Panama Hotel

Panama Hotel is a beautiful, serene tea house in the historic International District. Like many buildings in the area, it was Japanese-owned before World War II, but after the internment, it was bought again by a Japanese owner. She turned it into a tea-house and museum, that today serves as sort of a community center / historical marker / coffee shop. If you're just looking for a great latte or some fresh tea, it's a perfect spot: quiet, beautiful, and tasteful, it's a great alternative to Starbucks. If you want a little more though, take a second look. You'll find a window in the floor reflecting down onto some old dusty trunks, left there by Japanese inhabitants when they left for camps and never returned. You'll see pictures on the walls of the businesses and architecture of the area throughout the past century; and you'll discover downstairs one of two remaining Japanese bathhouses in the country. And they have the coolest bathrooms arond. Once or twice I've found their tea to be over-steeped. Other than that, there's really not much to complain about. more

I typically go here after a hard days work. They have an assort of green teas which is awesome. The staff and owner is very nice, she is usually around Saturday nights. The pricing on their tea is not too bad. The average pot will cost you about 7 dollars. You will have to make reservations if you come in a big group, I think a gourp of 10. You can only make reservations if you purchase a minimum of like $4 a group. All in all, a great place to drink tea and have some quiet time. more

The Panama Hotel is hidden in Seattle's International District on Main Street. The building houses the only remaining Japanese bathhouse (Sento) left intact in the US. They offer tours of the old bathhouse, which occupies the lower floor. Above this space sits the beautifully appointed teahouse. If you love tea, this is a great place to experience flavors and caffeine from all over the world. If coffee's your thing, they have an espresso bar that boasts a 'green tea latte.' Along the walls of the upper and lower spaces are several historic photographs that show what the area looked like around the time of WWII. The teahouse feels steeped in local history and is a must for coffeehouse fans who want a new place to sit and chat with friends. more