Vegas’s Robot Bartender: Inside the Tipsy Robot Experience

^{Tipsy Robot offers over 100 drink options made up of various types of alcohol that hang from the ceiling. What will you pick? (Photo: Vanessa Alves-Johnson / Casinos.com)}

LAS VEGAS – Would you drink a cocktail made by a robot in Vegas?

At The Tipsy Robot, a bar inside the Venetian and Planet Hollywood, cocktails are mixed by two robotic arms alongside a human bartender. Guests order on kiosks and watch as the machines precisely measure, shake, and pour drinks in about 60–90 seconds. 

The appeal of a robot bartender draws in many tourists and visitors, so it doubles as a mini tourist attraction and quick cocktail stop. But I set out to confirm: is it just a gimmick, or is it a game-changer that could set a new standard for tech in Vegas casino bars?

Two Robot Arms Run the Show

Tipsy Robot first opened at Planet Hollywood in June 2017, and the Venetian location opened at the end of 2023.

Once you walk in, you’ll see the two robotic arms preparing mixed drinks right in front of you. The digital kiosks display more than 100 drink options and allow guests to see exactly what ingredients into each cocktail before ordering.

Once your order is placed, the robotic arms measure precise pours from the bottles hanging from the ceiling, shake up the drink, and place it down in the pickup area.

The robotic bartender, named Makr Shkr, is a “smart tender” bartending system that measures exactly 25 milliliters of alcohol per pour. The machine is also equipped with sensors that shut down the robot if guests get too close, a safety measure that makes sense considering tourists sometimes get curious (or a little too drunk) around the machinery.

The robot only makes cocktails “on the rocks.” Prices range from roughly $15 to $28, pretty standard drink pricing. The menu even includes mocktails alongside the alcohol options. I ordered a Pineapple Planet for about $22.

My cocktail only took about 81 seconds for the robot to prepare. Surprisingly quick, and the drinks from other guests took about the same amount of time.

Each drink includes an automatic 10% service charge that goes to the bartenders working at the venue. Since the robot handles most of the drink preparation, guests rarely leave additional tips.

There’s Still a Human Option!

Despite the robotic setup, humans still play a significant role in the operation.

Take a seat at Tipsy Robot’s human bar, where you can still get lots of drink options and chit-chat with their wonderful bartenders.(Photo: Vanessa Alves-Johnson)

A traditional bar counter sits nearby where guests can order beers, shots, or any other drinks a robot can’t prepare. The human bartender also handles tasks like checking IDs, providing free water, and answering questions about the drinks.

Mary was manning the robot operation at the Tipsy Robot when I visited. She’s a bartender who has worked for the company for seven years and rotates between both properties.

“I’m not worried about robots taking my job,” Mary said. “They can’t do a lot of things like checking IDs. People could try to use fake IDs to buy drinks and I don’t think a robot could catch that.” 

Many of those visitors stop in simply because they’re curious about the robot.

The bar sits next to the escalators leading to the Venetian’s food hall and Grand Canal Shoppes, which means heavy foot traffic throughout the day. I wasn’t the only one filming the machines making drinks and taking photos, unless everyone else is a journalist too!

A guest at Tipsy Robot told me he made a point of visiting the bar often during his stay in Vegas. 

“This is my third time here today!” said Gary, a tourist from Minnesota. “All of the drink options make it kinda hard to pick, but I didn’t know they would have a real bartender here.”

Mary said curiosity is what draws many guests in. Ironically, the venue sits across from a Fat Tuesday, but Tipsy Robot offers a completely different experience.

“The robots get people to stop and look,” she said. “Once they’re here, they usually decide to try a drink.”

Putting the Robot to the Test

One of the biggest claims with Tipsy Robot is speed. The website claims that drinks are made in about 60 to 90 seconds. In my experience, that estimate was pretty accurate.

A guest waits to receive his Cherry Sunrise drink from the Makr Shakr robot at Tipsy Robot.

To compare, my partner ordered a piña colada at the Venetian’s Bellini Bar on the main casino floor. That drink took about 2 minutes and 21 seconds to arrive.

The difference really comes down to how robots and humans work. Robots operate on a fixed cycle and don’t get distracted. They measure exact amounts, complete the same process every time, and rarely experience delays.

On the other hand, human bartenders have to juggle multiple things at once. They talk with guests, handle payment issues, and make several drinks simultaneously. 

In my case, a large group ordered drinks at the same time my partner did, which meant the bartenders had to multitask. Two minutes isn’t a deal breaker, but anyone who regularly goes to bars on busy nights knows a wait can sometimes be much longer. 

One of the longest waits I’ve personally experienced was at Dustland Bar in downtown Las Vegas's Arts District, where it took about 8 minutes to get noticed by a bartender and get a margarita.

The automated system also ensures consistency. Here, you won’t get a tequila soda that tastes like tequila with a hint of soda (this isn’t Piranha Nightclub, silly!)

The only downside to this is the lack of customization compared to a regular bartender. You can’t ask for a drink to be stronger or lighter, or to add “a splash” of something to it.

Robots Could Be a Bartender’s New Assistant

Some people might think the concept of a robot bar is too niche, but visitors to Tipsy Robot find it super fascinating.

For high-volume environments like casino resorts, robotic bartenders could serve as a useful supplement to traditional bars. They produce drinks quickly, maintain consistent quality, and can handle steady streams of orders on a busy night.

If I’m feeling antisocial and looking for a quick drink without having to chit-chat with the bartender, this could be the perfect solution for me.

But the experience still feels incomplete without the human element. Robots can’t recommend drinks, catch fake IDs, or listen to your woes after a long day of work. And they definitely can’t break up a conflict between two drunk patrons.

For now, Tipsy Robot feels less like a replacement for bartenders and more like a high-tech assistant to a bar. Let them handle the routine cocktail work, while the humans focus on giving that great Vegas hospitality that makes people want to come back.