After striking out at two beachside bars (one closing at 10, the other just giving "meh" vibes), my husband and I figured our bar-hopping days might be behind us. We were about to call it when--like some kind of cosmic bar intervention--when the third local of the night, completely unprompted, told us: "If you want late-night wings, you gotta go to Papa Joe's Hideaway." Three different locals can't be wrong, right? So we gave it one last college try--and honestly, I'm so glad we did. From the outside, Papa Joe's doesn't scream "late-night gem." In fact, it kind of whispers "are you sure this is it?" It's tucked just slightly off the main drag, living up to the "hideaway" name in full. But once we stepped inside, it was packed. No touristy flair, no beachy gimmicks--just standing-room-only locals and a buzzing, unfiltered vibe that told us we'd found the spot. We lurked around the edges long enough to snag two freshly vacated bar seats, ordered a round of drinks, and of course, the wings. We were starving by then, so we dove in as soon as the plates hit the bar. Burned our mouths and fingers? Yep. Regrets? None. They weren't fancy. No unnecessary sauces or trendy garnishes. Just perfectly cooked, crispy, juicy, ridiculously flavorful wings. And just in case we were riding a hunger high and only mistook them for the best wings, my husband ordered a second round to test the theory. Verdict? Just as good. Maybe even better. The hype is real--these are some of the best wings we've ever had. We lingered for another drink or two, soaking in the energy of the place. As we finally walked out, full and blissfully buzzed, our bartender caught us leaving and laughed, "Y'all look like my next regulars." If we lived anywhere nearby, she probably would've been right. TL;DR: Papa Joe's isn't trying to be trendy. It doesn't need to be. It's where locals go when the other spots are done for the night, and the wings are so good you'll contemplate canceling your return flight just to have them again. 10/10--burn your mouth, thank them later. read more

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As someone from Michigan, I had to try the "Michigan Dog" at The Hideaway, and it was exactly what I expected... which is to say, it really wasn't a Michigan dog at all. Just because it has chili and cheese doesn't automatically make it a Michigan dog. Honestly, it was more of a chili dog, and I think that's what it should be called. The wings, however, absolutely lived up to the hype. They claim to have the best wings in the area, and they definitely didn't disappoint. I ordered the honey BBQ wings, and they were delicious. They were flavorful, cooked perfectly, and easily the highlight of my meal. The ambiance was nice. It's a bar, so the atmosphere is pretty much what you'd expect: casual, lively, and comfortable. The service was kind of mid. My waitress seemed a little irritated when I was asking questions about the menu, which made things feel a bit awkward. It wasn't terrible, but it definitely wasn't very welcoming either. Overall, I'd come back for the wings alone. Just don't expect an authentic Michigan dog if you're actually from Michigan. read more

Prob cheapest drinks in town, open late, great food and the bartenders are all amazing... good times

Best part about this place is that you can call it home loved the people service food and differently can't wait to go back first time I ever had boiled peanuts hopefully I get to see the friend I made when I was there read more

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Have been wanting to try this place for over a year. We went to another wing place and the wait was too long so we decided to give Papa Joes a try. I was very happy with the wings. Good size, not over cooked, great taste. I will be returning. read more

We frequently visit Papa Joe's for lunch breaks. Today we brought our son's to have lunch with us. My son is a brutally honest person and spoke personally with Don, a cook working there. He gave the wings a 4 3/4 review. I love the service from the staff and don't remember a bad experience! I recommend the food and drinks. Top that with hospitality from the staff it's a 5+ star location! read more

Love their wings and egg rolls ...can't go wrong with cold beer and pool. Not a big fan of having to order through delivery.com

Great drinks! Best wings in town! Open late! Very chill low key vibe. This is definitely a hidden gem !

