Steve Travis and his son Steve Jr did outstanding quality work. Steve is passionate about trees and has worked for many years in Wicker Park, so he is very familiar with the special needs of old trees in an historic neighborhood. With all of the recent storms, and seeing all of the tree branches and full trees that have fallen on the streets around us, it was important for me to find someone who could work quickly and efficiently. Steve really understands how to identify the weak branches and potential risks, and was proactive in his work. I cannot recommend Steve highly enough. read more

I was very pleased with Steve's work! He was quick to answer my call and very professional! Did a great job removing a Weeping Cherry Ttee and cleaned up after nicely. I would definitely recommend him! read more

After a storm dropped a large branch onto our property - landing squarely into a very mature and beautiful Japanese red maple - I called AJAX Tree Service. They came out the next day and removed it cleanly, without any damage to the maple. While they were here, I had them look at a few backyard trees we'd been meaning to get trimmed, and they took care of everything in one visit. The crew was fast, professional, and kind. Their advice was solid, their work was careful, and the price was fair. I would absolutely recommend Steve and his team. read more

Steve has come to our property for 2 separate tree trimming jobs. He solved a problem for us by trimming a large branch from my neighbor's tree that was on my roof. Based on his approach to that job - knowledge, quality, and clean-up - he was my first call a few years later when our small condo association had 2 trees with large branches that needed to be removed. His quote was lower than others we received, and the work was just what we needed. He is very knowledgeable, and also has a lot of good stories from our neighborhood, which added to the whole experience. I will call him again. read more

I have known Steve and his company, Ajax, for several years. They continue to remove trees, large bushes and stumps for me when needed. He's very responsive and does great work. read more

DO NOT USE AJAX TREE SERVICE Steve cut a tree down in my neighbors yard in Morton Grove on May 29, 2025. Steves crew was beyond reckless in cutting the tree and when the tree fell it took out my fence, took down my power lines to the house and ripped the power pole off the back of my house along with aluminum siding. Steve ran away from the site with active power lines laying in my yard, so I called the police on him. Steve says he has insurance to cover the $5k worth of damage but he has not returned my phone calls. read more

Steve definitely is a go-getter and ready to help! I called late in the afternoon on a Friday and he was reaching out on Sunday! I told him I noticed a 12 year tree in front of my house "looked dead", he had me send some pictures and was able to give me a quote based off of those. Not a huge diameter tree but it did go up 4 stories. Initially we made the appointment for Tuesday but on Monday he said he would be able to make it if I could - definitely! He and his helper came out and I have never seen such a methodical execution of leveling a tree into pieces. I'll bet they did it within an hour. Took longer to load up and remove the pieces of trunk and branches into his truck. Everything looks great and I'm no longer have the worry that the tree would fall onto my building. read more

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Having a need to remove a large amount of big tree roots in our front yard's parkway, I inquired with 4 different tree services. I decided to move forward with ajax, not only for the fair price, but more so because of the ability of Steve to explain the process in detail. He came out the next day to inspect the job and decided to go with the heavy equipment to not only get the job done quickly, but correctly. Once we approved, he actually was able to squeeze us in the same day. The job was completed quickly and thoroughly. As a follow-up, we found a small root in our inner front yard several weeks later. I called Steve and he came out in less than an hour and removed it for a very nominal fee. Steve's promptness, professionalism and reasonable prices are sincerely appreciated in a service business these days. Steve's experience, honest approach, responsiveness & fair prices are hard to beat. I can hands down refer Ajax to any friends or family as a great A+ Tree Service! read more

AJAX Tree Service - Tree Services Near Me

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Great service. On time and they were in and out very quickly. Would absolutely recommend

Fast response, completely professional and great customer service! Lowest estimate by far!

Extremely responsive, great service. Very skilled, efficient and knowledgeable. Performed service on the spot on the same day I called.

I recommend Ajax and Steve with my highest rating. They came promptly when expected after stopping by to scope out the project the previous day. They did an incredible job, with up to 6 men and 4-5 vehicles, including an incredible lift with adjustable boom reaching over 30 feet. Outstanding staff, hard working and professional and cleaned up impeccably. My yard and garden look better mow than before they arrived. Also- they were the best bid I received. I cant say more good things about them. Julian (Edgewater) read more

Recommended. Would do business with again in the future. Professional, good communication, great experience when it counts to making the tree fall where it should. Good price.. read more

** UPDATE: 40 minutes after our scheduled appointment time, Steve texted that his driver was in a car accident & he had no access to his phone. If it wasn't for the fact that this was the second time he didn't show up on time for an appointment with me, and there's a long string of no-shows in his reviews here, I'd believe this and be much more understanding. Unfortunately, my experience was not an isolated one, so we're moving on. ** Apparently this company is very hit or miss. I had an appointment with Steve this morning for an estimate/evaluation of our tree. When he didn't show up, I finally texted him. He said he was "running behind" and would be about 45 minutes late. An annoyance since he never notified me and I'm working today so I needed to shuffle my schedule, but things happen so I agreed to meet him later in the day to accommodate for his last minute problems. He arranged to meet me this afternoon instead and guess what? NO SHOW AGAIN. I texted and called after wasting another 20 minutes of my day waiting for him and got no response. Unprofessional. Guess they won't be getting my business. read more

