Club Hoppin’ / Burgers

It’s 2 a.m., and you just gotta have a burger:

Astro Burger, 7475 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A., (213) 874-8041. Open till 4 a.m. on weekends, Astro Burger satisfies its munchie-plagued customers with such delicacies as its famous garden burgers and plump fried onion rings. (Closes at 3 a.m. Sunday-Thursday.)

“Rock ‘n’ Roll” Denny’s, 6100 W. Sunset Blvd., L.A., (213) 464-7470. So christened because of its proximity to rock ‘n’ roll Ralph’s and Guitar Center on the Sunset Strip, rock ‘n’ roll Denny’s makes the cut for its locale, and it’s always open and serves burgers.

The Kettle, 1138 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach, (310) 545-8511. Serving its patrons good old beach burgers 24 hours a day since 1973, and maybe it’s something in the air but they always taste good in the wee hours. All ages, no cover.

Los Tacos, 7954 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, (213) 848-9141. OK, so it’s not exactly a burger joint, but this Mexican food eatery does make a mean carne asada burrito, and its hours of operation are the same as its neighboring 7-Eleven--i.e. 24-7.

Pacific Dining Car, 1310 W. 6th St., Los Angeles, (213) 483-6000. Made with beef aged on the premises and mesquite-grilled, burgers at this venerable dining car don’t come cheap--you’re looking at $13.95 a pop--but neither do 77 years of L.A. ambience. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Pinks, 709 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood, (213) 931-4223. Next year, this popular hot dog and hamburger stand celebrates its 60th anniversary, and its longevity undoubtedly stems from its tasty turkey burgers, chili dogs and primo location (La Brea at Melrose avenues). Open till 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 a.m. Sunday through Thursday.

Tommy’s Original, 2575 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 389-9060. The first of the Tommy’s burger stands has been flipping burgers here since 1946, and the key to its success is, by the time you’ve paid for your order, it’s usually ready. Open 24 hours, seven days a week.

Swingers, 8020 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 653-5858. Open till 4 a.m. seven nights a week, Swingers serves its charbroiled burgers--beef and veggie alike--on a poppy-seed bun and with loads o’ love.