Polonia’s run-down exterior is no indication of the coziness you’ll find inside. It’s so charming: dark wood wainscoting, textured mauve wallpaper, antique-looking Polish relics, and flags. The romance is killed somewhat by five television sets, even if they’re usually tuned to Polish shows. Forget the plonk wines; the only beer you should bother with here is the Pilsner Urquell on draft. Or, when in Poland, drink vodka.

The crispy potato pancakes, served with sour cream and apple sauce, are worlds away from the mushy messes you get at IHOP. (Just don’t let them get cold, as they lose much of their appeal.) The brothy beet barszcz filled with fluffy meat-filled dumplings tastes like liquid health. We also like the sour rye soup with sausage and egg. Try a little of everything with the combination plate for two (bigos (a.k.a. hunters’ stew), pierogi, kielbasa, cabbage rolls, meatloaf, duck legs, and cold carrot and beet salads). Veal schnitzel, accompanied by delicious mounds of sauerkraut and mashed potatoes, is another winner, but the unanimous favorite is the golonka. Stewed in an enticingly rich sauce, the fatty, flavorful pork shank slides off the bone at the smallest provocation, and the sauce makes a dipping medium for other dishes.

On Sundays, a post-mass crowd from Our Lady of Czestochowa adds to the ambience (and the wait).