Big Tomato Pizza

Wow! It's still the great tasting pizza I remember from my good ol dayz. The service was awesome, and the pizza slices generous. Can't wait to go back.

My husband and I were wanting to try a local pizza joint on a quick weekend trip up to Des Moines. We ended up wanting to order pizza at like 11:30 pm on a Saturday night, and this was one of the only local pizza places close to us that was serving whole pizzas that late. We ended up ordering a Cajun shrimp pizza and some Italian cheese fries. Both were very good! We ordered a large pizza with the cheese fries and ended up having leftovers for the next day. The storefront itself was tiny, and there were so many people there that night. They have some seating along the wall, but that is maybe 6 to 10 people max. It was a very tight fit for everyone there waiting on pizza. Despite the crowd, we were probably standing in line waiting for our online-ordered pizza for 15 or so minutes. Well with the wait, though!

I know they advertise "Lousy Service" but they always treat me right. Not the highest quality pizza out there but the late night pizza by the slice feature makes up for it. Where else can you get a nice slice of pizza at 2:15am. I recommend the Honey Garlic Alfredo if you like sweet and savory.

.... I come here consistently. I know the owner and come in with my dog. I order a pizza on Valentines Day, and they are missing green pepper, pineapple, Philly steak, and graziano sausage. We asked for a refund for our $40 pizza, only to be brought back the pizza to only get $5 cash back. Oh? And they threw in the rest of their uncooked green pepper. Lousy service is on the door, but the worker admitted he never looked at our ticket, and we paid a decent price for our food and patiently waited. 😕

Was in town for the Iowa State Fair to attend the T-Pain concert and ordered pizza at midnight. The lady who took and delivered the order was so pleasant on the phone and in person. On top of that, the Philly Cheesesteak Pizza was top tier. Thank you for the great service & pizza!

Man! Big Tomato has gone downhill. Used to be my fave, but something is going on. Perhaps the owner needs to spend a shift or 2 in there! I got the wheat crust Hula & wheat crust cheeseburger. Both were substandard. The cheeseburger crust was heavy and dry. They threw a bunch of pickles slices on top, as if that would make it better. The Hula was slightly better, still dry. After coming here for at least 15 years, this was the worst. I would advise staying away until ownership gets their act together.

I haven't had Big Tomato in years but decided that I wanted to try them again. They haven't lost their touch; My pizza was phenomenal 😋😍🔥

We drove a few hours out of our way to have Big Tomato pizza, as we had some delivered about a month ago while in town. It was incredible, the sauce was wonderful and the crust, a wonderful replication of New York Style, foldable, and fairly thin. So tonight we are driving cross-country, and chose to go through Des Moines for more GOOD pizza. We ordered the exact same pizza as before, and what we got was a weirdly dense, deep-dish type pizza. A huge bummer. I asked the gal behind the counter if we got the right crust, and she nonchalantly said that yes we did… but there was a new guy, and it was his first day. She really truly didn’t care that we were bummed about the pizza. No offer to make another, which would have been nice, even though we would have refused. Anyway, there is something in the window about lousy customer service, or something to that effect. So, no surprise really. But that gross crust really took away from the sauce they have that’s pretty good, but it is what it is. Moral of the story, make sure whomever is making your pizza is not the new guy.

Great pizza all around. A plus that they deliver so late in the evening/ early AM. Will definitely be ordering again when we are in town.

We are in town to attend a ceremony at the state capital and our manager at the hotel we were staying recommended big tomato pizza.. since we got in kind of late, how cool it is they deliver until 3 am!!!! We ordered pepperoni and mozzarella calzone... And pepperoni and sausage calzone and gosh it was delicious... It came delivered to our hotel piping hot and so good .... It's convenient to have them deliver so late... And within the timing that they told us ... if you're in town... This is some great pizza to enjoy... They also have some really interesting house specialties

Ordered a med chicken broccoli Alfredo and a med meatza and a raspberry cheesecake pizza. There was a garlic bread included as part of the deal with two pizzas. They did not send the sauce with the garlic bread. Or the 4 other sauces that I ordered at $1.80 each. So that was $8 lost. The chicken broccoli pizza was dry and flavorless. The meatza was good. The raspberry cheesecake pizza was a bit overcooked and dry. The garlic bread was not toasted much and a bit soft and soggy. The extra sauces would have helped both of the pizzas that were dry. But we never received them. Door dash never responded to the question of where they were. I paid $80 for all of this and it was not a good first impression.

