WYANDOTTE, Mich. (WXYZ) — After nearly four decades of serving authentic Polish cuisine, Polonus Restaurant in Wyandotte will close its doors at the end of December 2025. The beloved establishment, founded by two Polish brothers in 1988, has been a cornerstone of the local dining scene for 38 years.
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Co-owner Andrzej Mucha, 76, made the difficult decision to close alongside his brother after months of consideration. The brothers, who studied law and biology respectively in Poland, found their calling in the restaurant business after their mother worked at Polish Palace, a Detroit restaurant that inspired their venture.
"Bittersweet — we decided half a year ago," Mucha said. "We have to close that chapter of our life. I'm 76 years old."
The restaurant has been more than just a business for the Mucha family. Using recipes passed down from their mother, who taught them everything about cooking, the brothers built Polonus from the ground up, literally laying cinderblocks themselves when construction began.
"Without her, we wouldn't be able to start it, but when we started, it went better and better and we hired people," Mucha said.
For longtime server Wanda Dargadz, who has worked at Polonus since opening day in 1988, the closure marks the end of an era.
"Half of my life I spent working here," Dargadz said. "I try not to think. I don't wanna cry."
Regular customers like Dale, who has been dining at Polonus for 20 to 25 years, and Carol Pilon express sadness about losing this neighborhood institution.
"When these kinds of restaurants go, you don't find this food anywhere else," Pilon said. "I was sad, I was sad. We like coming here. It's been in the neighborhood for years."
The restaurant's final service will be in two weeks, marking the end of 2025. Mucha plans to put the building up for sale in 2026 as he looks forward to spending more time with grandchildren and traveling to Poland.
"The customers who opened through that door made this place for us," Mucha said. "Not only a place of business — it made it home."
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