Church and State, the latest in a seemingly neverending line of swanky cocktail lounges, opened last night after a lot of early online buzz. Located snugly above The Fruit Bat on ever-emerging H Street in Northeast (between 12th and 13th), C&S is impressive. Dimly lit and impeccably decorated with old pews and stained-glass, it makes you wonder if they’ll start offering Sinful Sunday Specials.

I found the ambiance preferable to similar places like The Gibson and The Passenger. The place doesn’t have a sign — a cool trend growing amongst new DC bars.

Walk up the unmarked stairs and you’ll find a surprisingly spacious floorplan, allowing for a good number of tables and even sports what is surely a first of its kind in the local barscene — a private confessional room complete with kneelers and priest robes, all bathed in highly suggestive red lighting — talk about sexy. Remind you a little of Wisdom on Capitol Hill? Good eye, beloved readers — they’re owned by the same dude, Erik Holzerr. He seems to have a penchant for little hideaway rooms, and pun intended, god bless him for it — they’re private, fantastic and make us urbanites feel privileged, but not in a Late Night Shots kind of way.

As far as the drink menu goes, it offers fancy craft cocktails including tasty Sazaracs and Mint Juleps, and each costs a pretty penny. If I have one complaint with the place, it was the cost. Three smallish drinks, with tip, ran about $40. And make sure to ask the bartender about the mysterious tassles on the light switches.

Overall, Church and State is a welcome addition to the ever-improving H Street corridor and I look forward to going again.

Written by guest columnist, Joel Church.  Find out more about Joel here.