Tailgating party favorites from Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill

Football season is upon us. Finally! (And Go Dawgs!)

The games and team spirit are all good and fun, but for me, football season is really about friends getting together and eating great food. That's the part that I so look forward to before the first kick-off. But I'll be honest: After having been to my fair share of tailgating parties, the grilled meats and dips-and-chips options get old.

That's why I love that Smokey Bones Bar & Fire Grill puts a fun spin on their tailgating classics. My favorites are three of their appetizers: Smoked wings, loaded nachos, and buffalo chicken dip.

Sure, they sound like fairly standard football foods, but each one is prepared just differently enough to wow your guests. Here are some secrets Smokey Bones shared with me that you can use to kick your next tailgate up a notch:

-Wings are an obvious choice for tailgating, but smoking them adds an exceptional flavor. At Smokey Bones, the wings are smoked in-house and are seasoned heavily first to create a "bark," which helps to lock in moisture.

-Nachos don't have to be boring if you use more than one type of cheese. Three different types, to be exact: Blend them in a bowl and layer throughout to ensure each chip is covered evenly.

-Buffalo chicken dip is already eons better than store-bought salsa or the ever-so-eighties seven-layer dip, but here's something that makes it even better: Skip the canned chicken and opt for a freshly roasted (real) bird. This should go without saying, but you never know.