Oh, my gosh! You might not ever think of a honey and garlic pizza with Alfredo sauce...But it is amazing! We are a pepperoni/onion family as well! The Margarita pizza... we always throw one of those in our order! That's our "go to"! The pizzas and delivery are amazing! If you are out late... you can get slices, giant slices of pizza CHEAPER THAN YOUR LAST beer (or drink) and that starts at 10pm. (Says my son, I'm never out that late) ! It is a "to go" kinda place... but sitting on the curb eating a slice on Ingersoll, while waiting for an Uber...rocks! The crew is super fun. No judgment zone! It's a friendly awesome, inviting place! We get delivery a lot! My 20 something's will go for slices!

Service is lousy!! But they tell you that upfront!! It's a local legend. Get the garlic honey and see what happens yummm

I biked to get a few fresh slices around 8 pm on a Wednesday and they didn't have any that were fresh. They were so incredibly kind to offer me 4:30 pizza at a discount. Definitely coming back just for the kindness.

Even though they still owe me a refund from years ago over a delivery that was never delivered, I've given up on that and just rarely get pickup now. Well, they say it themselves best- "lousy service". They do it on purpose, i know, the employees are so extra sometimes just trying to be rude for no reason. They make a decent pizza though. We usually get the honey garlic alfredo one with light honey. It was tasty, but the edges are always either charred or undercooked on one side. Overall, coming from someone who has always worked customer service jobs, they're just lazy.

I am on a quest to try every pizza in Des Moines Metro. Judging on a wide variety of personal likes etc. BTP is such an experience from their self proclaimed " Lousy Service" to a list of toppings so extensive it will make you laugh. The pick up window is and the people say it all they do pizza and nothing else. But they do it well! Best in DM I can't say for sure. In my personal top 3 without a doubt!! This place is without a doubt a hidden gem. A custom paint job on the walls and loud music is a nice touch. It's an experience!

Not a great reputation but what a variety of pizza they have to offer and always great going after the bars for a good slice of pizza

Those flavors are money ! Garlic honey is a prize I didn't know I wanted in my mouth ! It's good to see they are believes in pineapple belongs on pizza I also got Canadian bacon and pineapple. By the slice starts at 10 pm a good time to get your flavor tastebuds on! This will be another late night stop next time I find myself in Des Moines after dark! I was so ravenous I savaged that pizza in my tummy. Thanks Big Tomato !

The pizzas are even better than I remember from 20 years ago.Toppings nobody else carries on hand not even 2 mention the quality is the same if u order at 7pm or 130am

Looking for a quick bite? Why not try a late night pizza slice. Their sauce is amazing. I forgot how thick and robust it is. I'm a simple girl. Pepperoni, but they have a ton of unique flavor pairings, including honey and jalapeño. They are much smaller than I remember (traditional slice slice) cause they used to be huge. One slice hung over the paper plate. The slice I got was $4. I remember it being much cheaper, too. However, the nostalgia was enough for me. All I needed was to scoop the loop.

Day two of a recent snowstorm we arrived in Des Moines for the night. It was late and due to the storm food options were limited. Even fast food locations (which in most states tend to stay open through bad weather) had closed earlier in the day. At my hotel, the concierge suggested Dominos. I was even willing to go to a grocery or convenience store and get something from the salad bar or microwavable. But, finding an open business was not simple. Calls to Domino's revealed how busy they were all day and that they wanted to go home early... As I searched and searched online I was lucky to come across Big Tomato. I must have called a dozen restaurants and all were closed or about to close. I phoned in an order and they responded they would be open pretty late. I didn't read reviews in advance, I was mostly interested in getting hot food. Had I read reviews in advance I may have known that these guys like to dish out 'lousy service,' in person and over the phone. I get that it's a quirky gimmick. It's unnecessary though. The order taker was being short for reasons unbeknownst to me in the moment. I learned later after arriving for the pickup. In green neon the words, "lousy service" glows in the window. Ah.. so that's why. Fifty-five minutes later. The pizza was perfect. Thin crust with a slight crunch. Their sauce leans to a salty flavoring rather than sweet. The toppings were ample. I ordered a house specialty. The combination which is comprised of mushroom, onions, pepperoni and sausage. On the side, I ordered a calzone. I kinda wanted something different to sample as well. We had had plenty of fast food from road stops so all were eager for something freshly prepared. Among the three of us, we thoroughly enjoyed. Which was best? It was a flip between the two. Both were fresh and still piping hot and very tasty. My personal favorite was the calzone. Prepared with cheese, chicken and marinara sauce. Cutting into the calzone, cheese and stuffings oozed out. That was a huge calzone! Had we the time, probably would have had 'seconds' the next day. But, it was back to da Chi.