Ajax tree service is the best! I called one day and they were out the next day to take down my backyard maple tree. They did it quickly and they cleaned up all the debris. They also cut the logs so I could use them in our fireplace and fire pit.I would highly recommend them for anybody looking for any tree service. read more

Great work, thorough, fast and reliable. I'm so glad I called Ajax Tree Service. I had a diseased tree in my front yard, they removed all the deadwood in a very small area and close to the street in a safe, efficient and very professional way. The tree looks so much better now! read more

We had a tree in our front yard break in half during the storms yesterday and I left a message for Ajax Tree Service and they returned my call within 10 minutes and offered to come out right away to cut down the rest of the tree and haul it away. Since it was not blocking the street or walkway, I told them to come first thing in the morning. They arrived on time and took care of everything! I would use them again for sure! read more

Steve (owner) and his crew took care of the job with excellence, professionalism, and care. Family owned business for decades and it shows. Great service and priced fairly. Steve was out to give me an estimate the same day I called. He is prompt and to the point. Service provided 5/2023. read more

FRAUD. I paid him to remove a stump and it was not removed at all. I followed up with him about 30 times and he never came back to remove it. Would tell me he was going to come and then never show up or had excuses. Took 350 from me and ran. Do not use this company. I am reporting him to the BBB and the city. read more

Steve and his company cut two trees and trimmed another one. They came out on time, did a quick and thorough job and cleaned up after themselves. And the offered me a price better than the other three companies I spoke with... Highly recommend! read more

AJAX Tree Service - No easy job with all the wires and little access but they did it well! - Tree Services Near Me

It had to come one day...my first 1* review - and man did I give Steve several opportunities to avoid this. First estimate appointment was a no-show. I called and left a voicemail - received an apology later saying an emergency came up - and he'd be out later in the week. Steve did come out - gave me an estimate which seemed fair - and we agreed on a time and day for the work to be performed. The day comes - no show. I called, left another message saying I didn't appreciate the no-show. He calls later - another excuse - his bins are filled from the storm. Apologized and said he'll absolutely get the tree trimming done same day/time next week. And...no show. So here I am. Looking at the reviews these guys are really hit and miss - when they show they seem to do a nice job. Google and Yelp both have multiple reviews from people who paid in full and claim they got stiffed so I guess in some sense I'm lucky I just had a little frustration, but I certainly wouldn't use Ajax if you are looking for a reliable service. read more

Our neighbour's tree in the back yard was really overhanging or yard and dropping plenty of leaves, and blocking a lot of sun from our garden. Needless to say, there was a lot of branches that needed to come down. We paid $750 for the whole job. Steve and his team trimmed the tree really well. These guys know what they're doing. Large branches are tied to ropes for a controlled fall, so you don't have to worry about damage. Steve's wife was really friendly and chatted with us during the job, everyone was rather friendly come to think of it! They cleaned up everything after too, including raking the yard, and using a leaf blower, even cleaned up the alley. Overall very satisfied. One very important tip: Call to follow up a day before the appointment. Steve is a busy guy, and can be a bit forgetful, and may not show up, especially if an earlier job runs late. As long as you make a point of following up once (or twice to be safe) you'll be glad that you did, because I don't think any company can do a better job! read more

AJAX Tree Service - Sorry for the night photo, just happen to be writing at night - Tree Services Near Me

I had a very large silver maple with no easy access that needed to come down. Upon arrival Steve discovered the tree was not safe to remove without a bucket. He and his crew expertly removed a small section of fence and we're able to get the trucks in and out with minimal footprint. The crew showed great care for the property and most importantly got the whole tree out safely. I asked folks before if anyone had a "tree guy" Now I have one I will happily recommend to anyone. Super happy with the service, price and ability to get the job done! read more

These guys removed three of four of our trees but could not remove our stumps even though we paid them in full up front to do so, and they did not tell us they would need more than one day to get the job done. We made an appointment for them to come back and what followed was a series of no shows and excuses. Their failure to come back and remove our stumps prevented us from being able to install a new fence. Eventually we could not wait any longer and we had to hire someone else to get the job done. If you go with these guys, get the job in writing and don't pay in full up front. Update: They have told us that they are now willing to reimburse us for the work they were not able to complete. Happy to update the review if they make good on their word. read more

DO NOT CALL STEVE!! After trimming my tree he left a giant pile of tree branches in front of my garage for THREE WEEKS. He told me he would pick them up but never did. Then he stopped returning my calls and texts. Can't recommend him read more

In the interest of full transparancy, this review was originally not a positive one - I *hate* writing negative reviews but I feel, when used properly, Yelp is a good tool that can help businesses and consumers make good decisions. Yesterday, I was pretty upset about a communication issue with Ajax and I felt badly enough that I needed to write about it. If you scan my reviews, you'll see right away that I'm much more into writing positive reviews than scathing negative ones. However! Once the owner understood my frustration, he and his crew bent over backwards to make things better. As I write, Steve's team of guys is up my employer's tree (on a Sunday morning, by the way), working their butts off in this sweltering heat. The tree already looks so so so much better and I'm excited to see the end product. They really, really know trees, tree health, and the best solutions for your trees. Would I recommend Ajax to others? Gladly. read more

