My daughter and I are visiting University of Denver November 6-8. If we take the shuttle we'll probably stay downtown and take light rail to DU. If we rent a car we will have more options. Any recommendation for places to stay downtown or closer to the school? I want to spend no more than $150 a night. I'm fine with a Bed and Breakfast. Also, any suggestions for a fun spot for dinner? Thanks.

If you take a car you will have a number of motels at I-25 and Colorado -- about a mile east of the campus. That location would be convenient for local area restaurants, Cherry Creek and downtown via the Light Rail. I think there is a LaQuinta at that location plus some other hotels, Addresses would be in the range of 2000 - 2500 S Colorado. If you decided to stay in that area I will send you some restaurant suggestions.

Thanks for the suggestion. I think we will rent a car. I was originally going to go by way of shuttle so my daughter would have the wherewithall to do it that way herself if she decides DU is a good fit, but a car is the same price and we'd have more flixiblity. I would love some ideas for restaurants in the Cherry Creek area or downtown Denver as we might take light rail. Thanks.

I hate this question. Tell me what you like. There 50+ restaurants in the downtown area -- most are good, many are very good, and few are great. Give me a hint as to your preference and maybe price. With a car there are a number of small neighbor areas around DU that you can explore also -- Gaylord, Pearl -- with fun restaurants.

Golfmom - my daughter is currently a freshman at DU. I think the school has a list of hotels in the area.Check with the admissions office. We got a hotel brochure at some point which we did not need since we live in the area. By the way, the light rail is a great bonus for the kids on campus, its a five minute walk to one of the freshman dorms & they can ride it into downtown or south to shopping.
Ditto what fmpden asks about restaurants - what kind of food do you like & what price range? I would defer to him on suggestions though. My daughter seems very happy there. Any other questions? If you want to email me its [email protected].

I'm planning on spending $10-$20 each for dinner. Going to have dinner with a friend in Cherry Creek one night (at the ____ Grill?) so I'm looking for a suggestion for dinner downtown or in a neighborhood area. We like all food, except sushi. Not looking for a chain, but a local place. Thanks. BetsyG, I do have a few questions; I'll email later.

$10 - $20 apiece for dinner might be challenging, especially in Cherry Creek. But, the Kona Grill has a great half-price appetizer special on weeknights. They are very large and each order makes more than enough for one's dinner. I love their Maui tacos. They also offer pizzas for appetizers. It gets pretty crowded, so find out when it opens and get there early to sit on the patio w/firepit. They also offer a 'reverse' happy hour, around 10 p.m., which is a good deal, too. (They have sushi, but lots more to choose from, too.)

Also in Cherry Creek North, there's good Mexican at a simple place called Chez Jose, and good deli stuff at the Paradise Bakery, also a Panera in CC.

There are so many restaurants downtown, it's hard to choose. But given your budget, the Wazee Supper Club is a classic. Many choices downtown, but you'll need to be more specific about what you want. Most are probably more than $10 - $20 apiece for dinner.
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A couple of other restaurant ideas -Reivers is pretty close to DU, have to drive there though. Its on South Gaylord St. Its been there for a long time, variety of American food, wraps, burgers, etc. Or, if you like Mexican, the Bluebonnet is half-way between town & DU, again have to drive. Kind of a Denver institution. I'll ask my daughter where they go around school.

OK, now I have something to work with but I wish I had a little more to work with -- $20 is little light with no preference for type of food. I have several recommendations for you but will try to keep with in easy finding distance of DU. These are all local and somewhat unique. For reference, the major intersection for DU is Evans (east/west) and University Blvd (north/south.) Colorado Blvd is a mile east of Evans with I-25 and the Light Rail curving around the north and northeast side.

There are several …. Grills in the Cherry Creek area. Your friend probably will take you to the Cherry Creek Grill that is a very popular, medium priced, American style restaurant. Straight north on Univ and right on 2nd St. However, it could be the Barolo Grill on 6th Ave – a much better choice, Italian, and more expensive. One of the top restaurants in Denver. On the same street between Univ. and the CC Grill is the Cherry Cricket. Again, American food. Less expensive, less classy, but more fun. We actually prefer the Cricket to the CC Grill.

A great breakfast can be had at the Egg Shell of CC on 3rd St closer to Univ.

Back to the campus, on the west side of campus on Evans is the Old Jerusalem -- obviously Middle Eastern -- great gyros, pita bread, humus, etc. It is cheap but a true hole in the wall that you would not enter unless forced. Just north of Evans and Univ is Mustard’s Last Stand -- Chicago hot dogs.

