We've all been there: waking up on a Sunday morning, the slightest bit of light stinging like a power drill to the forehead, throat dry and voice hoarse, a puzzling scrape that wasn't there yesterday and a laundry list of regrets. The hangover. The ying to drinking's yang. The force of nature that reminds us we're only human.

What's the remedy? More drinking, of course! But for those of us with jobs on Monday, that's not generally the best way to go. So the next best option is the hungover breakfast, a time-tested tradition where friends get together to apologize for everything they said the night before and to swear off drinking for good, or at least to swear off trying to pick fights with bar bouncers. Some more (or less) fortunate head to a one on one breakfast with a new special friend they met last night...but may not have learned their name until this morning.

A good hungover breakfast spot should be very close, very fast, and somewhere where it is acceptable to wear sunglasses indoors. Here are a few that I like, and I have personally been to each and every one of them in bad shape, so trust me when I give them a stamp of approval. If you have your own favorite, leave a comment.

Cheers!

Snug Harbor (Santa Monica): A classic greasy spoon diner. This is the kind of place where you order a triple cocktail: coffee, orange juice, water. Nothing mixes with all that beer in your stomach like biscuits and gravy or one of their specialty scrambles. Like any good diner, you can watch the cooks throw the grease on the griddle right in front of your eyes.

Ritz-Carlton Brunch (Marina Del Rey): For the low-class drinker who wants to do some high-class recovery, you can't beat this brunch. It's pricey but absolutely stacked. If you've never used champagne and caviar to soak up the Pabst from last night, you haven't lived. Custom omelets, a full seafood bar, and even good old-fashioned Rice Krispies. Think of your favorite brunch, and then multiply that by the Ritz. Very nice.
As an added bonus for the ladies making the Walk of Shame, your club dress and heels will fit right in.

Mel's Diner (Hollywood): The nice part about Mel's is that they don't discriminate: you can be hungover 24 hours a day and they are open! Avoid the post-bar crowd at 2 in the morning and hit up Mel's at lunchtime (I'm talking to you man who went on a serious bender) and grab a greasy burger. Not everyone recommends a milkshake for a hangover, but I do. Slurp one down while you're avoiding eye contact with your former best friend.

Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles (Pico and Hollywood): Essentially the tailor-made hangover meal. Greasy fried chicken and a nice, syrupy waffle. You know the drill: Get a ‘Scoe's #1 and a side of Mac and cheese with a cup of coffee. Devour. Make fun of your buddy for last night when he said he wished he was Ryan Seacrest. Repeat next weekend.

Pete's Burgers (Downtown) I recommend the giant breakfast burrito with sausage. If you can eat the whole thing, it might feel like you have a baby in your belly, but that's better than feeling like someone is standing over your face with a jack hammer. You can even order at a takeaway window in case anyone's inside who you definitely don't want to see again.

Benice (Venice): This is a locals' favorite which sits just off the boardwalk. Definitely do the triple cocktail (see above) and then dive into some chorizo and eggs or a teriyaki scramble. It might sound a little strange, but that teriyaki chicken is just what you need. If you're less adventurous, as many people are when their stomach feels like it's fighting to stay inside their body, all the diner staples are here: eggs, French toast, bacon and every other breakfast item. They also do lunch, and there's no shame in ordering a sandwich for breakfast. In fact, you don't have much shame left after what you did last night.