Metabolism does slow down a bit at night...so does digestion, etc. - I think it's ok if you have no other choice, as long as you don't eat too much. I can't sleep well if I'm stuffed but I HAVE to have a snack before bed or I can't workout/run in the am (I'm up 5:30-6:00 to fit it in).

Calories are calories. Yes, your metabolism is a bit slower overnight, but that's regardless of whether you ate or not. You still burn the same amount of calories in a 24 hour period no matter what time you have dinner. If you don't have time to eat until before bed, that's not really a big deal, as long as you're not eating too many calories. I think the recommendation not to eat after a certain time in the evening has more to do with late-night snacking after dinner than it does to eating dinner late.