Privé, the Memphis restaurant and lounge tied to rapper Yo Gotti, now requires every guest to be at least 30 years old and present a valid government-issued ID at the door.
The policy took effect around the start of August 2026. For more than a decade the spot at 6980 Winchester Road had welcomed patrons 21 and older. A notice posted at the entrance states the change is meant “to enhance our dining experience.” Guests still must show identification even if they are well past 21.
Yo Gotti, whose legal name is Mario Sentell Giden Mims, has long been connected to the business. He purchased the restaurant for his mother, Geraldine Mims, who has served as chef and manager. Her daughter Robin Mims has also been involved in operations. The family-owned spot specializes in American soul food, seafood, steaks, and cocktails and has hosted live entertainment.
The new age floor arrives against a backdrop of repeated police calls. Memphis Police Department records show 13 incidents linked to the establishment in the past year. One of the most serious occurred on the night of March 29, 2023, shortly after closing time — part of a wider pattern of Memphis hip-hop-linked shootings that include the fatal shooting of Patrick Houston Jr., Juicy J’s nephew, in the city at 21.
According to police, an altercation that began inside spilled into the parking lot. Gunfire erupted around 11:15 p.m. Officers found two men shot. One, identified in charging documents as Terrial Alexander, was pronounced dead at the scene. The second, Larry Bailey, was taken to Regional One Hospital and later died from his injuries, as Memphis NBC affiliate WMC Action News 5 reported at the time. Five other people—four men ages 37, 35, 31 and 30, and a 25-year-old woman—arrived at hospitals in private vehicles with gunshot wounds, with BlackEnterprise confirming seven total victims and roughly 40 rounds fired.
Three men were charged in connection with the shooting. Johnny Sanford, then 36, faced first-degree murder and convicted-felon-in-possession counts; court records indicate he had a prior robbery conviction from 2007. Damone Joseph Sykes, then 31, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, robbery, and firearm offenses. Kendrick Gray, then 30, faced first-degree murder, attempted murder, and weapons charges — charges that mirror the structure used in the arrest of Kevin Brown in the Sayso P Memphis rapper shooting. Surveillance video and witness statements tied them to the exchange of gunfire. All three were later indicted in Shelby County Criminal Court, in a jurisdiction that has also processed cases like the Sauce Walka Memphis shooting survivor saga.
Restaurant attorney Arthur Horne said at the time that nothing of the violence occurred inside the building and that the business had operated for a decade without a comparable incident — a position that tracked with Complex’s reporting that Memphis police had already shut down Privé as a precaution following Young Dolph’s murder, a closure that grew out of the same feud. Yo Gotti was not present that night, and no family members were involved, according to statements made then.
Local diners interviewed after the age change expressed support. Reginald Bennett told reporters the restriction “is the way it needs to be right now.” Lakesha Bennett said an older crowd tends to be “laid back” and “chill” without the “riff-raff.”
Tennessee law allows private restaurants and bars to set consistent age-based admission policies. Privé management has not publicly confirmed that the police calls or the 2023 deaths prompted the new rule. The only stated reason remains the desire to improve the dining atmosphere — a defensive posture familiar from the tribute that the Memphis spot where Young Dolph was shot held on his 40th birthday. No additional house rules have been announced beyond the 30-and-over requirement and the existing ID check.
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The restaurant continues to operate at its Winchester Road location in the Hickory Hill area, serving its regular menu of soul food, seafood, and drinks under the revised entry standard.
