My experience has been really good. Sure, it took a few months to get to know them, but the group also needed a few months to get to know me too. I began attending our monthly meetings, monthly Saturday work days and brought in a project that I needed some help with or wanted someones opinion on. I had several offer ideas, and they introduced me to paper piecing my first work day.
I would suggest a group that is medium in size, 20 - 40 individuals. That allows you to find a quilt buddy if you wish and is not so large that you feel lost in the crowd.
Had a bad experience, then start your own group. It may just be a group of quilter friends that enjoy the process and like to sit down together on a regular basis and sew and chat. You will share knowledge, get opinions and can easily travel together to local shop hops or quilting shows.
When you get lemons from some sour-puss quilters, make lemonade and serve it up sweet to the newbie that comes to your little group in the future. Don't let the sour-puss quilters deprive you of the company of other really companionable quilters.