I would hesitate to provide an across the board recommendation to you. Almost any brand has some clunkers and most have at least a few that are a decent value for dollar.

It may also depend on what power range you are looking for. Most like having a variable scope but there are some good fixed power scopes out there.

In the most general terms:

Under $200, look at the Vortex Viper 2-7x32. It is currently on close-out since it is being discontinued (just the 2-7 scope, not the Viper line) and for the price (about $170, almost 35% off list), nothing can touch it. Vortex is a smaller company and that may put off those only looking to the big boys such as Leupold, Nikon and Bushnell, but they apparently have one of the best warrantees in the business and great CS.

If you are willing to go up to around $400, as others have said, the Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 seems to be the way to go. Beyond that, you need to drop some serious cash to bump up the glass and build quality.