Via Canal Street

Name: Via Canal Street
Address: Via Manchester, Canal Street, Manchester, UK, Manchester
Telephone: +44 161 236 6523
Rating: 3.9

Manchester's Best Live Cabaret Venue

Average Reviews

About

Via Manchester stands as a vibrant and popular destination in Manchester's iconic gay village. Known for its dark wood décor and lively atmosphere, it's a perfect spot for enjoying tasty cocktails and live entertainment, including fabulous drag shows. The nightclub buzzes with energy, especially during the weekend DJ sets and live music performances. Its contemporary interiors and outdoor tables by the water make it an ideal place for a casual cocktail in the sunshine. In terms of cuisine, Via Manchester offers an array of options including Mexican and International dishes, catering to various dietary preferences like vegetarian. The bar is known for being affordable and welcoming, creating an inclusive and fun environment for all its patrons.

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Reviews

3.9

Based on 675 reviews

Jacki and family Gorman (Jacki)

15:25 19 Feb 25

The atmosphere is amazing. The food was absolutely delicious and catered to both a cheeky treat for my partner and a healthy option for myself. The staff are so sweet and lovely. We will be back soon!

Pratik J

11:54 10 Feb 25

Fantastic Saturday Night Out at Via Manchester – A Must-Visit in the Gay Village!Via Manchester is hands down one of the best venues in the Gay Village! The atmosphere is electric, with great music that keeps the energy high all night. The venue itself is impressively spacious, spread across multiple floors, giving plenty of room to dance and explore different vibes.The dance floors are fantastic—whether you want to let loose with friends or just soak in the lively crowd, there’s always a great spot for you. The security staff is incredibly friendly and professional, making sure everyone feels safe and welcome. The service at the bar is quick and efficient, with a great selection of drinks at reasonable prices.Whether you're a regular or visiting for the first time, Via offers an unforgettable night out with its amazing music, great crowd, and vibrant atmosphere. Highly recommended!

Patrick McDougall

23:26 30 Jan 25

Didn't eat, but the bar service was super friendly, and the free drag acts such high quality.Such a lovely place to have the best conversations that can occasionally lead to great fun ... such a friendly crowd.

Chris Carson

17:41 02 Jan 25

Called in for a quick pint before my train. Rainbow Pilsner is only £2.90. Seems a nice enough bar and rather quiet which is what I was looking for. There is a food menu on as well. Need to make it clearer to passers-by that they're open.

Gordii Kodubovskyi

18:39 18 Dec 24

WARNING: Gays detected 😐That aside, an excellent bar for gays - and by gays, I obviously mean… uh… straights… mmm… ah… yeah.First impressions? Immediate visual buffet: a 19-year-old twink deep in conversation with his 45-year-old daddy, a straight couple sulking quietly in the corner (like they wandered in by accident but decided to stay), and an older gentleman at the bar eyeing the young boys with a look that says “community spirit.” Yes, folks, I can confirm: the community is thriving here 😎😋The bartenders? Cute. The drinks? Also cute - by which I mean borderline lethal.If you find yourself on a one-day Manchester pilgrimage as a self-proclaimed “man of the world,” this spot gets my recommendation. Enjoy responsibly (or don’t—this place doesn’t seem to judge)

Chris Lyme Regis

23:50 16 Dec 24

Haven't been here for a couple of years, came last weelend and still seems to be a great place to visit. Friendly staff, clean and tidy and a great vibe inside. Music was good too. Will definitely be back.

Kevin 7752

14:57 04 Dec 24

Just moved to Manchester a few weeks ago and thought to check out this bar - and was really amazed. What a beautiful place! Staff was great and the entertainment on Sunday night was outstanding! Definitely coming back again and again.

