Paulou's Bar and Grill: Where to Find Serious Wings in Columbia

What Paulou's offers and where it is

Paulou's Bar and Grill sits on Devine Street in Columbia's Five Points neighborhood, a stretch known for casual dining and neighborhood gathering spots. The restaurant specializes in wings prepared several ways—sauced, seasoned, and grilled—alongside burgers, sandwiches, and pub food. The space itself is a working bar with a full liquor selection, sports on screens, and the kind of worn-in comfort that comes from years of regulars ordering the same thing.

The wing menu runs to about a dozen sauces and dry rubs, from mild to hot, and the kitchen will also grill wings plain or lightly seasoned if you prefer them that way. Portions are generous—a standard order comes as a full pound—and prices sit in the range you'd expect for a neighborhood bar rather than a wing chain. The atmosphere is casual and loud on game days, quieter on weeknights, and the staff moves fast even when the place is packed.

Key Takeaways

• Paulou's serves wings sauced, dry-rubbed, or grilled, with a sauce menu that includes mild, medium, hot, and specialty flavors.
• A standard wing order is a full pound, priced lower than most wing-focused chains in the Columbia area.
• The bar stocks a full liquor selection and shows sports on multiple screens, making it a reliable spot for watching games.
• Five Points location means street parking and proximity to other restaurants and bars if you want to make an evening of it.

The wing sauces and how they compare

Paulou's rotates a core set of sauces year-round and adds specials seasonally. The house hot sauce is genuinely hot—not a marketing claim—and sits above most bar-wing hot sauces in actual heat level. The medium sauces tend toward vinegar-forward or buttery profiles rather than pure heat, which means they work well if you want flavor that isn't just spice. The mild options include a barbecue sauce and a honey-garlic that skew sweet.

The dry rubs—usually lemon pepper, cajun, and garlic parmesan—are worth ordering if you want to taste the chicken itself rather than sauce. Paulou's doesn't skimp on seasoning, so a dry-rubbed wing still has plenty of flavor. The grilled wings come out with a char and a slight smokiness that sets them apart from the fried-and-sauced standard. If you're ordering for a group with mixed heat tolerances, the dry rubs and milder sauces tend to please more people than a single hot sauce would.

What else to order if you're not just getting wings

The burger menu is straightforward—beef patties, standard toppings, nothing experimental—and the kitchen executes them consistently. The sandwiches lean toward fried chicken, pulled pork, and fish, all served on toasted buns with fries or chips. None of it is trying to be fancy, which is part of why people keep coming back. The kitchen also runs a basic appetizer list: fried pickles, mozzarella sticks, nachos, and similar items that pair well with beer.

If you're eating alone at the bar, the burger-and-beer combo is the move. If you're there with a group, ordering wings as a shared plate and then individual sandwiches or burgers works well. The portions are large enough that you won't leave hungry, and the prices mean you can order more than one thing without the bill becoming surprising.

Parking and neighborhood context

Paulou's sits on Devine Street, which has street parking along the block and a small lot behind the building. Street parking fills up on Friday and Saturday nights, especially during football season, but there's usually a spot within a block or two. The Five Points area itself is walkable—other bars, restaurants, and a coffee shop are all within a few minutes on foot—so if you're making an evening of it, you can park once and move around.

The neighborhood draws a mix of college students, young professionals, and longtime residents. Paulou's itself skews toward the regular crowd—people who've been going there for years—but newcomers are welcomed without fanfare. The vibe is unpretentious and focused on food and sports rather than scene-making.

When to go and what to expect

Weeknight evenings are quieter and a better time to sit at the bar and talk to the bartender or other regulars. Friday and Saturday nights, especially during football season, the place fills up and the noise level rises accordingly. If you're going for wings and a beer on a Tuesday, expect a relaxed pace. If you're going on a Saturday during a Carolina game, expect to wait for a table and to raise your voice to be heard.

The kitchen doesn't have a long wait time on wings—they're a core item and they move fast—so even on busy nights you won't be waiting more than ten or fifteen minutes from order to plate. The bar staff is practiced at handling rushes, which means your drink order won't get lost in the noise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I order wings to go?

Yes. Call ahead during busy times to avoid a wait, but Paulou's handles takeout orders regularly. Wings travel well in a box, and the sauces stay on the wings rather than pooling at the bottom the way they sometimes do in delivery situations.

Are the wings boneless or bone-in?

Paulou's serves bone-in wings, which is the standard for most wing-focused restaurants. If you prefer boneless, call ahead and ask whether they can accommodate that request, as it's not a regular menu item.

What's the best sauce for someone who doesn't like spicy food?

The honey-garlic and barbecue sauces are both mild and flavorful without heat. The dry rubs, especially lemon pepper, are also a good choice if you want seasoning without any spice at all.

Do they have vegetarian options?

The appetizer menu includes fried pickles and mozzarella sticks, and you can order fries or a salad as a side. It's not a vegetarian-focused restaurant, so options are limited compared to a full-service restaurant.

Is there a happy hour?

Paulou's runs drink specials during certain hours—call or check their social media for current times and pricing, as these can change seasonally and by day of the week.