Mixologist behind bar, but not tending it, unavailable for orders

This has been happening all the time in my game recently. My sim will go to a bar on a community lot and there is a bartender behind the bar, but when you click on the bar to order drinks or food, the options are not there. The options are only the options you get when there is NOT an active bartender working the bar. Very frustrating. So I either have to wait a long time and keep trying for the options to maybe eventually appear, or try to have my sim make their own drinks. I also have the issue mentioned by others where the bartender frequently comes out from behind the bar to sit and chat with folks or dance, etc., while they are supposed to be bartending.