Opening Alert: Charlie Palmer's Times Square Behemoth Debuts in the Knickerbocker

Two of the three venues that acclaimed Aureole chef Charlie Palmer has been planning in the Knickerbocker hotel open tonight. One is his lobby espresso bar, Jake's @ The Knick, which will serve coffee and pastries, plus fruit, granola, and flatbreads from Sullivan Street Bakery until 4 p.m. daily inside the long, barrel-vaulted space pictured below.

Of more note, however, is the main event, Charlie Palmer at the Knick, the chef's full-service restaurant on the hotel's fourth floor. This is equipped with a lounge up front, a bar made entirely of marble, "chainmail drapes," an open kitchen, and a dining room to seat 100. Curbed got a sneak peek at the construction not long ago, which gives a better idea of just how much marble is involved here. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with menus that Palmer has described as "straightforward," and "market-driven but not fussy."

Breakfast is standards like pancakes, omelets, and oatmeal, while lunch and dinner mix basics like chicken with farro, and a ribeye with potatoes, with a few more out-there options. There's a dry-aged burger topped with shortrib, alongside duck confit nuggets and Scotch quail eggs. Executive chef Cliff Denny will also offer daily specials, from the "test kitchen," which sounds like they'll be aimed toward the more adventurous – possibilities include veal head cheese, and for tonight, buffalo sweetbreads. Prices are standard Midtown hotel range: no small plates under $15, no entrees under $20. Full menus are not available in the lounge, but the lounge does have a martini cart. Check out all the menus, below.

Still to come is St. Cloud, the hotel's super luxe rooftop bar. This will serve a menu of small plates alongside cocktails in Waterford crystal glasses, and will include a cigar lounge as well as both indoor and outdoor seating. No hard opening date on that yet, but it's still under construction, and a representative says it's looking like a May opening.

Knick Menu Breakfast

Knick Lunch

2-24-2015 Dinner