Steve and team were helpful with the initial tree removal last fall. But he was busy and recommended coming back to complete stump removal in the spring. After months of calling and reminders, no response and now I have to find someone else to remove the stump before I can replant. Will not use them again. read more

Steve showed up in an hour after an initial request txt. Quoted a very reasonable rate, and showed up 3 days later to rip a huge stump out. After clearing the saw dust, I realized there was an area that was missed near the side of the house - out of caution of how close to the wall, the lip of the sidewalk their machine was navigating, etc. He came out the following week, and took the rest out by hand. He went above expectations under the circumstance. Excellent price, great availability - really appreciate it! read more

Called this company to get an estimate for removal of a dozen or so trees and trimming of a dozen or so more for our condo association. I rearranged my work schedule to meet the owner Steve a second time (he canceled the first appointment at the last minute) at our Lakeview property. Although he appears very knowledgeable of different tree species, the business professionalism of him and his staff are horrible. It has been 7-days of lies and daily phone calls just trying to pull the estimate for the work out of these people. Still no estimate!! Steve promised an estimate the next day. The woman in his office promised an estimate two days later. The same woman promised to have Steve write it on the 4th day we called. We have literally left messages or been lied to about getting an estimate every single day for a week. Pathetic! So, as it would get great to be able to leave a review of work performed, it's impossible when this company isn't professional enough to even get a quote or return phone call from. Maybe they are only good with removing single trees and stumps?!? So, if you have a property that has more than a single tree, good luck! read more

Steve did a wonderful job for us with an unexpected tree situation from the storm this past Monday. He and his workers came out right away and did a great job. They left everything in great condition. He did the work quickly and efficiently. He will be my tree person from now on. read more

I'm still waiting for him to finish the job. Don't pay in advance is my tip. He promised he would have the work done that day., which didn't happen. It has been over two months. read more

AJAX Tree Service - Tree Services Near Me

Made three appointments for tree trimming and never showed up to any of them. Never even called to say they couldn't make it. When I called to ask why, had a silly excuse and then made another appointment that he didn't keep. Wish I could give zero stars. Seems to be a common thread here. read more

Ajax came out to my house to look at the tree and to give me a quote. Very fast and friendly service!

I'm forever grateful for these men. Today my 5 month old cat got out threw our back door while letting our dog out . She ran up a pine tree to chase a squirrel. This tree is about 50 feet or higher, she was stuck all the way at the top and it's was raining and cold. She had to be out there for at least 4-5hours. we tried everything! Called 911 and the Fire Department no one will help us all we got was just put food out she will come down. My husband used good old google Thankfully we found this company! They were so nice and so understanding, these men have a family owned business for cutting trees down not rescuing cats but they came and saved us today! They were at my house less then 30 mins and got our fur baby out that dang tree in the rain! Steve and Dan really saved us today! Thank you both so much. Thanks bunches The Aponte Family. read more

Steve does great work. He ground out the stumps on 4 bushes at the front of our house. He was over the same day, very friendly, quick, and does a fantastic job. I am using him for some follow up work as well. I definitly recomend him if you want fast service and great work without any hassle. read more

My huge thanks to Steve and Dan for coming out to help get a cat out of a tree. Very professional and grateful for them coming out on such short notice. read more

Had Steve out for a quote to take out my 50-yr old Linden tree that had developed a big split over the winter. He arrived on time, gave a very fair quote and set an appt for same week. Steve and his crew arrived on schedule and did a great job taking down a huge tree in a small yard and really spent the time making sure the stump was ground and the yard was clean. Don't normally write reviews but really appreciated the great work. Thanks Steve! read more

My neighbor used their tree trimming service and I granted them access to my building. I can't speak on the quality of their tree trimming but what I can speak on is how they left my property. I didn't expect them to pick up all the tiny little scraps as that would be impossible but there were a number of larger branches left behind. They left all my gates wide open and didn't move my 2 yard trash bin back from where it was. There is a pretty public alley next to my building and they left everything wide open. It just seems like they didn't care much about my property except to complete their job. After they left I had to spend time cleaning up and putting things back to where they belonged. read more

I called on Friday for an estimate to trim my neighbor's tree from my side. They answered promptly and when I said I wanted a quote as soon a possible, Andrea said Steve would come out Sunday. He arrived 15 minutes early and his quote was so reasonable that my neighbor and I agreed to remove the entire tree. He offered to do it immediately and after an hour and a half, the tree was gone and both my yard and my neighbor's was spotless. I would recommend Ajax because Andrea and Steve were prompt, efficient and professional. read more

Steve and his team did fabulous work. Took down an old tree that was 40 feet in height and 30 inches in diameter. Thought it would take all day but they completed the job in 3.5 hours. Rotten tree and they cleaned up all the debris and there was a lot to clean up and haul away. Now the yard is clean and looks like a tree was never there. Amazing work! read more