Ángel Pavón

10:17 26 Nov 24

I had an incredibly disappointing experience here on Saturday night, November 23rd. My group of friends (8 people) and I were denied entry under the pretext that we were “too many”, yet minutes later, another group of 8 or more people was allowed in without issue. The only visible difference I saw? We were not British.As a gay person, I’ve always valued LGBT+ spaces as places of inclusivity and community, but this experience made me feel excluded in a way I never have before. When I asked for clarification, the staff refused to provide any reasonable explanation (they kept saying that we were too many when they just let enter other group of 8 or more people).A place that claims to represent inclusivity should do better than to make paying guests feel unwelcome based on where they come from. This experience was deeply upsetting, specially when coming from a staff member that claimed to be from the LGBT+ community.Edit after the owner answer: Your claim that members of our group were intoxicated is simply false. None of us were intoxicated, and I believe your security staff have body cameras that can confirm this. We politely asked why our group was denied entry while another group of the same size was let in, and when no clear explanation was provided, we questioned what appeared to be discriminatory treatment because we were not British. I will not stay silent when I feel I’m being treated unfairly, and I hope you can take a closer look at this incident.

Ani Shin Sky

10:04 26 Nov 24

Had a really bad experience on Saturday 23rd of November night. My friends and I went out (group of 8) and tried to get inside, but the security guy at the door told us no because we were too many. That would have been a reasonable reason if it wasn’t because, right after declining us, they let another group of 8 or more people come in. When confronted the security man he was not giving any explanation. We were not badly dressed or wearing anything not appropriate. We were not a hen do. We were not drunk or intoxicated. The only difference with the group that was let in, is that we were not British, we were Spanish. We did not talk rude.This was a really bad experience and as someone from the lgbtq community as well as my friends, we felt very discriminated. We will never come here again.*reply to the answer received by the owner*We were NOT intoxicated at all. We were just normal people trying to enter a bar. We asked politely, but when right in front of our face you let other people pass for no reason we obviously were not happy about it when I repeat the only difference with the other group is we were not British. Even in the comment you didn’t even know how many people were, making it seem like you just made it up. What did we do that could give you a say we were “intoxicated”? We were not asked if we were fine either. So why do you keep lying? And abuse? Abuse is not letting someone pass just because of where they are from. We did not insult the security, we just asked for a reasonable explanation that they were not giving.We were given a totally different reason for not letting us go in, which was not applied to another group of people just in front of our eyes. And when we ask for explanation in a comment, you tell us we were intoxicated or that we abuse the security which is just not true, giving a totally different reason that was given at the door which makes it look really suspicious.

Stefano Gobbin

14:05 25 Nov 24

The bar is wonderful! It was all set up for Halloween and it was spectacular! Talented performers (drag queens, singers, etc). I had a lot of fun and had a great time!

David J Millar

22:33 12 Nov 24

Had a great Sunday lunch nice food and drinks and lovely service .met some friends there and after lunch tried a few other places in canal street but we returned to via it stood out above some of the other establishments has having a friendly vibe and great service

Kenneth C.

22:23 06 Nov 24

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...

lorene wheatcroft

15:28 02 Nov 24

Come into via most Saturdays. Food great aswell as the atmosphere and the staff are lovely friendly and professional especially Aaron when always looks after us. Not forgetting Gill and Nathan who always have time for a quick hello and a friendly smile.

Adam

12:45 28 Oct 24

Poor management. Poor customer service and lack of empathy. I spoke to three different staff members about our drinks vanishing when me and my friends nipped out for a cigarette. We were gone five minutes and on our return we noticed our £40 round of drinks was gone. The manager Matty used a lazy spiking policy excuse. I’m a bartender myself and in my years of working at a bar can count on my fingers the spiking cases I’ve dealt with. Ruined what was a lovely Sunday night I was having with visiting friends. No surprise it’s a dying bar.

Tom L

21:41 14 Oct 24

We were in Manchester for 13 nights & ventured to VIA 3 times. It is a fun place for dancing, drinking & music. And the queens here actually know how to sing. No lip synching.The space is split over many levels. Lots of rooms and staircases tucked all over. Plus a few different places to buy a drink. Best of all: no cover charge.The place is attitude free: all are welcome. Bouncers & bartenders friendly & polite (although it is pretty hectic). On weekends the place tends to be packed.For a night out in The Village in Masnchester VIA gets our vote.

