The architectural detail in here is absolutely stunning! It's worth a visit if for no other reason than the architecture!!! I found the pints reasonably priced. The live entertainment was well done. While the main floor gets very packed, it is still easy to move around and easy to get drinks at any of the several bars inside the establishment. Toilets downstairs on either side, easy to walk around the bar by going up or down on either side to bypass the dance floor. read more

Had 3 friends visiting from London. Bouncers wouldn't let us in because one girl had a bride sash on (as she's getting married). Bouncers said no hen parties. Really pointlessly rude and obnoxious. I am normally a regular at Via but won't be going back. Really humiliating had to try to convince my friends canal street isn't normally like this. Luckily bar pop were really nice and welcoming but doubt my friends will want to come back any time soon. read more

Always a good crowd at Via, its not pretentious and its a great bar in the summer overlooking Sackville Gardens. Drinks are ok priced and just a nice bar to be at really. All the bar staff are down to earth and all the crowd seem friendly and just a great bar to go to with friends anytime of the week. Sometimes they have a Drag Queen on who's usually really funny. read more

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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! read more

Via - Gay Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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. read more

Via - Gay Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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. read more

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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. read more

Via - Worst Gay bar in the U.K. - Gay Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

I LOVE this place. I remember the first time I walked in - I was wowed by the interior, it looks amazing, and is so huge. I think I got lost the first time I walked in. The staff are always friendly and happy to help. They have a good drinks selection, and the restaurant area is lovely, serving a great range of delicious meals and desserts. This is definitely a fave of mine on Canal St! read more

Great place, fun atmosphere. Many floors and platforms to fit everybody's mood, loud or chatty. Alright pub food, though my fries came cold. 1£ for drinks with a meal is a bonus! 2 thumbs up for the genderless bathrooms. read more

Been in here a couple of times the staff are very nice and polite. The bar fairly big you can choose were you want to sit near the bar down stairs or upstairs. The food lovely I had the chilly dog with homemade chunky chips and the prices are not to bad and the drink prices are not that bad eather. All in all very friendly bar and will be visiting again soon. read more

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. read more

Via - Gay Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

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TL;DR - It's a gay bar on Canal Street. Nothing more, nothing less. I've got fond memories of Via Bar since it was the first place I ever visited on Canal Street many years ago. Now though, there's nothing in particular to recommend it over anywhere else - it's got the same problems as everywhere else on the street: expensive drinks and an excess of hen parties. Still, sitting outside on a warm evening is pleasant and it's a great space for people watching. The interior scores points for its unusual layout across multiple levels. read more

Been a little time since I was last in here, but I remembered how good the burgers were and had to make a pit stop :) Not that busy for a Tuesday, but that was ok with me. The burger was worth missing lunch for, although it was falling apart as I was eating it lol. read more

I don't drink, but the food in the restaurant part of this venue is delicious and great value. The decor is wonderful, as much of the interiors were reclaimed from a monastary, and so are gothic and theatrical, which the venue play up to by adding big theatrical curtains, lighting and decoration. The venue is split onto 3 levels, with many areas to sit around and chat. read more

This bar is on Canal Street This bar And there is plenty of seating and lots of outdoor seating as well. The staff was friendly. read more

Via - Gay Bars Near Me - Manchester, XGM

The most cavernous of the less-trashy on the Canal Street gay parade, I met many a friend and did many a round through Via Fossa. I felt like I was just squeezing past people and looking at the bartenders all the time, and the food, while probably good basic bistro style, might have been good, but was expensive for me. I think I was too cheap to enjoy myself as a student whilst there. read more

Came here for my Partners Birthday Celebrations, as I felt Via Bar was a nice place to have drinks and a meal but found on entering the establishment that we were met by a member of the bar staff with a look that made us both feel uneasy. She walked off from our section of the bar, even we were the only people needing serving and chatted to another person a few feet from where we were still waiting to be served. It took us a couple of minutes before another member of staff came over to serve us, which then saw this original bar staff member come back over and serve a female customer. We had our drinks and left without bothering with a meal, which we were upset over, as we have been to the establishment before and never felt to be treated less than any other person. To be honest we felt insulted and discriminated against, as we believed to be in a place where we would be accepted equally as any other person. Seems like this is not the case and to our way of thinking shows that certain people care little for the values that some us hold within the LGBT Community. read more

We came on a very slow Monday night but hurray for the drag queen with the deep Mancunian accent. She kept it livelier than it would have been! read more

Via Fossa is a nice bar on Canal Street, Bar Staff seemed pretty friendly... one or two are a bit of eye candy too. A great place to go for a few drinks and laugh with friends. read more

Always good for summertime (or anytime) fun! A group of us went for drinks over the Bank Holiday and had a great night dancing and making new friends. The crowd isn't at all pretentious and is a good mixture of ages. Which makes me wonder why I've left it so long to visit.....I'll be back soon Via, for more fun times!! ; ) read more

One of the biggest and best clubs in the Village is Via. It has been around longer than most of the other, it use to be called Via Fossa but with a revamp they dropped the Fossa. This bar to me is unique in its design, although it looks like a wooden lodge it looks like a matrix at he same time the stairs leading everywhere, often to leading to little alcoves out of the way where you can sit and it can be a bit more intimate (not in a seedy way). On the basement floor they play music, normally and current pop in the dance floor,, most people go here to drink and the dance floor is novelty filled with people drinking, most people are stood on it drinking as their is limited room in the bar to drink. I lie this place but it can be a nightmare trying to get served on a weekend. read more

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

I visited Via last Tuesday whilst in Manchester with work. I used to go to Via on nights out years ago and loved it. I used the facilities first and then thought I really should order something. Toilets are shared sex toilets, spotlessly clean. I wasn't the easiest customer in the world because I didn't know what I wanted. In the end I ordered a chicken club sandwich and a latte. Coffee was served in a tall glass, really good amount of coffee in there. The chicken club sandwich was really well filled and came with chips for just over £7. I really enjoyed my lunch at Via and would definitely go back. read more