People there are super friendly and chill great for when you can't sleep and are hungry

honey garlic pizza is my fave so are the italian fries which are stuffed mozzarella sticks!

Big Tomato has seen its time as a business. In the early 2000s you could get away with a subpar product with up and coming workers. Now it's always employees clearly on drugs, never washing their hands, I've even had one employee smoke a cigarette while she served my slice, pupils as huge as saucers. Shotty service and horrible old pizza isn't charming anymore. Big tomato sucks and if you're not even going to try just shut down.

I love this pizza. New owners improving the experience and delivery time. I'm a fan of all cheese, love the thinner crust!

Quick service, solid portion of toppings, and good sauce, thin crust. Couldn't ask much more for a late night delivery.

Got a medium pie with ricotta, pepperoni, and banana peppers. Flavor is very good and the crust is nice. Wouldn't necessarily call it New York style as advertised and for $29 it's a little pricey. Lol. Service was good within the restaurant.

Easily the worst (non-chain) pizza place in the metro. They deliver fast they are probably good people however the pizza is absolutely terrible. This is one of the only times I think I've ever had to throw out a pizza after eating a few pieces. A friend of mine came to town as well a few weeks later and this was the only place open. I warned them however he still ordered this pizza at about 1:00 a.m. and he didn't finish it as well it was so bad. The crust honestly tastes like they used mop water when making it.

Order two large pizzas, the pepperoni was find, but the Cajun shrimp crust was almost not edible - charred. Usually Big Tomato is great, but not tonight.

Hate to give a "bad review" because I love their pizza but the service is awful. Yet another business to claim the "post COVID" can't help good help, can't get ingredients, and it seems like every experience is laden with poor service Today. Placed a large order, right as they opened, and asked on timing. I asked twice, just to be sure, and was told 45 minutes. I show up, on time, and am told my order hadn't been made yet or even in the oven. Frustrating because lunch hour for some people is very finite and I would just expect some type of accurate projection on something that they do daily . Great pizza but need help on their operation to continue to get my business

Absolute worst ran place I've ever been to. The wait time is excruciatingly long, the employees are rude, and the pizza is subpar. I don't understand how a place ran as poorly as this can stay in business these days.

I've been eating here since high school. I'm 40 now. There's a reason why I keep going there. It's very good.

The service at Big Tomato was great. The pizza made me projectile vomit on the second slice. I ordered Honey Garlic Alfredo Pizza and the amount of minced garlic that was put on the pizza was disrespectful. I hope that someone spilled garlic on the slice I ate and was just too lazy to pick it off, not that someone would think it was ok to create a full layer of garlic on a pizza. This pizza would have made anyone vomit. There was a thick layer of garlic on every piece and the texture of the garlic was so prevalent you would have thought they were trying to run a vampire out of town.

In town for the 4th of July and was in need of some solid pizza ... didn't want some BS delivery. Checked out the reviews and was a little perplexed due to the fact they were either a 1 star or a 5 star. I give a solid 5 stars. The ingredients were fresh and high quality. The crust was on the thin side and perfectly cooked. Toppings were generous. 100% would recommend.

The pizza is very good and tastes like fresh ingredients and homemade pizza. The service is crappy. Their thing is they sell pizza by the slice late at night, but they're usually out of most slices and the staff takes the "lousy service" sign to seriously. Hey it's fine, make a rude remark and you get no tip. Saves me money and maybe you like insulting people. We both win! This is one of MANY pizza joints in Des Moines that has very good pizza. Just be ready for some moron to act a fool. I should note that not all staff are bad. Usually the younger ones are.

The pizza is really good and the service sucks, EXACTLY as the sign says! The taste of the pizza was worth the wait. It's not a fancy decor in here at all. But they DO have a neon sign that says lousy service. Forewarned! Marcy'sDinerTantrumScale 5/5- NoScreamingKids. It wasn't loud at all. I came at an off time this last visit. Street parking. Staff actually not THAT bad. CyHawkApproved. Prices ok. Definitely worth the trip!

