Tom Archer's Poor Man's Country Club — Restaurant in West Des Moines

My family and I made reservations for the opening weekend, where we enjoyed drinks and steaks that were absolutely amazing—truly the best meal I've had in a long time. However, we ordered two sides of potatoes that we didn't receive, but we only realized this when comparing it to our next visit- not a big deal.

A couple of weeks later (last night), we made another reservation for my birthday, this time inviting more friends for a total of six of us. Since we couldn't book a table for six online, we reserved a table for four and another for two, planning to make it work. Fortunately, when we inquired about moving the tables closer together, they accommodated us and added a chair to the table and everything worked out well.

We ordered the same drinks as before, but this time, the taste and color were noticeably different, and overall, it just wasn’t the same as our first experience. We also ordered the same $44 steaks. During our first visit, the carrots were delicious and the potatoes were perfect, melting in your mouth with a great sauce. Unfortunately, this time, the potatoes were scalloped and not the same variety at all; they were difficult to cut with a fork, and the carrots were disappointingly small, serving more as decoration than a side dish.

As for the rolls, we didn’t receive them during our first visit, but this time, they were the pull-apart kind from Hy-Vee. Stale and hard..not even warmed up. The decline in quality was quite embarrassing, especially given that it was only a month apart. While the flavor of the steak remained good and I enjoyed it, I did not eat the potatoes, carrots, or rolls due to their quality.

The pictures I shared showcase the exact same order from both visits, highlighting the differences. I didn’t eat the sides, only took a bite of the steak before I took a photo which is a testament to how unsatisfactory the sides were.

Additionally, my stepdad ordered the NY strip, just like last time, and he had the same issue with the potatoes—not the same at all. Plus, his steak was tough and dry.

My mom went for the signature chicken dish, instead of the steak she got last time… but it looked more like a chicken leg on top of some frozen veggies. The chicken was hard, and she couldn’t even eat it. They tried swapping meals to see if the other would like theirs better, but both dishes ended up going back to the kitchen. The staff did offer to remake them, but with the overall drop in quality, they opted not to. The NY strip was also sent back—imagine paying $42 for a steak that didn’t get eaten! We were still charged for it, though they did take off the $23 for the chicken.

Our total came to $299 for the six of us, and we all ended up grabbing food on the way home. Honestly, I think we should’ve been compensated way more than just the $23.

After raving about this place after our first visit, I feel embarrassed for telling people to go. It just doesn’t meet the quality we expected. We thought we found a new special spot, and it’s really disappointing to see such a downgrade in just 26 days.

For a reminder. These two photos are the exact same order. On two...

We've been looking forward to enjoying a night at Tom Archers since it opened, so when our schedule finally worked out we were excited for a visit last night. We took two of our close friends to treat them for helping save $500 on a maintenance service call.

The night started with a cocktail next door before our 6:30 reservations. The place was pretty empty and conversation fun, so we held off ordering for a bit to enjoy another round of cocktails (tomato martini fantastic!). We decided to order when the place started filling up...

...fast forward an hour, and we were offered another round of drinks or desert on the house because we were still waiting for our orders...

...fast forward another 20+ minutes and our dinners finally arrived as the room was clearing out. Annoying, but we get it, things happen, but the hope was the wait would be rewarded with some great food.

We were let down again. I think the food could have been good if it would have retained any degree of heat, but all four meals were at room temperature. Even a heat lamp would have been an improvement. We finally left two and a half hours later with half full to-go boxes and the faint hope of some good leftovers once reheated properly.

I typically have some grace and not leave negative reviews, as I know owning a small business is tough and everyone has a bad night. However, I figured folks should be aware what is at risk when I paid the full $470+ tab for what turned out to be a very disappointing experience.

The four of us had a lot of fun and laughs, which is what really counts, but we'd have been better off getting alcohol and chicken from Kwik Star and watching Apple+...

​My wife and I recently dined at ​the restaurant for the first time, and while I enjoyed the 80's ambiance and found the bar area appealing, I was ​really underwhelmed by the dining experience.

I ordered an old-fashioned, which was flavorful. However, I was surprised that it was garnished with a​ cheap maraschino cherry. I would expect a higher-end cherry, such as a Luxardo or Amarena, given the price point and overall theme.

The relish tray was acceptable and appropriately priced for its portion size, which was generous enough for four people to share.

Unfortunately, the entrees were disappointing. The chicken vesuvio was dry and the skin was too tough to eat. Additionally, my filet with de burgo was cooked well, but the de burgo sauce lacked the rich, creamy consistency and was instead ​a watery mess. My filet was also served with some boring new potatoes, which doesn't match what previous reviewers received.

The meal ended on a further disappointing creme brulee. The caramelized sugar topping was excessively thick and hard, making ​it impossible to crack and ultimately provided the consistency of brittle. The custard was fine, but without the edible caramelized sugar it was incredibly underwhelming. We were only able to eat a quarter to half before ending our meal.

Overall, there were too many significant issues with the food quality. Based on photos from previous reviews, our meals did not match the expected presentation, quality, or taste.

I hope ​they can refine the menu and ​create a consistent presentation and delivery.​ I wish ​this place the best, but we are unlikely to return...