I think that’s a fair characterization of Michelin, but San Pellegrino putting Etxebarri (which has only one Michelin star) at #6 is pointing in a different direction.
Here’s a one star in Budapest where we ate. Nothing fancy AT ALL. But the best meal WE’VE had. We don’t dine in the “stratosphere.” 
Side note: it got its star after I had made our res, for that I was grateful.
Michelin often gives one star to restaurants that don’t have fancy linens or plating or whatever. It’s two and three stars where they ignore their published policy of rating only the food.
Ahh Borkonyha is a wonderful spot. A few years back I airbnb’ed about two blocks away from this place and dined here relatively frequently. What a great atmosphere; I remember sitting on the patio on a warm spring night and just being fully content.
The food, too, is superb. Nuanced Hungarian food really is extraordinary. And what a city Budapest is.
Though I’d argue that even Etxebarri is pretty formal service. White table cloths, rustic but done up dining room… To me it was just the rural version of ever-finer linens and more polished silverware.
We love foie gras so had it as our main. We’d decided on a dessert but foie was so great that we decided to have it as dessert. The chef got such a kick out of that that he did little ‘dollops’ of pureed fruit rather than the vegetables that were done with the main.
Etxebarri’s decor and table settings aren’t what you’d expect in that little country hamlet, but they’re similar to the majority of moderately priced modern restaurants I go to.
Ahh thats wonderful. The foie gras in Hungary is really splendid. To me, it rivaled most of the stuff I had during the two months i spent in France.
You’re making me nostalgic!
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Especially when paired with that Hungarian tokaji !!! Effing magic, I tell you…
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Another great point in support for my earlier assertion that the 50 Best is compiled by “The Barclays Bunch”: