Nine Holes and a Margarita on H Street

The buzz: When anyone asks for the perfect spot to take a new date, go out with the guys or bring out-of-town friends, my repeated answer lately has been the H Street Country Club.

I mean, who wouldn't love a bar with a nine-hole indoor mini golf course, Skee-Ball machines, table shuffleboard, margaritas and a decor that could double as an art gallery? Particularly a course where servers deliver beers and take drink orders.

"Paying $7 [to play mini golf] beats a ridiculous cover to get into some other cookie-cutter place," said Chris Outlaw, a 28-year-old network engineer who praised the "unique decor."

The course: Developed by local bar magnate Joe Englert and crafted by artist Lee Wheeler, H Street Country Club is a synthetic turf-covered love letter to Washington. You putt your ball into the narrow alley between the Lincoln Theatre and Ben's Chili Bowl, knock it around arcing curves and loop-de-loops of a crash-filled Beltway, and try to avoid zombie presidents rising from their graves.

"You can tell they put a lot of thought into it," said David Miller, a 41-year-old mental health advocate. "I don't really play mini golf, but it's pretty innovative. For D.C. to have a space this big dedicated to golfing is kind of cool."

Other holes feature King Kong climbing the Washington Monument and giant Lego-inspired office workers swinging briefcases to block the cup. Most likely to bring smiles to the faces of longtime D.C. residents? Marion Barry makes an appearance in a hole modeled after the statue "The Awakening."

Sometimes it seems as if people are ignoring their game to marvel at the decor, especially the zombie Lincoln and Roosevelts, or a giant painting of the flag-raising at Iwo Jima. Look closer, and you'll see it's given texture by hundreds of green plastic army men glued to the wall.

The course is a lot of fun, but don't be fooled by its small size: This is a very tricky par-22, especially the hole that requires you to putt up the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial.

"It's deceptive," said Michael Solem, 38, who works for the Association of American Geographers and was playing a round with his friends. "It looks so simple, but it's not. . . . It's very evocative of D.C., especially the parking attendant [on hole No. 7]."

The scene: The course isn't the only attraction at the Country Club, a large building that has almost 7,000 square feet over two levels. On the first floor, groups of 20-somethings to 40-somethings crowd around the long bar or nestle into comfy booths, cheer for friends playing Skee-Ball or challenge one another to games of pool. Perhaps the coolest place to have a drink is the cozy upstairs bar, which features hundreds of used golf balls behind glass panels, sculptures made of old birdhouses and a forest of golf trophies.

In your glass: Margaritas, Mexican beers and sangria are the beverages of choice. The margaritas are basic, but well made, and the house sangria is very drinkable. I did raise an eyebrow when I was charged $6 for a bottle of Dos Equis. (I'd rather just pay the extra buck for a margarita.)

On your plate: There's a Mexican menu developed by well-known chef Ann Cashion that includes pork rib carnitas and lamb enchiladas. Be aware that the full entrees, which are $15 to $22, are served only in the upstairs dining room; a smaller selection of appetizers (nachos, tamales, a tasty lobster tostada) is offered at the bar.