Meet the 'Original Egyptian King' who shares two incredible anniversaries with Liverpool's Mo Salah

A local legend will be celebrating this weekend as he shares two incredible anniversaries with Liverpool's Mo Salah.

Hamdi Bichara, owner of Uncle Sam's on Bold Street, turns 77 on Saturday, the same day that the LFC star turns 27, but that is not all he shares with the footballer.

Hamdi, from Egypt, moved to Liverpool at the same age Salah did and has spent a whopping 50 years working in the city and becoming somewhat of a local celebrity.

Mo Salah has even been lucky enough to meet the man himself after popping into the restaurant that made Hamdi so well known.

Hamdi Bichara from Uncle Sams Restaurant on Bold Street,is celebrating 50 years in the city (Image: Andrew Teebay/Liverpool Echo)

Despite all the links to the champion forward and being nicknamed the "Original Egyptian King of Liverpool", Hamdi's story is even better than you might realise.

Hamdi moved to Liverpool in December 1968 and quickly began working at the Shakespeare Cabaret Club on Fraser Street.

He worked his way up, first to waiter, then to head waiter, giving him the chance to mix and mingle with a lot of stars and famous faces.

Olivia Newton John, Tommy Cooper and Dave Allen are just some of the people Hamdi met through his work and he claims he has a story for every single one of them.

Hamdi Bichara and Pete Price with customers at the Shakespeare Cabaret Club in the 1970s

Almost 20 years after moving to the city, Hamdi, who now lives in Aigburth with his wife Magda, decided to go out on his own, and officially opened his own restaurant in 1987.

Almost 32 years on and Uncle Sam's has become a Liverpool institution, moving to Bold Street from Renshaw Street in 2013.

Hamdi told the ECHO: "I've been in the city for a long time, 50 years now, and I've met a lot of people and served a lot of people.

"We've been Uncle Sam's since 1987 and in that time we have made a lot of great memories for people, through the generations.

"Little girls who would come to my restaurant when they were young, now come back with their husbands and children and they always have good memories of Uncle Sam's."

Talking about the day Mo Salah came to dine at his restaurant, Hamdi, who is father to Marian, Daniel and Matthew, said they had a "great chat".

Hamdi added: "Salah came into my restaurant by mistake with some friends and he didn't know I was Egyptian.

"We had a great talk and he was a real gentleman. From talking to him we found out that we have the same birthday, 50 years apart.

Hamdi Bichara, owner of Uncle Sam's on Bold Street, with Liverpool star Mo Salah

"He was born on June 15, 1992 and I was born on June 15, 1942 and that was a really nice surprise."

Speaking about her father, Marian Bichara said: "He's the original Egyptian King of Liverpool!

"I’m biased, but ask anyone who knows him and they will tell you the same thing – Hamdi Bichara is a wonderfully kind man.

"More commonly known as ‘Uncle Sam’ to his customers, he never fails to put a smile on anyone’s face.

Hamdi Bichara with his cousin Jonny, his nephew Emile and friend Mustafa

"The fact that the same customers have been popping in for a bite to eat since 1987 (including their kids and now their kids’ kids) is a testament to not only his delicious menu but also to the fact that he is able to turn customers into lifelong friends.

"He is forever putting everyone before himself, ensuring they are always happy and feeling right at home.

"Growing up with this 'local celeb' for a dad has always been fun.

"People would ask me what my parents did for a living and the minute I revealed my dad owns Uncle Sam’s I would almost always be met with the same response: 'No way! The cute short guy? I love Uncle Sam’s.'”