V12 Restaurant & Sports Bar opens Saturday in Midtown with rapper Quavo as partner

Other owners include siblings behind Sovereign Sweets in Buckhead
Vinny Watson (from left), rapper Quavo and Kelan Watson are the partners in Midtown lounge and restaurant V12. / Courtesy of V12

Credit: PRINCE_WILLIAMS

Credit: PRINCE_WILLIAMS

Vinny Watson (from left), rapper Quavo and Kelan Watson are the partners in Midtown lounge and restaurant V12. / Courtesy of V12

Restaurant and sports bar V12 opens May 4 in Midtown. Migos rapper Quavo is one of the partners behind the concept.

Located at 610 Spring St. NW, in the same strip as a BP gas station and drive-thru Tim Horton’s, V12 comes from brother and sister Vinny and Kelan Watson, Atlanta natives who also own and operate dessert shop and cocktail bar Sovereign Sweets on Roswell Road in Buckhead.

It’s there that the siblings met Quavo, a frequent customer who expressed interest in partnering with them on a new venture. Vinny, who said he has long dreamed of owning his own restaurant, had already been working on V12 with Kelan and brought the rapper on board.

While the Watsons have been in the hospitality industry for years, this is Quavo’s first foray into the hospitality space. Earlier this year, he partnered with spirits company Sazerac to launch cognac brand White X.

Vinny, the managing partner, said he’s “not a clubber,” he “has a passion for people, and saw the need for the space. Doing a lot of traveling, I’ve experienced different cultures and the way they entertain, and Atlanta needed that.” He adds that he has plans to roll out more locations of V12 in Atlanta and other big cities.

Much of the furniture at Atlanta club and restaurant  V12 comes from the Netherlands and Spain. / Courtesy of V12

Credit: Courtesy of V12

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Credit: Courtesy of V12

The 7,500-square-foot space features two private rooms, named the Kelan and the Vinny, that both seat up to 30 people and provide VIP service. V12′s furniture and lighting, including multiple chandeliers, were brought in from the Netherlands, Spain and Italy, in addition to local art and a sky box with a view of the Atlanta skyline, hookah and a retractable roof. The vibe is in part inspired by the casinos where Vinny played blackjack as a professional gambler before opening a design firm, and later, Sovereign Sweets.

A makeshift Lamborghini, from Quavo’s performance of “Lamb Talk” on “The Tonight Show” hangs from the ceiling and more than 20 TVs throughout the venue will broadcast sporting events.

The menu includes small plates like Thai chili calamari, buttermilk fried popcorn shrimp tossed with popcorn, and cheesesteak and chicken egg rolls; salads; steaks; entrees including blackened salmon and pomegranate lamb chops; burgers; and sides like candied yams and loaded baked potatoes.

Much of the furniture at Atlanta club and restaurant  V12 comes from the Netherlands and Spain. / Courtesy of V12

Credit: Courtesy of V12

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Credit: Courtesy of V12

“We wanted to create a menu that was comfort food with classic and contemporary cuisine, but elevated,” Vinny said.

The beverage program, managed by the Watsons’ older sister Simone Hopson, features seven cocktails themed after cars with V12 engines including the Maybach Sour with whisky, sour mix, foam and a Lambrusco red wine floater and the Blackberry Bugati with smoked cognac, muddled blackberries, lemon and agave. The bar also offers seven classics like the Sidecar and Paper Plane. beer, wine and nonalcoholic options.

“V12 is for lovers of art, music, sports and good food and drinks,” said Kelan, who serves as the marketing director. “They can come together in one space.”

Opening hours are 5 p.m.-midnight Sundays and 5 p.m.-2:30 a.m. Mondays-Saturdays.

610 Spring St. NW, Atlanta. resy.com/cities/atlanta-ga/venues/v12-restaurant

Scroll down to see the full food and drink menu for V12:

V12 menus

Credit: Handout

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Credit: Handout

V12 menus

Credit: Handout

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Credit: Handout

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