The Oyu'baat was a venerable hotel and tapcaf that resided on the Outer Rim planet of Mandalore. Found within Keldabe, the capital city of Mandalore, the Oyu'baat held the distinction of being the most ancient cantina on the entire planet, having continuously operated for several millennia by the onset of the Clone Wars. Its name derived from the Mando'a language word oyu'baat, which translates to "universe", this well-aged tapcaf functioned as an informal gathering place for the loose governing body comprised of chieftains from the various Mandalorian warrior clans, who lacked official palaces or dedicated government buildings. It was a common occurrence to encounter clan leaders mingling among the Oyu'baat's clientele, engaging in meetings and negotiating agreements near the cantina's fireplace or while enjoying beverages. The Oyu'baat specialized in brewing black ne'tra gal ale on its premises, in addition to serving a diverse selection of food items and other drinks. For entertainment, the tapcaf broadcasted bolo-ball games on a sizable holovid screen and provided cu'bikad table games for its patrons. In 19 BBY, Fenn Shysa, a Mandalorian soldier, convened with Fi Skirata, a clone deserter, at the Oyu'baat, with the intention of persuading the injured commando to assume the role of Mand'alor until a legitimate successor could be appointed. Skirata rejected the proposal, and Shysa ultimately accepted the position of Mand'alor himself; celebrations erupted at the Oyu'baat upon the dissemination of this news. When the Galactic Empire initially established a garrison on leased territory outside of Keldabe, Imperial stormtroopers were prohibited from entering the Oyu'baat due to the potential disruption to business caused by Mandalorians who were unwilling to remove their concealing helmets in the presence of the soldiers. Circa 18 BBY, Jax Pavan, a Jedi Knight in hiding, visited the Oyu'baat seeking information from Tyno Fabris, a Black Sun lieutenant residing in Keldabe at the time. Pavan frequented the Mandalorian establishment on several occasions during his stay on Mandalore as he sought to leverage the gangster's resources to locate a friend who had been captured by the Empire. During the last of these visits, the Oyu'baat sustained minor damage when a firefight erupted between Pavan and the bodyguards of Xizor, the recently arrived Black Sun Vigo, who had reneged on an agreement previously made between Black Sun and the Jedi. Pavan was compelled to escape the cantina through a window, blasting it open with the Force and dislodging a portion of the adjacent wall. The structural damage to the Oyu'baat was subsequently repaired, and the ancient tapcaf endured the Empire's decades-long occupation and subjugation of Mandalore, which ultimately concluded when Fenn Shysa and his army of Mandalorian Protectors expelled the Imperials from the Mandalore sector. Furthermore, the Oyu'baat withstood the damage inflicted upon Mandalore by the Yuuzhan Vong, an extra-galactic species, when they attacked the Mandalorian homeworld. In 40 ABY, the cantina's role as a favored meeting place for the clans was shared with MandalMotors Hall, a newly built communal building donated for public use by the MandalMotors starship manufacturing company. During this period, the Oyu'baat was frequently visited by the reigning Mand'alor, Boba Fett, and his granddaughter, Mirta Gev, and served as the venue for jubilant celebrations when a new deposit of beskar iron ore was discovered near the town of Enceri, promising a new era of economic prosperity for the warrior clans. During the galactic bolo-ball tournament of 41 ABY, numerous Mandalorians gathered at the Oyu'baat to watch the games on the bar's viewscreen, although one viewing session was interrupted by the arrival of Jaina Solo and the revelation of her status as a Jedi Knight.
