The establishment is situated in a Japanese-style wooden house built in the 1920s on Xinsheng South Road.

The teahouse is named after the three wisteria vines planted in the front courtyard forming a shaded area leading to the entrance of the building.

[citation needed] The house served as a residence for the Governor-General of Taiwan under Japanese rule prior to 1945 and became government dormitories under the Republic of China administration in 1950.

The building became a teahouse and gained its present name in 1981 and was meeting place for political dissidents such as Lei Chen (雷震) fighting for a democratic Taiwan during the 1980s.

Since then, Wisteria House has been and continues to be a favored meeting place for Taipei literati, artists, and academics.