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Via

3.5 (23 reviews)
ModerateGay Bars, British
Closed 12:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

Via Photos

VIA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
DJ
Casual
Outdoor seating

Recommended Reviews - Via

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Reviews With Photos

james b.

Fantastically cosy and refreshingly subdued, Via is amongst the best of what the famous Canal St has to offer. Both a great daytime hangout and a fun place to dance the night away, Via is friendly and inviting to all. The food and drinks are reasonably priced given the famous location and the staff are courteous and polite. Go early, stay late!

Oonagh C.

Really cheesy gothic decor and the latest pop playing when I was there on a Monday night. I suspect it'd be a good place to come and let your hair down and annoy the DJ with your song requests. I came for the monthly comedy night which was a bit underpopulated but very friendly and came with free sweets. The part of the night I wouldn't bother repeating was the food. I got sausage and mash and the sausages were obviously cheap, the mash bland and rubbish gravy from granules (lots of it though). My brother got a lasagne which I tried and it wasn't very good. The staff were good though, especially the Aussie girl downstairs.

Angela B.

Via Fossa is a gorgeous bar with all the eclectic charm of a Barcelona establishment. Although it's won awards for being one of the best gay bars in Manchester, anyone is welcome here and the staff are super friendly. Sit around the bar during the afternoon and chat away to the barman or take a table early evening to enjoy some dinner. I personally found the prices rather reasonable, and whilst we only shared a plate of Chilli Nachos, I saw some other dishes, burgers, curries and steaks that looked extremely inviting.... At night check out the other floors as Via Fossa turns into a club. There's all types of music played here, depending on the night, but generally its focus is firmly on fun - disco, chart music and Ibiza house are all popular choices. It can get very crowded in here though, that's the only downside.

Worst Gay bar in the U.K.
Mike A.

Absolute worst bar I've been too (in any country). I've just come over to visit the U.K. and this was the mrvery first Gay bar I tried to visit. I walked up and straightaway the bouncer said that I looked too drunk to enter... I hadn't had a single drink all night and this was the very first bar I tried to visit. I simply said "OK" and went to the bar immediately to the right of them without issue. Being told I was too drunk to enter when I was absolutely sober at the very first bar I tried to get into in the UK was my only bad experience this entire country. I would dissuade anybody from going to this bar... especially foreigners trying to experience the UK for the first time.

Pawel W.

One of the best dancing bar for over 30 years old people. This is best place if you like music from 80's and 90'( last one is my fevorite), Saturday night is always busy. This is very cosmopolitan place where is mix lots of different people who like drink and dance. Full bar and on the day this is nice place to have relaxing drink and chat with friends.

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2 years ago

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14 years ago

It has gone downhill over the years and is a shaddow of its former self. Shame

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14 years ago

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Review Highlights - Via

Via Fossa is a nice bar on Canal Street, Bar Staff seemed pretty friendly...

Mentioned in 5 reviews

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AXM Club

AXM Club

(6 reviews)

££

Gay Village

Half three on a Sunday morning, we stagger up to the doors clearly worse for the Saturday night we…read morehave just put ourselves through, non of us are dressed particularly well, nor do any of us bother to go through the usual shenanigans of pretending to be gay and yet, after some gentle piss taking, the bouncer waves us in and tells us to have fun. Little things can mean a lot and this was certainly one such occasion. Thanks AXM, we all had a fantastic time with my personal highlight being the slow dance I had with a lady called John who had suspiciously large hands! Will in accordance with the doorman's advice next time- and there WILL be a next time!

Hmph! I was spurned here!…read more I took a stranger to a symphony concert, one I was looking forward to for months, because my friend flaked just an hour before because he forgot he had to star in a French play that night. The stranger oddly enough played bassoon in orchestras, and was a DJ. His name was ... something like Kieran but without all the vowels. Not Kyan. Ah, I blocked it out. Anyway, he told me to stop by his Saturday night DJ gig, so I did. It was full of 17 year-old girls and their not-yet-out boyfriends. K__ played "Brown Eyed Girl" (the *other* popular song that year, along with "Can't Get You Out of My Head") like a million times, so I left after a half hour. We did the little macho fist bump too. Then when I emailed him to go hang out, he gave the whole, "Not looking for more friends in my life," schtick. Dude. Like I even asked to be all attached to your hip, Krygyzstan.

Churchill's

Churchill's

(16 reviews)

££

Gay Village

It's always nice to find a city centre pub that feels like an old man pub, but has a certain…read moresomething. I guess, as James points out, that Churchills' something is the eclectic group of customers who drink harmoniously alongside each other. Yes, as an ex-student and generally quite bourgeoise fool, the sight of a scally strikes the fear o' gawd into me. But it really needn't. At Churchills, everyone is friendly and nice, or they keep to themselves. Though it's a couple of minutes off the main thoroughfare of Canal Street, it still gets sufficiently busy, and never feels empty. That's probably down to the staff as much as the punters, as they are always friendly, and will have a bit of banter with pretty much anyone. As Alexandra says, it's always nice to find £3 doubles in the city centre, and even nicer when they're done well. I had a cracking G&T here a few weeks back, and will certainly be returning for moe. Though perhaps not on a Sunday. Once you've seen a 6'5" drag queen do Back to Black, your karaeoke mojo somewhat shrivels...

To be honest, I'm not really sure if this is a really good pub or a really good novelty…read morekind-of-straight-Canal-St pub. It doesn't really matter, because when I see skinheads and scallies enjoying a pint next to drag queens and leather wearing elderly chaps (no pun intended) it always brings a tear to my eye. What a progressed and civilized gang of drunks we are. Karaoke, cask ale, pub food, pub decor- ohhhh yes. Word of advice- do not approach the DJ, I'm sure he bites.

Via - gaybars - Updated May 2026

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