We were quoted 1hr 10min for delivery. Pizza was ordered at 6:15pm CST, it was just delivered at 8:36pm CST. The pizza looks good, but it's dry, the chicken is dry, the sauce is non existent, tomatoes are dry, and the crust is dry...not worth the $20. Added bacon and chicken to the Big Tomato Special. I thought bacon made everything better...thank God for bacon... Little Ceasar's Hot and Ready is better, and my dog wouldn't even eat that!

the first night we tried to get pizza here was super busy and the guy was a bit harsh-- which I thought was part of the "we're a new york pizza joint get one and gtfo vibe" so I didn't mind, but my sister thought we was so beyond rude that she didn't wanna eat there. i'm determined to find good ny style pizza in iowa so the next night, i went back. I ordered a cheese-- the girl was really nice. But this is was it looked like. it was cut into tiny pieces (not ny vibe) and the crust was burnt on half of it and severely crispy on the other. it was still ok/ good but I didn't think I was ordering a thin crispy burnt crust. also, the unmelted cheese on top was weird too me and I didn't love it-- if that's a thing for this place I appreciate the creativity but def gonna ask for it to be left off it I order from here again. the place is cute tho, it reminds me of a spot in Venice Beach i love. ooh one good thing; the sauce is great--- so one star for decor one for amazing sauce! I wish the other stars would have been there but they just weren't. maybe it was an off night

We ordered a Canadian bacon because that is my test. The pizza is huge! Good crust and a decent amount of sauce but maybe too much. Take out was fast and we are willing to try it again. No pic because we ate in the car

I love big Tomato but tonight they were in rare form to deliver a pizza with an actual rubber band in it. I called to explain and stayed calm only to be told that they didnt buy my story. Wish I WAS lying because I have loved this place since high school. That reputation is the only thing keeping this above 1 star

I LOVE Big Tomato. I have been coming here since high school for late night slices. They have such funky pizza combinations. Their lobby is small and they do slices late at night. They have a giant neon sign in the window that mocks their own service. The atmosphere is sarcastic and funny! I have never had complaints about the pizza and I always enjoy coming in for a slice at night.

The pizza was delicious but the vibe perplexing. My friend and I stopped in spontaneously to order in person and waited 90 minutes when we were told it would be 45 minutes. There appeared to be one pizzamaker and he appeared to be overwhelmed with orders, it was evening on Valentines Day. The counter guy and the pizzamaker guy were dressed like old time hippies, and the latter occasionally yelled and swore at disturbing volumes while we waited. The kitchen was as sparse as a jail cell. But the waiting area, though small, had stools along two of the walls, and two interesting murals. Located in a trendy locale not far from a couple of colleges, the clientele was upscale. The price of $23 for one two topping pizza seemed high but no complaints about value after tasting it. Two strongly opposing sensations made it a schizophrenic experience--as in "is the abusive treatment beforehand worth the sensual pleasure afterward?"

One of my go to late night spots. I hadn't noticed the sign in the window previously but caught it this time. Order by # or you will quickly find out what the sign is all about lol. Seriously though I have had nothing but good service here. I like the variety of options to mix and match, usually about 8-12 choices and the pizza is always hot and fresh.

I don't know what all the negs are about. The place warns you with a darn sign in the window. I kept my expectations as low as humanly possible. Possibly this tainted my experience because I was super impressed, and have been every time we've gotten pizza from here. The lemon pepper chicken pizza is amazing. Straight up. All their crust is thin and delicious. Their specialty pizzas are all good (except for that chili dog thing....what in the ever living heck is that?! No dice!) Also, the pizza keeps well and reheats well. Order from them when you aren't in a time crunch, be nice even if they're rude, and you'll enjoy your pizza, I swear. P.S....yes I read that review about the toenail. I gotta admit...a toenail in my pizza would do me in, too. If that ever happens to my pizza, Big Tomato, you're fired.

I wanted a quick slice of late night pizza and Big Tomato came through. It was around midnight on a weeknight, and there were several folks wandering in the tiny ordering area picking up to-go orders or waiting around for a slice. I opted for one of the quick slices available on the menu (I think selection various each night). It came out in a minute or two and was pretty decent overall. Not the greatest pizza I've ever had, but it really hit the spot before heading next door to Yacht Club for drinks.

