Great service very knowledgeable on what kind of wood to use on different meats and fish

Two years ago I bought a face cord of wood for delivery and it was lovely. This winter I tried to buy wood and they didn't show up the day they said they would. We rescheduled to 12/3. They showed up 45 min past the window they said they would (close to when I had to pick up my son from school) and the man was very rude. (I don't expect to be yelled at by a man shouting "what do I do?" I was very confused by his question and thought he couldn't see the gate.). The snow was what confused him apparently. He said he wouldn't deliver and needed two guys and that office would call me to reschedule. It has been 10 days. No word from them. I am not comfortable using them anymore. read more

Called Saturday morning for some wood, had wood Saturday afternoon. Professional and quality service! Had a good laugh with their delivery guy Jonathon. read more

I've read the complaints, but after being a customer for years I've never had any major issues. It's true the service can be curt, but it's a lumber yard. I'm not sure what people expect. Hickory, apple, peach, mulberry, cherry, oak. ..they have it all at reasonable prices. They also have large bags of lump charcoal for sale. read more

A1 Country Firewood - Ready for the smoker - Firewood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I just ordered my second delivery of firewood from A1. The wood is amazing, the fires are incredible, the service is impeccable with super easy ordering and delivery ( it takes less than five minutes to put in an order and if you get delivery, they stack it up gorgeously wherever you need it). But the perk I wasn't expecting is that the entire living room smells like sweet Birch. Definitely worth the upgrade to the nicer bundle. read more

A1 Country Firewood - A-1 oak, cherry, Apple, and birch bundle - Firewood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Received a quote through Yelp and called to schedule. Lady told me they'd deliver Wednesday or Thursday this week and that they'd call me. Never received a call and no one showed up. Called Friday and spoke with an absolute jerk who never apologized or offered a solution and simply fought me on every word I said. 100% buy elsewhere - not worth the frustration. ___ Update: The company reached out and apologized for not calling or delivering as scheduled, but really the issue was how rude the manager (really?!) was. They said they would deliver 30% more wood for the same price and come today. They did end up coming this time. Not sure we got any extra wood, but the guy was nice and gave us some fire starter. Probably still wasn't worth the hassle, so I'll go with someone else next time. read more

Fast friendly service, did a great job stacking in our garage. I checked with a moisture reader, and most is around 15% (where 20% is still acceptable). Very nice, and ready to burn! A face cord will get us through another season. On the expensive side, but you get what you pay for. read more

A1 Country Firewood - Face cord = perfect amount for us to get through winter. Good size cuts, and low moisture as advertised. - Firewood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A1 baby, all the way. I've gotten wood delivered from A1 for years. Best in Chi. Delivery is a dream and this crew delivers on-time in a courteous and professional manner. Very personable and authentic. John is a classic, always fair and throws in Apple if he has it -- which burns blue. Reasonable prices. Do you have to be flexible with delivery times? Sure. Is that a fair ask for a small lumber yard? I think so. 10/10 highly recommend. John always throws in the good stuff. Winter. Chi. Crackling wood fire. The only way to go. Thanks A1! Keep it up. We appreciate you. read more

The kiln-dried wood is outstanding! We have bought kiln-dried elsewhere because it burns cleaner and it's just nicer to handle. But this is by far the best quality we've ever had. The kiln-dried wood makes it very easy to start a fire, and it burns evenly and well throughout. No sparks flying out of the fireplace; no smokiness caused by wood that isn't dry enough. The company is easy to deal with, and they respond to calls/messages quickly and deliver when they say they will. Can't recommend them highly enough, especially if you like or want to try kiln-dried. Which you definitely should! read more

I just called this service today, not knowing anything about wood service. He asked me how much wood do I need and I proceeded to tell him we were going to use it for indoor chimney then wanted to ask how much per bundle to determine how much wood - as that's all we've purchased at Home Depot in the past. Then he raises his voice at me saying I don't know how much I want and that it's a Sunday and I'm calling it's closed. I was in shock. He answered the phone. I didnt know it was closed. I've never ever had a business raise their voice at me like that before. I felt violated. I will try again as my friends recommend this place and maybe he is having a bad day. Update - I've read other reviews and it looks like I'm not the first person to have this experience when calling for information read more

I ordered once before from this company and the wood was not dried the way they had made it sound like it would be. It was mediocre quality at best. I called this weekend to try to order more and the owner was rude about me calling on a Sunday, even though there was no reason he needed to answer my intention was to leave a voicemail and how was I supposed to know for sure that they were closed. Then he calls me back today and is incredibly rude very short with me and even goes on to raise his voice and start yelling at me for calling him on a Sunday. At this point you couldn't pay me to use the service and I truly hope nobody else does. read more

Having purchased from another firewood supplier for many years, I got frustrated by their lack of response so decided it was time for a change. Ordered from A1 and couldn't be happier. Heard immediately back from John; he was professional and courteous. Half face cord was delivered the next day. The gentleman who delivered the wood was friendly and rotated our existing wood pile with the new wood. Not cheap, but good service and reliability mean a lot to me. As many say you get what you pay for.Thanks for the great service and I'll be ordering again read more

The owner called me and made right on my concerns. Pleased with his help. Would use again.