R Nightingale

12:40 23 Sep 24

Got rejected because I’m trans 👎 don’t go here if you’re a t-girl, you won’t be welcomed. They didn’t specifically say why, gave me a couple of fake reasons that kept changing, but my straight cis girlys were allowed in and I got told no at the door, that’s the only difference between us. Gay clubs should be for all LGBT+ people, they’re supposed to be our spaces. Wild to cater to cishets but reject a trans girl.EDIT: to reply to their reply, I was not intoxicated. This was the first place we tried to get in and I’d only had one small glass of wine and lemonade whilst getting ready, I was clearly not even tipsy. We then went on to be accepted into 5 clubs in the gay village and had a great time, we were not rejected anywhere else, we were welcomed with open arms. It is absolutely categorically untrue that I was “intoxicated”. The bouncer initially said it was my dress that wasn’t good enough to get in, but then changed it to “we’re full”, but then continued to let other people in. We all know the real reason why 🏳️‍⚧️🙄 Instead of taking responsibility and reeducating their door staff, they’d rather turn the responsibility on to me. They clearly refuse to take any accountability or make any positive changes and instead prefer to victim blame and lie.Vile behaviour 👎🏼

Jake Murphy

10:03 23 Sep 24

Beautiful building with an amazingly unique layout. My friends and I agreed it gave Harry Potter vibes and made you feel very important. There were several balcony/walkway areas where you could stop and overlook the venue. Very cool, would recommend. The portion sizes for the drinks were very fair also, and reasonably priced.

Lee Phillips

17:12 21 Aug 24

A great bar on Canal StreetGreat drag show last night.Shame I walked in nearer the end but saw enough.Has plenty of room and nice staff

Annie Friedrich

08:26 28 Jul 24

We spent the remainder of our night in Manchester's Gay Village in the Via Club yesterday.Everything looked fabulous inside, the music was fantastic and the atmosphere was amazing. The crowd sang along to each and every song and the vibe was contagious. Hours flew by and we enjoyed ourselves so much. The bartenders were also super nice and did a great job.We will cherish the memories we've made here forever and will definitely come back again!

Jack Bramhall

06:53 23 Jul 24

A must if you are visiting canal street/gay village. Always a great atmosphere, and good drag entertainment, when busy there’s multiple bars (downstairs and far back right). Miss “under Via” though - was always good to have a bit of a dance down there.

Maisam Lamsehchi

19:16 22 Jun 24

Not too busy for a hot day. But great food great atmosphere and an amazing chill way to start a sat. Lovely and attentive staff. Was easy getting a drink. Pizza I amazing

Samuel Townshend

09:14 01 Jun 24

Always a great atmosphere and one of our favourite places to visit in Canal Street. Stayed for food yesterday (Friday 31/05/2024) and had the spicy nachos. A lovely waitress could see me struggling with the heat of the amazing food so brought me a glass of milk on the house. Thank you!

dan

08:48 10 May 24

Spent a couple of hours here last Friday for the first time in a few years and had a blast. The barman who served us was very friendly and the DJ’s tune selections were immaculate. We will definitely be back soon!

Daniel

13:48 07 May 24

This was the first ever bar I visited on Canal Street. The staff are absolutely lovely and the food and drink is excellent. Can get a bit busy later on but that's to be expected. Also I love the decor.

John Browne

07:10 02 Apr 24

We have a regular Saturday get together always friendly helpful staff and good food recommended all our m8s from London live the place

Daniel Clinton

22:26 24 Mar 24

So fun, this is a staple for a night out in gay village. Drag and tribute acts are so entertaining. It is always busy on the weekends which makes for a great atmosphere. Although I have noticed there are more weird people in here compared to other gay clubs and bars but that’s not the establishment’s fault. Drinks are expensive which is especially noticeable when they are some very cheap places in the village. The interior is pleasant and it is large so lots of different areas of the bar to explore. Always have a good time in there

Immy Corson

12:15 24 Mar 24

Amazing place, huge variety of seating areas. Multiple bars which is great during peak times. Often has drag shows and DJs which are always great. Staff are also amazing!Drinks are quite pricey, and does get very busy during peak days. Lots of toilets.Very lovely atmosphere, definitely recommend.