We needed some grub at the end of the night at a late hour so we came to The Tomato. The menu is hand written on the counter and it's by the slice to go. They have a little bar type seating on one side, but not much room. The pizza was really good, but I am going to go average for now because a second visit is needed. I tried the pepperoni, the cheese, and sausage and mushroom. The crust was a medium crust in between thick and thin. Very good crust, the sauce was also very good. Plenty of toppings. I will definitely be back to the Tomato to try some more pizza. I like the way it's by the slice so you can try a couple different pieces.

In town for a week. Daughter ordered for us. She does it all the time. She just wanted a small pepperoni pizza and breadsticks with three drinks. Over an hour wait, burnt crust, and breadsticks were a weird disgusting greasy $20 cheesy bread? Pretty upset that charging another $20 for a full on greasy cheese mess seemed a reasonable replacement for a breadstick request. But I guess I learned a lesson. Way overpriced, not that great. Disappointed.

Just visiting Iowa and my wife took me to what she says was the best pizza in all of Iowa. I had my doubts being from California where I found some of the best pizzas anywhere. I have to say that Big Tomato Pizza is every bit as good as any other. It's a very unique environment where the service is absolutely lousy by choice and it even says it right on the front window lousy service but they make you feel very comfortable and at home like you would with any other dysfunctional family. LOL. Whether you're from Des Moines or just passing through this is definitely a place you can't not visit.

This was a great place to order late night from. Pizza was fantastic and on par with some of Chicago's best. I am not sure what their problems were last night but was unable to get through after 12 AM and was eventually blocked (my phone number) just for calling back after 30 minutes on hold (yes 30 minutes) . I can no longer order from them just because they were busy and in a bad mood. I have been ordering 3-4 pizza/month and actually tipped their drivers well. My mobility issues from health problem prevents me from carry out or walk in. Sad way to treat your customers.

Had a long day dealing with bad crap in the last week from work. This was the only real meal I had today. Called it in at 8:56 p.m. Asked for a calzone with pepperoni and onions. By the time I got home with it I found out after biting into it it was a broccoli calzone. The girl on the phone couldn't understand what I was saying because they've got the music so damn loud they can't hear the orders. She also didn't offer anything to fix the problem and I wasn't about ready, at 10:00 at night, to drive back. So I guess I'm out $11.

I never have had to deal with the service being terrible - I always pick up and it's always been great, and I live in West Des Moines, so it's still warm when I get home! I do wish it was closer :)

For me, the pizza was very good and really enjoyed it. Thin crust, crispy, great cheese blend, tasty sauce, taste great hot, taste great cold, has a lil extra seasoning to make it stand out. Just expect great pizza, they have a "lousy service" sign which may or may not be true, haven't experienced it. 5 Stars all the way for the pizza.

I was staying at the downtown Marriott and they delivered pizza to my room at 1am. It was not only a lifesaver but, one of the best pizzas I've ever had. I only tried it that one time and it is still in my top three favs. My preferred crispity crunchitiness. An amazingly flavorful sauce that wasn't overschmeered all over the place. Good cheese and tasty toppings. The pizza I'm referring to was eaten around 5 years ago but still.

I will start by saying it is very hard to rate a place like this. Their pizza by the slice is a great deal and also love it, but ordering a whole pizza they are very high priced and not always the same. I have been pretty much ordering the same pizza (half and half) for my last 4 or 5 orders and each time there is something different. Also if they do something wrong they really don't care or try to fix it. Which is where the sign they post on the window comes in saying "Lousy Service". I have a hard time ordering pizza from them but will always go for there slices after 10 PM. They don't do slices before then. Order by Slice after 10 PM: 5 stars Order pickup/delivery: 3-5 stars Service: 2/3 stars

I have to admit it. I'm particular. I know how I like things and I will ask for it. Although Big Tomato boasts their terrible service, their cooks nail it! I know how busy late nights can be and to have a pizza made to order at a late hour is very appreciated

What my fellow yelpers in the DM has failed to mention the pizza is $2.50 a slice. You are not paying for service or the best slice of pie you will ever have. So what are you paying for??? DINNER AND A SHOW!!! The late night bar crowd coming to get food is worth the price of admission. Sometime I will grab a spot on the sidewalk and just watch the show! It is funny to think about the guy who bought a whole pizza for $25 the next morning saying to him self "Did I really buy a pizza for $25, and did I even get a piece??" (of pizza, you dirty thinkers) Slices start to be served at 11pm Also my favorite slice is the BBQ Beef fantabulous!

Tried to order a pizza, but after 20 rings, I hung up and ordered from Gusto. Disappointing, but on the flip side: Gusto is awesome....!