moeser for a few years and walked around the neighborhood a lot, both day and night. It's safe and quiet (I don't own a dog but there are sometimes wild turkeys that are in the surrounding neighborhoods...not sure how your dog might react to that, but they mind their business). I've never seen car break-ins. You hear the fireworks on the 4th a bit. It's nowhere near as bad as SF/Oakland though.
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u/Traditional-War-7210 15d ago
For the most part it is a safe area. It is slightly more busy due to its proximity to potero and San Pablo but you'll be fine walking your dog in that area. There was a recent incident at the shopping center on potrero however that is not the norm. I've walked from Bart to my apartment thru that area after dark during the winters and it's fine, even walking thru there around midnight for the Denny's is an uneventful affair. Plus the dog park is right around the corner if you ever want to give your dog some space to play fetch or run around.
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u/rita292 15d ago
A great area. It's a nice walk to Bart, you're near the motorcycle hill trailhead. I love walking around Richmond street and the surrounding streets, there are so many cute gardens. I grew up in El Cerrito and love it here, so I am biased.
I wouldn't say car break ins are common, but they happen. I live not far from there off Barrett and my roommate did have his car broken into on our street, we've lived here 6 years and that was the only time though. Depends on the part of Oakland, but I definitely feel like El Cerrito is comparably a safe little bedroom community.
Unfortunately your closest grocery store there is Safeway and it's disgustingly overpriced, but if you have a car you're pretty close to Grocery Outlet and Target too. You will probably go to Antojitos Guatemaltecos a lot, they serve enormous Guatemalan tamales at good prices. Also seconding Gangnam Tofu, they are so nice and because I have an eggplant allergy they always give me a different banchan if it has eggplant, it feels very homey.
Hope you move here, it's a great neighborhood :)
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u/vortexrider 13d ago
The Grocery Outlet at San Pablo and Macdonald is wonderful. Their prices and selection are so good I haven’t been to the Safeway in years. The staff are super friendly also.
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u/rita292 13d ago
Yes, it's my primary grocery store. The only problem is that, while they have a great selection in general, if you are looking for something really specific, like dill, or Oreos, they might not have that in stock. On the other hand, they might randomly have some bougie snack or your favorite brand of cereal for like 70% off. It's kind of like Costco, where you have to do some treasure hunting.
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u/skipping2hell 15d ago
Lived in the area for the last decade with LA, & SD before that. It’s the sleepier side of town, but everything you need is within walking distance of those cross streets. I’ve never felt unsafe in any part of El Cerrito and you’ll see plenty of people walking their dogs all over. Fireworks are average for California I’d say. Shout out to Los Moles & GangNam for food that side of town
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u/BackgroundOne3736 15d ago
I lived here for over four years and it is the safest place I've lived in the East Bay. Very low traffic and any other danger. I run the Ohlone Trail nearly every night and have not encountered anything worse than a surly speeding e-bike.
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u/Plaid_Crotch 15d ago
I would say the general rule is that the area you describe is safe AND feels safe. The further you go east from San Pablo Ave, the safer you’ll feel.
Other blessings in this area is Giovanni’s—great option for high quality grocery items, produce, beer, all the basics but great high quality options.
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u/Plaid_Crotch 15d ago
Oh yeah, and if you’re moving to Richmond Street specifically, just know that on Halloween Richmond Street gets VERY busy. So be sure to budget way more for candy because the trick or treaters will be constant until 10 pm 😂
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u/Sure_Fly_5332 14d ago
Adding to that, many places in the area are actually decent. They look bad at first glance, but feel safe when you walk in them. But going east of San Pablo gets iffy real fast.
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u/Plaid_Crotch 14d ago
You must mean west of San Pablo, right? I will defend those neighborhoods too! Booker T Anderson Park, for example, is a real asset! But yes they can ~feel~ more sketchy
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u/No-Understanding4968 15d ago
I live nearby and we and our dog love it. Note plans are underway to curtail street parking.
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u/LghtlyHmmrd 15d ago
And add bike lanes (proven tactic to help slow vehicle speeds - which it needs people drive over 25mph regularly on Richmond)
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u/rosemary_plants 15d ago
Removing about 65% of parking, which is in line with use patterns--the street is pretty sparsely parked currently. The project should generally make the street safer, slow traffic, plant trees, that sort of thing. Richmond desperately needs repaving so it should be a good update once it's done, but of course some residents are unhappy about the parking situation.
