An Über spot to envelope the inner cultural diva or divo and a place where being immersed in years of history is projected in a trendy setting, was the vision Hong Kong native and owner Maggie Lee had when opening Tatáme Lounge, the SoHo mimicked sake and tea lounge in Winter Park, Florida.
Tatáme, translating as "she's too beautiful" in Chinese, is a three-year-old, 1,200 square foot dive that specializes in premium sake bottle service; bubble tea – flavored milk tea with filled with soft tapioca balls – and is known for their extensive list of saketini's. The eclectic décor boasts a continuously changing series of independent artistic works that are available for purchase. A graffiti backdrop of the city's skyline along with a picture wall recapping those forgotten nights, seamlessly fuses Orlando's "who's who" crowd with a hint of Chinese culture.
"I'm hoping to utilize Tatáme Lounge as an art outlet and to design a unique business structure that will inspire fellow young women to start their careers early," says Lee, when asked about her inspiration.
Catering to its populist crowd, the university student, the lounge turned study also offers free WIFI, oversized couches and a community round table perfect for team meetings. Books turned "booze," the study progressively turns nightlife where post dinner hours, guests enjoy a weekly line-up of live performances by local-based musical groups and DJs. Tatáme prides itself in being a trendsetter within the local art and music scene. Many popular Orlando-based artists have launched their careers at the lounge.
Awards:
- Best of Winter Park Award 2008 [U.S. Local Business Association]
- Best of the Best Global Destination Editor's Pick 2008 [Florida International Magazine]
- Best Date Spot 2008 (2 yr in a row!) [AOL City Guide]
- Best "Whatever" (2nd place) 2008 [Orlando Weekly]
- Best Art Gallery (2nd place) 2008 [Orlando Weekly]
- Best Art Gallery 2007 [Orlando Weekly]
- Best "Whatever" 2007 [Orlando Weekly]
- Best Tea House (3rd place) 2007 [Orlando Weekly]
- Best Local BigShot (Maggie Lee-3rd place) 2007 [Orlando Weekly]
- Best Date Spot 2007 [AOL City Guide]
- Best Saké 2007 [Best City Eats Magazine]
- Best HangOver Remedie 2005 [Orland Weekly Editor's Pick]
From the Media:
AOL City Guide
"It's not everyday you come across a place named after floor mats, but then again, it's not everyday you come across a place like Tatame. This ''Hong Kong-inspired lounge'' fuses an ostensibly Asiatic mix of Music, Art, Tea and Sake (M.A.T.S., get it?) in a backdrop that's sleek as well as inviting." - Faiyaz Kara
Orlando City Beat
"Tatame is perhaps the oddest Wi-Fi spot I went to. Sure, it's a sophisticated, atmospheric joint that is likely to become one of my favorite spots to get a drink... You can sit either at a table or on the floor (which is less indignant than it sounds) amid the Japanese art and trendy people that wander in, and feel at home and relaxed in this lounge." - Paul Hiebing
Orlando Sentinel
"And while the decor at Tatame draws largely on Asian influences, Georgiev says the overall vibe reminds him of home. "The atmosphere is pretty much Japanese," says Georgiev. "But the way you chill with people and listening to techno music, the social atmosphere really reminds me of Europe.'' Tatame also appeals to Georgiev, who is not yet old enough to drink, because it's open to the 18-and-older crowd." Everyone who goes there [to Tatame], they go like they are really going out," he says. "They really dress up, and it changes the atmosphere; it's pretty stylish. "We just relax, have fun and listen to the same music." - Terry Ward
Orlando Weekly
"(Maggie) Lee settled on a Fairbanks Avenue location and decided to turn it into a teahouse/sake bar to give lounging urbanites a choice rather than coffee. She also carefully chose the amenities, such as wireless connection with the college crowd in mind and a stage for local musicians. Outfitted with Asian floor mats and simple furniture that evokes the sleek, Japanese aesthetic of anime, Tatame is like lazing about in a comic book…. The bubble tea at Tatame is heavenly…. The sake assortment covers a variety of hot and cold sakes." – Adrian J.S. Hale
Orlando Sentinel
"Local artists contribute much of what is covering the walls, including funky sketches and prints…. But after a couple of shots of sake, what most impresses is the window treatment on the bathroom door. I'm not giving too much away on this because it's too fun to discover on your own. Just remember to try a different pose out on your friends with each flip of the light switch for maximum entertainment value." – Kelly Fitzpatrick
The Sandspur
"Every night there is something going on at Tatame. It can even be rented out for private parties. Mostly though, there is live music and showings of local artists' and Lee's own work. Tatame is best known for its bubble tea and sake. Lee did not want just the normal, everyday sake, a Japanese alcoholic beverage distilled from long-grain rice and black koji, and the menu proves that. There are at least ten different types of the sake, all with fruit juices fused into it. The bubble tea is tea with cream and thick spheres at the bottom. Tatame is a great place to sit back and relax or to go out on a date to. And if you aren't enticed by any of this, just seeing the paintings of the cute mascot in his little red ninja suit carrying a sake glass and tea kettle should get you out of bed." - Kelly McNoldy
