How to choose a tailor for my first custom suit

[MyFirstOne]

I'd love to hear your insights and experience with how to choose between tailors for a suit. I find it a little nerve-wracking. It is much more than buying in a store where I can see the result already, which in my case usually looks fine enough to be altered decently, but will never fit like a custom suit could/should. So I want to take the plunge and would love to hear how you have made that choice.

I am in SF, and have narrowed down on two (if you want to recommend another, please do)

• Tailor's Keep has great reviews on yelp and Google. One aspect I like about Tailors Keep is that they offer alteration for outside garments. From their vibe on the website they also seem more focused on really getting to know their clients and developing a relationship.
• HallMadden, formerly ProperSuit, also with great reviews on yelp and Google. Since HallMadden is a chain, this would depend on the person who is running the shop, Andrew, who also gets a lot of praise in the reviews.

I have read all the reviews incl. pictures and also read and watched what I could find from blogs/reviews including here. They are both offering an initial meeting so I want to visit them and get a feel for them, see how they listen and respond to questions and preferences, see some of their work, etc.

Are there specific questions you would ask them, any particular things to look for?

 

[MyFirstOne]

A quick update:
I just watched the 3-part video series about Joe Hemrajani by Kirby Allison and read the entire, amazing thread in the forum here. Since Joe is coming to SF in August, I need to add this as an option.

If anyone here happens to be from the Bay Area and has experience with Tailors Keep, I would also love to hear anything you would like to share.