EXCLUSIVE

Hulk Hogan says he's not racist ... and neither is his restaurant ... so he's putting the HURT on a controversial dress code at his Tampa eatery ... that appears to target black people.

We talked to Hulk about the sign posted at Hogan's Beach ... barring anyone who wears excessively baggy attire, low-hanging pants, do-rags, bandanas, oversized or excessive jewelry -- all stuff popular with the urban crowd.

Hulk -- who doesn't own the eatery but licenses his name to it -- tells us he called the restaurant's managers personally ... and demanded the sign be taken down -- permanently ... and they agreed.