On my last day at Zipolite last week, my companion decided on El Alquemisto, an upscale beach eaterie at the Shambala end of the beach. On the way in, my extremely docile English Setter, Sweet Sadie Sue the Surfing Setter was run over and bitten by a large Rottweiler with absolutely no provocation. The owner did get his Rottie under control. My appetite was gone, but Laura had an incredible raw tuna filet, 3" thick; pepper crusted and in a delicious sauce. But before the meal was complete, we witnessed the Rottie attack the dog of yet another customer's dog. Needless to say, Sadie was on a very short lead out to the parking lot.
That night, at Cafe Maya (the Zipolite lifeguard stand), I was expressing amazement to Ray and his wife that any tourist would bring such an aggressive dog and let it loose. They explained to me that the European owner of El Alquimisto has three Rottweilers; that many dogs have been attacked; and that the dogs have actually attacked people, as well, and that the lifeguards had actually taken at least one bleeding victim to the Emergency Room in Pochutla. They implied that the dog owner had spent a bit of cash to make the story stop short of the police.
So, while the food is unbelievable and only slightly overpriced, DO NOT GO TO EL ALQUIMISTO if you are travelling with a beloved pet. I would extend the advice to any person who tends to be growled at by strange dogs.
Zipolite is a magic place with amazing places to eat and stay. New reviews are forthcoming. But be careful with your pets.