Cheap Fast Eats visits West Hollywood for superstar bites at a garage band price

West Hollywood is a place that pulls us via its neon-lit tractor beams. You’ll end up there at some point in your Angeleno life, no doubt, scouring vintage racks on Melrose, checking out the Rocky and Bullwinkle statue, or heading to Whiskey A Go Go, or the Troubadour. And the Abbey. There's always the Abbey.

(For more places to go, check out How To LA’s recent episode with Explore LA influencer Drew Tillman).

With all that activity, there's a good chance you'll work up an appetite. Which is where we come in.

You may be wondering how we could even mention Cheap Fast Eats and West Hollywood in the same sentence. It's not exactly, uh, budget-minded. But there are some bargains among the glitz, from hearty breakfasts to late-night bites.

However, yes, this is WeHo, so we've had to adjust for location. Rather than sticking with our normal $10, (which is itself becoming a stretch — the inflation struggle is real), we've allowed ourselves the liberty of including dishes closer to the $15 range.

So with that said — welcome to Cheap Fast Eats West Hollywood.

Super Rad Sub Shop

Along the Sunset Strip, a tiny window serves inspired East Coast meets West Coast sandwiches.

Owners Shanna Lynn Milazzo, from Queens, New York, and partner and chef Chris Olsefsky, from L.A., have blended their styles in Super Rad Sub Shop.

Super Rad Sub Shop located along the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood

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It’s allowed the pair to create quirky combinations of flavors, such as their take on NYC export The Chopped Cheese sandwich ($16.50), made with caramelized onions, American cheese, and a white sauce that Olsefsky modeled after the secret sauce at Del Taco.

Another is "Nobody Likes Turkey Roll" ($16.50), named after the famed Seinfeld scene where Jerry struggles to break things off with a male friend. You won't want to end with this sandwich, made with house-brined turkey breast, finely shredded sharp cheddar, and jalapeño mayo, providing a spike of creamy heat that illuminates the rest of the contents.

The Bodega Egg & Cheese from Super Rad Sub Shop in WeHo is the perfect way to say good morning to yourself.

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For the most bang for the buck, look no further than the Bodega Egg & Cheese ($12). It contains a soft scrambled egg, American cheese, and crispy bacon with just the right chew smothered in ketchup on a pillowy-soft sesame brioche bun. It feels so universal, as if designed for anyone to enjoy, and because of that, it's a current favorite for when I'm on the go.

Dtown Pizzeria

Get a taste of Motor City along Santa Monica Boulevard at Dtown Pizzeria, where award-winning pizza maker Chef Ryan Ososky specializes in Detroit-style pizza.

For those unfamiliar with this particular style from the Mitten State, it is a square pan pizza with a thick, chewy crust covered entirely with Wisconsin's brick cheese that forms caramelized “frico” edges (Italian for burnt cheese).

A 1946 Cheese and Goomba combo at Dtown Pizzeria

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Dtown Pizzeria on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.

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Ososky, who grew up in Detroit, painstakingly honors the pizza culinary traditions of his home state, even down to the refrigerator case of Faygo brand sodas.

Try the 1946 Cheese ($17.99), "a classic red stripe pizza," which refers to the thick layer of chunky tomato sauce on top of the pizza's cheese. While the slice looks like it will be a mouthful, you'll be surprised by the light and airy crust texture; that being said, there is a good chance that one slice itself will fill you up, so it would be wise to bring a friend with you to share it (instant savings!) or save it for later.

Kale Me Crazy

Kale Me Crazy on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.

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Look, I hear you. After many Cheap Fast Eats entries about pizza, tacos, and burgers, you probably wonder if I’ll ever write something healthy. To which I say, I see you.

Enter Kale Me Crazy, an Atlanta-based smoothie shop with a sole West Coast location in West Hollywood.

A nicely lit space on Santa Monica Boulevard, just down the street from various Gayborhood bars, and the historic neighborhood of Norma Triangle, it’s an excellent place to pop in when you’re feeling peckish.

There's a whole range of smoothies, wraps, shots, and bowls, all suitably healthy. I opted for the Green Dream ($9.95), made with kale, spinach, pineapple, apple, mint leaves, and coconut water, although I was tempted by the Acaí Bowl ($12.95), made with organic acaí blended with coconut milk, date, blueberries, cashews, and strawberries and topped with banana, coconut, granola, mint, and raw honey. (Definitely bang for your buck here in terms of getting your daily dose of fruits and veggies).

It's a relaxing spot which gives some respite from daily chaos. No loud blenders buzzing in your ear, for example. For something a bit more on the filling side, try the the Vegan Wrap ($11.95), stuffed with kale, cabbage, carrots, pickled red onions, and avocado, held together nicely with a helping of hummus, wrapped in a tortilla, and served with tahini sauce.

Vegan wrap, Acai bowl, Green Dream smoothie at Kale Me Crazy in West Hollywood.

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Trophies Burger Club

Now we've been virtuous, let's head over to Fairfax for some tasty burgers, shall we?

Trophies Burger Club is a small fast-casual burger shop across the street from Fairfax High School. It attracts everyone from minor celebrities to the throngs of high school students who pour into the tiny space just after the bell rings.

Classic Burger, Spicy BBQ Bacon and curly fry at Trophies Burger Club on Fairfax in West Hollywood

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The mass appeal of Trophies is a testament to their product, which manages to be simple and good without skimping on details. In many ways, it is the quintessential burger, so much so that it resembles the burger emoji with its shapely bun and patty containing just a slight bit of condiments peeking out along the side.

Trophies Burger Club owner-chef Geo Delgado speaks to customers.

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The Classic ($7.48) is an excellent place to start, featuring a single patty with American cheese, ketchup, mustard, cubic diced onions, pickles, and shredded lettuce. It does an excellent job of tapping into the McDonald's of it all, and by that, I mean the nostalgic taste and feel that many of us are searching for in a burger. If you are looking to dive a little deeper, go with Spicy BBQ Bacon ($11.48), which goes for the gold, doubling down with a spicy barbeque sauce and a celestial combination of dijonnaise spread, grilled onions, and chopped chilies, topped off with a thick slab of bacon.

A meal at Trophies is only complete with an order of their out-of-this-world curly fries, which come tight-wrapped in perfect coils, making for a supreme dipping experience.

Jones Hollywood

The nighthawks of West Hollywood gather at Jones to take advantage of the Beggars Banquet menu

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Here's a pick for all the nighthawks channeling their inner Edward Hopper.

Head to Jones Hollywood, the iconic Italian restaurant on Santa Monica Boulevard, saunter into the classic dimly-lit dining room, grab a booth, and let the late-night vibes take you.

Unlike most places in L.A which close their kitchens at 9 p.m., Jones Hollywood offers a rare treat, food available late into the. night, with a special 'Beggars Banquet' menu, offered Sunday through Thursday from 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. (kitchen stops serving at 1 a.m.).

Spaghettini Pomodoro, Traditional Caesar, and a glass of the house Cabernet at Jones in West Hollywood

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For some roughage, start with house salads, such as Caesar or arugula salad ($11.50). Parties can split a plate of orecchiette with bolognese or spaghettini pomodoro ($14.50), made with fresh-tasting sauce and well-cooked noodles. This is a simple yet effective meal, especially for late nights.

Wash it all down with a glass of cabernet ($8) or even their in-house dirty martini, Dirty Sue ($12.50), made with a bottled premium olive juice of the same name. It was developed by one of their former bartenders, Eric Tecosky, who came up with the idea after always running out of olive juice. Luckily you won’t have that problem.