Barbeque & Seafood Star at The Barnacle

If you're looking for an excuse to be outside on these first warm days of spring, eating lunch and getting some sun at the same time may be the answer. So head on down to The Barnacle in Mamaroneck, where you can relax on the outdoor deck while eating some of the best barbeque in town.

But don't be fooled into thinking that's all this family-friendly restaurant offers. Seafood, a raw bar and live music Thursday through Sunday make it a great place to relax, rain or shine.

The Barnacle, in what was once Charlie Brown's and later became the Jolly Roger on Boston Post Road, is about as close to waterfront dining as you can get without paying admission to a private club.  You get only a small glimpse of the Sound from the deck, but the masts of boats stored nearby do lend a nautical feel. And the deck is large and perched high above the parking lot, which makes it quieter and preferred over Barnacle's small outdoor seating in front, where your view consists of the traffic on Boston Post Road.

A friend has a simple criterion for pub restaurants: how's the fish and chips?

"Really good," he told me, biting into his meal. "Crisp on the outside, moist on the inside. Just perfect."

He also loved the coleslaw —"The best I've ever had"—but the fries were mediocre at best.

The barbeque, however, lived up to its reputation. A pulled pork sandwich, too messy to eat without a fork and knife, was moist, tender and downright delicious, about as good as can be had this side of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Each day's menu features a seafood special or two, and the day we visited there was a salad with a seafood trio: shrimp, salmon and tuna. The salad was so big we needed a second plate to avoid spilling it all over the table. The seafood was fresh and spicy, each with a unique flavor.

Barbara Kavanagh, who has managed The Barnacle since it opened in December 2008, was hard pressed to say what the most popular dish on the menu is. The brisket, judged best in the county by Westchester Magazine, and the dry rub ribs are perennial favorites. But the best bargain, she said, is the Thursday night luau.

For just $15 a person, you'll get a drink and unlimited trips to the buffet, which features – can you believe this? — a pig roasted in the barbeque on the front patio, seafood paella and a clam bake.  Feast on that while enjoying the live Calypso music and you just might think you're on vacation.

Owner Coleman McCarthy placed large blackboards around the restaurant, which serve as a great diversion for restless children.  He's also taken advantage of the large French doors in front and back, and opened up the bar area so that in good weather cool breezes flow through the restaurant and patrons can hear the music, wherever they are seated, while still being able to converse comfortably.

The bar is well stocked and the atmosphere is lazy. So head on over and pull up a stool at the large u-shaped bar. Listen to the music, have a brew or two, and you might even fool yourself into thinking you're on a vacation.

The Barnacle, 181 East Boston Post Rd., Mamaroneck. Open daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Appetizers range from $5-$12, sandwiches are $10-$13, dinner entrees from $16-$24, brunch dishes $12-17. The menu features daily seafood specials, a $15 all you can eat luau every Thursday, rotisserie on Wednesdays.  Live music Thursday - Sunday brunch. See The Barnacle's website http://www.barnaclebbq.com/ for the schedule of performers. Tel: 914-777-6610. Fax: 14-777-6607.