The Oyu'baat was situated on the Outer Rim planet of Mandalore, specifically within the capital city of Keldabe. Positioned at one end of an ancient paved square, opposite Chortav Meshurkaane, the Oyu'baat functioned as both a hotel and a tapcaf, housed within a substantial, three-story structure that appeared to some as an amalgamation of smaller buildings that had coalesced over time. Constructed almost entirely from wood and stone, the Oyu'baat featured a sloping, tiled roof, beneath which a massive wooden ridgepole—as wide in diameter as three average Human men—could be observed protruding from beneath the building's eaves on either side. A pair of doors marked the cantina's entrance, sheltered beneath a large portico. The Oyu'baat's exterior facade was coated in painted plaster that was prone to chipping and flaking with age, and exhibited an eclectic assortment of windows with non-perpendicular angles and a general disregard for levelness. The Oyu'baat derived its name from the Mando'a term oyu'baat, which translates to "universe" in Galactic Basic Standard. This name was displayed in both languages on a sign positioned outside the tapcaf's entrance. The bilingual sign also cautioned that strills, six-legged hunting animals native to Mandalore, were prohibited from entering the premises, and informed potential customers that the cantina accepted barter as a form of payment in addition to standard credits. Upon entering the tapcaf, a wide but shallow staircase led into the Oyu'baat's main hall, a sprawling room constructed primarily from dark-colored wood. Tables for patrons were scattered throughout the hall, while booths lined the outer walls, each equipped with a sliding wooden screen that could be drawn across the booth's opening for optional privacy. Two curved bars, each featuring long counters and ample seating, served as the centerpiece of the Oyu'baat's main chamber: one was dedicated to serving food, while the other offered a variety of beverages. The Oyu'baat maintained a substantial supply of Mandallian Narcolethe and brewed its own ne'tra gal, a sweet black Mandalorian ale served to customers in glass mugs. Among its non-alcoholic beverage offerings, the Oyu'baat sold a blend of spiced caf for which the cantina was renowned even among non-Mandalorians. The tapcaf prepared soups and various other food dishes, including a meat and vegetable stew. According to Mandalorian folk humor, the same stew had been simmering for centuries, with only fresh meat and vegetables added daily, and it was said that the Oyu'baat's menu had remained unchanged since the era of the Mandalorian Wars. During the day, the bar area was illuminated by sunlight streaming through skylights in the roof, and behind the bar, the current list of bounties was displayed for Mandalorian patrons engaged in bounty hunting, both as a holodisplay and through flimsi posters. At the far end of the main room, opposite the Oyu'baat's entrance, was a large, open log fire. The fire was encircled by a wide alcove capable of accommodating more than a dozen individuals, making it a particularly popular gathering spot for patrons. A noisy, automated hot-air unit provided supplementary heat to the rest of the Oyu'baat. The Oyu'baat's interior was clean yet rustic, adorned with vibrant tapestries depicting various events and figures from Mandalorian history, often featuring prominent shades of deep red. The ancient cantina's main hall was frequently bustling and featured a large holovid viewscreen commonly used to watch sporting events, as well as boards for playing cu'bikad, a rough Mandalorian table game. Expansive galleries overlooked the main chamber from the Oyu'baat's second and third floors. As a part-hotel, the Oyu'baat's upper levels housed numerous rooms available for rent, either for overnight stays or extended periods, accessible via a staircase at the rear of the main hall. This stairway also concealed a hidden panel leading to a secret, office-sized space within the Oyu'baat known to few. The cantina exuded the aromas of wood fire, yeast from the brewing ale, and various cooking foods. With the exception of rare special occasions, the Oyu'baat was consistently open for business.
