Barracuda Magazine was founded in 1998 in Los Angeles, California by writer Jeff Fox.
It was a "Men's magazine" or "Lads' magazine" that took design and theme cues from the pulpy "stag" of the 1950s and 1960s, featuring tasteful "rugged tales of he-man adventure." Barracuda featured retro-styled pin-ups in sexy but purposefully tame and modest photo spreads, with a tongue-in-cheek style.
The magazine was originally intended to be a men's magazine that reflected blue-collar values--a counter to super-glossy, cosmopolitan, upscale men's magazines. Editorial content focused on do-it-yourself articles, tikis, hawaiiana, old-school hot rods and kustoms, and auto repair. It is considered part of the Kustom Kulture or lowbrow art movements. Barracuda did not rely on star power models for photo spreads. It primarily featured unknown models, but it also featured cult celebrities and burlesque performers like Julie Strain, Dita Von Teese, Sabina Kelley, Paget Brewster, Heidi Van Horne and Tera Patrick.
Barracuda featured cover illustrations by some of the best-known Kustom Kulture artists, including SHAG (Josh Agle), Coop, Derek Yaniger, Jim Krewson and Japanese pinstripe artist Makoto.
In 2003, Barracuda celebrated its fifth anniversary with a live concert at the Key Club on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, CA. The show was headlined by Don Ho, with his daughter Hoku, and featured surf band The Dynotones and the Tiki Goddess Burlesque Exotica.
Barracuda was named "Best Men's Magazine in Los Angeles" by the former New Times LA newspaper.
The last print edition of the magazine was issue 27 in 2006. The magazine still has an online presence through its website selling other magazines of the same genre and style, and since 1996 has published two pin-up calendars.