Trixie

07:01 24 Mar 24

Best nightclub come across so far, surrounding over night clubs that are near by. Bouncers aren’t rude, service is good.In love with the layout and the architecture of the building😍 Some of the people in there aren’t pleasant- overall enjoyed it

Mark Pedley

21:55 20 Mar 24

One of the gay village’s best venues by far. The only downside is that it gets too busy sometimes and it’s hard to move - but it’s a great night out. I’d definitely recommend to anyone visiting Manchester.

Jason Clayton

09:39 26 Feb 24

Didn't have food large vodka and coke around £9 mark which is pretty good these day's. Quite busy on a Sunday afternoon would recommend, loads of interesting seating

Primm Guy

17:46 10 Feb 24

I had the big burger it was a life changing experience. I feel spiritually more full then ever . Would do again .

Shaun “Starman”

19:16 09 Feb 24

I have been here a few times over the last six months as I have started to revisit the Village after twenty years. I find the atmosphere here quite relaxing and unassuming. People are who they want to be and everyone seems to get on and enjoy the evening. Even I had managed to strike up a conversation in here and I am generally very shy. There's downstairs, where people dance a lot and there's upstairs where people talk and dance a lot. There are little cosy recesses, where people sit and chat a lot. I quite like it and generally come in here every time I visit.

Jean Goussen.

21:14 18 Jan 24

First time in Manchester and came to this lovely place and I had such a wonderful time. Staff were so lovely and friendly. I’m definitely coming back on my next visit to Manchester.

Laura Alberdi

12:25 10 Dec 23

Went out with some friends and I was not allow enter the club cause of the type of shoes I was wearing. Security told me that cause my heels were slide ins I was not allow. Had to go home sadly. I don't think I would go there ever again or recommend it

Berteee Boi

14:19 22 Oct 23

Food was really good. Needed a meal before travelling and it was good pub food. Nice atmosphere too. Young Lady behind the bar seemed a bit sour but maybe she was having a bad day. Can’t wait to come back!

Jay Lamb

14:19 14 Oct 23

Had a really good night in a generally mixed age and demographic (predominantly white but not all) and great to see gender neutral / fluid / trans / non-binary folk present and seemingly comfortable.Door staff friendly and chatty, not intimidating as I’ve read from a few reviews.Multiple bars over multiple floors, it’s a great place on multi-levels like an old theatre or manor. Space to sit and chill and chat or places to stand and dance. Drinks priced as you’d expect. Didn’t try the food.Five of us together, mixed heritage, aging from early twenties to late forties and it suited us all. Mix of music that catered to all our terrible tastes.Great to have gender neutral loos. All single occupancy cubicles so everyone can pee without a falsely created drama!Really pleased we picked this venue for the evening. Can’t compare to others as we didn’t move on having found this suited our group!

Discover With Bailee (DiscoverWithBailee)

01:26 07 Oct 23

Such a lovely bar, great staff, great doorstaff especially Lee, always looked after, always feel safe and very clean a credit to visit and highly recommendThankyou

Michael Lehrman

13:56 03 Sep 23

Only had chips here which were good but can't judge the foodThe show at night though was fun and lively with a diverse crowd including gay and straight people of all ages.

Gavin Oliver

05:31 30 Aug 23

This place is not great. Uses to visit regularly back in late 90s early 2000s. Via has gone down hill. Rude and ignorant bar staff who'd rather chat to their mates than serve you and happily leave you stood there for 5 min while they finish their chat. The door staff are far worse. Rude and aggressive in their tone and on more than one occasion refused entry for no reason and once refused entry as "I don't look gay". If you are anything other than white Caucasian then don't even bother trying to get in!! I refuse to put my money in the till nowadays as the village has many better places. Places where the customer isn't held in contempt like they are here. The sooner the place closes and gets new owners and new staff, the better. Such ashame as it used to be such a good place. You only have to look at negative reviews. The same themes reoccurring. Same response from Via....let us know more so we can improve....this is clearly nonsense as same complaints stretch back years yet still no improvement. Goes to show they clearly don't care and their responses are a bad attempt at damage limitation.