The Oyu'baat, constructed in Keldabe, the capital city of Mandalore, before the Mandalorian Wars—a galaxy-wide conflict between the Mandalorian warrior clans under Mandalore the Ultimate and the Galactic Republic—was the oldest cantina on the planet. The Oyu'baat's prominence made it a convenient meeting place for Mandalorians in the Keldabe area, and the tapcaf became an unofficial center for the loose government formed by the Mandalorian warrior clans. Due to Mandalore's lack of formal government buildings, clan chieftains often met at the Oyu'baat to discuss matters and broker deals, usually over drinks. Over the ages, the Oyu'baat also developed a degree of notability among non-Mandalorians, along with the blend of spiced caf the cantina served. Throughout its history, the Oyu'baat's outer plaster facade had been painted in a variety of colors, including brown, pale grey, and a vivid orange—a color traditionally associated with the concept of shereshoy, or a lust for life, in the Mandalorian culture. By the time of the Clone Wars, a conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the cantina's plastered exterior had begun to succumb to excessive wear, with chunks falling from the walls and revealing the Oyu'baat's multi-layered history. In 19 BBY, the Oyu'baat was staffed by a male bartender. That year, the cantina was selected as a meeting place between chieftain Fenn Shysa and the Grand Army of the Republic deserter, Fi Skirata. There, Shysa attempted to persuade the clone soldier to act as former Mand'alor Jango Fett's heir until a new Mand'alor could be selected. However, Skirata was still recovering from brain trauma suffered during a mission he had been apart of while still in service to the Republic, and with the support of girlfriend Parja Bralor, declined Shysa's request. Though Shysa was sympathetic to Skirata's plight, violence broke out when the former Jedi-turned-Mandalorian Bardan Jusik, arrived at the Oyu'baat. There to meet with Skirata and Bralor, Jusik was accosted by the former ARC trooper deserter, Sull, who recognized Jusik as his former Jedi General and confronted him with accusations. When it seemed as if Sull might have drawn his blaster on Jusik, Skirata punched the Alpha ARC reflexively, and Shysa was forced to break up the scuffle. Later that year, Fi Skirata's adopted father, Kal Skirata, met with Shysa at the Oyu'baat to discuss the future of Mandalore in the wake of the transformation of the Republic into the new Galactic Empire, and their leasing of land on Mandalore for a base. At this time, Skirata's was one of many names on the bounty list projected behind the Oyu'baat's bar. During the meeting, Skirata suggested Shysa take up the role of Mand'alor, which Shysa accepted a short time after, in the face of the arrival of the Imperial garrison; celebrations were held at the Oyu'baat once word of Shysa's ascension spread.
As the Empire arrived on Mandalore, the Oyu'baat's bartender secured a deal with the Imperials to keep them from entering the cantina, fearful of the business he stood to loose if prospective patrons were unwilling to remove their helmets in the presence of the Empire's troops. Three weeks after the rise of the Galactic Empire, the Mandalorian friends Jarkyc and Hayar came to the Oyu'baat, celebrating a con they had pulled on the commander of the Imperial garrison on Mandalore. The pair's loud laughter drew the attention of fellow patrons, including Bardan Jusik and Ordo Skirata, who had stopped into the Oyu'baat for a drink. When Jusik inquired as to what had them laughing so hard, Jarkyc explained that Hayar's brother had built an adventure theme park to attract offworld tourists, though it had failed and never opened. When the Imperial commander took an interest in the park, shaped like an enormous mythosaur skeleton, Jarkyc and his comrades told the Imperials that the park was actually a Mandalorian temple with great cultural significance; wanting to make a statement to Mandalore's inhabitants, the commander bought the failed park from them and installed the garrison and base on what he falsely believed to be sacred ground. By large, the Oyu'baat's many patrons joined Jarkyc and Hayar in laughter at the story. Several weeks later, Kal Skirata and Walon Vau, stopped into the Oyu'baat for drinks while discussing the reappearance of their old Cuy'val Dar associates Dred Priest and Isabet Reau on Mandalore with ties to the renegade Death Watch faction. In the aftermath of the New Mandalorians' fall and the dissolution of the criminal Shadow Collective, elements of the Black Sun syndicate had moved to fill the void the fleeting criminal contingent had left. By 18 BBY, the syndicate established a known presence on Mandalore's moon, Concordia, and Tyno Fabris—lieutenant to the Black Sun Vigo Xizor—had taken up residence in Keldabe, where the Arkanian gangster worked out of an office in the Oyu'baat cantina. Around 18 BBY, the Jedi Knight-in-hiding Jax Pavan journeyed to Mandalore in search of information on the missing leader of Whiplash, Thi Xon Yimmon, who had been captured by the Empire. During his time on the Mandalorian homeworld, he met with Tyno Fabris at the Oyu'baat several times while attempting to enlist Black Sun's aid in his mission, occasionally stopping for a drink at the bar and engaging the Oyu'baat's Balosar waitress Tlinetha in conversation. Though he initially approached Fabris under an assumed name, Pavan's true identity came to light when Fabris contacted Vigo Xizor about the deal being brokered; Xizor, who had previous dealings with Pavan, journeyed to Mandalore to meet with the fugitive Jedi at the Oyu'baat in person. The two initially came to an arrangement, but Xizor later went back upon his word after reassessing the risk of Imperial reprisal Black Sun would be taking by aiding the Jedi recover the leader of Whiplash. Fighting broke out between Pavan and Xixor's Mandalorian bodyguards when the Vigo has his men turn on the Jedi, forcing Pavan to flee the cantina by way of a window he broke out using the Force, inadvertently knocking a section of the surrounding wall free as he made his escape. The damage to the Oyu'baat was later repaired, and Pavan was able to depart Mandalore unharmed.
