With two giant screens, dozens of televisions visible from every table and your own sound box to hear the play-by-play, most would agree that Smokey Bones is one of the premiere sports bars in town.

But what about during the off-season of your favorite sport, when you’re done celebrating a winning season or while licking your wounds in anticipation of better luck next year? In other words, beyond ribs and sports, what does Smokey Bones have to offer?

A lot.

As we ventured in after the lunch rush on a semi-warm summer day, the greetings were immediate. The fire pit, minus the flames, won’t be lit for a while. I envisioned some sand, lounge chairs and beach buckets hiding the pit, but that’s just me longing for summer surf.

What I don’t have to miss, though, is the delicious taste of fresh seafood. Smokey Bones introduced its honey-glazed salmon a little over a year ago, and I enjoy the sweetness of the glaze, which softens the salmon flavor. It’s grilled medium, and moist, and not overcooked, which is a concern for me when it comes to fish at some franchise restaurants.

Today, however, I would skip the salmon and look for something new while my dining companion enjoyed one of his favorite meals in Bowling Green: Sierra chicken. This dish blends a unique relish of fresh cucumber salsa, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds and cilantro, generously spooned over char-grilled chicken breasts, with your choice of a side item. He chose steamed broccoli.

The day we visited, he was generously served three chicken breasts that had an unexpected spicy kick, taking away from the much-anticipated typical flavor. The menu did not mention spicy, but usually the chicken is not, and the relish is a savory complement.

One of the great things about Smokey Bones is the constant addition of distinct entrees and salads. In fact, when I visited its Web site for a little research, I caught a glimpse of the new herb-grilled mahi-mahi sandwich served with a Cajun remoulade sauce. I will definitely try this next time.

This time, I was in the mood for a salad and chose the new Oregon pear and spinach salad. The menu noted &#8220fresh” leaf spinach, but the presentation was not good. The salad seemed overtossed, making the spinach leaves look wilted and completely covering the grilled pears, red grapes, Mandarin oranges, roasted pecans, bleu cheese, red onions and tomato bits.

The taste, however, was good. The combination of flavors, with the light berry vinaigrette, was exhilarating. Each time I took a bite, I was met with a different and appetizing flavor combination. I asked for a side of bleu cheese crumbles, which, for me, balanced the lightness of the grapes once all the pears were gone, but my dining companion felt the extra bleu cheese changed the flavor of the salad too much for his taste. You can decide for yourself.

Smokey Bones has a variety of menu items, including its famous award-winning ribs, appetizers (the barbecue chicken nachos are a favorite among my friends), six signature salads, sandwiches, a variety of desserts, and, of course, a full bar with four beers on tap and 11 domestic and imported beers in bottles.

The wait staff was friendly and attentive. Smokey Bones is definitely a sports bar, with a rustic, outdoor décor and deer antlers on the wall. Even though we sat in the non-smoking section during a light afternoon crowd, we could smell smoke from a patron sitting at the bar. It was noisy, as well, with music speakers competing with the television sound boxes. If you’re focusing on food, though, Smokey Bones does offer a refreshing, diverse menu with a unique variety of dishes to entice your palate – whether you’re cheering for your favorite team or not.

Or, in my case, for Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open in just a few short weeks.