Kunaal Hathi

11:47 15 Aug 23

One of my personal favourites in the gay village! The bouncers are friendly and helpful. There are often live drag acts that are actually pretty fierce and the service at the bar is always good, even when the place is heaving.

Mic

16:49 13 Aug 23

Pretty big pub with a couple of dance floors. Great weekend shows with drag queens and friendly crowd for a night out

Shine

14:54 02 Aug 23

Great place to have a drink and dance the night away! Huge inside with 4 floors and loads of places to sit. Several bars apart from the main one at the front mean you can get served quickly. The Abba show was great. Really good crowd and mix of people.

Neal Stepp

09:22 02 Aug 23

Such a fun spot! Enjoyed the show and banter from the Queen.

Nicolette W

08:12 02 Aug 23

I like Via. They have a good selection of beers and wine although they'd run out of Tempronilla tonight. Staff are friendly. Pub has lots of different areas to sit. Food is good. Good choice of pizzas, both veggie and non veggie. Reasonably priced. A night here will not break the bank.They also have a vegan and gluten free menu. Burgers are very good.

Peter Rosenfeld

10:35 21 Jul 23

Superb, safe venue providing nightly entertainment and a FAB night out. Drink prices fair too. Saw "Whitney" (Ikenna) who was incredible.Highly recommended!!

Caandyman

01:43 14 Jul 23

It’s my favourite place in Manchester but lately upon arrival we can’t go in since we are a group of people, if 4-6 people are denied entry, how you get in? Are you supposed to go in 1 by 1? I been there 1000 times and I see many groups inside with 8-10 people, we are going on Saturday again, are we supposed to go in 2 by 2? You even post photos with groups of 6-8 people on Facebook. Please explain this policy…

Mark Tietjen

18:05 12 Jul 23

I concur with some of the less than complimentary reviews on here. As an older single gay man visiting Manchester, I searched online for a gay environment to have a meal and this place looked good. On arriving there were 3 people behind the bar with another one floating about, one serving a customer the rest doing nothing. I was holding a menu trying to catch their eyes but was completely ignored for about 5 minutes.The menu is well presented giving the impression the food will be good, but the burger I had was only ordinary and included one fatty gooey deep fried onion ring, a hint of lettuce, a hint of bacon and 3 meat patties swimming in sauce.The venue is an obviously heavily used gay bar similar to many found world wide

VISHNU K

01:47 17 Jun 23

Amazing..so good..songs are so good..aCabernet is nice and the security guard also good and nice..drinks are cheap compared to other places..good atmosphere..

ᚨᛖᚦᛖᚱ

19:24 21 May 23

The food is great; the prices are appropriate; the staff is always friendly and welcoming, and the location is absolutely spectacular.

Paul Harris

14:12 29 Apr 23

Loved this bar, plenty of different zones. If you didn't want to watch the drag artist you can go somewhere else and chill. Plenty of bars to get a drink, really great atmosphere and lovely door staff.

marco inderbitzin

18:16 17 Feb 23

Lovely Place, lovely People , nice Atmosphere. Live music during the week. Highly recommended

Jonathan Maher

19:41 19 Jan 23

Amazing venue and the cabaret here is out of this world. Always come here through the week for a pint and show. The staff are brilliant as well and add to the atmosphere of the venue.

YAFEA ALYAFEI

19:01 15 Jan 23

Amazing bar in the heart of Manchester. Great atmosphere. And the music is up my alley. The staff were fast. The prices are great.

Prem Khan

06:09 21 Nov 22

I visited the bar yesterday 20.11.22 in the afternoon. It wasn't busy. I came with my friend as we haven't met since covid. We was considering going to other places but decided to go to Via instead. It was freezing outside so i wanted a warm drink first and my mate got a alcoholic drink. I asked the lady (older white women with grey short hair) who served us what hot drinks do you have please? She looked at me like i asked a stupid question, shrugged her shoulders and looked angry like i asked a killer question. She replied by saying obviously we have tea and coffee that's it. Well, it was obvious to me! It really set the bad tone and i felt embarrassed for my friend. I didn't want to say anything back to her because i just wanted a enjoyable afternoon with my friend. If she was having a bad day please keep it to herself. There is nothing wrong with smiling at customers and trying to be helpful. It doesn't cost anything. There are plenty of other places we could have gone but we chose via for its reputation. We decided to stay regardless.I then went back later to get some more drinks and served by a nice lad. He was polite and helpful.

