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The boys in blue who flood the place from the nearby police academy relish the ingrained grittiness of this place. Sure, the staff can be curt, the pink-and-gray laminated booths have seen better days, and—despite a strong scent of disinfectant—the floor can get grimy. This place is an institution. Much of the menu seems as if it hasn’t changed since the spot opened in 1978, and diner standards are here in force: triple-decker sandwiches, foamy milk shakes, and overcooked burgers and fries alongside “diet delights” involving liberal applications of cottage cheese. There are also a couple dozen Greek and Italian dishes, notably the hybrid “spaghetti Greek style” with chicken and shrimp. Anything involving pastry dough is made with a heavy hand—the potpies lie under thick blankets of crust and the dessert pies are, shall we say, sturdily encased. For all Cosmos’ rough edges, the police cruisers idling outside make this diner as safe as you can imagine. — Jennifer Paull

Tuna melt, $6.45; milk shake, $2.80; cheesecake, $3.95