A couple of college students are attending a conference in Las Vegas. Can anyone suggest inexpensive restaurants in the vicinity of Aria?

Aria is a challenging location because it's in the middle of the Strip but surrounded by upscale eateries, and the Strip itself is horribly overpriced and hard to avoid when you're right in the middle without a car. I have to say, however, that I really like Sage and American Fish (both at Aria). The buffet at Aria, though not cheap, is pretty good and rarely crowded ($23 lunch, $34 dinner).

And there's a food court at the Monte Carlo, which is within pretty easy walking distance if you just want fast food.

There's more across the street at Planet Hollywood. There's a Pink's (streetside) across the street if you like chili dogs or hot dogs. Cabo Wabo in the Miracle Mile shops is also pretty good and mid-priced. And Gordon Ramsay Burger is mid-priced for LV. That is, at both of these places you can get a meal for $25 if you order carefully.

Planet Hollywood also has P. F. Chang's, Earl of Sandwich, Pink's Hot Dogs, Starbucks, and a couple ABC convenience stores.

In addition, there is a McDonald's a short walk south (toward MGM) of Planet Hollywood.

HTtY

I almost forgot. There is a Walgreens and a CVS in the area that have larger than usual food departments.

HTtY

Arrive at the buffet upstairs at the Golden Nugget off the Fremont Street Experience. The price goes up at 3PM for the same buffet choices.
Hang around until the light show on Fremont then ride the "deuce" back to your hotel.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. Great help.

I don't know exactly where the Aria is, but if they are in the vicinity of The Cosmopolitan hotel, the brunch/lunch buffet there is astounding.

It's not cheap-- about $32, but it's the most food of all different types that I've ever seen at a buffet. There are 4 or more stations of different offerings. Plus a room of desserts. If they go, tell them to be starving and plan on staying an hour or more! It will fill them up for the day, for sure.

We found the coffee shop- type places in the various hotels more reasonable.

If you are out very late, which is likely, then most hotel coffee shop eateries have 'specials' between 12 and 6 ish . Very very inexpensive. Most down Freemont Street will have steak and eggs for about $6!

we just got back and i was amazed at how many happy hour deals there were! tell them to look out for those

The "coffee shop" in Aria is an expensive patisserie and isn't really cheap. You would need to go to one of the old-school hotels. There's a Dennys on the Strip north of the Flamingo, but I can't recall exactly where. That's a long walk from the Aria, however.

Take the Deuce to Downtown and grab the early bird Prime Rib at Tony Roma's.

New York, New York has a fish and chips stand.

From Aria, try Secret Pizza at Cosmo & Earl of sandwich @Planet Hollywood

The Harrah's group offers a "Buffet of Buffet" pass that allows you multiple entries over a 24 hour period into a variety of buffets for a single price (around $50). They change the details periodically, but a little planning can stretch a single pass into four meals easily. They heavily advertise it with their hotel packages but they can be bought singly.

It's a fair walk, but from Aria they can head down Frank Sinatra to Tropicana, turn right, then make a right on Dean Martin and they will find an In-n-Out. Cheap fast-food burgers with a famous secret menu. Tell them to order "double-double animal style with french fries, well-done" and they'll thank you.

Dining on the Strip does tend to be pricey. There are chain places-- Denny's has TWO outposts on the Strip (at the BW Casino Royale and across the street from the MGM Grand, which would be the closer of the two to Aria), but do you really want Denny's when you're in Vegas?!?!?

The MGM Grand has a food court with multiple options. Any of the resort properties with large shopping areas should have budget options-- well, maybe not Bellagio.

i like to buy a cheap styrofoam cooler, use the hotel ice and go to a grocery store and pick up some buns, cheese, meat slices, fruit. it's inexpensive and you aren't wasting time at restaurants...

The kids are back from their conference and had a great time. Thanks to all for the suggestions. Turns out some meals were included in the conference and they were guests for one nice dinner, so they were able to keep expenses down. Otherwise they ate at the food courts of various hotels. If I get more details, I will post for use by others in the future.