Dut Ton

19:45 14 Oct 22

Visiting from Edinburgh, I decided to try out your club. It wasn’t usually my particular scene, but soo glad I did come in. I enjoyed it so much I returned a second night.I would like to really say that the venue is not only immaculate, the staff were very friendly also. Making us really welcome. I really wanted to mention your door steward. One girl who was on the door that night is an asset to your club. Not only did she keep the club safe, her observation is incredible. She spotted two male individuals that were about to be a serious problem and she spotted it well before it escalated. One particular male was very threatening toward my girlfriend who I was there with. Your steward removed him before it got me into a difficult situation.I understand it’s not easy to stop the problem at the door, but she did an impeccable job.Many thanks for allowing us access and we will re visit again.

Rafał De

20:57 07 Oct 22

Poped in during an afternoon. Was welcomed by super friendly people behind the counter. They served me nice food and drinks. The fish was gentle, chips were crispy, the pint was tasty. I felt welcomed and loved it. Will come back when in Manchester again.

Louis Bone

16:04 06 Oct 22

My friends and I enjoy a mix of loud music and space to chat. Via was excellent for this.Inside, the setting was a beautiful mix of old and new. The staff were friendly and we enjoyed this bar the most of any on canal street.Would recommend!

Peter Brook

16:32 15 Sep 22

When ever we visit Manchester we always go to Via on Canal Street. Our latest visit today 15/09/22 was just as awesome as it always is.They have a super new food menu with exclusive drinks offers and the food is outstanding.All the staff are super friendly warm and welcoming but two members who always stand out and give a super welcome and awesome service are Joshua and Paul!Thank you Via for all you do for both you customers new and returning as well as your staff. This is definitely one of our all time favourite places to go each time we are in town visiting.

Jose alberto Marquez

17:51 21 Aug 22

AJ was very nice with great customer service. It help me out when I didn’t know what to drink and he guide me throw all drinks available at the bar. Very good knowledge of the product and clearly a keeper.

Megan H

17:32 21 Aug 22

I am obsessed with Via. My girlfriend and I traveled to Manchester from the USA for a very quick (one day) trip. AJ, the bartender, went above and beyond to make us some drinks that are common in the states but not in England. We ended up staying at Via for hours rather than exploring because the atmosphere, patrons, and staff were wonderful!

BeingSian

14:07 20 Aug 22

Incredible both day and night.. Ready for a drag act? You got it, chilled day sesh? The staff and beer selection are amazing and long with an amazing choice of spirits! Be sure to stop into via!

aaron steele

08:28 08 Aug 22

This venue hosts a pre meet for an event I attend on the first Saturday of every month. The staff are friendly, the venue is beautiful and the food and beverage selection is lovely! Thank you guys for being so hospitable to us before our event.

Ellie jude Williams

13:43 06 Aug 22

Had a lovely time afternoon with the girls thank you Tom for being such a legend behind the bar! Good vibes all round.

Arlene Peacock

19:24 30 Jul 22

Loved it here, lovely food... had chicken burger for our lunch. Went back that evening Friday 29-7 2022 to have some drinks & fun and we had an amazing time, such a good happy vibe, friendly staff, great entertainment, great music, everyone was letting their hair down and dancing the night away. Fantastic happy atmosphere. Would definitely recommend going 👌 xxx

Andy B

13:57 26 Jul 22

Awesome venue, and favourite bar on Canal Street.Always popular and always lively, playing great music.Even the entertainment is exceptional too.