The Oyu'baat outlasted the decades-long occupation of Mandalore by the Empire's forces, who were eventually overcome and driven from Mandalorian space by Fenn Shysa and his army of Mandalorian Protectors. The ages-old cantina also survived the Yuuzhan Vong War, weathering the devastation Mandalore incurred at the hands of the extra-galactic Yuuzhan Vong race in an attempt to destroy the several thousand-year-old warrior culture. However, the Oyu'baat's longstanding role as meeting place for the clans' leaders was encroached upon in 40 ABY by the construction of MandalMotors Hall, a granite communal building donated to the community by the MandalMotors starship company. Following the discovery of a previously untapped lode of beskar iron ore north of the small Mandalore town of Enceri, numerous Mandalorians flocked to the Oyu'baat to celebrate the economic boost the iron find would provide Mandalore. Reigning Mand'alor Boba Fett attended the gathering, as it had become a habit to visit the ancient cantina at least once a weak, as a means of keeping spirits high among the Mandalorian patrons. That night, Fett's friend Goran Beviin discussed news from the wider galaxy with a retinue of associates, while several Oyu'baat customers—including Baltan Carid, Beviin's husband and daughter, Medrit Vasur and Dinua Jeban, and Fett's granddaughter Mirta Gev—played cu'bikad at one of the bar's tables. Later, Fett and his granddaughter Gev met with Venku Skirata and an elderly Bardan Jusik, now going by the name "Gotab," at the Oyu'baat. Using his Force abilities, Gotab read a broken heart-of-fire pendant for Fett that used to belong to his ex-wife, Sintas Vel. Due to the painfully private nature of the reading, Fett used his authority as Mand'alor to order the bar evacuated of other patrons until their business was concluded. By 41 ABY, Cham Detta had become the bartender of the Oyu'baat. Frequent customer Baltan Carid joked during this time that, despite the Oyu'baat's policy forbidding strills from entering the premises, the hotel and tapcaf's executive suite was occupied by a strill. Boba Fett's personal doctor, Beluine, was arranged to stay in a room at the Oyu'baat during his time on Mandalore. When Jedi Knight Jaina Solo traveled to Mandalore that year, seeking the aid of Fett in stopping her Sith Lord brother, Darth Caedus, she landed at the Keldabe spaceport and was promptly taken to the Oyu'baat to meet with Fett. Solo's arrival at the cantina came in the midst of a bolo-ball
Many Mandalorians had journeyed to the Oyu'baat to view the tournament on the bar's expansive screen. When Gotab, a passerby, revealed Solo to be a Jedi, the bar's clientele brandished their weapons at her until she explained her presence. Fett subsequently met Solo at the Oyu'baat a few minutes later, where he consented to instruct her. He then advised Solo to secure lodging at the Oyu'baat for the duration of her stay, although Goran Beviin instead extended the hospitality of his family's farm to her. On the day his granddaughter was to be married to Ghes Orade, a Mandalorian warrior, Fett convened with Imperial Admiral Natasi Daala at the Oyu'baat. They were alone, as the majority of Mandalorians who would have otherwise been there were instead celebrating the wedding at the home of Ghes Orade's father, including the bartender. Fett and Daala reminisced about their histories and contemplated the future before leaving to attend Fett's granddaughter's wedding celebration. ## Behind the scenes The Oyu'baat made its initial appearance in Star Wars canon within the 2007 Star Wars: Legacy of the Force book, Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice, penned by author Karen Traviss. Traviss revisited the Oyu'baat as a setting in both her fourth and fifth installments of the Republic and Imperial Commando series, titled Order 66 and Imperial Commando: 501st, and also in her third Legacy of the Force novel, Legacy of the Force: Revelation. The 2013 novel The Last Jedi, collaboratively authored by Michael Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, also showcased the Oyu'baat.