We had not been here in over a year because the continuous Bad service but on a whim we decided to stop and just get a drink. The female bartender that served us needs to find a new career. Sure she can pour a beer or even pop one open and hand to a man but I need to say one thing...PYT can not make a drink if her life depended on it ! One was so sour my bf could not drink it and even after we told her about it she would not make a new drink and she wouldn't take it off the bill ! So after we cashed out I made sure they eat that shit by pouring it out on the floor at the bar. The whole gd margarita is their mess to clean up !! She did not get a tip from us ! read more

I previously rated Papa Joe's 5 stars as the best wings in the FWB area based on quality and cost. This is no longer the case. Forget about calling in an order to go, they don't do that anymore. And going to the bar to order to-go is like asking for a big favor. While that inconvenience could be overlooked, that is not why their rating has greatly declined. The main problem, is the lower quality. The wings are now smaller and have deformities like broken bones. Added to that is that the price is has jumped from $11 per 10 to $17 per 10. OUCH! And there are not as good as before! OUCH OUCH OUCH!! They have gone from being one of the best deals on wings to one of the worst! Too sad. read more

Papa joes is a cut above the rest when it comes to food and alcohol definitely swing by here and say hi to Lindsey , Nicole and sandy !

Not much into the bar scene, but this place has the best wings I've ever had! Definitely worth eating them in a smoke-filled environment. read more

Papa Joe's Hideaway - the best wings in town sign - Nightlife Near Me - Fort Walton Beach, Florida

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Best wings in town. Service is always fantastic. I feel like the people that complain are probably just annoying people. Had the fried pickles, hot wings and spicy garlic wings. All are amazing and highly recommend the mushrooms. Didn't have the appetite tonight but again great food and great people. Love this place read more

Little dive bar that can be tricky to get in and out of. The interior is dated and lots of smoking going on. The wait was incredibly long, but if you are in good company enjoying a drink or two it's fine. Went there for the wings and they did not disappoint. I like mine a little crispy (hate gnawing on flabby chicken skin) and these were perfect. I had them tossed in the hot honey...delicious. These are the best wings I have had in the area so far, and there are several places that specialize in wings. I'll opt to call ahead for a takeout order next time but will definitely be going back. read more

I've had so many bad experiences with the bartenders here that I swore, no matter how great the wings are, I would never come back. Decided to finally give it another chance, and I'm certainly glad I did. Heather didn't assume I was just some young kid who didn't tip. She treated me kindly with dignity and even addressed me by name. I will definitely start coming back more because she was so nice. read more

An Americans local joint, good wings (not spectacular as I heard), plastic glasses, loud music, pool tables and an interesting crowd!

visiting fwb for the first time and was looking for some local late night eats. this was such a convenient find, and a gem! wings and fries were delish. will def be back anytime we're visiting again! read more

I would really like to give this bar 4 or 5 stars, but the bartender service is pretty bad. You can stand there for 5-10 minutes without being served or acknowledged, and the place isn't even that busy. read more

We are a wing eating family so we search out good wings wherever we go. These wings were delicious, they are fried which are not what we prefer and yet they were excellent so no complaints about them. We ordered medium, hot, and bear (?) hot. The girl on the phone called them bear hot but I didn't know if she meant bear or bare, hahaha. The bear hot are their hottest and they're not very hot at all but as I said, we love wings and often look for super spicy. Regardless of how mild they are, they are seriously delicious! We will absolutely order wings from this place again and again. 2 Thumbs up for PJ's!! read more

They no longer allow smoking Inside!! Wings are just as good as ever and I love the blue cheese dressing and cheese curds. I always get the same thing, 10 hot honey bbq. read more

Fantastic wings! Great beer! Big TVs to watch football! Awesome waitresses! Will be back again and again! Definitely a great place to relax read more

Awesome wings and blue cheese. Beer specials are super. Very smoky tho. Needs a few fans to move the smoke.

Great atmosphere, and hang out spot for those that just want parle. Wings are great, tv's for the game and nice service.

The service was very slow. It took over an hour and a half to get 2 hotdogs. Their Michigan Dogs were okay, nothing to come back for.

This place reminded us of a bar, like back in the day-dark, dingy (but clean), and smokey, but we liked it. We sat outside due to the smoking though. We had the wings, very good, and the 7 layer tex mex dip, which was good. Great happy hour. The bartender and waitress was very friendly. Oh, and I accidently left my credentials/wallet on the bar counter, and the waitress brought it to me, whew! If they are busy, I imagine they would be slow, but wait time and service when we were there was great (it wasn't packed). You should try this place at least once, and make your own mind up. Parking probably can be a little challenging when they are busy. read more