Judge Dredd

10:02 24 Jul 22

Really bad experience so I doubt I'll be going back again.Bear in mind I'm a straight guy in my 50s visiting this venue with my wife as it's supposed to be stress-free and pleasant.Not on a Friday or Saturday night for sure.If you're after a pleasant night out try another place and avoid the aggressive male crowds.We were having a little boogie and a young bunch of aggressive guys came to our area and started pushing us out the way. I asked what their problem was and they responded that it was their usual spot so we should move. 😳I'm pretty shocked at this poor attempt at bullying especially as I'm a 4 Dan blackbelt in origami.As a bouncer passed by I told him and he had a word with the guys who then moved away.5 minutes later I'm told that I'm being kicked out for being "too friendly" by their new short bouncer.In another response by the owner on Google reviews they responded that "my group was intoxicated". I have a screenshot.Completely nonsensical and definitely a place I'll be avoiding from now on.

Natalie Black as Adele

10:03 26 Jun 22

I perform my Adele tribute show here and wow such an amazing venue!!There’s a real vibe in here, the atmosphere is always electric! I’ve seen some absolutely world class acts performing here, and it’s free entry!!Not to be missed if you’re visiting Manchester, I can’t recommend highly enough!!

Tom James

15:17 20 Jun 22

Fantastic venue, super friendly and covers all areas in regards to a fun afternoon/evening out in Manchester on Canal street. We spent the afternoon there Thursday enjoying great and very fast table service on the picnic tables outside. Great atmosphere, nice and clean and later on the entertainment was was fantastic. I have been here many times and all of my friends and family love it. Situated in the heart of the gay village, serving heart every time!

Stejaski King

16:47 17 Jun 22

Great staff great venue! Foods good too and the house white is lovely. Keeps the hen party hell to a minimum too.Entertainment nearly every night. A village stalwart and I hope it never changes.

Neil Hudson

13:44 17 Jun 22

Great Atmosphere and Entertainment … food is amazing Would highly recommend Sunday Roast Dinner. Cabaret every night with good vibes, indoor & outdoor seating.Friendly Manager & bar staff.

Scott Southam

22:07 11 Jun 22

The best bar in Manchester! My favourite gay bar in the heart of Canal Street. Always offers the best in cabaret and has the best staff too. A delight to drink in

Remael Gordon

18:42 10 Jun 22

Really great place, the shows they have on are so entertaining! Huge selection of drinks, food is also great! Music is ace too! Would deffo recommend

Josh Hunt

17:07 07 Jun 22

By far the best venue on canal street. Amazing good. Amazing staff and to top it off amazing cabaret. Always the place to be any day of the week.

Thanasis Liapis

10:50 07 Jun 22

Amazing service with great atmosphere.Friendly staff, especially the tall guy with the round glasses and the long long long legs, such a great guy love him

Jonas S

19:20 05 Jun 22

I went with my boyfriend and my Spanish friend yesterday (04/06) to Via. Everything was fine, but we decided to go out for to breathe some fresh air and walk around the Canal St.When we returned, we had a very bad experience. When we tried to get in, the short door guy told us that it was too busy and we should go to another bar. But people kept coming in. So I asked if it was too busy just for us? He told us to look for another bar, no explanations why… Very rude.Now I ask myself, why? We weren't drunk. We don’t use drugs, like so many in there. Dress code? We were inside half hour before and nobody said anything about our clothes. In this case I can only believe that it was discrimination? Really? A shame, even more in this month of pride. You can see the footage (around 1:30 am) to check it out.In the end, my friend who came from Spain to visit did not enjoy the evening.

Stephen Booth

23:13 03 Jun 22

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.

Stephen B.

17:40 03 Jun 22

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...

Collette Connolly

19:05 21 May 22

Stopped by at Via for some food and a drink. I ordered the 'angry hash' burger with seasoned fries. The food was served extra hot but the burger was just mediocre. The seasoned chips had way too much season on, and they were extremely salty as a consequence. Not nice at all.. I was unimpressed

Helen Clarke

13:43 28 Feb 22

A vibe... Great tunes, live shows, drinks, atmosphere. Well worth a trip

Simon Carter

22:19 27 Feb 22

Always come into via whenever I visit manchester. Staff are brilliant and the cabaret is phenomenal. Worth a visit whenever you are in Manchester

rob halfpenny

21:57 27 Feb 22

Excellent venue, perfect starting point for my nights out. Always served by friendly staff and great atmosphere both inside and on warmer days sat out on the street. Lots of lovely areas you can sit in and the decors cool and the club bit downstairs is really enjoyable. Over time via has grown to be fave place of mine on canal street over the other bars.

