Wow, I missed all these recent posts.
A brief backgound: I attended the Sweetwater Zen Center in San Diego for a while, and loved the atmosphere. People were open and welcoming, the Seisen exuded a learned and soothing nature, and everything was open for scrutiny and discussion. It was a group of people simply there to learn more (about whatever). The Zendo (despite not being in the greatest area of town) was always open, at any time, for those who wished to utilize it.
Without mentioning where I attended, this center was the exact opposite. The instructor came off as very rigid, was openly (rolled eyes, etc.) annoyed by my questions (especially when asked if the Zendo could be used at off times, since I work odd hours), clearly even mocked me at one point, and the other visitors that evening seemed a little intimidated, most of which I attribute to the teacher. I've been to several centers outside TX and never encountered such an atmosphere. Despite practicing for several years, it was off-putting enough for me to lessen my practice for quite a while, which is a shame. (Western) Buddhism is not about being rigid and stuck in the past. it was an enormously dissapointing visit.
I have done a lot of research and know of most of the suggestions presented here. However, I'm really looking for people's experiences at these centers, since I'm a little gun-shy at this point.