The charming story that bistro comes from Russian soldiers shouting "quickly!" in Paris is almost certainly false — but it's repeated in every restaurant guide anyway.
A small, modest restaurant or cafe, typically serving simple, hearty food in an informal setting.
From French bistro (small restaurant), of uncertain origin. A popular etymology derives it from Russian bystro (quickly), supposedly shouted by Russian soldiers in Paris after 1814, but this is likely folk etymology. More probably from French regional dialect bistraud (a young helper or servant) or bistouille (a bad drink) Key roots: bistro (French: "small restaurant (origin disputed)").
The most popular origin story for bistro claims that Russian soldiers occupying Paris in 1814 shouted "bystro!" (quickly!) when demanding fast service at cafes, and the word stuck. It makes a wonderful story, but linguists are skeptical — bistro is not attested in French until 1884, seventy years