This is my second year using A-1 for our wood delivery. Their wood is outstanding and their staff is a pleasure to work with.

Great quality firewood No smoke, always a nice clean burn No garbage wood Quick delivery read more

A1 is hands down the best in Chicago. I've tried the others, but once I discovered John and A1 I never looked back. Knowledgeable, huge selection of wood to choose from, great to work with, and they deliver! Honestly, the best there is. read more

Called to get info and learned more than I ever wanted to know about firewood, very thorough, accurate information. Decided to buy a face cord of mixed wood w/white birch. Price was reasonable, even with the addition of birch, totally on par with my local garden center though better due to the wider variety of wood available. Delivery was within the week, delivery people were prompt and professional. We've burned through far more of the wood than I'd have thought possible so early in the season. Wood burns great, catches easily, no issues at all. They threw in a few extra fires worth and a bundle of kindling. We will be ordering from them again, likely this season. read more

Fool me once. I recommended an older relative try this firm for kiln-dried firewood after a couple of poorly seasoned wood loads in previous years from other companies. Wood was delivered as scheduled however, when i visited said relative a few days later BEFORE any wood was taken in, I discovered that the "racks" were very loosely "packed" (i.e. large number of big air gaps) and that, the height of the stacked wood was several inches lower than it should have been (8 feet wide x 4 feet high-the total width was ok) add to that, my relative "tipped" the delivery guy as well! Furthermore, weeks later after reaching bottom layer of wood on one side, many of the pieces were noticeably NOT SEASONED, left alone kiln dried, as sap oozed out of several logs as they hissed in the fireplace without burning. Never again! read more

A1 Country Firewood - Several inches short of 48 inches - the width was correct - Firewood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We just ordered our second load of wood this winter. John says he has recently upped the temperature on his kiln, resulting in drier wood. I could really tell! Wood caught fire easily, burned hot and bright, with no steaming or hissing like you'd get with wet wood. John may answer the phone with only the word "Firewood," but it's the magic word and once you tell him what you need, he will help with the rest. read more

I've always loved a good fire but realized how inefficient buying bundles at Home Depot or other stores was. After reading the reviews, I decided on A-1 Country Firewood and wasn't disappointed. John returned my voicemail within the hour and was very pleasant and helpful. I was going to get the firewood at his yard myself but my rental truck fell through, and he was able to accommodate a same day delivery. Robert showed up a few hours later, was super nice, and had it all unloaded and nicely piled within what seemed like 10 min. The first fire is already roaring and these guys have earned my business for years to come. read more

This place is great. In the past I purchased cheap wood from a couple of other dealers, thinking that wood is wood. I tried this place because the quality of the wood I was getting was pretty bad. It burned really fast, some of it was diseased, and I felt like sometimes I was getting less wood than what I paid for. After buying from A-1, I won't go for the cheap stuff again. This wood burns longer, there is no sign of disease, and they are generous with the amount that they give you. Overall, it's a much better value. read more

A-1 Country Firewood is a triple threat of combustibles: firewood, cooking wood, and lump charcoal. I've used all three categories of their products. Firewood: every fall for the past 6 years, I buy a face cord (one row of firewood, 8 feet wide, stacked 4 feet high) of the premium mix for our fireplace. The wood includes birch, oak, cherry, and some apple. The firewood is all well seasoned (air dried outside), starts easily, burns long, and smells great. The prices are very reasonable, usually cheapest in the City, especially when the quality of the wood is factored in. Delivery, which includes stacking, is an extra charge, but worth it. Cooking wood: I've bought several kinds of cooking wood from A-1--cherry, apple, hickory, and post oak (white oak)--for smoking meats, cheeses, and other foods on my grill. The quality is all top notch, and the prices are fantastic compared to the smoking woods available at Home Depot. To give you an idea of quality, many restaurants in the city use A-1 wood for their smokers and wood fired ovens. If you need chunks, call ahead, as it takes them a while to turn the sticks and logs into fist sized chunks. They can do it on the spot if you haven't planned ahead, but you may have to wait a few minutes. Charcoal: A-1 also has lump charcoal. It's oak, from Mexico. It's pretty good quality, far better than Royal Oak or other frequently available lump charcoals at big box stores. All pieces are charred, very few fines, not much debris (rocks). The price per pound is aggressively good, and it's cheaper than Royal Oak on discount at HD. The lump pieces are not as big as the currently en vogue, super-premium Fogo, which I've used in the past and really like. But A-1's lump is close in quality, smell, and lump size. And the price is less than half per pound of that premium stuff, and you don't have to pay for shipping. Service: a couple of the other reviews talk about customer service skills (or lack thereof), calling out the owner, John, in particular. It's true that this ain't Nordstrom--the owner can be blunt and direct, and he has no problem drawing and holding a line on price, what he's willing to do, etc. And he and his crew talk in a way that wouldn't fly in a Loop consulting firm. (I actually find that refreshing; my ass is for sitting, not kissing.) I don't think he's rude, though, and I've never heard anything that I'd call offensive. When you factor in the quality and price, I'm willing to forego white glove treatment. And the owner, in particular, is a true Chicago character, of which there are fewer and fewer these days. read more