Mark Jones

16:14 27 Feb 22

Great service, friendly staff. Had a great afternoon here with friends. Highly recommend to anyone 🧡

Calum Eddy

22:46 26 Feb 22

Best bar on canal street by far. Food is excellent and the staff always make me and my friends feel welcome.

Dwayne Campey

18:44 06 Feb 22

Myself and my friends have been Visiting via for many years even during covid, always love the place it’s a home from home amazing staff always busy and drink prices are reasonable. Always come to see the drag shows and every night iv been it’s always been a blast some queens may have the same songs most time but they are always fun to watch and the way they engaging with the audience is always comical.Adding to that, Last night was amazing. the music, the vibe, the DJ was on point playing song after song that I adore always smiling and dancing away. What can I saw the staff look like they enjoy there job there as well always a friendly welcoming face at via. Amazing night will be coming back very soon.

Sophie Watkins

14:12 06 Feb 22

Played umbrella Chris brown remix and when confronted the DJ said "well it's her most successful song" - great to see a Manchester canal Street bar supporting woman beaters. Can't wait to come back and listen to Ignition - R Kelly x

Nathan Bell

14:32 05 Feb 22

Stunning venue, staff are camp as t*ts and the cabaret is fabulous! All round awesome night out and the place to be! ❤️

Rafał De

00:42 19 Jan 22

James McHugh

16:09 02 Jan 22

Food is excellent and cooked to perfection and it fills you up, especially the Sunday roast. Just be aware of long wait times during busy periods but it's worth the wait.Staff are very friendly, this is a nice venue and is a credit to Manchesters Gay VillageWe always come here for something to eat.

Ed Q

04:26 28 Nov 21

This is such a relaxed place.The bar staff are really nice. We spend afternoons here having a drink and natter.

Scott Lillyman

12:30 31 Oct 21

Great atmosphere, friendly and welcoming vibe. My go to place to visit on canal street. Never fail to have a great time 💕

colette kilgallon

13:32 11 Oct 21

We had a fantastic night in here, all the staff were wonderful, so friendly. Best bar in the village by far. Also just want to say the Door Staff were extremely helpful & very polite, via door staff setting a brilliant example for how to be with customers, well done all xx

Matt Sanderson

19:21 14 Sep 21

Lovely as ever! So glad to get back to Via after almost two years. Great atmosphere, lovely people and just wonderfully chilled and relaxing to sit out by the canal with a drink 🙂

Simone Patrick

17:30 12 Sep 21

I absolutely adore this place!Been a couple times and had an amazing night. The bouncer (think his name was Lincoln) was so friendly, warm, smiley, helpful, it honestly makes such a difference to your night out!The bar is spacious, plenty of tables and dance floor space. The drinks are a bit pricey but the service is quick and friendly so I didn't really mind.I will definitely be back!

hanicka musilova

23:25 20 Aug 21

We have stumbled upon this venue when having a day out shopping in Manchester - it's peaceful atmosphere and very attentive staff was just what we needed after busy day shopping. Loved the unique charisma of the interiors but we took advantage of a nice weather and sat outside, it's just a nice and lively place. Food was great, salad was massive, colourful and very tasty! My daughter had a pizza, nice crispy base, fresh basil, really good, can only recommend 👍

Dave Gore

15:49 14 Aug 21

Gorgeous, gorgeous bar. All dark wood and private little alcoves at the back, open areas towards the front. Club room downstairs. Staff are really friendly and welcoming. Good atmosphere inside, welcoming to everyone. Drinks aren't overpriced and are good. Love Via. Don't tell too many other people though, yeah? I still want to be able to get a table!

Mike A.

19:06 28 Oct 16

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...

Paul B.

01:56 28 Jun 15

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...

Angela C.

01:25 17 May 15

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...

Chris T.

06:05 09 May 14

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...

Via Canal Street reviews from Google Maps, Yelp and WhereIsGay