City: Des Moines, IA

Category: Nightlife

Telephone: (515) 323-3333

Insider Pick:

Description: It’s ostensibly a pizza joint, but what this place really is is a tiki bar, with some of the freakiest, most inventive drink presentations (and pizza) you’ll find anywhere. The narrow space’s green vinyl booths and Chinese lamps give it a sort of ’70s kung fu–flick vibe, while the indie rock on the sound system lends hipster cachet. The drinks are head-spinning, like the Suffering Bastard, a mixture of several rums, juices, and almond flavor, or the Skull Splitter, which has vodka, guava, and other juices and is served in a “tiki god” mug. Many of the drinks, in fact, come in various theme mugs, like the Funky Monkey in a giant ape bowl or the Scorpion in a blue skull. Classic tiki drinks like the Singapore Sling and mai tai are available as well. And those fighter pilot helmets on the wall? Well, if you want to wear one while downing kamikaze shots, the staff will gladly indulge you. Can’t forget the menu: Numerous pizzas include the Fongolian Beef and Thai chicken, which have just the right combination of classic pizza flavors and Chinese spices. Check out the moo shoo pork, kung pao chicken, and crab rangoon pizzas as well. Gets hopping late at night and on weekends with spillover from the nearby Court Avenue Entertainment District.