Originally Posted by M_S
Yeah, Kona Smoke or Kona Dew (Dew is 100 bucks more) will give you a lot of bike for your buck, particularly where the frame is concerned. They are also going to handle well for their price range off road, but this may not be a concern for you. I think the dew comes with knobby tires, which you'll probably want to change for road riding.
I vote for the Smoke as well. I use mine as my primary commuter and it's solid. It rides pretty smooth and plows through most bumps in the road that I'd be scared to ride a road bike over.