Locust Point residents lamenting the deep buzz and bellows of military cargo ships pervading their summer nights deserve to find peace.

So it’s only fair that we offer up some spots to find refuge.

Two bars still new to the neighborhood are up for the challenge, offering a range from hefty and rich to light and fruity beverages to drown out the noise — or at least provide a place to complain about it among friends.

Good to Great

  • 1157 Haubert St.
Smoke on the Rio with mezcal, lemon and ginger is a refreshing and slightly smokey cocktail in Locust Point on July 5, 2025.
Smoke on the Rio, made with mezcal, lemon and ginger, is a refreshing and slightly smokey cocktail at Good to Great. (Matti Gellman/The Baltimore Banner)

The Good to Great cocktail bar sits tucked away on Haubert Street in the former space of 1157 Bar + Kitchen, hiding a log cabinesque interior with an almost Scandinavian motif. Black painted pipes against light woods and raised booths create a modern-looking bunker where nearly every customer who enters is greeted as if their bartender is an old friend.

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

Owners Giancarlo Zerega and Kieran Lahmann said they created the space to serve as a watering hole for the neighborhood, ditching social media and other forms of promotion to keep it intimate and connected to the community.

When I visited on July 5, about four months after Good to Great opened its doors, customers were playing card games as bartenders carefully walked newcomers through a rotating menu, always offering to craft a more personalized cocktail. No drink is too sweet or too heavy: a Watermelon Sunshine cocktail ($12) with vodka and mint manages to be light and refreshing despite its opaque pink hue. The Smoke on the Rio ($14), a mixture of mezcal, lemon and ginger, similarly doesn’t come off too strong, dancing between smokey and tonic flavors.

Seating can be tight come 8:30 p.m., but Zerega and Lahmann, who have about 35 years of bartending experience between them, still create an atmosphere heavily catered to their customers. Mocktail options such as pickle-ade, made with a signature pickle brine and lemon juice, and an iced nutty Americano with flavors of coffee, almond and star anise, lead the menu. Low-alcohol content drinks, like another coffee-based drink with amaro vermouth and soda, and Daniel’s Shirt, with IPA and pineapple cinnamon shrub, are also listed as highlights.

Snacks are available, ranging from $4 for seasoned pretzels to a $22 charcuterie board with cheeses, meats and toasted bread.

Bodega and Vino

  • 1121 Hull St.
Mojo potatoes are breaded and fried with fruity and citrus dipping sauce that carries some heat on July 15, 2025.
Mojo potatoes are breaded and fried with a fruity dipping sauce that carries some heat at Bodega and Vino. (Matti Gellman/The Baltimore Banner)

Around the corner — literally, less than 500 feet away — Angela and Rob Wainwright’s new market and wine bar, Bodega and Vino, is also working to capture that sense of connection and community gathering.

The Baltimore Banner thanks its sponsors. Become one.

Shrouded in plants, the venue has plenty of light and space to create a quality environment for reading and relaxed conversation over wine and tapas. Paintings by Rob hang on the walls, along with posters from Angela’s cousin that celebrate her family’s Puerto Rican heritage.

The Spanish-inspired eatery offers pastelillos — smaller and crispier Puerto Rican empanadas, though they’re just labeled as empanadas on the menu — filled with either chicken, minced beef, tomato and shrimp or eggplant, starting at $7. Sliders for the same price, and a $5 side of tostones, a plate of crispy plantains, are also available.

On Tuesday, about two weeks after Bodega and Vino opened, people wandered into the store for all different needs, including taking sandwiches to go after a workout session and saddling up to a high-top for a wine date. Its not a spot for hefty meals, but an order of mojo potatoes, seasoned and breaded salty discs, hit the spot for just $5. The accompanying dipping sauce is exciting: citrusy and sweet, with some heat from hot chili peppers.

Heavy pours of wine with descriptions for novice drinkers start at $7. The glass of Estancia del Silencio Monastrell, listed as a “jovial wine with a certain freshness,” was tannic and heavier than anticipated, while a glass of Ronco di Sassi Primitivo Malbec was relatively more fruity. On the white wine side, a glass of Bonavita Branco was smooth and tangy and a glass of Black Ankle Albarino trended more floral.

Angela Wainwright says she’s still trying to catch the neighborhood’s attention, adding breakfast sandwiches and a fridge of groceries with items like eggs, milk and fresh produce. She’s still learning and looking for community engagement to refine their offerings.

“We want it to feel like we’re inviting Locust Point into our living room,” she said.