Super happy with this service. I submitted a please contact me form and within an hour Tom called me back, was very patient and informative, and helped me make good choices. They delivered within 48 hours and Bryan was great with the delivery. Slightly pricey but nothing great is ever cheap and quality is worth paying a little extra for. read more

Never using this place again. I have ordered from A-1 several times in the past. I've even coordinated orders with other units in the building to make for a larger order for A-1. They weren't great, but they were good enough. This year put an end to that. John was a complete jerk. When I called to place the order, he was very curt and seemed put out. Sorry for trying to give you money for what you do. We agreed on a window of 12-3 for the delivery day. The day before, I had a work situation come up for the delivery day, and the delivery day was also forecast to have rain the night before with plummeting temps. I called John and advised of the work thing and reminded him about the forecast and that maybe it wouldn't be a great idea to have his guys carrying wood up potentially hazardous steps. I asked if he wanted to reschedule or if he could push the delivery window back an hour or two so I could take care of my work thing and have time to tend to the steps to make sure they were o.k. I was not ready for what followed. He was a complete wad and read me the riot act about "Well responsible people salt their steps" and "I'm not going to have my guys getting home at 9 at night." No "Hey I'd like to help but we need to stick to our schedule because__________" or "Yeah, can you do x date?" Just obnoxious rudeness. I told him I'd get back to him about whether or not I could or would keep the order. I did get back to him later that night and left a voice mail saying if he could hold off until at least 1, I'd do it, otherwise, just cancel the order altogether. He left a voice mail later saying he could do that. Come delivery day, the truck didn't come until 3:45. The driver did call a couple times to update me, which was fine. When he got there, I found out why he was late. He was the only person. John has one guy going around to do deliveries. John has one guy for my delivery to carry a face cord to the back of my building and up three flights of stairs. Took the guy almost 3 hours. Not his fault. He shouldn't have been in that position. And to top it off, this batch of wood is the worst I've gotten. Noticeably higher moisture content, and it was an oak/cherry/birch mix that was very, very heavy on the oak. $281 (plus delivery) for a face cord of sub-par wood and a crappy attitude. Not a good deal. Other options will be used. read more

I called regarding pricing for firewood..... Got an attitude. I asked about delivery.... Prices.... Etc. The gent was offended that I was calling around for pricing and shopping around. Not sure why the attitude. He then complained that 15 people called for expedited firewood delivery .... literally complained ..... God forbid someone call a firewood place about that. I'm quite confused. read more

I love Chicago winters because I love making fires. A-1 is my go-to every year for firewood. The workers are super nice, and the owner personally hung out with me today as we filled my trunk. Here's the deal: 1. High quality wood (never mold or moisture) 2. Grab, pay and go 3. Great service 4. Reasonable prices 5. Makes for a much cozier winter Give A-1 a try. I Promise they won't disappoint you. After a few years as their customer, I honestly recommend them above all others. Here is a picture of my current fire, same day as my purchase of this wood. Happy holidays! read more

A1 Country Firewood - Firewood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The manager/guy that runs this location is beyond disrespectful. I called yesterday to order firewood (this will be my 4th order in two months) every time I call he has no recollection of who I am or any orders I've placed. Then he always tells me he will call me back which he rarely does. This time I called him and I asked why he didn't call me back? He said he was at the dentist and he didn't have time and that there are about 40 orders in front of me. I said " maybe I should order fire wood from somewhere else? " he said " Yea, that's a good idea. " I own 4 businesses and I would never in a million years tell my customers " Sorry, I was at the dentist! " my suggestion is have someone who respects and appreciates their customers work the phone! Because this guy clearly doesn't care at all. read more

