There is a moment, somewhere between your first sip of a scorpion bowl and the arrival of a crab rangoon pizza at your table, when you realize that Des Moines has been holding out on you. That moment happens at Fong’s Pizza, a gloriously weird, wonderfully delicious institution tucked into the Court Avenue Entertainment District, and it has been quietly winning over locals and bewildering first-timers since 2009.
From the outside, Fong’s looks like a relic of a different era entirely. The vintage red signage and the unmistakable glow of neon suggest something between a 1970s Chinese restaurant and a neighborhood dive bar. Step inside and that impression only deepens. Red lanterns hang from the ceiling. Vinyl booths line the walls. The lighting is low, the music is good, and the energy on a Friday night borders on electric. It is a place that knows exactly what it is, and it leans into every bit of it.
Now, about that menu. Fong’s built its reputation on a single audacious idea: what if you put classic Chinese-American takeout toppings on a really good pizza? The result is a menu that sounds like a dare and tastes like a revelation. The crab rangoon pizza — a thin, crispy crust topped with cream cheese, imitation crab, and a drizzle of sweet chili sauce — has become the stuff of local legend, and for good reason. It sounds improbable. It is, in fact, magnificent. The General Tso’s chicken pizza follows the same logic, landing the balance between sweet, spicy, and savory with surprising precision.
But Fong’s is more than a novelty act. The kitchen turns out solid traditional pizzas as well, alongside appetizers that hold their own, a full bar with craft cocktails and a rotating tap list, and those communal scorpion bowls that seem to appear at nearly every table by the second round. The staff is attentive without being hovering, and the whole place carries the easy warmth of somewhere that has been genuinely embraced by its community.
The Court Avenue neighborhood makes for an ideal evening. After dinner, you are steps away from some of the city’s best bars, live music spots, and the riverfront, making Fong’s an obvious anchor for a full night out. Parking is available nearby, and the restaurant tends to fill up quickly on weekends, so a reservation or an early arrival is a smart move.
Des Moines has no shortage of places that will impress you. Fong’s Pizza is the one you will keep thinking about on the drive home, already planning your next visit before the leftovers are even gone.
