<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0203</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-03-23</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001476719</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>57th Street General Acquisition Corp</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>sqtc</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001044321</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARXE AUSTIN W &amp; GREENHOUSE DAVID M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O SPECIAL SITUATIONS FUNDS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>527 MADISON AVENUE, SUITE 2600</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>663900</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Limited Partnership</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This is a joint filing by Austin W. Marxe (Marxe) and David M. Greenhouse (Greenhouse).  They share voting and investment control over all securities owned by Special Situations Fund III QP, L.P. (SSFQP), Special Situations Cayman Fund, L.P. (Cayman) and Special Situations Private Equity Fund, L.P. (PE).  453,018 shares of Common Stock are held by SSFQP, 148,400 shares of Common Stock are held by Cayman and 62,482 shares of Common Stock are held by PE.  The interest of Marxe and Greenhouse in the shares of Common Stock owned by SSFQP, Cayman and PE is limited to the extent of his pecuniary interest.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Austin Marxe</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-04-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>David Greenhouse</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-04-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