For Greek, it is Yanni’s in a shopping center on the SW corner of Evans and Monaco – about 3 miles east of University Blvd. At the same intersection but the NW corner is the Palace Chinese.

For Pizza, it is the Bonnie Brae Tavern in the Bonnie Brae neighborhood about a mile and a half north on University around Kentucky Ave and just south of the Cherry Creek shopping center. Frequently rated as one of the best pizza in Denver. Across the street is Bonnie Brae Ice Cream. The BlueBonnet is a decent Mexican restaurant in the same area

Two blocks west of the Bonnie Brae area is Gaylord St neighborhood and one block of shops. On the corner is the Washington Park Grill. A nice neighborhood restaurant with an Am menu. The Reiver across the street is OK. But my favorite - Hemmingway -- is gone. Parking in the area is all street parking and can be hard to fine. Watch the signs and read them carefully.

For downtown the list is long. Just going to list a couple in your price range. Take the Light Rail and get off at the 16th St. Mall. A free shuttle bus runs up and down the Mall stopping at each cross street. Most of the restaurants are along the Mall towards the north end which is called LoDo for lower downtown --- closer to the river. Just east on Market across (south) from the RTD hub is Crocs -- mostly Mexican but a fun place.

Dixon’s Downtown Grill at Wazee is very good and a block further west on Wazee is the Wazee Supper Club -- a copy of a New York dinner but has been around for a long time. Buy one of their posters. Our favorite place for a causal/light dinner. We will be there tonight if we can beat the baseball crowd.

Two blocks west of the Mall on Larimer St is a one block historical district -- Larimer Square. Bunch of restaurants and all are good ranging from the best and most expensive steak house in Denver – Capital Grill – to Lime a modest priced basement Mexican restaurant. Across the street is Del Mar Crab House, The Market, and Ted Turner’s Montana Grill, and Tamayo, an upscale Mexican restaurant at the end of the block. If none of those excite you, just start walking and you will find something. The only I don’t like in the area is Jax Fish house. Although it is highly rated, I have been disappointed and think it is pricey for the quality. One final comment, McCormick’s (east on Wazee) has the best happy hour. For $5 on the happy hour menu, you can feed several teen-age boys.

If that is not enough, let me know, Good luck with the trip.

Excellent suggestions from fmpden.

I think it would be difficult to eat in several of these places for under $20. At the Cherry Creek Grill you'll likely pay more unless you go for a salad. The Cherry Cricket on the other hand is very good too and cheaper.

Barolo Grill( my favorite restaurant in Denver) has starters from $8-10, pasta dishes will run $15 and up, and main courses at least $18 and up. Desserts will cost about $8. Excellent restaurant but not inexpensive.

The Paradise Bakery as MaureenB said is a good option for soups, salads and sandwiches. Cucina Colore (East Third) in Cherry Creek North has a selection of pasta dishes and their main course chicken is very good are all under $20.I like their pizzas for $12. Brix also in Cherry Creek North has menu items for under $20.

Bid on Priceline for a downtown hotel--or a Cherry Creek hotel. It should be a lot less than your "budget'. Eating for $20 in Denver will be challenging.
Isn't the Blue Bonnet on Broadway near Sam's?

Fmpden and HistoryTraveler give you lots of good suggestions for budget dining.

I agree Barolo is a wonderful splurge restaurant-- but you'd probably spend twice your budget there, because it's a crime to go to Barolo Grill and not sample their wines. I think it's more a romantic dinner place myself.

We often go to Brothers Barbecue, at 6th and Washington, for good barbecue that's inexpensive in a kind of funky place, which serves a lot of takeout. It does have nice tables, a patio and a bigscreen TV, with really good barbecue chicken and beef brisket.

If you stick to where the students eat, you'll find lots of options. Especially good Mexican food in Denver, like at the Blue Bonnet.

Enjoy your visit to D.U.. It's a good school and in a nice part of Denver.
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Wow, thanks for all the great ideas. I hope my daughter likes the school because it sounds like we need many visits to Denver to take advantage of all your terrific suggestions. Thank you.

Correction -- it is tough to stay on top of the Denver restaurant scene. Walked through Larimer Sq tonight. Del Mar is gone. Looks like it has been replaced with an upscale Italian. Forgot to memtion Rioja is in Larimer Sq and one of the best in the city. It will break the $20 budget but for special one night it is worth it. Hate to see Del Mar gone. It was good, moderate, funky, basement restaurant that are slowly disappearing as the high rents of LoDo drive them out.