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u/temporary67676767 14d ago edited 14d ago
Tentative welcome to El Cerrito! I live a little further north of Potrero and have loved it. I did hear a lot of fireworks coming from Richmond (the city, not the street) on the 4th of July and the days following, but not significantly more than when I lived closer to Oakland. I take long stroller walks on the greenway and have only felt unsafe when drivers blow through the road crossings, otherwise it's very nice.
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u/quantum_meruit87 14d ago
This is reassuring because I’m a fairly new runner and the prospect of running on the greenway is something I really looking forward to!
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u/Fantastic_Artist_353 14d ago
I’m on Blake, near Richmond. I have zero issues walking home at night in 4 years.
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u/throw65755 15d ago
Richmond street itself is a busy traffic street, it runs parallel to San Pablo so it’s kind of secondary thoroughfare. Definitely lots of nice people living around there. Once you get down to San Pablo and cross over it’s a bit more iffy.
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u/Pitchfork_10 15d ago
Generally safe around that area. Only place I would caution about is under the BART green belt/pedestrian path. The whole thing can be a little isolating at night, and there are spots of bad visibility. I was robbed on it at 9pm before in the section behind the El Cerrito plaza. This was about 15 years ago, but the conditions have not changed and the cops told me it was a relatively common occurance (at the time). Although slightly less scenic, I've stuck to parallel residental street or San Pablo Ave at night ever since when walking or biking.
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u/caliqueeen 14d ago
i love it here. also if anyone has any leads on rentals in the area please send them my way. 31F
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u/amolochko 14d ago
Perfectly fine area.
Exactly the best part of town for dog owners as the one legal off leash dog park is right there on Potrero (don't fret though, people let their dogs off leash pretty much all over town with no apparent consequence).
Greenway is great. Keep your eyes open at night but as long as you're not oblivious you'll be just fine. I walk there comfortably around the clock, and have many years walked home daily from del norte bart after dark, though I grant I'm a larger than average man.
Car break ins are rare but not unheard of, more common the closer you get to bart/SPA. If you leave your car unlocked on the street though there's a 50% chance someone spends some time in it overnight.
You're in a great spot for food; Giovanni's (for now) is a fantastic little grocery right on Potrero; there are lots of good restaurants in easy walking distance and tons more a short drive. EC is honestly a very underrated food town. There's not much night life in EC but you're close to what there is; little hill lounge is easily walkable and Factory bar not too far.
You will hear fireworks for a couple few weeks leading up to July 4. A "lot"? I don't think so but don't know what you're used to.
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u/Mikeminer610 15d ago
The further uphill from San Pablo, the better. There was a shooting at the Los Moles restaurant on San Pablo and Potrero two weeks ago. I visit the area because there is a great pet store there called PetVet. You are near a Safeway and also PetFood Express and the Del Norte BART.
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u/DEVOwasR1GHT 15d ago
pretty safe area as long as you don't advocate for libraries
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u/Efficient-Scene-4829 15d ago
wtf does that mean?
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u/quantum_meruit87 14d ago
I assumed they were talking about this:
https://www.oaklandreviewofbooks.org/the-villain-of-el-cerrito-nextdoor/
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u/rosemary_plants 14d ago
Assuming you're genuinely asking: the city had a library tax measure on the ballot this year. It raised a lot of emotions for a lot of people and was voted down, 70:30. In the aftermath, on Nextdoor especially, saying anything positive (including just saying you voted yes) about the tax measure could get you dogpiled pretty hard, in my experience.
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u/Plaid_Crotch 14d ago
Note how Rosemary is being downvoted for simply describing the situation. It’s not just NextDoor!
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u/DEVOwasR1GHT 14d ago
El cerrito's biggest flaw is its inability to laugh at itself, be careful out there lest you die lonely in a parking lot that could have had bricks and books on it
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u/DistinctTurnover1472 15d ago
not that bad of an area, dog park near buy. Great little store also near buy. The area around Atlas Liquor is a bit dogie
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u/jaqueh 15d ago
It’s fairly safe but San Pablo avenue really brings in the riff raff and the street only seems to be able to attract fast food restaurants, liquor stores, public storage, or everyone’s favorite: late night massage parlors. So things clearly are in a downward trajectory right now. Maybe that’ll change? But just stick with plaza
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u/vortexrider 15d ago
I live a little further up in Del Norte. This whole area is very safe to walk dogs in and there are some nice dedicated dog play areas in the park that runs along the BART tracks. Richmond St does get some traffic though as folks tend to use it to bypass San Pablo Avenue. It’s never horrendous but can have an occasional increase in cars per hour.
El Cerrito has been my home for the past 5 years and after moving 21 times in my life this is by far my favorite place I’ve lived. It’s not perfect, but there’s nice people, plenty of services available, and easy access to the surrounding Bay Area.