maestro_al:
NYC doesn't exactly have metal "hangouts" per se, but with the sheer number of places to see live music, rarely does a month go by without something good to see. Add in some New Jersey-based venues and our scene is killer, especially for the U.S.
L'amours Brooklyn in, well, Brooklyn, is a fairly famous live metal venue (check
www.lamourrocks.com for info); for example, they're getting the Manowar/Immortal show at the end of the month.
Roseland Ballroom can always be counted on for quality shows for the bands that need room for 2-3,000, and Irving Plaza is my personal favorite, holding roughly 1200 or so (Down is playing there on Wednesday).
There's a ton other smaller places as well: North Six and the Warsaw, also in Brooklyn. Brownies, the Bowery Ballroom, and the Mercury Lounge, all in lower Manhattan. The Beacon Theatre, featuring the best damn acoustics around, on the upper west side (I saw Queensryche there last November, and Dream Theatre just played 2 sold out shows about one month ago). There's more, but I can't think of 'em right now. NYC is a great scene though, to be sure.