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(June/July 2007) By Warren Rojas This whole Maine lobster deal ($10)—good only at the inside bar, from 4 p.m. till they run out on Tuesdays—summons a steamed, 1+ pound beauty with pre-split tail (for easy picking) and the legs and claws intact. (May 2006) By Warren Rojas When it comes to super-terrific-happy hour deals, timing is, in fact, everything. Dedicated bargain hunters seem to know exactly when and where to show up for dime drafts, 25 cent wings, $1 pitchers or any number of other crazy mid-week specials, but clear out once the cut-rate schwag switches back to full price. Not so at Backyard Grill, a neighborhood watering hole where folks come early, stay late and no deal goes unappreciated. While drink specials reign every night of the week, the Tuesday night raw bar is the real reason to hike out to Chantilly. According to staff, the weekly seafood carnival runs from 4 p.m. till they run out, although they tend to keep many of the featured items on hand till around 8 p.m. Star attractions include: $10 - whole Maine lobster (at 1 ¼ pounds, these beauties go fast, so don’t dawdle), $9.50 – dozen huge, briny oysters (easy to slurp down), $9 – 1 lb. of Alaskan crab legs (about a dozen stalks hiding mounds of meaty crab just begging to be dunked in melted butter), $9 - 1 lb. of steamed shrimp (about two dozen plump, peel-and-eat bad boys sprinkled with plenty of Old Bay), $6 - dozen clams, $5.50 – ½ dozen oysters, $5 – ½ lb. of shrimp or crab legs, $4 – ½ dozen clams. The bad news: It’s strictly first come, first served. The worse news: The raw bar deals are only good in the bar area—an ideal arrangement for those who don’t mind breathing in near constant smoke or catching an earful of the lewd comments being lobbed at the 20-something bartenders by the barflies. Backyard also offers early-bird dinner specials from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. every night of the week, including deals on some beefy burgers (peppercorn, backyard with bacon, barbecue sauce, lettuce, tomato, melted provolone and pickles, chili, etc.) and other assorted sandwiches.
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