The stars were photographed together over the weekend, chatting in the valet area of the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood after having dinner at the property's Tower Bar ... sparking tons of dating rumors online.

However, sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... they are not dating and the dinner was with a group of people, not just the two of them alone.

Instead, our sources say Jennifer and Pedro are just friends with lots of mutual friends ... and things are platonic, as has been the case between them for years now.