I've got to say, the bad reviews on here seem to ring true to my feelings on this place. Seems like each complaint is met with the owner's excuses on why he is awful to his workers (which he calls his "help") and any customer who gets in the way of his productivity (customer service is important too!) or picks the "wrong time" to tie up his "help". Oh, and I stopped by the yard for some firewood... asked for a couple bundles of their cheapest firewood. 1 bag (about 5-8 logs) was $8 or 2 bags for $15. I'm looking elsewhere... read more

I had ordered multiple face cords of premium firewood each year from this guy for the last 5 years. Told my neighbors about him, they wanted to get together on a big order. I called to ask if he could offer us any kind of deal for delivering a single large load to houses that are literally 25 yards from each other (instead of driving all over the city to make the same # of deliveries), and he was incredibly rude - cut me off, went on a rant about moving that much wood, he can't find people, etc. Just rude and obviously not interested in return business. There are plenty of firewood vendors available, so I will not use this hot mess of a business again, nor would I ever recommend a business that treats a consistent customer this way. read more

A-1 is the third firewood supplier I've used since moving to Chicago and I couldn't recommend them any higher. I called John today to get a price quote and we had a good conversation. I told him I had terrible experiences purchasing firewood in the past, but had a great experience with them last year and I'd be sharing it on Yelp. He joked that the only complaints he ever gets are about his phone etiquette. I'd like to comment on this to anyone researching Firewood on Yelp. These are seasonal, blue-collar businesses. There are no corporate offices and it's very difficult to find dedicated Customer Service Reps for a seasonal business whose demand fluctuates on Mother Nature's whims. Admit it, you probably waited until the weatherman predicted sub-zero temperatures and now you're scrambling to prepare like everyone else in the city of Chicago. I made this mistake my first year in Chicago and ordered from a company that delivered unseasoned (useless) wood 3 days after it was scheduled to arrive. A-1 has huge supply of well-seasoned wood and sells only high quality wood that burns much longer. They will not rip you off. Bottom Line: I've purchased wood from 3 suppliers in the city of Chicago, the first 2 ripped me off. A-1 provided high-quality wood delivered on time. The wood was slow-burning and lasted the whole winter. I'll only be buying from them in the future. Pro-tip: Order your wood early (October) and splurge on the premium wood. read more

I just had firewood delivered for the first time. The driver was so nice and I can't believe how much wood I received! They were backed up a couple weeks but told me upfront - I was fine with it. I'm so happy I won't be freezing to death this Winter! Thanks A-1!!! read more

These guys are always friendly and helpful when I need wood or charcoal. I don't understand people complaining in other reviews.

This is my 3rd winter ordering from John and A-1, and I've always received great service. The wood has always been dried well, catches easily and burns for a long time. What more could you ask for? Ask for Scott to deliver if you can - great customer service, and he brings all of my wood up to my 2nd floor deck so quickly (for a small fee, of course). read more

Jon made it easy to order over the phone, delivery guys are no nonsense. Prices continue to amaze me, though. Seems the delivery fee and/or cost of wood goes up considerably every year... read more

KILN DRIED MY ASS!!! Bought "Kiln Dried" firewood from these guys (1/4 Face Cord) and while burning...there was more steam than smoke!!!! Kiln dried my ass. Literally watched water bubbling out the sides while trying to burn it. Maybe after nearly 40 years of business, quality control has been forgotten. Time to find another place that cares about the results and the residential buyer. And it's not like the Kilns were not operating...they were...just that for a residential buyer like me...they gave me the shit wood. And...they guys on the lot can barely spell their own name, let alone help me understand what wood is where and how much it costs. Time to care about the results for all buyers....not just your best ones. Shame! read more

Just got a delivery - awesome firewood. Delivery on time, nicely stacked in my garage and wood ready to burn. I have been a customer for years and will be for years to come. Worth every penny. read more

Just called to get information and the guy started yelling at me "why don't we do everything free?! The firewood free, the delivery fee free!" Just wanted some information, woah! read more

Returning customer very happy with fire wood and overall pricing for the fire. Owner was closing and opened up for me because I showed up late. 10/10 would recommend! They also have great kindling and birch bark to help get the fire really going. Thank you! read more

Almost 100% sure the firewood Santa is this guy http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/?p=4241 If not, he has a Walmart shopping doppelganger. read more

I recently purchased a cord of mixed hardwoods for use in my smoker. John at A-1 Country Firewood was extremely helpful and knowledgeable in helping me select the wood I needed. They were even able to deliver to my house, in the same week, which was a huge benefit. The quality of wood is excellent, nicely sized and split. I am a very happy and satisfied customer and would by wood from A-1 again the next time I need it. read more