What happens at Cantaritos El Güero in Amatitán
Half the tequila tours we compare finish their day at Cantaritos El Güero, a huge open-air bar in Amatitán. It is loud and cheerful, and it changes the mood of the trip. Below, what you pay for there and how to enjoy it without losing the evening.
A drink served in a clay pot
A cantarito is a drink and the cup it comes in. The clay pot is filled with tequila, citrus juices, grapefruit soda and salt.
Cantaritos El Güero, in Amatitán on the road between Guadalajara and Tequila town, has made the drink its whole business. It is a big open-air bar rather than a quiet tasting room, and on a busy day it feels like a party.
The drink is closer to a long, fruity cocktail than to a shot. The citrus and soda hide the tequila well, which is part of the fun and part of the risk after a day of samples.
Amatitán itself is a tequila town too, with distilleries of its own. Our pick visits a second distillery there earlier in the day, and Destino Agave stops at El Pedregal hacienda nearby, so the bar often comes at the end of a stretch spent in the same area.
Which tours stop there
Three of the six trips on our list end at El Güero. The other three skip it, which is worth knowing if a bar stop is either the reason you are booking or the part you would rather avoid.
| Tour | The stop | Drinks there | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Agave Experience | 45 minutes, live banda and mariachi | Check the listing | ~$149 |
| Destino Agave | Last stop of the day | Paid by you | ~$59 |
| GDL Experiences | A long, extended finale | Paid by you | ~$42 |
The pyramid day with KanKan Tours skips the bar, and so do both trips built around José Cuervo. If you want the pyramids instead, our Guachimontones guide covers the quieter route.
Banda, mariachi and a big crowd
The Agave Experience lists live banda and mariachi for its 45 minutes at the bar. Expect brass, singing at the tables and groups of friends ordering rounds, more fiesta than tasting.
Weekends tend to be busier than weekdays, since local families and groups from Guadalajara come too. If you prefer more room at the tables, a weekday trip is the safer bet; our guide to when to book covers busy dates.
Paying at the bar
On Destino Agave and GDL Experiences, food and drinks at Cantaritos are paid on the spot. Destino Agave adds that there is no minimum spend, so you can sit with a soft drink if you like.
Carry pesos in small notes for the bar and for tips. A low fare plus an evening of rounds can end up costing more than a dearer tour; our price guide shows what each fare leaves out.
GDL Experiences is the cheapest tour on our list at ~$42, and the bar is its long finale. That makes it good value for a group that wants the party, and less so for anyone who does not.
The trade-off sits earlier in the day. A long bar finale leaves less time in Tequila town and a shorter tasting at the artisanal factory, so the cheapest fare buys you more fiesta and less learning.
GDL Experiences holds 4.7 from 200+ reviews on GetYourGuide and 4.5 from 27 on Viator, at about the same price on both. Compare the two before you book, and read what each says about the meeting point at Calle Aurelio Aceves 225.
The longest night at El Güero
GDL Experiences pairs agave fields and an artisanal tequila factory with free time in Tequila and an extended last stop at the bar. Food and Cantaritos drinks are on you, so compare both sites.
How much tequila is in one
A cantarito is large, and how much tequila goes into it depends on the pour. It comes at the end of a day that may already have included several samples, so treat the first pot as your last unless you feel fine.
You do not have to finish it. Sharing a pot works well, and you can ask for a drink without alcohol. The legal drinking age in Mexico is 18, and nobody on the trip should be driving afterward.
Our guide to pacing a tequila day has nine practical tips, from breakfast to water between samples. The ride back to Guadalajara lasts roughly an hour and a half, so leave the bar with a clear head.
Who enjoys the stop, and who does not
- Groups of friends and anyone after a party ending
- Travelers who like live music and a busy local crowd
- People on a budget, through GDL Experiences from ~$42
It suits a quiet tasting day poorly. If you want to compare blanco, reposado and añejo with time to think, Destino Agave's paired tasting or our pick's cellar session gives you more; our tasting guide explains what to look for.
For a day built around one famous name rather than a bar, see the José Cuervo Express guide or Estación Turística GDL's La Rojeña trip from ~$150.
Taking the clay cup home
Many people take the cup home as a souvenir. The clay is thin and breaks easily, so wrap it in a shirt or a sock before it goes in a suitcase.
If you buy bottles in Tequila town as well, pack them together with care. Our Tequila town guide covers shopping there and checking your airline and customs allowance.